QUICK! Think of one TEACHER who influenced you!

“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach,” is the mocking epithet of our culture. 

Despite this, I know who I am and I practice the profession on purpose. 

This school year I am not teaching.  A teacher who is not teaching would be somewhat of a contradiction, were it not for a long and credible tradition among academics that occasionally teachers take a sabbatical. Sabbatical is a time of rest and refreshment.

Those outside the profession may scoff.  “But you only work nine months a year!”

Ha.

“Teachers influence eternity.”  That is the true dictum.

Quick!  Think of one teacher who influenced you.  Bet you remember their name.  And their clothing!  What about that one saying they kept repeating. That one book they read to the class.

Here are a few of my favorites:

-- Mr. Ballentine, our elementary principal, was the “daddy” who walked the hallways and playground. My own daddy was not at home, so he was the “daddy” of the school.

-- Mrs. Brown, fourth grade, dressed in brown.  She read The Secret Language to the class and I made up my own language – an unfortunate social experiment!.

-- Mrs. Livingstone was the only teacher who visited my home, thereby piercing my family’s isolation.  She had a poofy brown “That Girl!” hairdo, and sported black, “batting length” eyelashes.

-- Ms. Sundberg, Latin, taught me: “Ubi in dubitate, fac magis” – “When in doubt, do more” – a very useful phrase for both parents and teachers! 

Ms. Sundberg also wore two-piece suits that were two sizes too small, and repeatedly tugged her top down over her midriff while conjugating Latin verbs!  That mental aberration has remained along with the Latin verbs!

-- Mrs. Grosh was a short, enthusiastic lady who assigned a sophomore-year literature paper, consequently sparking my love of literature, my college major and my choice of career. 

  Who cares?!

They did.  And in caring they spent inordinate amounts of energy every single day -- in planning -- in grading -- in dealing with maddening administrators. In having the guts to stand in front of thirty kids hour after hour and share themselves.

I meant to say share themselves, because that is what they did.  We got a real person and not a talking head.

I know, because I now stand and pour myself out every day that I teach.  When I come home I feel like a rag doll – limp and lifeless.  I do all I can to recharge myself – and then I get up the next day and do it again!

It’s a passion!!

But no wonder that nine years of this -- despite holiday breaks, summers, etc.—has depleted me down to the core.  Eventually, I did not want to get up the next day and do it again.  Ever.  When you do not want to do what you love, it is time for a change.

Burnout is ugly but can be healed.

Teachers MUST be healed – and encouraged and recharged and replenished.  If our culture and our teaching systems won’t do it for us, then we must do it for ourselves. 

THINK what your life would be like without those teachers you named!

So for now, I do all I can to recharge myself. 

I’ll be back.