New York City Public School Teacher

"I'm just trying to say the way school needs teachers..." - KW


I am a New York City public school teacher.

I am a mother fucking New York City public school teacher.

Sometimes I just have to stop and think about that because it is amazing. School starts tomorrow. 8th grade math. Year two for me with Teach For America. Last year was the hardest year of my life, full of struggle, pain, depression, glimpses of light and eventually, a good balance. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious or nervous. But I am also excited. I fucking loved my kids by the end of last year; like take-a-bullet love. I have some of the same ones this year, but mostly new kids (about 60 %). I still know all by face and I've talked to all of them at one point last year, so I am at some advantage with that fact.

But damn, I am a New York City public school teacher. In the South Bronx. In middle school. Teaching math. This has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world and I chose to do it straight out of college, straight out of the safe, easy haven that private school education was. I meet rando's all the time at bars or whatever and tell them I teach and they go off on how noble it is, how much their finance jobs suck, how they wish their job was as rewarding as mine.

Well damn straight! You are on wall street. You sold your soul; you CHOSE to sell your soul. Don't' complain now! And damn straight what I do is 10 times harder, 10 times nobler, 10 times more dedicated than any echelon you can potentially rise to in the financial field.

I'm proud. I should be. This year will be incredible.