Teachers start in education with the greatest of intents. Changing the world, helping students, and connecting with communities are many of the noble goals teachers have when first entering the profession. The constant or foundation for these intents is people: more specifically, helping people. Teachers have a talent for helping others grow intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. There is a virtuous component to serving others and teachers feel the goodness that comes from helping students. That feeling can be euphoric, continually motivating, encouraging, and inspiring their daily actions for years on end.
While educators possess an innate ability and desire to help people, educational bureaucracies, socio-economic disparities, differences in perspective, and many other negatives of the profession, stifle the passion that was once so prevalent. Hearts become hardened over time in the business of education and many fall into a continual cycle that some never seem to overcome. Feelings of unappreciation, not being supported, being overworked, and not paid near enough, cause an emotional spiral in which many choose to leave.
While the coarseness of education can cause its damages, there is still joy to be found in teaching. Educators tend to confuse joy in teaching with happiness. Unhappy moments that are experienced throughout teaching careers can harden hearts, which cause educators to forget the joy of serving that initially brought them to the profession. Joy is not simply lost in teaching. It remains, somewhere. Unhappy moments that come with the educational territory make teachers feel as though their joy is gone. Too many teachers are leaving the profession because they think their joy is lost due to not experiencing consistent happiness in their work.
Don’t let unhappy moments take away the joy of teaching. There are those times (for many different reasons) teachers are not happy with their specific situation. This doesn’t mean that those situations can’t change or that joy for teaching is gone. Remember why you entered this profession and who you are here for. There is a higher purpose in educational service. Joyfulness can still be experienced in this highly valued profession.
Become a teacher.
Continue to teach.
Comeback to teaching.
Reference
https://www.edutopia.org/article/ways-reclaim-your-joy-teaching