By Samuel Durr
Teaching is like being attacked by hornets
Teaching is like being attacked by hornets. If you just laughed at that little gem, you’re probably a teacher. You might be nodding your head in acknowledgment or cringing at the memory of a difficult student. If you didn’t laugh or you’re confused, this article is for you. If you are a first-year teacher, please read carefully. The following are tactics to survive the lions’ nest you could be strolling into. If you’re not an educator, these pearls of wisdom will help you understand the harsh realities of the job.
1) Don’t fret about those night terrors
They happen to everyone. You will spend your first few months on the job realizing that you’ve made a terrible mistake and experiencing a shock to your serotonin levels. Bad dreams and difficulty sleeping are only some of the symptoms you might feel. I’m no doctor but many teachers, even experienced ones, report what is commonly called ‘teacher dreams.’ I’m still haunted by a nightmare where my whole homeroom of seventh graders mutinied by maniacally laughing. Wait…scratch that, that actually happened. Point is, you’re not losing your mind, it’s normal. Continue reading