I think the thing in my life that is “worth it”, aside from my wonderful family, is my job. There are lots of places in education to find fault and many unfair and annoying things that are required of teachers. At any time during an average day you could find fault with fellow faculty, faulty equipment, or finicky students. Today’s students have short attention spans and sometimes seem to be allergic to work. Administrators in schools are pressured from school districts who are pressured from parents to somehow “fix” what is wrong in education. Some teachers are truly phoning it in while other teachers are working themselves silly with little or no support. But every now and then you have a discussion with a student who finally gets a concept, or you sub for another teacher’s class and the students say, “You are really nice Mrs. Wilcox”, or maybe you see a former student out in town and they run up and give you a hug. Maybe you are supported by your principal through a difficult situation with parents or a colleague shares a great idea or tool with you. I feel so blessed to have so many “worth it” moments in my work.
Well, to be totally honest, life is ‘worth it’. God gives us a finite amount of time to accomplish whatever it is we are destined to achieve so we have to believe ‘life is worth it’ if we are going to participate. But to be specific, I have to agree with Tricha, family is worth it, whatever the hassle they put you through because in the end, they are the ones who will hopefully see you on the other side! The other ‘worth it’ for me is my doctoral program. Even with all the papers and dang reading that I am doing, I can honestly say that I am enjoying it-when I am not too tired to keep my eyes open! Everything I am learning is directly applicable to my work with students (the 3rd worth it if we are ranking in order of priority) so for this adult student it is well worth the time and effort that I am putting, and will have put into it when I finally finish.
I think the thing in my life that is “worth it”, aside from my wonderful family, is my job. There are lots of places in education to find fault and many unfair and annoying things that are required of teachers. At any time during an average day you could find fault with fellow faculty, faulty equipment, or finicky students. Today’s students have short attention spans and sometimes seem to be allergic to work. Administrators in schools are pressured from school districts who are pressured from parents to somehow “fix” what is wrong in education. Some teachers are truly phoning it in while other teachers are working themselves silly with little or no support.
ReplyDeleteBut every now and then you have a discussion with a student who finally gets a concept, or you sub for another teacher’s class and the students say, “You are really nice Mrs. Wilcox”, or maybe you see a former student out in town and they run up and give you a hug. Maybe you are supported by your principal through a difficult situation with parents or a colleague shares a great idea or tool with you.
I feel so blessed to have so many “worth it” moments in my work.
Yeppers!
DeleteWell, to be totally honest, life is ‘worth it’. God gives us a finite amount of time to accomplish whatever it is we are destined to achieve so we have to believe ‘life is worth it’ if we are going to participate.
ReplyDeleteBut to be specific, I have to agree with Tricha, family is worth it, whatever the hassle they put you through because in the end, they are the ones who will hopefully see you on the other side!
The other ‘worth it’ for me is my doctoral program. Even with all the papers and dang reading that I am doing, I can honestly say that I am enjoying it-when I am not too tired to keep my eyes open! Everything I am learning is directly applicable to my work with students (the 3rd worth it if we are ranking in order of priority) so for this adult student it is well worth the time and effort that I am putting, and will have put into it when I finally finish.