Career Opportunities
I recently met a number of people for the first time during a social function and a few of us began discussing our careers. An investment trader, when he found out I was an educator, confided in me that his job did not allow him to contribute to society in the way a teacher’s can.This statement surprised me.
This man made many millions of dollars for his company each year trading currency, bonds, and debentures (whatever they are) in overseas markets. He led a team of highly skilled and driven people to accumulate vast wealth for his firm. And yet he was ‘saddened’ (his word) that his career didn’t afford him the kinds of opportunities ‘to make a difference’ (his words again) as teachers have.
Reflecting on this, I do see his point. Consider such educational mission statements as this one from the Newark (NJ) Public Schools, which recognizes ‘that each child can only be successful when we acknowledge all aspects of that child’s life; addressing their needs, enhancing their intellect, developing character, and uplifting their spirit.’
Teachers have an abundance of occasions each day to address issues such as these. Along with helping our students learn new academic skills and concepts, we also nurture them. The prayer of St. Francis ‘where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy’ could have been written as part of a teacher’s job description.
Each time a child learns a new academic skill, we make a difference. Each time a child’s tears turns into smiles, we make a difference. Each time we help a child to learn to care about others, we make a difference. The possibilities for teachers to make a difference are as endless as the numbers of lives we will touch in the course of our careers. Clearly many of these differences lie outside of the domain of the standards movement our nation is embedded in. But as Albert Einstein (who by the way knew something about standards himself) said ‘Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted’.
Obviously there are other jobs that allow opportunities for contributing towards society. I’m just pleased to be part of a profession that makes it a point to make a positive difference, day after day.
I recently met a number of people for the first time during a social function and a few of us began discussing our careers. An investment trader, when he found out I was an educator, confided in me that his job did not allow him to contribute to society in the way a teacher’s can.This statement surprised me.
This man made many millions of dollars for his company each year trading currency, bonds, and debentures (whatever they are) in overseas markets. He led a team of highly skilled and driven people to accumulate vast wealth for his firm. And yet he was ‘saddened’ (his word) that his career didn’t afford him the kinds of opportunities ‘to make a difference’ (his words again) as teachers have.
Reflecting on this, I do see his point. Consider such educational mission statements as this one from the Newark (NJ) Public Schools, which recognizes ‘that each child can only be successful when we acknowledge all aspects of that child’s life; addressing their needs, enhancing their intellect, developing character, and uplifting their spirit.’
Teachers have an abundance of occasions each day to address issues such as these. Along with helping our students learn new academic skills and concepts, we also nurture them. The prayer of St. Francis ‘where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy’ could have been written as part of a teacher’s job description.
Each time a child learns a new academic skill, we make a difference. Each time a child’s tears turns into smiles, we make a difference. Each time we help a child to learn to care about others, we make a difference. The possibilities for teachers to make a difference are as endless as the numbers of lives we will touch in the course of our careers. Clearly many of these differences lie outside of the domain of the standards movement our nation is embedded in. But as Albert Einstein (who by the way knew something about standards himself) said ‘Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted’.
Obviously there are other jobs that allow opportunities for contributing towards society. I’m just pleased to be part of a profession that makes it a point to make a positive difference, day after day.
posted by Rich Levine | 2:09 PM
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