I will devote every few blog posts to a personal letter to my aspiring and beginning educators. These are letters addressed to myself at the chronological moment of my journey as an educator. These letters are sentiments and advice that I wish I had received as an aspiring teacher to help me to be more prepared and successful as an educator, professional, and human being.
Dear Sad Black Teacher (SBT),
So you have decided to become a teacher…Congratulations for embarking on a vocation that will empower the lives of so many. The reactions of others as you pursue this career may be mixed. Some of the naysayers may even use the commonly misquoted adage, “Those who can’t do, teach” or may assume that you are only in it for the pay or the summer breaks. But it takes a special person with a rare talent, heart and mind to do what we do.
You may also sometimes hear that teaching is a thankless job. While this may be partially true when it comes to extrinsic gratitude, the positive impact that you will have on your future students is priceless. And while your future students may not always remember your name, they will no doubt remember how you made them feel about themselves and what they have learned.
Throughout your journey in this career, you will be constantly giving of yourself, your intellect, and your energy to others–from your pupils to their parents to the administrators that you will work under. Please make sure that you do not expend so much time and energy towards others that you have very little left for yourself.
Most importantly, please make sure you take the time now before you finish your teacher training to reflect on your “why”. You will hear this cliche term constantly throughout your teaching career, but it is vital to consider your motivations for teaching. Please note that I used the word motivation in its plural state for a reason. Most aspiring teachers will tell people that their sole motivation for being a teacher is a desire to help others. However, that will not be enough to successfully thrive as a teacher.
I have been told that up to half of teachers of special education students resign from the teaching profession within five years of beginning their teaching career. I wouldn’t doubt that the vast majority of those teachers loved their students, were amazing at what they did, and were motivated by helping others to succeed. However, the pressures of the job, both inside and outside the school walls, were too overwhelming for more than a few teachers to bear. This most certainly does not negate their ability and talent as teachers, but it really underscores the importance of being motivated by more than the desire to help others.
Please consider your other “whys”. Other than wanting to help others, why do you want to teach? Perhaps your other motivation is the rightfully earned privilege of having the summers off, and that is okay as well.
Another controversial word of advice I have for you is to consider other talents you may have while you are still in school getting your teaching degree. You can use these talents to pursue either a double major or minor in a non-teaching field. In this way, if you ever find that you do need to take a break from teaching, you will have another skill to fall back on and another way of caring for yourself financially. I know how difficult it is to change careers after teaching, even with the numerous soft skills we gain from what we do. It saddens me to see teachers who are open to pursuing other journeys struggle to find gainful employment outside of the field they are trying to leave. They often end up returning to the classroom and causing further damage to their mental and physical wellbeing.
While I hope that you will be able to enjoy a long and rewarding career as an educator, I also want you to be a whole and happy person within yourself. Pursuing your multiple talents will make you more marketable and will benefit you and your loved ones in the long run.
I am so proud of you, and I wish you nothing but love and success as you embark on your teaching journey!