Monday, November 19, 2007

The Lifestyle

We'll start today with a positive: the academic lifestyle. In by 7 something, out by 3 something. Maybe a little grading, reading, or planning in the evening before bed. Thanksgiving with the family. The week between Christmas and New Years (and this year, the week after New Years!). Martin Luther King Day. A week or so at Easter.

Summer.

And the lifestyle extends even further:
1. All of your colleagues have college degrees.
2. No one will ever ask you to come in on Saturday (or, if they do, it's either scheduled months in advance or you get extra pay).
3. You'll have the time to raise your own kids.
4. No cubicles.
5. Did I mention only working 180 days vs. being off for 185?

The Best Thing About Teaching

Welcome, everyone, to my brand new blog, The Best Thing About Teaching. The inspiration for this site came from an off-hand comment I made to a colleague a long time ago as we were walking back from lunch. It was the last day of school before a break. I said to him, "You know what's the best thing about teaching?"
"What's that?" he replied.
"Not teaching."
As we laughed at my unprofessional, blasphemous, and totally true statement, it inspired me to think. What is it that keeps millions employed as teachers? What is it that causes people in education to become so fed up that they leave to do other things? What prevents college students from choosing education? Is it all about the money?