If teaching isn't a calling, you're in the wrong job
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Is teaching a calling or just a job?
For any aspiring schoolteachers out there, you might want to pay heed to that question, particularly if you are looking for employment with the Hillsboro City Schools.
Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Rick Earley was the guest speaker at the Sept. 22 meeting of the Highland County Board of Realtors, and one of the things he told the local business professionals was this: "One of the questions I always ask during an interview (for a teaching position): 'Is this a calling or a job?'"
"Because if it's not a calling, you're at the wrong place."
Superintendent Earley should know. He has 30 years' experience as a professional educator, including that as teacher, coach, counselor, administrator, principal, superintendent and bus driver.
I've known and respected the Hillsboro superintendent for more than 21 of those years and I can write this opinion without fear of repercussion. Most of his resume I'm familiar with, but I never knew Rick drove a school bus. That explains a lot(!).
And, as Board of Realtors member Pauline Cameron said during her introduction of Mr. Earley, the community is very fortunate to have someone of his integrity leading the school district.
One of the things that caught my attention during the superintendent's speech wasn't really part of his speech. The speech itself was pretty much standard business luncheon material. Fifteen minutes of state ratings, academic achievement and a budgetary overview.
No offense or disrespect intended, but it was basically boilerplate for any given audience. In fact, I suspect Rick Earley has given that speech – or a reasonable facsimile thereof – many times.
But what really caught my attention was one of his responses during the obligatory question-and-answer session after his talk.
Speaking immediately after a presentation by Prudential Chambers Realtor Jill Yochum on Operation Christmas Child, the superintendent touched on a few realities right here in Highland County.
He talked about the changing dynamics of teaching in the midst of the current four-year national recession.
He mentioned that teachers need to stand, if even for just five minutes, in the shoes of one of their students, who may not know where or if he's going to go home after school.
I'm paraphrasing here, but the essence of what Superintendent Earley said was: "We have to realize that some students don't know if they're going home to see Mom and Dad, if their parents have split up, if they'll spend the night sleeping in a car, or if they'll spend the night at the homeless shelter, and then we have to realize that today's homework assignment might not be the most important thing on their mind."
He talked about the theft of food at the school cafeteria. About the time a student swiped a Pop Tart to take home to a younger sibling because there was no food in the house.
It's a thin line for educators to walk each day when they have to emphasize to students to do the right thing, but also occasionally look the other way when common sense and basic humanity justify an alternative course of action – or inaction.
Think about it for just a moment. What would you do as a school administrator if you found a young student taking food for a hungry sibling? (It's a good thing I'm not smart enough to be a school administrator because I'll guarantee you there'd be a serious shortage of Pop Tarts the next morning if I faced such a dilemma.)
Suffice it to say that Mr. Earley's post-speech speech registered loud and clear.
Teachers have a lot more to worry about than the state report cards and district ratings. Frankly, that's nothing new, either. To their credit, teachers – the good ones, anyway – have always done more for their students than just teaching the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.
Sometimes, we just need to be reminded of it.
As the husband of a former teacher and the father of a present schoolteacher, it was refreshing and enlightening to hear a city school superintendent talk about the passion and commitment that goes with the job.
Hillsboro City Schools and the families it serves are fortunate, indeed, that Superintendent Rick Earley understands, from having been in the classroom – and on the school bus – that it is a very special calling to be a schoolteacher.
When I got home tonight, I asked my daughter, Meghan, who teaches at the Hillsboro Christian Academy, "Is teaching a job or a calling?"
As you may have expected, she just rolled her eyes at the old man.
"It's a calling, isn't it?" I asked.
It was the only test I passed today.
Thus, I thank my elementary schoolteachers in sequential order: Thank you, Ms. Howland, Ms. Morgan, Ms. Euverard, Ms. Cleveland, Ms. Huffman (Stone) and Ms. Reed. And I'm sorry for all the trouble Charlie Palmer and I caused. It was mostly his fault.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.
