Why We Teach--Four Short Stories
There are days, especially at the end of each semester, when I wonder why I keep teaching. I guess we all face those dark moments. Students will be lazy and then expect you to go out of your way to do them a favor. Or, you will ask a serious question in class and get a ridiculous answer that causes the whole class to become distracted. Or, a heated debate will arise over a grade, an argument that seems more painful than it is worth. Yeah, days like that happen. Occasionally, I try to step back and remind myself of why I chose to become a teacher and why I want to continue to be a teacher. We all need to recharge our batteries especially here at the end of a long academic year. Never ignore that need or you will become grumpy and disillusioned and I have already met way too many teachers like that. It is nice when something happens that helps get us pumped up and ready to go back into the cla...