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\u201cI would love to see more coverage of teaching,\u201d commented a Virginia-based reader named Meghan<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m a high school social studies teacher with more than 130 students, and I often feel like I\u2019m performing a standup comedy show for an audience that isn\u2019t there by choice. The profession has a lot of nuance that most people don\u2019t know about.\u201d<\/p>\n Curious to learn more, we asked six teachers to share some of the highs, lows and funny moments of their careers\u2026<\/p>\n On teaching the different ages:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cKindergartners go bananas over anything if<\/em> you say it in a really enthusiastic way. You could tell the class, \u2018You\u2019re going to get a piece of paper!\u2019 and they\u2019ll start screaming like the audience members on Oprah<\/em>.\u201d \u2014 Jen, elementary school reading intervention<\/p>\n \u201cI love middle schoolers, but they smell terrible, so I keep an air purifier running all the time. The other day I put a note in the homework section of the board to make sure to wash their hoodies. It\u2019s a lovable funk, though! They also love when I listen to songs or read books that they suggest.\u201d \u2014 Lexie, middle school language arts<\/p>\n \u201cHigh school kids feel so deeply. I love the teenage drama about everything from lipgloss and the Edgar haircut<\/a> to their relationships and the chisme<\/em>. They remind me of what it was like to be young and think that every moment is life-changing.\u201d \u2014 Christina, high school English <\/p>\n \u201cMost of my students are early 20-somethings experiencing the first tastes of adulthood while shedding their childhood selves. The mismatch of goofy lightheartedness with their desire to be earnest and professional is refreshing. Also, the exhaustion on the faces of students who have to show up for an 8:30 a.m. class is so painful it\u2019s funny.\u201d \u2014 Kait, college literature <\/p>\n On meaningful moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI once taught a lesson on depression and anxiety, and the 12- to 14-year-old girls taught me what a \u2018crying session\u2019 was, and how it helped them get out of a funk. To this day, I can\u2019t get over how in tune they were with their emotions, and how open and honest they were.\u201d \u2014 Julian, seventh and ninth grade health and P.E.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen teaching second grade, I end each day with story time. We read a lot of The Magic Treehouse<\/a> and The American Girl series<\/a>, and the kids get excited to see what happens. I loved those books as a kid, and seeing the students\u2019 curiosity reminds me that when teachers authentically love something, students often grow to love it, too.\u201d \u2014 Jen, elementary school reading intervention<\/p>\n On hard parts of the job:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMaintaining work-life balance with a young child at home. Also, the threat of gun violence. I have monthly nightmares about gun violence in my school.\u201d \u2014 Lexie, middle school language arts<\/p>\n On career surprises:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cBack in high school, whenever I took a career quiz, the answer was always \u2018a performer.\u2019 I\u2019d use this as proof to my parents that I should be rockstar. But my dad, who is a teacher, would always say, \u2018Well, as a teacher, you\u2019re always performing.\u2019 Now I know that sentiment is 100% true. Standing in the front of the classroom feels like you\u2019re on a stage, and I\u2019m micro-dosing performer skills every day.\u201d \u2014 Pablo, eighth grade U.S. history and ninth grade world geography<\/p>\n \u201cI work with a lot of multilingual learners, and one of my main goals is to help them pass the ELPAC<\/a>, a language assessment exam that affects the track of their education. Kids don\u2019t always understand why this test is a big deal, so one of my goals is to help them understand what happens if they pass. In general, as adults, it\u2019s easy to not take the time to really explain to kids, \u2018This is what X is, this is why we are doing it; this is what happens if you don\u2019t learn it, this is what happens if you do learn it.\u2019 In this class, I\u2019m always blown away by how motivated and engaged students become when they understand how it relates to them personally. This past year we printed so<\/em> many certificates, and I was so proud.\u201d \u2014 Jen, elementary school reading intervention<\/p>\n On advice for newer teachers:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t take things personally. A lot of teachers, including myself, have empathy as one of their core values<\/a>. So, when a kid acts up in class, it\u2019s hard not to see their behavior as a personal attack. But the book The Four Agreements<\/a> completely shifted my outlook on this. Other people\u2019s actions usually have nothing to do with us and also don\u2019t reflect who they are as a person.\u201d \u2014 Pablo, eighth grade U.S. history and ninth grade world geography<\/p>\n \u201cChildren don\u2019t get to choose the adults in their lives, so you should strive to be someone they would<\/em> choose. Also, it\u2019s important to be nice to yourself. Teaching is not for the faint of heart.\u201d \u2014 Kait, college literature <\/p>\n On what we wish parents knew:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cParents often think that their influence wanes during the teenage years, but that\u2019s not true. Make space for your teen to talk to you, even if they reject most opportunities. I\u2019ve read so many essays about how much my students love their parents. They\u2019re just testing boundaries.\u201d \u2014 Lexie, middle school language arts<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for entrusting us with your child, it is the greatest honor. Know that when they are in my classroom, they will be cared for and seen.\u201d \u2014 Christina, high school English <\/p>\n Thank you so much to everyone who shared, and a HUGE thank you to all the teachers out there. Please share your thoughts below, if you\u2019d like\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n P.S. A teacher\u2019s week of outfits<\/a>, and the way to actually ease kids\u2019 separation anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n (Photo from Abbott Elementary<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n<\/blockquote>\n