| So you want to teach. Let me give you a | | | | curriculum will occupy part of your summer. |
| preview of what your life will be like if you | | | | Additional school hours will be needed to re-certify |
| succeed in becoming an elementary school | | | | so you will take classes, which you will have to |
| teacher. If you become an elementary school | | | | pay for, not the district. Your three free summer |
| teacher this is what you might expect. | | | | months are now shot you might get three |
| For nine months of the year your life will not be | | | | weeks. |
| your own. You will share it with twenty or thirty | | | | In class you will be asked to keep a child's |
| students that will worm their way into your heart | | | | attention for seven to eight hours. Keep that |
| so much that you will protect them as if they | | | | attention when they are hot and there is no air |
| were your own. You will take pride in the | | | | conditioning, when they are cold and the furnace |
| accomplishments and cry with them when they | | | | is broke. Keep their attention during the first snow |
| cry. You will find yourself being their personal | | | | storm when everyone wants to be outside and |
| cheerleader and shoulder to cry on. | | | | during the first signs of spring when even the |
| You will find yourself paying for instructional | | | | teacher wants to be outside. |
| materials because the district doesn't have the | | | | When the weather changes so do the students |
| money. You will be buying rewards for the | | | | so you need to be prepared to change your |
| students and sometimes giving lunch money for | | | | methods with the weather. The students will |
| those that are hungry, but forgot their money. | | | | change with what is for lunch or what they had |
| When it comes to preparing your taxes you will | | | | for breakfast. Any little change in the environment |
| be scared to tell the accountant how much you | | | | will change the students and you need to be |
| have spent on school because they won't believe | | | | ready to adapt to that change. |
| it. | | | | You will be expected to be a disciplinarian, a judge, |
| Even though people think you have a short day | | | | a counselor, a therapist, a nurse, a detective, a |
| you will find differently. You do not get coffee | | | | student, a surrogate parent and any other |
| breaks, you have to sneak bathroom breaks and | | | | number of roles that seem to be thrusted upon |
| recesses and lunch time are most often spent | | | | an elementary teacher. |
| helping students do their work. You will come | | | | The one thing that you need to remember is that |
| early to get prepared for the day and stay late | | | | above all else you are a teacher. It is a noble |
| to do the same. You will take work home and | | | | profession. Money will never be your reward, but |
| spend your own time getting prepared. | | | | the results of your instruction will fill you with |
| Then there are those three nice summer months | | | | pride. When the child reads his first novel, or |
| that everyone thinks you get. You will find | | | | writes their name for the first time, will bring a |
| yourself using the summer to take classes and | | | | smile to your face and will tug your heart because |
| prepare new materials for the next year. | | | | that child will look up at you and say "Thanks." |
| Reviewing and getting acquainted with new | | | | That one word makes it worth all you do. |