Inspiration for Teachers

When I was a first year teacher (2006-2007) I read this passage at a training day for new teachers in my county. This opened my eyes to the gravity and importance of our profession. This is a passage I have posted in my classroom so I can reflect on it daily and it has made a big difference in how I  interact with my students. I hope it will inspire you and give you something to reflect on!

I have come to a frightening conclusion.
I am the decisive element in the classroom.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate.
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis
will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or de-humanized.

~From Hiam Ginott's book Between Teacher and Child

And a "funny" that every teacher will appreciate!

Teacher's Salary  

"Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year!"  

"It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do -- baby - sit!"  

"We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time."  

That would be $19.50 a day. (7:00 AM to 3:30 (or so) PM with just 25 minutes off for lunch).  

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.  

NOW... How many do they teach in a class, 30? 

So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day.

However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!

We're not going to pay them for any vacations.  

LET'S SEE... That's $585.00 x 180 = $105,300 per year.  

What about those special teachers and the ones with master's degrees?  

Well, we could pay them minimum wage, and just to be fair, round it off to $7.00 an hour.

That would be $7.00 x 6 1/2 x 30 children x 180 days = $245,700 per year.  

Wait a minute -- there's something wrong here!   Average teacher salary $50,000/180 days = $277/per day/30 students = $9.23/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student.

A very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even try - with your help - to EDUCATE your kids!  

WHAT A DEAL...  

What teachers make...

You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them to write and then I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life. Then when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant...

You want to know what I make? I make a difference.