Books that have enriched my teacher soul. Part One

(. .  . ) " so what took you so Long?" 
I was teaching. That`s what took me so Long." Page 3 

On a foogy Saturday afternoon, while walking down Victoria road, I came across a georgeous library. We, teachers, are lured into libraries justo as kids into candy shops ;) therefore, I HAD to enter. Once there, a marvelous book called me: " hey ! I can recognize a teacher miles away. Come; come closer. . . " And there it was. Definitely, showing off a little as he was the ONLY standing book on a lovely decorated table. TEACHER MAN by Frank McCourt. 

Everything about it is engaging! ! His writing style: so colloquial and so teacher like !!! , his anecdotes and his reflections upon his teaching. . . 

Just for you to feel the book, I will transcribe the second part I underlined when reading it for the first time ;) 

(. . .) "In America, doctors, lawyers, generals, actors, television people and politicians are admired and rewarded. Not teachers. Teaching is the downstairs maid of professions. Teachers are told to use the service door or go round the back. They are congratulated on having ATTO (All That Time Off). They are spoken of patronizingly and patted, retroactively, on their silvery locks. " page 4

I simply loved his ATTO word and have used it whenever this topic has been brought up in those typical teachers' discussions. 

Why is it that wherever we go the same concept about teachers is heard ? 
Hasn't anyone seen a woman or man sunbathing on a beautiful beach reading a book on "How to work with Problematic Children" instead of Vogue magazine? What force drives us to keep on going to school every morning? What moves our hearts towards teaching? 


Have you felt identified? Please, share your comments :)

Cut out to be a teacher

My favourite game as a child was to play to be a teacher. I would prepare my bag (an old brownish leather bag given to me by my mom) with all the school objects needed: old, blunt pencils, may be a marker, heavy books from the libraby and a notebook. I would set to the "school" (our back garden actually), prepare the desks for all my students and wait anxiously for them. 

Then my two sisters would "enter" the classroom and we would raise the flag. I remember taking attendance from a long list of invented students and my sisters sitting there looking kind of bored waiting for their names to be said outloud. 

I could spend hours writing anecdotes like this because I just SIMPLY LOVE TEACHING. . . I do not even remember a day when I was asked as a child "what would you like to be in the future?" and I answered something else besides " a teacher". 

But years pass by; you grow up; you laugh; you cry; you study hard, really hard to get your degree and then circumstances face you with situations in the classroom you have not been taught at the teaching training college. . . 

If you feel identified with this or you just wish to learn more about what you could do or could have done in those out-of-the-book situations, follow me ;)