Things I hate about being a teacher...

Things I hate about being a teacher:

1. Cleaning up vomit.

2. Telling a kid he or she failed a test.

3. Dealing with parents.

4. Keeping records.

5. Goodbyes and transfers.

That's what I don't like about being a teacher. Yeah, I hate those things pretty much. On bad days, it's easy to get discouraged because it's not unusual to have all those things happen on the same day.

But as far as I can think, as much as I hate those things, that's all I can find that I don't like about teaching. I mean, sure there are things I'd change, like maybe we'd have a four day week. Maybe we would start school at 10:00am. I also think instead of snow days we whould have 'sun days' and cancel school for them, and only come to school when it snows. I mean, of all the days I want to be with my students, snowball fight days are at the top of the list. And I'd also like to change that thing where you teach a kid in Kindergarten and then the next time you see them they are in college. That one sucks. But all in all I love it.

Here are just a few of the things I love about teaching:

1. The kids.

2. Watching them listen to me like I have something fascinating to say.

3. Witnessing a breakthrough.

4. Being part of that breakthrough.

5. Field Trips.

6. Fun Fridays.

7. Having fun just 'cause we want to sometimes.

8. Introducing the kids to a new experience.

9. Helping with English!! And especially---diagramming!

10. Seeing my students accomplish more than they thought they could.

11. Seeing them accomplish more than their parents thought they could.

12. Journals.

13. Apples on my desks.

14. Speech!

15. Cool pencils.

16. Playing Math Games.

17. Class Projects.

18. School Spirit.

19. Telling a kid he passed a test he had failed twice before.
20. Giving out candy to the whole class in celebration of it.

So, even though I'm tired, and this week I hit five for five of my top ten most-hated list, I guess I will go in tomorrow. After all, it will be Fun Friday. And who wants to miss that?