"It was Career Day," he said excitedly, "and I was a Rock Star! J was an astronaut, B was a baseball player. V was an author. L was a doctor and K was the night guard at the library."
"Sounds like a great day," I smiled thinking there clearly was some creative thinking happening in nearby homes.
"My teacher brought her stuffed dog to school and let us pet her," he continued. "She is going to be a dog walker."
"Sounds like an exhausted and creative teacher," I thought thinking about the endless demands on teachers as well as the endless stream of dog walkers I see traipsing through nearby neighborhoods each day. The dog walker who walks several dogs near me drives a brand new BMW SUV.
I'm guessing it's a lower stress job with good (better?) financial rewards than to be a teacher?
I'm hoping someone wanted to be a teacher?
5 comments:
That last line hits hard. I'm hoping too.
Unfortunately, teaching doesn't seem to be at the top of anyone's list anymore.
I was so intrigued by the idea of a career day for kids where they get to imagine the future types of work they might like that I almost missed the wish to know that there may (or may not) have been aspiring teachers among them. The use of dialogue drew me right in.
We are seeing the trend here in Georgia of people moving not away from a system to another school or another county or state, but away from teaching as a profession. It's very sad. Three of my former students who had gone into teaching have chosen other paths just this year - - without finishing their contracts. It's so disheartening.
Anita, funny questions about the financial rewards of being a dog walker and comparing it to teaching. Funny, yet sad! I just wish we would pay teachers a starting salary of 100K to at least make it a job that would attract more people and raise expectations and respect. Maybe it all needs more, but it could be a start.
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