Like a Teacher

Do you know what it's like to be a teacher? 

As a public school teacher I spent my time trying to give 15 percent of my class the chance of a lifetime.  I spent my time trying to give 70 percent of my students curiosity, respect, and experience with the world of art.  I spent my time trying to keep 15 percent of my class from destroying everything I was trying to do.  And I had to do it on a pitiful budget, find a way to raise extra funds or spend my own funds trying.  I didn't really do it for the salary, but I made a fair salary.

Now here I am: a private teacher.  (Oh yeah, did you ever notice what is made by : and a together?  :a   Somewhere I have a whole page of imaginative keyboard faces.   %^/)  What was I talking about?  Oh yeah.  Here I am teaching people to paint, draw, throw pottery, handbuild ceramics, sculpt, etc. and all the while throwing in tidbits about art that bring some life or direction to the whole process.  I make very little and I love it anyway.  I breathe it in and out.  I loved art history.  No one would pay me to teach them art history, so I sneak it in one tidbit at a time.

I am a teacher.  I love it.  My students say they love it.

Irony?  I forcefed my children music!  Now I have two daughters who are learning art and I can only discuss shortly from a distance the wonders of art with them.

Do you know what it's like to be a teacher?