Top 10 Reasons Why to Teach

This beautiful article by Melissa Kelly which appeared in about.com summarizes the beauty there is in becoming a teacher.

For many, becoming a teacher is one boring and unrewarding career. However, we, teachers think otherwise. Read along and see the unparalled rewards of becoming a teacher.

Enjoy the article and if you are one great guy, consider becoming one of us --- a TEACHER, and reap the benefits of this great career (for many teachers, not just a career but a calling) !

Teaching is a special calling. It is not a job well-suited to everyone. In fact, many new teachers leave within the first 3-5 years of teaching. However, there are many rewards that come with this oft maligned career. Here are my top ten reasons why teaching can be a great profession.

1. Student Potential
Unfortunately, not every student will succeed in your class. However, this fact should not keep you from believing that every student has the potential for success. This potential is so exciting - each new year presents new challenges and new potential successes.

2. Student Successes
Closely related to the previous pick, student success is what drives teachers to continue. Each student who didn't understand a concept and then learned it through your help can be exhilarating. And when you actually reach that student that others have written off as being unteachable, this can truly be worth all the headaches that do come with the job.

3. Teaching a Subject Helps You Learn a Subject
You will never learn a topic better than when you start teaching it. I remember my first year teaching AP Government. I had taken Political Science courses in college and thought I knew what I was doing. However, the student questions just made me dig deeper and learn more. There is an old adage that it takes three years of teaching to truly master a subject and in my experience this is the truth.

4. Daily Humor
If you have a positive attitude and a sense of humor, you will find things to laugh about each day. Sometimes it will be silly jokes you will make up as you teach that might get a laugh from your students. Sometimes it will be jokes that kids share with you. And sometimes students will come out with the funniest statements without realizing what they've said. Find the fun and enjoy it!

5. Affecting the Future
Yes it might be trite, but it is true. Teachers mold the future each day in class. In fact, it is a sad fact that you will see some of these students more consistently day-to-day than their parents will.

6. Staying Younger
Being around young people everyday will help you remain knowledgeable about current trends and ideas. It also helps break down barriers.

7. Autonomy in the Classroom
Once a teacher closes that door each day and begins teaching, they really are the ones who decide what's going to happen. Not many jobs provide an individual with so much room to be creative and autonomous each day.

8. Conducive to Family LifeIf you have children, the school calendar will typically allow you to have the same days off as your kids. Further, while you might bring work home with you to grade, you will probably be getting home close to the same time as your children.

9. Job Security
In many communities, teachers are a scarce commodity. It is fairly certain that you will be able to find a job as a teacher, though you might have to wait until the start of a new school year and be willing to travel within your county/school district. While requirements might be different from state to state, once you have proven yourself a successful teacher, it is relatively easy to move around and find a new job.

10. Summers Off
Unless you work in a district that has a year-round-education system, you will have a couple of months off in the summer where you can choose to get another job, teach summer school, or just relax and vacation. Further, you typically get two weeks off during Christmas/Winter Holidays and one week for Spring Break which can really be a huge benefit and provide much needed rest time.

A Teacher's Story

"When I die, there is just one word that I want people to place in my tombstone... not my name, but just the word TEACHER. I want to be remembered by many only for one thing, that I am a teacher and forever I will be a teacher."

I was in a career exploration seminar in UP (University of the Philippines)many years ago when I heard one of the speakers delivered these lines. And I did wonder then what made this teacher say that. What she said struck me so much that even if many years had passed, I can still remember her lines (though I can't remember anymore her name nor the details to her story).

I believe what made her say that is actually embedded in this fictional story about a teacher who died and was sent to heaven (Some of you might have encountered this already.). For the many who haven't heard of this yet, let me then share with you this teacher's beautiful story.

There was this teacher who died and so was sent to heaven. Upon arriving at the gates of heaven, there were three other men who had been waiting for their turns to be interviewed by St. Peter (known as heaven's gatekeeper) and eventually be allowed entrance to heaven.

The teacher sat beside the three other men. He smiled at them and they smiled in return. A few moments passed, and St. Peter came out.

The first man was called and was asked by St. Peter, "What did you do with the life God had lent you?" The man said, "I was an engineer and built bridges and roads and buildings and homes, so that men may have shelter and means to be connected even if they live far from each other." "Very good," said St. Peter. You were a great man; therefore, enter the kingdom of God."

