| Two and a half months of paid vacation. Yippee! | | | | be molded, some of them will be far from willing |
| That's definitely a good reason to want to | | | | and others may not be motivated to learn. In |
| become a teacher. Jamaica, here I come! Or | | | | order to succeed as a teacher, you must have |
| maybe not. Jamaica on a teacher's salary (which | | | | patience. If you aren't a patient person, you are |
| of course is being drastically reduced because of | | | | going to feel like you beat your head against a |
| budget's cuts) is not going to happen. Maybe, I'll go | | | | wall every single day because sometimes you |
| to Florida and pretend it is Jamaica. Even better, I'll | | | | may feel like you've already told your students a |
| just stay home and read; that fits my low income | | | | fact twenty times, and they still can't recall it. |
| budget perfectly. | | | | A patient and interactive individual will persevere |
| Don't let the money change your mind. Nobody | | | | and devise an appropriate teaching strategy that |
| who really wants to teach gets into the | | | | yields positive results. But what about the |
| profession for money. The real rewards are | | | | students who don't want to learn and appear to |
| intrinsic. | | | | have only one purpose in life - to make your life |
| Teaching is one of the most honored professions. | | | | miserable. In order to deal with these students, |
| The world is basically placing the future in your | | | | you will need to be a courageous individual. |
| hands, and parents are trusting you with their | | | | Threats against teachers are not uncommon in |
| most valuable possessions for eight hours a day. | | | | public schools. |
| The students are yours to nurture and to mold | | | | If you sincerely like children and haven't run and |
| and to help them become knowledgeable and | | | | changed your major yet, then teaching might |
| accountable for their own actions. What a | | | | really be a career option for you. Before you |
| responsibility you have? What a gift you have | | | | make a decision, you might want to watch a real |
| been given? | | | | teacher in action in a real classroom. This should |
| Just because it's wrapped in pretty box and | | | | not be confused with watching Lean On Me, |
| presented with a Hallmark card doesn't mean that | | | | Dangerous Minds, or Stand and Deliver. Anything |
| it's a gift you really want for thirty years. | | | | can happen in the movies. |
| Although many of your students may be willing to | | | | |