Teaching Isn't For Me

Anticipatory Set
Teaching was never in my stack of cards. Since I can remember, I wanted to be a rockstar. Growing up, I didn't quite fit in. I wasn't a jock. I wasn't a nerd. Music was always my passion. At a young age, I picked up a guitar. I never "learned" how to play, I just played what sounded good. I never "learned" how to sing, I just sang from my heart. Through all of the change in my life, music has been my constant.

School was never my thing. I hated tests. I couldn't stand someone else telling me what to do. I couldn't stand someone giving me a number score to tell me what I was worth. That's probably why my grades were so poor. I hadn't bought in. I didn't put forth the effort. Art was always my thing. Even though my grades were poor, I managed to get accepted to some pretty prestigious art colleges. Still, I couldn't deal with the subjectivity of grading. School just wasn't for me.

So I decided to work. I got a job at a local Italian restaurant. It became my second home. The head chef/owner was a 27 year old go-getter. He took me under his wing and taught me how to cook. Feeling inspired, I decided to go back to school for culinary arts. Then tragedy struck.

One night after work, we went back to his house to hang out. While watching TV, he fell off the couch and onto the floor. At first, my friends and I thought he was joking, but it was no joke. We dialed 9-1-1 and a paramedic was there quickly. He tried to resuscitate while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. It wasn't long after we arrived at the hospital that he was pronounced dead. He had suffered a major heart attack. His death rocked my world. I spiraled down a pretty dark path. However, it was a path I needed to take to understand the true meaning and value of life.

My Learning Path
Somewhere along the way, I found martial arts. It was my saving grace. It was the first time I interacted with kids. I fit right in. I had found my audience. Parents would tell me all of the time that I should be a teacher. Still, teaching wasn't for me. There was too much red tape and bureaucracy. Besides, I didn't fit the mold. However, all the talk did get me thinking that it was time to give school another shot.

Eventually, I pursued audio engineering. This time, learning was personal. I was fully committed. This was also when I developed a love for reading. I excelled. Confident that I was a capable learner, I decided to continue my education. I went to school for music business. This is where my rockstar dream was finally put to rest. Once I was in the music business, I realized I wanted nothing to do with it. So, I gave the teaching thing a shot.

School was tough for me. I butted heads with a lot of professors because I didn't fit the "teacher" mold. I found assignments outdated, not pushing the envelope, and stifling creativity. There were a couple professors that told me I would never be hired. My supervisor for student teaching told me I needed to change my teaching style because I had too much energy!

I went through the ringer trying to find a job. There were a lot of interviews and demo lessons. Eventually, someone saw some potential and gave me a shot. I am forever grateful to that man.

Reflection
I share this part of my story for several reasons. First, I believe that it demonstrates "authentic" learning. As teachers, our focus should be more on the journey than it is the destination. We should be creating opportunities for students to explore passions, face challenges, make mistakes, and celebrate successes.  The skills that students acquire along the way are important, but the focus should be on creating a life long desire to learn.

Second, I hope my story serves as a message to school leaders. I ask you to consider what an "ideal" teaching candidate looks like. Are they someone that knows all of the current educational jargon? Do they look really good on paper? Perhaps it's time for some outside perspective. The candidate that might be the best fit for the job might be the person you'd least expect. Just like teachers need to give students the opportunity to succeed, school leaders need to give teachers an opportunity to succeed. In order for there to be a shift in the culture, there needs to be a shift in the way we hire.

Lastly, I hope my story reaches the outsiders. To the creatives. To the rule breakers. The the culture warriors. To the ones that have never thought of teaching as a possible career option. The field of public education needs more of you. More importantly, kids need you. Our future needs you. Gone are the days of developing compliant factory workers. Gone are the days of developing kids to "fit the mold." If you are a person that doesn't quite fit the teaching mold, guess what? You fit the mold.