The second man was called and asked the same question. The man excitedly shared, "I was a doctor. I cured people of their illnesses and save thousands of lives." "Well done, Doctor. You were a great man; go and enter God's kingdom."

The third man was called and was asked the same question. This time, the man said with utmost enthusiasm, "I was a lawyer. And as a lawyer, I rendered my services for free to the poor ones and I won their battles in court." "Excellent. You were also a great man. Go and enter God's kingdom," said St. Peter.

While all the interviews were being conducted, the teacher was just quiet, but on his lips one would notice the beautiful smile which seemed to be coming from his fondness of the three men being interviewed and the answers they had in response to what St. Peter asked.

Now, it was the teacher's turn. He was called by St. Peter and was asked the same question. "Old man, what did you do with the life that God had lent you?" The old man smiled at St. Peter, and with great excitement, enthusiam and pride, he said, "I made no bridges or homes; I cured no man of any illness; and I won no case for any poor man in court. But if there was one thing I was truly proud of... I made them three (referring to the engineer, the doctor and the lawyer). I was their teacher!" "Excellent work, old man. You were indeed noble and worthy of honor. Go, enter the kingdom, and sit at God's right hand at the banquet He had long prepared for His noble children."

The three men were in awe hearing what the old man had said, and all together recognized their old teacher. They honored him and gave him thanks for making them the great men that they were.

The old man entered the gates of heaven with so much gladness in his heart, as his former students held him by the hand.

There you have it. What, therefore, made that teacher (who spoke at the university) say that? It was the beauty there is in teaching. Teaching is all about helping people: educating them, empowering them, and inspiring them, so that they get to accomplish the mission in life God has entrusted them.

With that, let me invite all of you, my dear teachers to say,"I'm truly proud to be a TEACHER --- I educate, I empower, I inspire!"

Help Students Achieve Their Goals

I'm back, and, yes, with new thoughts and advocacy. I'm into exploring the power of the mind to help me achieve my goals in life. I'm happy to say that it has paid quite well.

I will not be sharing with you yet my stories (I'm actually reserving that for another blogsite, but of course, I'll tell you when it's up!). But what I'll do is to share with you some of the lessons I learned from reading the works of mind masters and how these can be applied to our everyday work in the classroom.

Lesson 1

HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS IN LIFE

Help your students set goals for themselves and show them the way to successfully achieving these through these five simple steps I am recommending below.

Step 1. KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT

• Tell them to define in more specific terms what they want to achieve this quarter. Ask them to be as specific as possible. Remind them that they can never get anywhere if they do not exactly know where they want to go.
• Let them express their goals in the present tense and ask them to write these down in their notebook. The more specific the goal, the better.

Step 2. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WANT

• Advise your students to positively focus on their goals as often as possible. When they wake up, when they fall asleep, during their spare time, they should think about their goals. Tell them that the power of their mind can work real well for them if only they will allow it through positive thinking.
• Ask them to picture in their minds that goal. The more vivid the picture, the better. Never let doubt or fear overshadow their desire for their goal. Warn them against thinking of what they don't want to happen. Thinking of the opposite will definitely work against them.

Step 3. TAKE ACTION NOW

• Yes, tell them that positively thinking about their goal will attract it toward them, but it is by doing simple steps that will let them receive it. They have to do the necessary steps to achieve their goals in life. Thay can always do something to propel their goals into becoming.
• It is imperative that they should take the action now, not tomorrow, but now. If everyday, they will do what they need to do toward achieving their goals, I can't see any reason why they will not achieve them. So, ask them to do it and do it now!

Step 4. CHOOSE THE SAME THING EVERYDAY

• Remind your students to be consistent until they have achieved their goals. They cannot send constantly changing vague wishes to the universe and expect positive results.
• Consistency is key to success. If they're undecided about what they want to order, the universe will serve first others who are more decisive as to what they want achieved.

Step 5. EXPRESS GRATITUDE

• Gratitude, according to mind masters, is the KEY to every successful man's success. Advise your students to stop complaining, instead continuously thank the universe for whatever they receive everyday. If they will just look harder, everyday, blessings come their way, brought about by people they meet and situations they are in. This is indeed great reason to be happy and grateful.
• Let them be sincerely thankful and joyful as they await the fulfillment of their goals.

These are indeed the five real simple steps to becoming successful in getting what one wants in life. And before even sharing it with your students, I would encourage you, my dear teachers, to try this one out yourself. See the magic this will bring to your life as it has brought to mine. Happy positive thinking!