Why do I teach?
So many before me have passionately and articulately attested to the intrinsic rewards of working with toddlers to teens. My thanks for their eloquence! I would like to write about the other reason I teach – and it’s not “the big money.”
When most people think of teachers, they usually imagine Sandra Bullock or Denzel Washington… or Joan Crawford and Bette Davis as they appeared in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? When I think of famous people who resemble my fellow teachers, it’s a toss up between Whoopi Goldberg and Margaret Cho, Jon Stewart and Lewis Black, and the Flight of the Conchords. Whip-smart, quick-comeback, sassy-pants, one and all, they can transform the most depressing budget meeting into an episode of Arrested Development.
But don’t be fooled. Underneath their unabashed optimism, teachers are dead serious and honor bound to tirelessly advocate for their students. Teachers care – really care. When bad times come, more admirable or generous friends cannot be found. I love working with my esteemed colleagues – and I do esteem them! They bring out the best in us – while making us laugh. And when someone asks them, “How much do you make?” A teacher can say, unequivocally, “I make a difference!”
Editor’s Note: If you’d like to learn more about how you can become a teacher in California and make a difference in your community, contact our Admissions office at 888.MAT.1USC or email us at matadmit@usc.edu.
