Why Teach?

Recently, I added myself to Facebook. As I reconnect to friends whom I lost track of long ago, I find myself forced to once again answer a question I get from people familiar with only some of my background...Why do you teach high school? I heard it often in the many job interviews that eventually led to my current position. That question leads me to reflect on the many related questions that usually follow it up... (1) You have so much education. Why are you teaching instead of researching? (2) Why teach high school instead of college? (3) Why do you teach "those kids"? (4) I know, it's because of your Mom, isn't it? (5) Couldn't you get a better job? (6) Why teaching? (7) How do you put up with all of "it"? (8) Why...? And the list goes on, and on, AND ON...

Here's what I've come to understand... For many of us, our career is just that, a job that pays the bills. We don't really see the many fruits of our labors at all, beyond the paycheck and outward, worldly examples of "success." Few of us see our careers as a calling. Oh, sure, pastors, preachers, priests, nuns, missionaries, and the like speak of what they do as "A Calling". How many of the rest of us do, really? Do we see it that way, or simply use the term? Well, I do see it that way, and this week I am going to reflect on the reasons for that viewpoint. It's part of the Journey of Faith that I am traveling. I hope to answer some of those many questions about why I teach as well.