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For any aspiring schoolteachers out there, you might want to pay heed to that question, particularly if you are looking for employment with the Hillsboro City Schools.
Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Rick Earley was the guest speaker at the Sept. 22 meeting of the Highland County Board of Realtors, and one of the things he told the local business professionals was this: "One of the questions I always ask during an interview (for a teaching position): 'Is this a calling or a job?'"
"Because if it's not a calling, you're at the wrong place."
Superintendent Earley should know. He has 30 years' experience as a professional educator, including that as teacher, coach, counselor, administrator, principal, superintendent and bus driver.
I've known and respected the Hillsboro superintendent for more than 21 of those years and I can write this opinion without fear of repercussion. Most of his resume I'm familiar with, but I never knew Rick drove a school bus. That explains a lot(!).
And, as Board of Realtors member Pauline Cameron said during her introduction of Mr. Earley, the community is very fortunate to have someone of his integrity leading the school district.
One of the things that caught my attention during the superintendent's speech wasn't really part of his speech. The speech itself was pretty much standard business luncheon material. Fifteen minutes of state ratings, academic achievement and a budgetary overview.
No offense or disrespect intended, but it was basically boilerplate for any given audience. In fact, I suspect Rick Earley has given that speech – or a reasonable facsimile thereof – many times.
But what really caught my attention was one of his responses during the obligatory question-and-answer session after his talk.
Speaking immediately after a presentation by Prudential Chambers Realtor Jill Yochum on Operation Christmas Child, the superintendent touched on a few realities right here in Highland County.
He talked about the changing dynamics of teaching in the midst of the current four-year national recession.
He mentioned that teachers need to stand, if even for just five minutes, in the shoes of one of their students, who may not know where or if he's going to go home after school.
I'm paraphrasing here, but the essence of what Superintendent Earley said was: "We have to realize that some students don't know if they're going home to see Mom and Dad, if their parents have split up, if they'll spend the night sleeping in a car, or if they'll spend the night at the homeless shelter, and then we have to realize that today's homework assignment might not be the most important thing on their mind."
He talked about the theft of food at the school cafeteria. About the time a student swiped a Pop Tart to take home to a younger sibling because there was no food in the house.
It's a thin line for educators to walk each day when they have to emphasize to students to do the right thing, but also occasionally look the other way when common sense and basic humanity justify an alternative course of action – or inaction.
Think about it for just a moment. What would you do as a school administrator if you found a young student taking food for a hungry sibling? (It's a good thing I'm not smart enough to be a school administrator because I'll guarantee you there'd be a serious shortage of Pop Tarts the next morning if I faced such a dilemma.)
Suffice it to say that Mr. Earley's post-speech speech registered loud and clear.
Teachers have a lot more to worry about than the state report cards and district ratings. Frankly, that's nothing new, either. To their credit, teachers – the good ones, anyway – have always done more for their students than just teaching the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.
Sometimes, we just need to be reminded of it.
As the husband of a former teacher and the father of a present schoolteacher, it was refreshing and enlightening to hear a city school superintendent talk about the passion and commitment that goes with the job.
Hillsboro City Schools and the families it serves are fortunate, indeed, that Superintendent Rick Earley understands, from having been in the classroom – and on the school bus – that it is a very special calling to be a schoolteacher.
When I got home tonight, I asked my daughter, Meghan, who teaches at the Hillsboro Christian Academy, "Is teaching a job or a calling?"
As you may have expected, she just rolled her eyes at the old man.
"It's a calling, isn't it?" I asked.
It was the only test I passed today.
Thus, I thank my elementary schoolteachers in sequential order: Thank you, Ms. Howland, Ms. Morgan, Ms. Euverard, Ms. Cleveland, Ms. Huffman (Stone) and Ms. Reed. And I'm sorry for all the trouble Charlie Palmer and I caused. It was mostly his fault.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.
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