You read that right. Don’t double take. I am getting a second job so I can keep doing what I love every day. The luxurious life of a teacher, with summers off, isn’t as glamorous as you think. I love my job, beyond words, and think I’m pretty damn good at it. It’s my purpose in life, but I can no longer sustain it. Especially not on my single income if I want to choose to own a home someday, start a family.

Google the words “teacher salaries,” I dare you. See what headlines pop up. What I guarantee you will see is:

-“I slept in my car…”

-“Teacher worked 3 jobs to get by…”

-“Teacher protests..”

Let’s hear the other side though of the fence though, just to play devil’s advocate. Conversations I’ve had with peers usually go something like this…”You get paid summers off though, with a spring and winter break! And great benefits! So it all equals out.” They must think I really only stay my contracted hours of 8am to 4pm. They must think I don’t take work home. They must think I have unlimited amounts of cash to use on my own classroom supplies and books. And they really must believe that this is some type of office job, where once I leave I’m not thinking about it. But 9.999/10. Their wrong. 

I’ve never understood the flipped idea of a teacher’s place in American society. Teachers quite literally build the future, the foundation, of America. Where would anyone be without learning? Every single GENIUS inventor, GREAT CEO, PHENOMENAL doctor, etc.…learned from a teacher. And we are thanked for that by getting a whopping $1.90 pay increase per hour for the year, at least that was mine, to account for the increase in the cost of living. Yep, pretty self-sustaining. Thanks, America.

Despite that, I’ll keep showing up to teach class sizes of 30. I’ll keep differentiating the learning for each of those 30 students because I can attest that every student learns differently. I’ll keep teaching them not just educational skills, but human life skills. I’ll keep being in some cases the mom, doctor, hair stylist, artist, behavior specialist, friend, counselor, and whatever other role is needed for those little humans in my life because it’s what I was put on this Earth to do. And I won’t do it with resentment, or frustration. I really believe I can change the world, by changing these kids lives. Because they are the future. Even if that requires me getting a second job to be able to do it.