The Good Life

Over the last two years of my education in education I have found myself becoming more and more satisfied with my choice in careers. I know that many people focus on the monetary salary, but there are far more interesting topics when it comes to choosing this path. First, let me begin by saying that if you are not "called" or "feel the pull" into education, you should make sure that you are 110% committed or you might have a difficult time. However, if you decide that you want to be an educator you will find that the monetary payments are just part of the wealth you will receive.

One of the least talked about benefits of becoming a teacher is the relationships that you build with your coworkers. Although I have only spent 4 years in this profession, I can confidently say that I have befriended some of the kindest, funniest, most interesting, intelligent, and fun people on the face of this planet. They have motivated me, inspired me, intrigued me, made me laugh until I cried, and supported me through a myriad of incredibly positive and difficult times. These are people that I know I can count on no matter what the scenario and this was a payment that is far underestimated.

Another benefit of becoming a teacher is the gift of the "AHA" moment, which you can receive on a regular basis. There are so many ways that we as people just stumble upon new understanding, but to help a child get there is my favorite payment from this profession. Sometimes it's a student getting the question right, other times something shifts and they understand something for the first time, but my favorite is when they figure out how to make learning easier. As a teacher, my favorite thing is to empower my students to see how they, as individuals, learn best. Then my payment comes when (sometimes a month later out of nowhere) the student experiences the strategy working and then mind = blown! In the words of one of my favorite mentors, "it gives me sparkles."

Another benefit is the ability to get up in front of a forum and influence as many as 100+ students each day. Now, unfortunately there are some people who abuse this privilege or don't take full advantage of this, but this is a gift to which many people do not have access. Think of other professions that allow this - preachers, doctors, lawyers, sometimes CEO's and business owners. These are some of the most influential people in our communities! Of course, this can be seen as self-indulgent, and maybe it is a little, but when used the correct way for positive endeavors, I would argue that the leader receives a higher payment.

The final benefit that I will mention here (there are certainly more benefits) is as a teacher, we receive time away from our workplaces. I shy away from calling it "time off" because this becomes confrontational among some, but the fact of the matter is that most of us only go to the office for 180 days each year. For those that don't know, most teachers spend part of their summer breaks working and a substantial amount of time working additional hours during the school year. For example, during the summer about 4 of the 8 weeks I spend coaching and going to conferences and during the year, I work on average 60-70 hours per week. However, between Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer breaks (and the occasional 3 day weekends) I can say that I get plenty of time to enjoy personal pursuits.

All in all, this profession has provided me with so much more than just a salary. It has given me friends, personal satisfaction, a voice as a leader, and time to myself, just to name a few. If you are serious about making a difference and are thinking of taking the step to become an educator, I promise that you will be greatly rewarded.