As is probably the case with pretty much every other industry one would find themselves working in, in the education field your colleagues could very well turn into your friends. Because of factors such as the close proximity to work each of you would be living in and subsequently close proximity to each other, you spend so much of your lives together that friendships become inevitable.
These natural relationships and bonds that develop are indeed only natural, mostly because nobody quite understands what you have to deal with like someone who has to deal with the same things. I have many fellow teacher friends with whom I went through my entire schooling, from elementary school right up to college and with whom I share the same workplace, so you can just imagine how strong the bonds are!
These bonds transcend age however and past a certain age you start to formulate bonds such as these even with those fellow teachers who are much older or a lot younger than you are and nothing seems forced at all. It all happens naturally.
This is one of the many rewards of being a teacher – the fact that you’re sort of naturally brought together with the people who appear as if they were simply meant to be part of your life.
There are many more rewards of being a teacher however, one of which is suggested by the fact that I’ve personally never heard a fellow teacher complaining about just how much of brats the kids in their class are. And that’s just it – we always refer to them as “my children,” something which tends to naturally rub off on the community because when someone you know asks how you are, it’s almost always followed by “…and how are your kids/children?” This sense of ownership and care for our students is ingrained in us, reflecting the rewarding nature of being a teacher.
These relationships and the love we have for our students can also be seen in the thoughtful gestures that our children or the management make, such as giving us Teacher Gifts to show their appreciation for our dedication and hard work.
We get extended holidays too as part of the many rewards of being in the teaching profession, albeit much deserved because of all the marking we have to do and all the mentally draining work that comes with essentially assuming the role of the parent every day of the week, during regular working hours.
Of all the rewards of being a teacher however, I personally reckon the best is going on to see just how much of a positive impact your mentorship makes in the lives of many of the learners who pass through your hands. It’s such a wonderful feeling when you’re perhaps in the parking lot and a handsome young man or a beautiful young woman walks up to you and stops for a chat, asking if you still remember them as they tell you about just how well they’re doing in their lives.
It’s true that a teacher never forgets their students…
And you know what else? The so-called average teacher’s salary is complemented throughout the year through the results of our learners’ and their parents’ entertainment of ideas like those of the best birthday gifts for her! We get spoiled rotten at times, always having to feign surprise on our birthdays in particular.
