Insights from an Insider

Teaching is difficult. It drains you mentally and physically. The pay is never commensurate to the work, and often, especially during those frustrating days, it is easy to forget that teaching is purposeful and meaningful work. However, the nice thing about teaching is that we are constantly surrounded by reminders of our mission. Students like Ashley--the high schooler from Simmons who came to talk to our class on Wednesday--are our reminders. Listening to Ashley's frank and enlightened talk about her school was a wonderful experience. What a bright, funny, interesting, and insightful young lady! I could have sat and listened to her all day. I learned so much about the Delta schools from her comments. She made me smile and she reminded me of the absolute joy that students can generate. Yes, teaching is difficult. It exhilirates and exhausts. It can be funny and it can be sad. It can inspire pride, or it can foster shame. Through all this, though, I think that teaching makes us better people. Like Ben said, Ashley is one of the shining examples of why we do what we do. It IS all worth it.