Become a teacher they said, it will be fun they said…

Half days, two breaks in between, tons of holidays and action-packed weekends –  the true life of a teacher – said no teacher EVER! I don’t like to generalise, but the above representation is how the majority of the population would sketch the life of a teacher. There are of course the exceptions that know exactly how much hard work goes into preparing the youth of today for adulthood, with a proper vocabulary and general knowledge.

As rewarding as it can be to empower the youth with knowledge, it is just as draining and challenging. Nobody could have mentally prepared you for the ungodly hours of marking papers and assignments, report comments and mental breakdowns that you would be dealing with. Also, nobody gave you an instruction manual to give to your better half, as how it would be dealing and living with a teacher.

To be perfectly honest, I was also one of those people who thought it would be quite the win to become a teacher, since you would have all the time in the world to work on your relationship and your personal life – that was until I became one… Living with a teacher is a whole different ball game! Your time is not your own and your tolerance level is absolutely non-existent. As much as you love the man or woman that you share your days with, perspective significantly changes. “But why can’t we go out on Friday night and have fun into the wee hours of the morning? You used to be more fun!” I am sure a lot of you will understand this annoying question and “statement” from you better half all too well. Let me explain the answer as politely as I can darling, do you wake up at 5:00 in the morning to get to school on time, deal with deranged little monsters, mark assignments, be the prime example of a team leader in the afternoons doing four million extra murals, attend personal development courses AND prep for the next day when you eventually get home??? I think not!

Despite being annoyed with these types of comments, the constant urge to correct your better half’s grammar and pull out your teacher voice when they do something you detest is almost unavoidable. The struggle is real. I even found myself in a position once where I wanted to pluck out the wet wipes and make sure his hands were clean before he paged through my magazine… A bit of OCD right there, but nonetheless your work takes over every aspect of your life. If you had to ask anyone what it is really like living with a teacher, they would probably tell you that they are reliving their childhood and having a real mom in the house. Some say this with disdain, but others see it as nurturing and support their partner 100% and appreciates the sacrifices you make in laying the foundation for the leaders of tomorrow.

To all the men and women living with a teacher that is understanding, runs a hot bath or has a homecooked meal waiting and ready in the evenings, your efforts are appreciated much more than you could ever imagine. Even though teachers might be tough to live with at times, just remember what we have to deal with day in and day out. The highs are extremely high and the lows will make the deep blue sea look like a shallow kiddies’ pool. All we need is a hug, appreciation and a glass of wine won’t hurt. We promise that we will try to keep our teacher voices in tact as often as we can.

Always keep the following in mind: “We as teachers are trying to give the young people something that can help them and we don’t know exactly what it ought to be.” – Wendell Berry