This is one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite shows.
A couple weeks ago I posed a question about the best response to people in our lives who demean the craft of teaching.
Those who can do...those who can't teach.
There were some encouraging responses and suggestions. Thanks.
Like a friend prophesied, the comment never occurred in the meeting. To be honest, the meeting went far better than I had hoped. Maybe that person became more enlightened. Maybe my confidence was disarming. Don't know and don't really care.
What I've found over the past couple of weeks is I've been thinking about why I teach. The old dinner party question of what would you do if suddenly money and success weren't issues keeps coming to mind.
My answer, I'd teach.
If Maggie and I won the lottery and could both stop working, I would still want to teach.
If have had a few careers. I've written for newspapers. I've done community relations for a cause I believe in. I've served churches professionally and continue to volunteer in roughly the same capacities. I really liked what I did and am proud of the what I was able to accomplish. I think I could still go back to any of these occupations and continue to be successful. I honestly believe I could be a successful 'professional historian' as well.
Frankly, I want to teach.
I leave for a couple summer programs in a couple weeks and have decided to play with this idea for a couple weeks. I think of this blog an a place for me to put my thoughts, but also a safe place to respond. A lot of my friends are teacher-types so I want to hear from you...WHY DO YOU TEACH
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