Bring “Your Passion”

Browse through the following pages, and you’ll see many exciting career opportunities in teaching. What do all of these opportunities have in common?  What’s the common denominator? All of these employers are looking forward to recruiting high-quality teachers. But before you pack your bags and take that leap toward starting your career, remember to bring this: your passion.

In today ’s ever – changing classroom, the most powerful force is not science, or technology, or innovation; it is the power of ‘passion’. That is what students will feel when they walk into your classroom. It’s what will inspire them to achieve more than they thought they could.  It’s what will inspire you to learn as much as you can so that you can joyfully share that knowledge with as many people as humanly possible.

As we face this massive need to transform education, the reality is that teachers must now—more than ever—be able to learn, relearn, and adapt. The teachers who are best able to thrive in this environment have a passion for who they teach, how they teach, and what they teach.  The bottom line: If students sense anything other than your genuine passion for teaching, you will lose them. Students will find other interests to occupy their hearts and minds. Your students will physically, mentally, and spiritually drop out of class. If you don’t have passion in your heart, then the students will struggle to feel engaged and to learn. In today’s wired world, the students simply have too many competing interests that could potentially steer them off course.

In this issue, I had a special opportunity to interview the Chancellor of DC Public Schools, Michelle Rhee Although Ms. Rhee is very busy, she took the time to talk with me about issues that affect today’s new teachers. She shared her thoughts, her time, and her enthusiasm, which left me with a sincere sense that she has a special passion for her work. She wants to make a change.

As you look forward to starting your career in teaching, remember to bring your passion. Your career and your students are depending on it