When you love your job, you love your life. Ten years ago if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I probably would change my answer every couple of hours, or simply say, "no clue." I'm amazed daily by how happy I am at work, and how much better I can cope with craziness than I could two years ago. How does someone like me, with great academic promise but little direction, find their vocation immediately after finishing college? No clue.
Here's the scary part though; I realize that I will probably never feel like a great teacher, and that I will fail on a daily basis as long as I remain in the profession. I also realize that it's actually this exact sentiment that's one component of good teaching, but I'm not the type to be able to sustain it for an entire career. I'm not that resilient (and quite frankly I don't think many people are that resilient...hence the surplus of bad teachers who are allowed to slip by in their laziness or lack of work ethic). Ten more years I can probably do...and try to do well. But twenty or thirty or, holy cannoli, forty...no way. The whole career change thing, years in the future though it may be, is daunting.
I frequently refer to teaching as my vocation, rather than my profession, because it feels like the only thing I can even consider doing right now. I can only hope that when the time comes to put down the chalk, I'll find something else to love. Because really...when you love your job, you can't help but love your life.
Very important issues to consider for people at the beginning of their careers. You can't necessarily turn an ocean liner around midstream, so it's good to consider how much we love what we do right now and how long we can keep at it. Ugh, anxiety inducing thoughts :-/. I think the sentiment regarding feeling like a failure is healthy, and can sustain motivation, but don't write yourself off so easily as not having the resilience to keep at it. Being in an environment that challenges us daily really is one of the best places to be. However, I know that change is constant, and I believe opportunities that'll motivate you and nourish the soul will present themselves if you're keen, so you'll know what feels right when the time is right.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get to have Lemonjello on the daily, who can complain, really??
-Carlos
What can any of us imagine doing for 40 years? Yikes!
Carlos
agreed on all points in "about me" :)
ReplyDelete