You Might Be Dead If…

by Professor Joe Martin

Believe it or not, there are dead teachers living among us. They look “normal” and they may even lead somewhat “normal” lives. But in actuality, they’re really dead; they just haven’t been buried yet.

Well, as a person who’s often called in to “raise the dead” when it comes to motivating educators, staff, and students, I know firsthand that these people do exist. I want you to take a minute to observe the following statements, to see if any of them describe someone at your school, or God forbid, even yourself. If this is true in either case, make this a WAKE UP for you, and share it with others so they can join the living. As always, live purposefully!

You might be a dead teacher if…

...continued

• you believe that trading in five days of pain a week for two days of pleasure on the weekend is a pretty good deal.

• you use the word “bored” or “boring” more than your students do.

• you ever made the mistake of calling in sick and forgot what you were "supposed" to have.

• you worry more about “tests” than "teaching."

• you think any teacher who seems to be happy “all the time” needs to be in therapy.

• you spend more time planning your Christmas, Spring, and Summer breaks than you do your lessons.

• you think the person who invented the snooze button should be given a Nobel Peace Prize.

• you get more excited when your principal cancels a meeting or training than you do going to one.

• you believe when God created Mondays, he was trying to punish teachers.

• you think people who say they’d teach for free are mentally unstable and shouldn’t be allowed to socialize with “normal people” or operate heavy machinery.

• your best teaching days and years seem to be behind you instead of in front of you.

• you think people who say they really love coming to school in the morning are in denial and should seek professional help.

• you’ve ever told a student, “I don’t want your life to end up like mine.”

• you’ve hit the snooze button on your alarm clock so many times that only the word “ooze” appears on it.

• you think any teacher who wins the lottery and voluntarily returns to work should have to forfeit their winnings to another teacher (preferably you).

• you send students to detention just to boost your self esteem.

• you've ever told another teacher that you’ve had a bad week, a bad month, or worse, a bad year (hit: it takes an effort to stay miserable).

• you’ve ever wished you were another teacher (but without the students).

• you have a class and even the students' breathing gets on your nerves.

• you rather hold onto a "bad job" than find a new one.

• teaching feels more like a "job" than a "joy."

• you expect the worst to happen so much that when something great happens to you, you start to hyperventilate.

• most of your school days feel like Mondays than Fridays.

• you think it’s unfair that you can’t list whining, worrying, and complaining on your resume as professional communication skills.

• you spend more time at home watching “reality TV” than living in reality.

• you get more excited about leaving your school in the afternoon than you do about going to your school in the morning.

If you, or someone you know, needs a wake up call, forward this article to them.

Living Purposefully -- Joe Martin

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