The Teaching Divide

On one of the last nights of vacation, Mike and I had pretty much run out of things to talk about over dinner. After the initial discussion of our favorite parts of the day, laughing about something that happened, and planning the next day's adventures, there really wasn't much to say that hadn't been said before. Until he asked, "So, what are your passions in life?" I thought for a brief moment and responded, "Teaching." He told me that was a job, not a passion. A passion was music, sports. Not my career. 

I've though about this countless times over the past year. Am I so dull an individual that I didn't have any passions? I mean, I could care less about music (I listen to whatever the radio decides to play) and my only thoughts during sporting events are the hideous colors of the jerseys. Was I missing something?

No. Mike was. Working a 9-5 job in a cubicle offers NO room for passion. You go in, crunch the numbers, and leave. Teaching is different. It's not a 9-5 occupation. It's a lifestyle, a way of being, a passion. That being said, here is my comparative poem about "teaching: the job" versus "teaching: the passion". 

It’s a job,

It’s a passion.

The paychecks are measly,

The lessons I learn are priceless.

The mornings are early, nights late,

My days are fulfilled.

My plan book is empty,

My mind is overflowing with ideas.

As my pencil point dulls,

My mind grows sharper.

I teach my students,

My students teach me.

Teaching is my job.

Teaching is my passion.