As one of my three current jobs, I help my dad in his financial planning business. I know. I have zero financial training, so that's kind of humorous. Occasionally, Dad drags me to seminars where I try to follow as people talk about mutual funds and annuities, and believe it or not, I actually get what's going on most of the time.
Today, after one of the presentations, the speaker introduced himself to me and asked how I was related to Michael.
"Oh, he's my dad."
"I thought so. Well, he speaks very highly of you."
"Really? Oh that's nice. I'm just helping him out right now. I'm actually a teacher turned librarian."
"No kidding! I was an elementary ed. major! I have a kindergarten endorsement. You know it's not all that different teaching 6 year olds how to read and teaching 60 year old guys how to sell life insurance."
Wow. This guy my own age in the expensive suit surely makes three times what a kindergarten teacher would make. He's taken a very different path, and it has rewarded him handsomely. How do I feel about that? In one sense, it's a shame because male elementary teachers are worth their weight in gold even if that's not what they're paid. It's rare for young boys to see male role models in their schools, and they desperately need them. On the other hand, can I fault this guy for providing well for his family? It's not like he's selling drugs, or even used cars. He's legitimately helping people take good care of their families' well-being. I mean life insurance is boring, and I would stick a fork in my brain if I had to think about it day in and day out, but it is important to people, and more power to this guy if he really enjoys it and makes a nice living doing it. And to be fair, maybe this guy's choice had nothing to do with money. Maybe he's just really passionate about life insurance. Is that possible?
Of course teachers aren't paid enough, and if you disagree, then I challenge you to spend a single day in any American classroom and see if you don't change your mind. But here's the thing. Even if teachers were among the most highly paid professionals, people wouldn't do it for the money - at least not for long. As reality T.V. demonstrates, people will do some crazy things for money, but any person teaching for money alone would be certifiably insane.
No, there's a much stronger force that calls these heroes to action. It's Love. I'm not talking about a sappy, "Oh, aren't these little ones adorable" kind of love. I mean a fierce, truth-must-be-told, fire in the soul, "I will kick you in the face if you mess with my students" capital L Love. If you don't Love what you teach and who you're teaching and believe in what you're doing with that kind of jacked-up mama bear on steroids kind of Love, no amount of money will make any difference.
For the record, my own hiatus from teaching had nothing to do with a shortage of Love. If anything I might have cared too much. I never kicked anyone in the face, but I sure felt like it. (Whole other story.) No, if people went into teaching for something as paltry as money, they'd never make it. They'd burn out faster than a 4th of July sparkler, and start wondering what other careers might be easier.
Answer: almost all of them. But to a real teacher, what does that matter?
