R U Sure U Wanna B a Teacher?

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching prospect said, "Let me see if I've got this right: You want me to... go into that room with all those kids,

1. correct their disruptive behavior,
2. observe them for signs of abuse,
3. monitor their dress habits,
4. censor their T-shirt messages,
5. and instill in them a love for learning. You want me to..
6. check their backpacks for weapons,
7. wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and
8. raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride. You want me to....
9. teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and
10. how to register to vote,
11. balance a checkbook, and
12. apply for a job. You want me to
13. check their heads for lice,
14. recognize signs of anti-social behavior, and
15. make sure that they all pass the state exams. You also want me to
16. provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and
17. communicate regularly with their parents in English and Spanish by letter, telephone, conferences, email, homework hotline, web page, midterm newsletters, and report card.

You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps. You want me to do all this and then you tell me...... "I CAN'T PRAY?" Are you nuts!?"

~Anonymous, circulating email

When I reflect on what it means to be a teacher, I often wonder if I'm really the best qualified person for the job. I work in the lowest paying county in the state of VA. Am I getting paid enough to do all of the things on the above mentioned list? Not really. I think I have reached the point in my career where it's not all about the money. Believe it or not, I love my job. I enjoy working in my rural community and helping students who truly are needy. Teaching has become rewarding to me, beyond my paycheck. I'm not sure I could ever leave the traditional classroom and become an online teacher. Who knows, though, until I give it a chance?

Comment and tell us what you think! How could the list be revised if you were an online teacher?