It took a couple of months but I’m gainfully employed again.
A middle school gig this time.

Yes, I know.

All middle school kids are psychopaths.
Who in their right mind would teach that level?
Well…me, I guess.
But then, I’ve never taken the conventional path in life.

Middle school kids can be difficult to teach.
Don’t try to bullshit them.
Never show them any fear or they’ll eat you alive.
Make them laugh.
Tell a joke.
Sing a song.
Whatever you do, just don’t be boring.

They love to ask me,
“Why did you become a teacher?”
I never really know how to answer that properly.
So I usually say,
“Because I just love being abused by young people.”
And that makes them laugh.

The real answer is complicated.
At first I didn’t know what else to do.
Didn’t know what I was good at.
So I decided to try teaching.
It turns out I’m a natural born teacher.
The kids can tell that I love doing it.

Losing my previous teaching gig,
Was so painful and traumatic,
I seriously thought about getting out of it.
But I just can’t imagine doing anything else.
I’ll always be a teacher.

I’ll be a teacher until being a teacher,
Is no longer any fun.