As mid-year approaches, I can think of all the things that I would like to change. I think about all the kids that I have not reached or I have not taught enough. I recently read my letter of intent of why I want to teach of America. There are a million reasons why I do not Teach for America.

I do not Teach for America for the following reasons.

• To complete meaningless paperwork which my school district finds effective to help “student achievement”.
• To watch one selfish student steal from me (even if it is just candy from my prize closet)
• To be micro-managed by co-workers
• So I can listen to principals power trip during an after school meeting
• To teach to a program that is generic and scripted which makes kids HATE reading
• To yell over a room-full of hormonal teen-agers
• To have to force one of my students to sit at the teacher’s desk because in a class of 33 students in a room with 32 desks
• To cry in frustration on a daily/weekly basis
• To work countless hours on lessons that NEVER go as planned
• To spend countless dollars on books for my book-less classroom
• To watch 60+eye-rolls, 70+ gum sucking, 100+ OMG,really Miss O’Brien’s before a days end

But at the end of the day, I teach for America for one reason…

• I teach for America because my kids DESERVE an equal education with a teacher who fully believes in their ability to succeed in a world that tells them they can’t.

Because of that one reason, I will continue to teach for America despite all the reasons why I do not.  This one reason will be my driving force as I push through the next 95 days with my lovely students.