Reasons why I can't decide what to be when I grow up.

People start asking you somewhere around age two what you want to be when you grow up. Why we ask two-year-olds, I'm not sure, but we do. The problem I seem to be having right now is that I am no longer two, and I still don't know the answer to this question. Actually, I think that the older I get, the harder it is for me to decide. In elementary, junior high and high school, if you'd asked me that question, I would have said, "A teacher." Which, as it turns out, is what I have become. So why do I keep trying to think of a new life plan? And if I really hate it so much, why do I eliminate every other new life plan that is presented to me as not quite as good as what I have now? Here are the top 10 reasons why teaching is and yet isn't an acceptable career.

10. Disease
I am convinced that there is no better breeding ground for germs than at school. Although I am still skeptical of any teacher who claims the ability to come up with a deterrent for colds just because they work in this germ-ridden environment.

9. NCLB
You may or may not be familiar with our government's idea of improving education, but it causes me to seriously reflect whether or not I can submit myself to such obvious poppycock for the next thirty years. Although, let's be honest, this legislation is not going to last 30 years. When Bush leaves the White House, we can hopefully all finally admit what a huge mistake this whole thing was and put it behind us. I say we leave a few of these little darlings behind.

8. 7 am
Most schools start around 7 am. That is early. That means that I will probably not get enough sleep for as long as I am a teacher. Of course, I think I need to just accept the fact that I'm not ever going to have enough sleep (it's hard to squeeze in 14 hours a day) no matter what my career is.

7. 2 pm
When I start thinking that 7 am is too early to start work, I remember that I get done at 2:05. No job could possibly beat that.

6. High blood pressure
Managing a classroom can be stressful--especially when the kids just won't listen. Sometimes it makes me want to...vehemently repremand...my students. When I was student teaching, I actually had a dream that I bit one of my student's on the hand because he wouldn't stop talking. I'm not recommending that we swat them on the butt with a paddle (although it might do some of them some good). I'm just saying that they do sometimes make me a little frazzled.

5. The Future of America
Despite my ever-rising blood pressure (please see above), I actually thoroughly enjoy my students. It's pretty fun to spend all day with teenagers. They are funny. For example, one day in class one of my students shouted out "raise your hand if you are now, or ever have been medicated for ADD?" (FYI--results in that class were astounding. I'd say 60% of them raised their hands.) It also makes you feel pretty good when they finally understand a concept or get a C when they've had an F all year. You know, it's the little things that I don't think I would find in an office job.

4. Side-Angle-Side
SAS is my favorite theorem that I teach my students. I really like proving triangles are congruent. I don't often admit this, but I like to figure out geometry proofs, and when I became a history major, I really missed solving equations. That is why I am the Captain of the Nerd Brigade.

5. NCLB
Due to the fact that there are no proofs on the test at the end of the year, we are not allowed to teach our Geometry students proofs. That just makes me mad.

4. Couches
What do couches have to do with what I want to be when I grow up? Well, I want to buy some. I would actually like to buy a lot of things...like maybe a house someday. The theme of my life is not going to be wealth if I am a teacher.

3. Winter Break
It's nice to know that I will get two weeks off every Christmas, I mean Winter.

2. Spring Break
I don't have school tomorrow. I don't have it the next day. In fact, I don't have to go back to work for 10 days!!!

1. Summer Vacation
Honestly, every time I start thinking about other careers, the school year ends, and I have two months off. I don't think I could ever commit to a job that expected me to work all year. I just like my free time way too much! Is it bad to choose a career based on the time off?


So now I want some comments. Have you ever questioned what you should be when you grow up? If you are completely satisfied with your current profession, how did you achieve that? Any suggestions for possible careers for me?