The Ninth Traveler

My students and I at the senior farewell party.

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

One year of teaching under my belt and I now want to go back and apologize to any of my teachers that I gave trouble to. The great human beings that have been teaching 5,10, or 30 years I am in awe of you. Of course teaching is one of the most rewarding professions as well. Developing a relationship with students and watching them mature provides unparalleled fulfillment. Knowing the ideas and images you impart can transcend your lifetime is a great feeling but moreover, one that I have learned requires a profound magnitude of responsibility. I initially thought that with training, anybody could be a teacher. However, I have had to re-evaluate this position after my experience.

Senior Farewell Party

The option of teaching is an attractive one for several reasons. As a teacher you possess the tremendous power of making yourself an instrument of inspiration. The malleable minds of tomorrow leaders eagerly greet you each morning with a smile ready to soak up your raining of ideas, art, and intellect. In addition to this, teaching also provides you a way to travel the world. No longer do you have to scratch the surface of a culture by visiting for a few vacation days, you can submerge yourself in that culture by meshing with the unfiltered minds of the youth. Being vigilant everyday may result in that rebellious student in the back row to make a stand for peace as the president of the country one day.

Last Day of Class

On the other hand, I have become astutely aware of the long hours spent lesson planning, grading, and helping students deal personal issues. You can exhaust yourself championing for a new textbook only to have to capitulate to the inferior one your administration makes you use. Furthermore, being responsible for the minds of a future generation places additional moral weight on one’s consciousness. Once you develop a lesson plan you can spend hours contemplating is it right? What if I change it to a group activity? What if I am running short on time? If this student fails, will his family be able to afford for him to retake the course? As a result of some of these reasons I believe teaching is an internal calling that some develop or are born with. You have to feel called in order to welcome the responsibility of impacting the future of the world. Perhaps what you share today will decide if a young man becomes a murderer or a life saving heart surgeon.

Last Night at the University

In the end, the decision to teach or not is a multi-faceted one that should only be decided by yourself. Teaching can provide an exuberant sense of satisfaction or a detrimental amount of despair. Although I enjoyed my experience and my students and staff believe I did an excellent job, I am not sure if I have that innate calling to make teaching a career. Nonetheless, if you remotely think you have this calling I say go for it. It is better than not knowing.