Why Being a Teacher is the Best Job: The OTHER Reason
"Miss!" one of my seventh graders yelled, "There's fake blood all over the wall!"
The kids acting the Hammurabi skit froze as we all whipped our heads around. Sure enough, the entire wall -- my "Class Objectives" whiteboard, our vocabulary words, and the stately blue paint -- were splattered with red carnage. But that wasn't all. A river of fake blood streaked the wooden floor, and the clothes of the student actors were polka-dotted red. Oh my!
All twenty-eight of us turned towards the student-actor holding the plastic sword filled with fake blood: the prop we had thought was such a great idea ten minutes ago. Red liquid dripped from a crack in the sword, oozing down the student's dainty arm.
"Whoops!" the girl murmured. "Guess I waved it around too hard!"
We all burst into uncontrollable laughter. I mopped up the blood and we started the skit anew.
Oooh man... is there any better career than this? People tend to explain the joy of being a teacher chiefly in terms of idealism: "Teachers help the citizens of tomorrow, and what could be better than that?" But the OTHER reason teaching is the best job is just as compelling: it is HILARIOUS! Teaching middle school, especially, is ridiculously enjoyable and entertaining, every single day. Sure, we get our learning done; we write our essays and build those brain cells... but it is the moments in between that make it delicious.
Word is we're having visitors from Singapore to our school next week. How do I explain the blood on the vocabulary? :)
The author, Lillie Marshall, is a 6-foot-tall National Board Certified Teacher of English, fitness fan, and mother of two who has been a public school educator since 2003. She launched Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 4.2 million readers have now visited this site. Lillie also runs TeachingTraveling.com and DrawingsOf.com. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media!
A lot of the times, I think about becoming a teacher. Teaching seems like a fun job, and you certainly can approve of that. What college(s) do you recommend to study for becoming a teacher?
That makes me so happy, Christine!!!! There are MANY ways to become certified as a teacher, but I'd say the first step is get into a good 4-year college, study a topic that interests you but that could still help with the subject you might want to teach (ex: I majored in Comparative Literature and now teach English/Humanities), THEN go for a 1 or 2 year teacher certification program: either a Master's degree or an in-the-classroom training program like Boston Teacher Residency. Good luck and be in touch! :)
I'm a teacher as well and got a kick out of reading this post! So many great moments can be had in the classroom (along with all the frustrating ones!).
Like you, I much prefer teaching older students. I've done quite a bit of substituting for every grade level and usually feel completely spent after a day with the little guys! Haven't had a lice outbreak yet, though (knock on wood)!
Yay, Ryan!
Heyyy remember me! I know you loved my clss 7BILLION times more than this year ;)
Aw, Fiona, of course I remember you, and I love all classes in different ways! :)
My husband is also a teacher and I'm sure he will agree with you. Love the post. I have to remember to show it to my husband. Uh, better I email him the link.
Hope he likes it! I just published a companion article to it on the Gates Foundation blog, here: http://www.impatientoptimists.org/Posts/2012/12/The-Career-Advice-That-Can-Change-The-World
That was my skit! :)
You're now Internet famous! :)
LOL! I wish I was there.
Haha, Humanities class skits are always the best!!
Oh my, I wish I was there to join in on the fun!
Me too.
We had no fake blood moments when I had Ms. Marshall.
Um, but you and I climbed the Great Wall of China. I think you got a good deal: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2012/03/11/stephane-from-living-in-haiti-to-awesome-china-travel/
LOLOL. I was in ELA and we heard everyone cracking up in your class, I wish I was there to see it. :-). COOOL we are having visitors from Singapore. I love people from other places around the world.
Don't have any advice for explaining the fake blood but I do know this: Teachers are underpaid, overworked and appreciated way too little.
In fact that hasn't been my experience. As a teacher, I feel happy, appreciated, and paid and worked just fine!
MJ is finishing her ed degree and works for a VPK school. Best part of my day is hearing all the funny stories from things her kids did that day:)
:) :) :)
Oh Aoife, what can I say?
You're right- teaching is a hilarious profession. But also gross, when it's real blood or vomit or boogers or lice splattered throughout your classroom :) Oh... stories only teachers truly understand!
Ahhh, yes-- That's why I prefer to teach 7th grade and older. My friend who taught Kindergarten had some intense stories!
We are seriously having people from Singapore at our school next week?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
That's the word! Our school gets very good results and so we stir up interest around the world.
Yay!
Cool! I could see the fake blood, but it looks pink instead of red. My group's presentation was awesome too (even though we didn't have any props, but we were the first to do a DVD)!
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was my fault . . . :D
Well, technically it was the fault of the shoddy plastic composing the fake blood sword...
Still, it was pretty funny :D
We could hear the laughing from the class room next to you!
I used to ask my miss.. why is she beautiful and I am not ? and she used to laugh! Seriously , whenever I recall those moments of my middle school i can say My teacher used to enjoy teaching us.
Hah!!! So cute!
Ms. Marshall, you should tell the visitors that you accidentally put dots all over the objectives in red marker.
Oooo, smart! :)
Explanations could be fun. That's what happens when they misspell a word? Example of an activity gone wrong? A play that didn't get good reviews? Remnants of the last teacher?
Not sure what you'll say, but I think you're right... you chose an active and exciting career. Stay engaged!
Haha! Love it!
Remnants of the last teacher. Love it!
I so miss those days!! I remember many times where I was laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my cheeks - those kids and their antics were just too funny! Teaching is hard work, there is no doubt about that, but it's those moments when you all goof off and laugh together that are priceless.
Aren't they??? :)