InClass

Thinking about leaving? Think again.

Schools are finalizing their master schedule and planning their following school year, and soon the contracts will be sent out to teachers (if they haven’t already). Who is going to come back, who will retire, and who will leave the profession?

For those wondering if this is their last year, take a few moments and think: Have you thought about what you are walking away from?

• Your classroom. It’s your home away from home. You have designed it, created it, modified it, and made it your own. It is the one place on your campus that is yours. It’s the place where your students come in the morning to sit and talk to you, where learning comes alive during the day, the space where you grade in the afternoon. It is a room built around innovation and learning.

• Your school. Depending on how long you have taught at your school, this could be a second family for you. The administrators on your campus have helped you grow professionally. Your fellow teachers have mentored you. (And hopefully you’ve mentored some of your peers!) You have made friends with the office staff, the counselors, and the security guards. Together, you have worked hard to build a safe environment for your students.

• Your students. Here is the single most important part of this list — the kids who you work with now, or could work with in the future. You may only spend an hour a day with these students, but the impact you have on them shapes their future. You are there for their low points: their first break-up, the time they failed their test, and when they didn’t make the team. You are there for the high points, too: prom, getting the acceptance letter to their dream college, and, of course, graduation.

This is the job you love. You went to college, and spent the time learning how to create the perfect lesson plan. You mastered backwards design. You held various internship positions to learn the different socio-economic implications for schools. You are a teacher, and you were born to teach.

When you receive your notice that the contract has arrived, sign it. It is a job where you know you are making a difference and creates miracles daily. It is the best job in the world, and it’s the only job in the world where you’ll be able to watch TV and say, “Hey, I know that kid!” while you see the people who are changing the world. Know your impact today, and never, ever hesitate to sign that contract.