Why Do You?

Why do you teach?

Why do you cook with mushrooms?

Why do you read a book even if you know you'll cry?

Why....why....why?

I'm working on a version of PD for some of the teachers I work with and the objective is ways they can provide PD to their staff.  I have a couple of approaches, but the one that has me really thinking is blogging.  Why does this have me thinking?  Because I started reading some blogs.

For this particular PD I'm sharing the blogs of some "real" teachers.  Teachers that I know and have worked with.  Teachers who are not looked to in the ed tech world but who are looked to in their classroom.

I just finished reading a post from a friend of mine about having a student observer in her class.  Why did she agree to have that student in her class?  I then reflected back to when I had a student teacher in my class.  Why did I agree to that?  Because I wanted to be a teacher...not just to the kids, but to a future teacher.  I wanted to have an impact.  My friend wanted to give back because she felt like she didn't have a mentor.

Then I continued to think back to when I took that course in my undergrad.  I was NOT a fan of my teacher.  She wasn't warm and she wasn't welcoming.  In fact, she said I didn't take any initiative.  I don't think she knew it was because I was worried I was stepping on her toes.  Why was she selected to have me in her class?  Why did she agree?  Why did I decide to continue on the path to teaching when my experience had been so negative?

Why am I where I am today?  Why am I working with teachers now more than kids?  Why am I out of the classroom?  Why is it so hard in a classroom?  Why would you want to stay in a classroom?  Why would you want to leave the classroom?  What makes you love teaching...regardless of who you teach?  Why are you a teacher?

Why.