Teaching...the rewarding profession? Really?

It has struck me that regardless of age, most students are alike. They all know they have to be in school, they all hate it that they have no choice, and they're just waiting until the end of class so they can go do what they really want to do. Is this any different when we're adults? Not really. Right now I know I have to be at work every day, I hate it that I don't have any better options (like sitting on a beach somewhere drinking something with a tiny umbrella in it - and NO, putting a tiny umbrella in my water at work is NOT the same thing), and I can't wait until the end of class so I can go do what I want to do. "So why do you teach?" I hear you cry. At this point, I'm not really sure. I could give you some canned response like, "Even if it's just one student who says I've helped them, then at least I've made a difference," but that would be tantamount to lying. I definitely don't teach for the money. Have you seen what teachers make in Florida? Shameful. Secretly, I do love that tlittle thrill one gets when you see a kid finally understand something or gain a new appreciation for reading or writing. But let's be honest, how often does that happen. If I had a dollar for every kid who's made a comment about how much I've impacted their lives, I'd have almost enough money to buy a value-meal at McDonald's - and I've been teaching for 8 years! Really, I enjoy making my students miserable. I love the groans and rolling of eyes when I assign essays. I live for the gasps when they get their mid-term grades. I revel in creating impossible to pass quizzes. Isn't that the point? Aren't they supposed to be miserable as they're at school? How else will they know they've learned anything?

In that respect, my current 10th graders are no idfferent than my former 8th graders. One would think that high school students would be a tad bit more invested in their education. Sadly, no. I'm still floating from classroom to classroom but am told I could have my own classroom, albeit in a portable building, after Christmas. So, I guess my books will stay boxed up until next year. 10th graders aren't that much more mature than 8th graders so I'm not experiencing the kind of relief I expected teaching high school. The curriculum is much more defined which makes planning a lot easier but it gets kind of numbing sometimes. So far I've read the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird 5 times. Apparently no one in Florida can read by themselves either. It's good to know that illiteracy is nation-wide rather than just an Arkansas problem. I am infuriated with kids who won't do anything but then, that's always made me mad. I guess I thought high-schoolers would be a little more invested. Guess who was WAY wrong!?

That's all I know. I don't know if we're going to make it to AR for Thanksgiving and even if we do, we'll probably stay in Central AR. We're spending Christmas in Orlando with my family (could be good, could be bad...) and haven't decided yet if we're trekking to AR after that or not. It will probably depend on how huge and uncomfortable I am at that point. I miss you guys a lot. I haven't really made any friends here yet - even the people I work with I'm not really sure I want to hang out with outside of school yet. I'm just tired of constantly going home and being around no one but Andy and E. Don't get me wrong - love 'em; would jump in front of a speeding truck for them, but I'm ready to have some girlfriends. .