23 Reasons to Love Education from a 23-Year Teaching Veteran

From dodgeball to Rebecca Black, here’s what I love about the teacher life.

I was recently inspired by West Vancouver superintendent Chris Kennedy, who published 28 Reasons To Love Teaching from a 28 Year Veteran at the close of the last school year. Chris put together an amazing list and I’ve remixed a few of his ideas with my own, so I want to give him full credit.

With 23 years behind me, here’s what I love about teaching, learning, and leading in K-12 education.

1. Content creation

Effective school administrators must be storytellers for their communities. Stories help our communities understand collectively who we are, what we’re doing, and where we’re going (values, mission, and vision).

Telling these tales of learning, growth, relationships, and success through podcast episodes, videos, TV posters, and newsletter articles is a joy and a privilege — one of my favorite parts of the profession.

2. Continuous learning

Teachers are NOT omniscient fountains of information whose function it is to download knowledge and goodness into our subjects.

No, we are professional learners — a human role that requires collaboration, curiosity, persistence, resilience, an appetite for growth, and the willingness to model learning in visible ways.

That’s a comforting assurance (we don’t have to know everything, and no one should expect us to) and an exciting invitation.

3. Creative decision-making

Whether it’s a fun lesson activity, a new project, program, after-school club, bulletin board, school spirit day, or assembly activity, our schools give us the time and space to experiment creatively.

The more we lean into our creative passions and the more we risk trying new things, the stronger our communities become, the more we have to offer those around us, and the more fun we can have in our work.

4. Dad jokes

Like dads, teachers are given captive audiences who must listen to their cheesy jokes and puns whenever they are so inclined to tell them. That itself is pretty hilarious when you think about it. (And thank you to the students who laugh at our jokes, even when it’s just a sympathy chuckle.)

5. Dodgeball

Few other professions allow me the chance to engage in all-out, no-holds-barred games of dodgeball (or its many variants). I don’t play against students often, but it’s always great fun trying to duck the missiles aimed my way.

6. Education incomes are all right

I’m surrounded by relatives who earn more than I do, including my wife who is working on her first university degree.

Education is not a profession of the wealthy, but between salary, benefits, and pension, our needs are taken care of. I’m privileged enough to enjoy some nice freedoms and pleasures of this life, and for that I’m grateful.

7. Experimentation with technology

Not a year goes by that I don’t gain opportunities to play with new apps, software, or websites that offer the promise of supporting student learning.

Not all of them deliver as advertised, of course, but the opportunity to test drive new platforms and tools is always fun and lights the fire of this technophile.

8. Global connections

The fraternity of educators is a great club to be a part of. My content work and social media activity in education has connected me with thousands of other teachers and educators who inspire me so much, some of whom I’ve been able to connect with in person and others whom I look forward to meeting.

9. Friendships that last for decades

A couple of weeks ago, I got together with four educators for some pickleball. We teach at different schools today, but what unites us is that we taught at the same school 17 years ago.

Our group iMessage thread pops with politics, sports, travel, and life on a near-daily basis. It’s a gift to maintain these relationships with colleagues that I respect and admire.

10. I learn from my students

It was almost ten years ago that one of my high school students introduced me to a new graphic design program called Canva, and I’ve been using it ever since. From keyboard shortcuts to pop culture translations, I count on my young learners to keep me ahead of the curve.

11. In loco parentis

This Latin phrase is one that many educators are familiar with, speaking to our legal responsibility of caring for the children in our buildings as their parents. But the phrase contains personal significance for me.

I’m a stepdad to two awesome young men, and I was honored to walk with them from the ages 8 and 10 to the present. But I wasn’t able to bring my own children into this world.

There’s an associated pain and disappointment that will never completely go away, but I’m reminded that I get to interact with hundreds of little people every day I go to work, which is pretty cool. It’s confirming, and I’m thankful.

12. Incredible parents

So many of the parents in my current school community are kind, generous, and supportive. Many are also accomplished professionals and entrepreneurs who inspire me to excel.

They model the same values and principles that we seek to build in our students, and they’re lifelong learners who share their passions and curiosities freely with others. They are people that I like being around.

13. Inspiring colleagues

Every educator I work with knows things and can do things that I can’t, which means I’m constantly in the company of greatness.

