" Ten Truths for Teachers" : A Reflective Classroom Teacher 19

Ten Truths for Teachers
1. There is a power in my life greater than myself. I have an obligation to seek direction from that power.
2. If you don’t like flowers don’t plant flowers and if you don’t love children don’t try and teach them. Please leave the teaching profession. You are eventually going to do more harm than you are good. Not everyone can be a teacher even thought the pay we receive for our services, contradicts that statement.
3. In spite of all of your efforts, some student and their parents will always view education as a negative experience in their lives. Some children will not achieve the success they should because of this attitude.
4. We have limits as a teacher and as a person. We cannot be all things to all people. Teaching is what we do; it is not everything that we are. We have the right to grow in several directions in our lives and not just as an educator. We cannot control everything in our lives all of the time, perhaps never.
5. There will be days we will fail to reach our goals. This does not mean that we are a failure. What we do about the situation is important however. We must be honest and identify our limitations and perform within our abilities.
6. We will never achieve all of our goals professionally or personally. The idealism of our youth will be tempered by the reality of our age. But, we will never relinquish our idealism; it gives us the courage to do what we do.
7. What we do is important. Teaching is not a profession; it is a calling. It is an art form that not many can master. High standards must be maintained. As members of this select grouping, we must maintain our vigil and be quick to exclude those who do not meet or maintain high standards. This must include our own honest evaluation of our own teaching ethics.
8. We must do everything in my power to be a fair teacher. We must never forget that each student is unique and we must respect that uniqueness.
9. Students can learn without our help. In some cases, all they need is for us to point out the direction and some already have that in mind. Some need our intervention more than others.
10. We are replaceable. The time will come when we can no longer do this thing we love. That will be a sad day. But, not as sad as it might have been, if we had not realized long ago, that teaching is a big part of our life but not all of it.