Teaching Boot Camp

I love HBO’s show Hard Knocks.  If you’re not familiar with it, each season a film crew follows an NFL team in training camp.  It follows the blood, sweat and tears of pros and rookies fighting to be the best at their craft. Their goal is to be both the greatest on the field and the greatest teammate that makes everyone around them better.  The show is complete with training montages with bass thumping music in the background.  It makes you want to jump up and hit somebody or run through walls.

Teaching is my craft.  I take it just as seriously as any pro athlete. I train and toil.  I spend hours reading books, studying my “opponents”, and prepping for the big game.  I strive every day to be the best teacher to ever play the game.  Sometimes we view teaching as just a job, but it’s more than that.  If you are meant to be in the classroom, then it isn’t just job, it’s a calling.  In order to be the best it takes sacrifice.  It takes staying up way too late and getting up way too early to prep for your students.  It takes humbling yourself every day and realizing you are never fully in control.  It takes a mentality that no matter what happens you will give everything you can give for the profession. That’s what it takes to be the master of this field.

When I walk into school tomorrow I want bass thumping music playing in the background as I walk the halls, because I’m going to go beastmode on this teaching. JJ Watt, better watch out, I’ve got the teaching game down.