From Deseret News archives:
Why I teach
Topic elicits a deluge of responses, and they all revolve around kids
They'll recall how they taught a struggling child to do long division or some former student returns to thank them and suddenly all the frustrations of the job the Legislature, the pay, the dearth of school supplies, the clueless parents, the long hours, the endless paperwork don't seem so bad anymore.
At the end of the school day, the thing that sustains most of them are the kids.
All they hope for in return is support and understanding for what they do from parents, legislators and citizens.
How do I know this? I asked them. And this is what they said.
Allow me to explain. Teachers are hard up for friends and people who understand the overwhelming challenges of their jobs. They must be. They think I'm their best friend, and all I did was write one sympathetic 700-word column that made its way around the state. (It is republished on today's Page A18.) The column elicited a deluge of e-mail from teachers simply thanking me for expressing their viewpoint while also taking time to elaborate on many of their frustrations.
Which tells me they feel neglected and misunderstood.
After reading the e-mails, I gave the teachers a dose of their own medicine. I gave them homework. I asked them to tell me why they still teach, considering the increasing demands of the job. I have been bombarded with e-mails ever since.
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