The World According to Mrs. Wiser

I’ve been thinking lately. (I know, brace yourself right?)

About people who have told me to stop stressing over my job. That it’s just a job. Just a means to make some “dough.”

Ahem, If you know what teachers make, you know it’s not “dough.”

So, I’ve been thinking about those people who have told me it is unrealistic to think I am going to change lives. That I am wearing myself out for nothing.

I didn’t become a teacher to make “dough.”

I didn’t become a teacher to make it through each day by daydreaming about what I’d do with all that “dough” (“all that” – haha).

I became a teacher, to make a difference.

Shannon, this isn’t like the movies.

You’re damn right it’s not like the movies.

The movies don’t show the shit that goes through our heads.

The anxiety, the frustration, the enlightenment, the anger, the joy, the disappointment, the depression, the hopelessness, and seconds of delight.

They show about 2 seconds of frustration and 2 hours of kids eyes being miraculously opened and changed… Oh how I wish!

But,

I became a teacher to make kids think.

I became a teacher to make them try harder than they think they need to.

I became a teacher to watch minds open to things they were closed to before.

I became a teacher because teenagers are alive, and I feel alive, and I love being around them. There is so much life in them; life hasn’t been able to knock them down right on their faces enough. Although, sadly, for some they’ve been knocked down much harder than that.

But for the most part, they are vibrant, and they make me feel vibrant. They make me laugh. They surprise me.

 They disappoint me too. That part sucks.

I know, I won’t be able to make a mark on every student that walks through my door, but you’re smoking meth if you think I’m not going to try, and keep trying.

I know, most of my kids hate literature and hate writing, and may never cherish those two things the way I do.

But I don’t just teach English, or psychology, I teach life. Life according to Mrs. Wiser.

And maybe, just maybe, they’ll learn something from my mistakes. Maybe they’ll take something away from my ramblings. If anything I hope they take away the idea that not only can they do anything they want, they can be whoever they want.

So to all of you out there, working 9-5, and making “dough.” That’s great, and I suppose I could just make “dough” too, although it would be a significantly small amount of  “dough.” But, I don’t want to just trudge through my days. I want to be 45 and have light bursting from my eyes, excitement glowing from my smile, and a crazy desire for knowledge still.

I know I can’t affect them all, I can’t impact each one of their lives, I can’t change their attitudes, or make them love literature (honestly, who really does besides English teachers and professors…).

I don’t care. Because if I just have ONE student that takes something meaningful, eye-opening, or just plain hilarious away from being in my class… I’ll be satisfied. And I will bust my ass learning everything I can possibly learn to help them through this spontaneous, often unfair journey, even if it is just that one student.

Okay, I’ll shut up now.

And to lighten the mood, I need this.