It is a lot more complicated than just one, two, three and doe, ray, me. Being a teacher is not a piece of cake, rather the whole cake in it's entirety. A "typical" day in the classroom is not like Ms. Frizzle's in "The Magic School Bus" or at Hogwarts with Professor Dumbledore. The teachers reading this will get a laugh because there are no "typical days" in the classroom. Each day of teaching brings on a new adventure. Challenges occur and problems arise. Each day teachers are climbing new mountains.

Some may think that a teacher's work starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. That it is just a five-day-a-week job from Monday to Friday. That teachers only have to work half of the year during the school year. This is all wrong. A teacher's work never stops. The hours that teachers are in school they are teaching their students. They are with their students. So tell me, when does a teacher plan and prepare their lessons? That's right... at home on weekday evenings and on weekends. Teachers are at home using their personal time planning and preparing for their students. They are checking tests and grading papers.

Many people believe that being a teacher is easy. Well, these people are wrong. Teachers are in charge of 30 students. That is having to manage 30 different individuals who have 30 different opinions, 30 different minds and 30 different personalities. As the teacher, it is our job to meet the needs of those 30 different individuals, 30 different opinions, 30 different minds and 30 different personalities. Doesn't sound so easy anymore does it?

Teachers are lifelong learners. A teacher's education is never-ending. Many think that once you obtain your degree from college you are done taking classes and learning. That is not the case for teachers. Teachers are constantly required to take classes and professional development that is mandatory for them to keep their jobs. Many of these classes consume their after-school life, weekends and even summers.

Let's not forget the pay. The amount of work teacher's put into their profession, they do not earn half of what their work is worth. The pay is low. The salaries are horrendous. But, teachers still teach anyway. Why would anyone want a job that pays terrible and the work is never ending? It is because a teacher's heart is already made of gold. Teaching is more than just making a living, it is making and changing the lives of students. That is what is the most important: the students. That is why teacher's do it. It is to make a difference.

Along with the stressful and continuous daily struggles of being a teacher, it reaps its benefits and rewards. Putting a smile on a students face, witnessing a lightbulb moment and seeing a student progress in his studies are moments that keep teachers going. They are the little reminders that teacher's thrive on by knowing that they are making a difference. Never forget the amount of work teachers have. It is not just an eight hour job that is five days a week. It does not pay the bills. It is a challenge managing the differences of many students. It is a job that is only meant for certain people. Those people are patient, compassionate, hardworking and dedicated. Those people truly have hearts of gold. Those people are teachers.