Things They Don't Tell You About Teaching (But Really Should)

Ever since I started this tutoring job, my respect for teachers has quadrupled in quantity. (To those who still don't know, I'm currently fumbling my way through English classes for junior high school students). I take back every single ungrateful or snarky comment I have ever made about any teacher, ever. This shit is hard. As tempting as it is to just word vomit every little detail and complaint I have onto this space, I've decided that that is something I will never do on this blog. The most obvious reason is because of privacy - I have no idea who will read/discover this blog and I can't take that chance. But also because this new "acting mature" thing warrants a certain degree of professionalism. Never bitch about your job online people. This is what I learned from dooce.

Instead, I will make a list of fun, all-in-good-spirit facts. (Yay! Lists!) So without further ado:

Things they don't tell you about teaching (but they really should):

• It is not enough to just spread your arms wide and scream, "TAKE MY KNOWLEDGE! TAKE IT! TAAAKE EEEEEEEEET!" because no one cares. Teaching is about 2% knowledge and 98% class management skills.
• Your mouth gets very dry after each lesson. Like a desert. But drier.
• Your feet hurt, especially if you're short like me and need to wear high, pinchy shoes for psychological reasons.
• Where have all the good men working whiteboard markers gone?? Where??
• Sometimes it is better to act oblivious than get involved
• Why does no one speak up when answering the roll?
• I feel like 3 more years of marking HW and I will be qualified to decipher encrypted FBI codes.
• Teaching makes you feel old.
• Students are funny. 
• The photocopying machine is scary.

Okay, I had more but I can't remember them right now. Apart from all those little gripes though, I like my job and I'm grateful that I got it. Here's to not screwing up (too badly) any time in the near future....