Dreams
I woke up at 3:30 this morning still grinning like a fool. I think I know why the three who didn’t pass, didn’t pass. I’m going to talk to one mom about ADD, and one needs dyslexia services, only her records haven’t come from the other school, and the third is supposed to be in special ed, but her mom has had trouble getting a Medicaid card in Texas (they’re Katrina victims) and the child needs an orthopedic impairment assignment (she’s CP).
Anyway, enough about my kids. Let’s talk about the teachers I work with.
Last Friday we had an inservice. One of the ice breakers was to write your name, and your dream job. Of course, everyone HERE knows what my dream job is, but some of the people THERE were surprised.
What I found interesting was for one, Cindi, she-with-whom-I-have-nothing-in-common, leaned over to ask me, “What’s my dream job?” Clearly she’s working her dream job if she never dreams about doing something else, right?
Her husband wants to be a professor. Surprising.
Mary, who reads my blog, wants to be an archaeologist. I can so see that.
Several teachers wanted to be travel agents or have jobs which require traveling. YOU coop yourself up in a room with 20 kids, where you can only leave at lunch and when the kids are at PE, and it makes perfect sense. Several times I’ve thought that I’d like a job where I drive around the city, so at least I’m OUT and can see the weather, and then I remember I don’t like traffic, so that’s out.
But what was really surprising to me was the number of teachers who don’t have dream jobs. Either they’re happy doing what they want, or they prefer not to work. That floors me. There has always been something I've wanted more. Mostly it's been writing. I can’t imagine life without a dream, can you?
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9 comments:
I feel like I'm already living my dream job because I'm actively WRITING. I can control that much--not the publication part. As far as any other career, probably not because I wouldn't have the freedom I do now.
I love teaching middle school as my day job. The kids are a scream and I have two planning periods (one team, one personal) every day. Stop drooling. :) You couldn't pay me enough to teach elementary school.
Dreams are my motivation. If I don't have motivation, I do nothing. Doing nothing makes me very, very cranky.
So no, I can't imagine my life without dreams. Very farfetched dreams, that are likely never to come true. But if I don't at least dream them, they definitely won't come true.
Back in the day my dream was to be a teacher. I know, groan if you will, but it's the truth. I've just been able to take that dream without having to go through the schooling. I teach at our church. I teach chapel during Sunday morning service to our pre-school kids and I love it. It's one day, they're in and they're out! And I didn't have to go to school! hehe
There was always that desire to be the stay-at-home-mom, which I am and love it.
But now, I dream of being published. As you sit at home with the kiddies and only your Sunday mornings occupied, your mind wanders and you have to do something with it!
My dream job would be just doing all the creative things I love doing and somehow having money in the bank! In many ways I have a dream life right now.
Writing, raising my babies, travel. But I miss the cash flow and I miss my art, I even miss science sometimes :)--all things that I hope can get back in some way in the future.
My dreams have kept me going through some of my darkest times, some of my dullest times, and times when I absolutely hate my day job. The one I have is better than all the rest I've had but trust me, I don't want to make a career of it. I just want my time to be my own and to have the freedom to be happy (or pull my hair out) over MY stuff. Not someone else's.
Oh, and get paid well, too. ;)
My dreams aren't around my work anymore...when I was younger, they were. Now I'm teaching high school, writing what I love, and getting paid for both...what could be better? My dreams are more personal now, about who I want to be, where I want to go within, how I want to live my spirituality (I did recently begin teaching a Celtic Women's Mysteries class online, which means a lot to me). My dreams are about who I want to become as a woman. My work is an important part of that, but not the centerpoint.
J
Excellent that you're living your dream, Michelle! And you couldn't pay ME enough to teach middle school - 5th grade was bad enough. Not enough planning time in the WORLD.
You're exactly right, Peggy. I guess I interpreted them to not have a dream at all. But then, come to think of it, my mom doesn't really have one either. I just feel my life would be empty without that goal.
Michele, I know just what you mean about wanting your time to be your own. That's why I'm so resistent to schedules when I'm on vacation. I live by a schedule the rest of the year!
Way cool on living the teaching dream, Dana! To be honest, I got into teaching because of the family-friendly schedule, not out of love for education. Maybe if I'd been more purely motivated, I might not have a dream job.
Toni, WTG on living your dream, too!
JoAnn, very wise words. It's good not to define yourself by your job, and I do, all too often.
I think my "dream" job changes with where I'm at in my life at that moment. I do really really like my current "day" job because it provides me with income and it's super flexible and well, there's not a lot to not like about it. Plus, it allows me to do the other dream stuff that I don't currently get paid to do... Like writing. ;-)
April, that's wonderful. Flexibility....ahhh, sounds like nirvana!
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