On a wonderful encouraging Facebook group that I'm blessed to be a part of,  a kindred-heart teacher asked for input on whether or not we would advise that a former student go into teaching. This is my response to that question with a few added thoughts for battle-weary teacher hearts on this final stretch 'til summer vacation for many.

I truly think that before any teacher signs and receives their contract every year, we should be required to sign a waiver, verifying that the undersigned teacher hereby attests to the fact that that they are about to willingly enter the most challenging, exciting, draining, exhausting, discouraging, REWARDING, humbling year of their Life!

Passion for teaching is a gift that's rooted deep inside of you. Those of us who have a passion for what we do , we do it not because it's easy, but rather we do what we do each day because it's a calling we can't deny. Teaching is not for the faint of heart.

For those of you who are battle weary & tired... I have traveled that washboard road for the past 10 years. One year ago I prayerfully made the decision to step away from teaching. After all the sacrifices that my family made so that I could go back to college and graduate at the age of 40 & then I went straight through and completed my masters degree 22 months later. I traded in my dream for teaching to become our school Library/Media specialist. More classes... another endorsement... more debt piled onto my mountain of college debt. But I was out of the classroom & thankfully nobody dictated how I taught, or when I taught it. I liked it in my own little world where people left me alone with 700 kids and nobody cared how or what I taught them. But I was restless and discontent. I was overwhelmed with the magnitude of responsibility with having 700 kids in grades k-5 traveling to 2 schools each week.

Immersed for 10 years in the thick of it all... I realized that I didn't love teaching anymore. My passion for teaching went AWOL. And my heart for teaching had fizzled out. I was tired. I'd lost my passion for teaching and I refused to work one day more as a luke-warm teacher. My boiling hot passion for teaching had cooled to an unacceptable level. I did what most people wish they could do but can't... I Quit Teaching. I turned in my resignation letter with confidence and walked away.

After the most relaxing extended-summer vacation of my life with no apron strings tethered to the institution of public education, I was offered a position in the public sector that on the outside appeared to be the ideal 8:00-5:00 job-- a children's Librarian in a public library! <<insert heavenly chorus of angel voices here*) Not to mention with two third LESS pay and a time clock that dictated when I could clock in and when I had to leave. But I was so okay with that, because I was so sure that although teaching was a dream I once worked hard to achieve, it was not my dream anymore. I was just days away from (stupid-- I know...) cashing in my teacher retirement, ((GASP)) cutting my HUGE losses, and starting completely over. *I'm not really an idiot, I'm convinced that I was just going through some temporary sort of "girl, you're-almost-50-midlife-big-girl-temper-tantrum.

Over the past year I have learned possibly the most important lessons in my life. The world has us convinced as teachers that we're not appreciated, or valued, or understood, or paid enough as teachers. I feel compelled to encourage you all-- that's a big fat lie. Back in the 1980's (yes, I'm, old!;) ) from the movie, High Road to China, there was a quote that has been seared on my heart and mind forever."When you lose your Dream you die." The way employees are valued in the public sector doesn't hold a candle to how teachers are valued & how our charge is held in high esteem within the system. But we're tired, battle weary & beaten down by "not proficient" standardized test scores, and not enough hours in the day, and rigorous new curriculum, & unTHiNKABLE student behaviors that mimic video games and too-much-of-YouTube we take so very personally.

No, teaching is NOT for the faint of heart. But your heart will never be as at peace anywhere else, than it is when you're in your element. Never lose sight your dream. Nobody works harder and longer and more intentional than you do. Stand strong. Hold on tight to the positive people that surround you. Even if there are only two of you... hold on tight & encourage one another. It's a proven fact that even teachers need a 5:1 ratio, hearing 5 positives to every negative each day. Give one another 5! grin emoticon

I am living proof that quitting is so much harder than staying. Request grade change. Apply for other openings within your district. smile emoticon If that's not an option, seek a fresh new teaching assignment outside of your current building or district. smile emoticon Whatever you do, if teaching is your calling-- hold on tight!! Never let that go.

After just 3 months away from teaching, (August, September, and October of last year) all that I've worked for in my career seemed to be at a dead end. I'd successfully landed a job in a quiet peaceful place as a children't librarian. My "AHA"moment came when I found myself working a 9-5 job that from the outside seemed so ideal, on the inside it was so empty. My whole life calling & purpose was, in 5 short weeks, devalued in the hands of a young know-it-all self-proclaimed Next Greatest Generation "Millennial" department head who swore at her employees behind the scenes & and belittled & devalued their professionalism daily, (oh, and went home promptly at 3:58 pm every day.)

The happy ending of my story is, I was invited BACK to teach at my old school to fill in an unexpected vacancy and for the past 6 months I have been teaching in a different capacity as a classroom teacher and I am so humbled and blessed to say that my calling hunted me down and found me! This truly has been THE MOST challenging, exciting, draining, exhausting, discouraging, REWARDING, humbling year of my Life! But through it all, I have learned possible the most important lessons of my teaching career. No, I don't have it all together-- but together, we have it all!! *Through it all, I've learned that Teaching is like the Peace Corps... it's the Toughest Job You'll Ever Love!* Hang in there friends!! You are engaged in the most important job in the world... planting seeds, watering, & growing little hearts & lives!

@ng...