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This week we’re thinking about why we’re teachers (and why thinking about it is so important).

Let’s jump in…

Reminding Yourself Why You’re A Teacher Is Vital (For You And Your Students)

Hello lovely teachers.

I just wanted to say that I’m so proud of the subscribers we’ve built up and the message we’re sharing every week. Thank you for being a wonderful educator and a founding member of the Marigold community.

Pondering that sense of purpose and passion got me thinking…

So we’re doing something a little different with the newsletter this week.

Most issues are packed with helpful strategies for personal and professional development when it comes to teacher wellbeing. This one’s more of a reflection on one of the most important questions I think any teacher needs to ask themselves.

Why am I a teacher?

There are so many challenges, so many demands, and so many opportunities for stress and strain that if we don't know, at our core, why we’re in the profession, then it makes it even harder to stay.

And I genuinely think that it’s a question a lot of teachers have never asked themselves.

The thing is, when we know why we’re in this wonderful profession, we begin to recognise the things we value, the things that bring us purpose and the things that inspire us to keep going.

And a teacher with a clear vision for why they do what they do will inevitably be better resourced, better focused and better able to support their students.

Without that foundation of purpose, it’s easy to become lost, disillusioned, or lose sight of the personal value of our work. After all, if no one else is going to celebrate us, we’ve gotta do it ourselves, right?

So, here’s where I unpack why I’m a teacher, and give you the three key questions to ask that will help you unlock your motivation, purpose and inspiration.

Sound good?

Let’s jump in.

Here’s Why I’m A Teacher (And Probably Why You Are Too)

So, why am I a teacher?

To be honest, it wasn’t on my radar for a long time.

I trained as an actor and then worked in the arts as a freelance performer for around a decade. And in that time, I never thought about being a teacher.

It seemed too formal, too predictable, and not creative enough.

Too much of an echo of my time in education as a student.

Of course, it’s none of those things, but that’s how I used to see it.

But one of the things I really enjoyed was creating work with young people in youth theatres, directing plays, and working 1:1 on auditions with them.

It took me by surprise a bit, as I’m an only child and never really spent any time around children growing up. But there you are…

So when the opportunity came along to get my PGCE, it felt like a really positive thing to do. As though the things I really enjoyed could be balanced with some dependable income and the chance to make a difference in the lives of the young people in my care.

Was that a bit naive?

Maybe.

But I feel the same way today.

I still feel blessed to be able to work within a subject I’m passionate about and support the next generation of creative artists.

And that’s why I’m a teacher.

To continue to learn about my discipline and to be there for the young people who need my experience, patience, support and expertise.

I can’t think of a better job to do, a higher degree of privilege or a greater responsibility than being a teacher.

And that word ‘responsibility’ is paramount.

For the time that that class is with me, or that child is chatting to me 1:1, they are my sole responsibility. It’s up to me to give them the tools they need to flourish in their studies and in life.

And I take that responsibility incredibly seriously.

I think most teachers do, even if they don’t articulate it in the same terms.

If the young people I worked with didn’t matter so much to me, if being of value to them in their journey through life was less important, I guess I would have quit years ago.

But those things mean everything to me, so I’m still here.

And I love surrounding myself with people that feel the same.

That’s why it’s been such a blessing to have met so many fabulous, dedicated and visionary educators in the Marigold community.

So that’s me in a nutshell. I know I’m in the right profession, and I enjoy being here. I enjoy the opportunity I have to make a positive impact on the world.

But I also know that there are teachers out there that don’t feel the same.

Maybe they never have. Maybe they’ve never known why they’re a teacher. Maybe they did once, but they’ve lost their motivation (totally understandable given the workload, emotional exhaustion and poor treatment that can often come with the role).

If that sounds like you or someone you know, here are the three questions I’d ask to unlock your motivation, purpose and inspiration.

1. Can You Identify The Ways In Which Being A Teacher Enriches Your Own Life?

For me, this question is always vital. Because unless you can extract personal value from the professional, you’ll never really be satisfied or complete.

We spend such a lot of our working days giving of ourselves - our emotions, our energies, our purpose, our knowledge, that unless we take the time to feed some of the benefits back into our own lives, we’ll just be steadily emptying batteries.

I know that being a teacher gives me a sense of pride and challenges me to look at my assumptions, fears and biases. It also means I keep learning new things, which is critical to being fulfilled and, ultimately, happy.

2. How Does Your Teaching Inspire, Challenge, Shape And Transform Your Students?

This question is so important because it gets us back to the heart of what teaching really is.

The act of applying information to achieve transformation.

If you can be clear about the transformational impact your teaching has on your students, then all the things that sabotage your attitude towards teaching tend to get put into perspective.

When I’m having a challenging time, or I’m disillusioned, or I’m just feeling as though I’d be better off doing something else, asking this question brings me back to my centre and gives me the awareness I need to reframe my attitude.

It’s not about me… it’s about my students.

3. Think 5 Years Down The Road. How Could You Have An Even Greater Positive Impact As An Educator?

I’ve included this in my top three questions because it’s so powerful.

It’s inviting you to develop a longer-term vision that gives your day-to-day work meaning.

It programs you to stay in the game and commit to finding positivity and value in your work. And more than that, when you ask the question, you’re acknowledging the value of what you do today and considering its value to you and those you teach in years to come.

It allows you to strategise, to find value in CPD and to speak with positivity and purpose about your profession.

And there’s no better way to remind yourself why you’re a teacher than that!

Listen To Us, Watch Us, Absorb Us!

In a world of soundbites and headlines scrambling for your attention, it’s nice to know that some things are exactly what they say they are…

If you haven’t already subscribed to the Marigold Teachers Podcast, now would be an excellent time to discover it. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and all the major streaming platforms.

Our mission? To talk about the things that matter to us all and give you some actionable advice for being a happier, more productive and fulfilled teacher.

It’s practically priceless!

Check us out, have a listen and be inspired…

Don’t Ignore Yourself In A Hectic World - You’re Too Important To Forget!

I hope my little bit of personal reflection touched a nerve, inspired you to reflect on your own values or gave you a few examples for how to best celebrate your achievements as a teacher.

So many teachers lose themselves in the chaos, so those three questions are all the more important to remember…

In next week’s issue, we’ll be putting the focus on resilience. How to get more of it, how to keep it and how to use it as a teacher and, more importantly, as a human being!

Until then, remember, you’re more than your marking, your lesson observations and your planning.

You’re you. And that’s all you need to be.