Rich Henderson's Diary
The First 180 Days

Rich's Diary: Is Being a Teacher Worth It?

Week 27

I don't want to go back to school next week. Right now, I have had it with being a teacher. All the joy, enthusiasm, and exhilaration I have felt were extinguished during this past week. How can I continue to effectively deal with some students' behavioral and emotional issues, as well as students who have learning challenges? How do I continue to challenge those students who are gifted so that they feel intellectually satisfied? How do I continue to deal with a parent who tells me what his child will or will not do in my classroom? With these and many other daily issues and influences, I am left to wonder, "Is being a teacher worth it?"

Teachers must be great managers, wise legal scholars, gentle counselors, and skillful diplomats. Each day, we are asked to be effective in these roles. Oh yeah, we are also called upon to be masterful teachers. Yet without being proficient in those other functions, teaching seems to become simply a secondary role. Who has the time and energy to teach when you have to wear so many different hats?

Although my route to becoming a teacher took longer than others, it was probably for the better. My degree in business taught me to be a manager, supervisor, and problem solver. I must manage time, money -- a teacher's salary does not go far -- classroom routines, rules, transitions, and the continuous stream of paper that invades my desk.

Knowledge of the law has also been extremely helpful. The United States Constitution, individual state constitutions, case law, statutes, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, directly impact the way I teach. PPT (planning and placement team) meetings and IEPs (individual education programs) dictate various modifications I must implement each day to lessen some of the many challenges that students face.

I wish I was also a social worker. Each day, I need to address a student's social or emotional problem. Often, helping one student directly affects the other students, whether it is by their observation of the situation or the impact on the time and quality of my lessons.

Finally, in addition to the above influences, I must also maintain a relationship with my students' parents. Most of the time, the relationships are wonderful. At other times, such as this week, a parent can be unreasonably demanding, and I must diplomatically resolve the situation in the manner that is most beneficial to the child. Many sources influence a teacher -- sometimes too many.

All of these demands and roles can be extremely taxing for a teacher. This week, I have felt overwhelmed by the multitude of demands. Although the demands have always been there, they just seem to be too great and are not allowing me to do what I have always wanted to do -- teach.

Click here to return to the article.

Rich Henderson
Education World®
Copyright © 2000 Education World