Not only do most teachers possess exceptional talents, they are some of the most caring, compassionate, creative, kind, generous, principled, and patient people you will ever meet. They are consistently quality people, and it’s an honor to call them colleagues and friends.

14. Investing in kids is a sacred privilege

I believe that every child is so much more than a product of coincidence and circumstance.

Each boy and girl in our buildings is a sacred human being created in the image of God, meaning they bear aspects of his divine character.

“What you do unto the least of these you do unto Me,” said Jesus.

This is not about patting ourselves on the back; it’s about humbly recognizing the sacred space we occupy.

It’s awesome in the true sense of the word.

15. Job security and transferability

Our world will always need teachers and educators, and lay-offs are almost nonexistent.

That’s true in a local sense (our jobs are never at risk, short of incompetence or professional misconduct), and it’s true in a global sense (there are teaching opportunities everywhere around the world).

Once you gain the credentials and skills to teach, learn, and lead, job security need not be a worry. Teaching also offers location options — you’re never stuck where you are.

16. Our noble purpose

Educators support the flourishing and growth of the whole child. Schools aren’t knowledge acquisition laboratories — they’re greenhouses.

Our noble purpose moves us to support the transformation of children into adults, helping our youngsters develop the communication skills, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, discipline, focus, innovation, patience, resilience, and empathy for the needs of others that they will need to lead and contribute effectively.

That’s a compelling mission not present in all professions.

17. Rebecca Black

For a few years now, I’ve been blasting the iconic It’s Friday through the halls of my elementary school at the end of each school week, and Black’s iconic (albeit annoying) sound brings smiles every time.

Kids hate it, but do they really hate it? It’s become a Friday afternoon mainstay.

18. Shaping lives

I credit teachers like Mr. Bergen (in 8th grade) for believing in me and helping me build faith in myself.

I can think of a handful of teachers who inspired me and helped shape my vision of the kind of educator and adult that I wanted to become, and I hope I can offer the same gifts to my students today.

19. The smiles of students

When I think of what I appreciate about our work in K-12 education, this is usually the first thing that comes to mind. It’s just that hard to beat.

There’s no work misery or discouragement that can’t be helped by an excited youngster’s “Hi, Mr. Cavey!” heard down the hall.

20. Staff room goodies

You know it’s going to be a good day when you walk into the staff room and a community parent or administrator has delivered a massive arrangement of charcuterie, baking, doughnuts, samosas, or soup.

Food finds its way to our hearts, and I am constantly encouraged by the generosity of others in our school communities.

21. Strengthening society

If we’re shaping individual lives on a micro level, educators are strengthening society on the macro.

We’re helping to grow the workers, builders, innovators, leaders, parents, and politicians who will form and shape our world in decades to come. That’s serious impact and legacy.

22. Summer vacation

Educators can get fiercely defensive on this one, and rightfully so.

Without rehashing the Herculean strength, energy, and stamina that life in today’s classroom requires day in and day out, let’s just say an extended period of rest and recovery is needed at the end of each school year.

But friends, it’s pretty special to enjoy most of the summer months as we wish. These weeks give me the time and space to enjoy the seas and summits of supernatural British Columbia — activities that feed mind, body, and soul and a source of immense joy.

It’s a season worth celebrating.

23. Variety days

You never know exactly what to expect on a given day at school, and I think that’s good for the brain.

Whether it’s an unexpected challenge, blessing, or some combination of the above, our work is not mindless and we are not factory line automatons.

We’re in the people business, which means no two days are the same.

I won’t be in schools forever

I meant this list with the essence of my being, even tearing up as I wrote. It’s so freaking meaningful.

Yet here’s a truth: I won’t be in schools ’til I’m 65.

While the list above is 100% legit, we can agree that working in K-12 education is utterly exhausting. It taxes mind and body to levels that at times have me wondering “Is this real?”

I’m 45 now, and I know I can only go so many more years on short sleeps and consistent stress.

My blood pressure won’t take another 20 years of this. That’s not hyperbole — my blood pressure is literally high, and heart issues run strong on my mother’s side of the family.

So there’s that.

At some point, I’m going to need to transition. Evolve. Move on to something else that lights my fire that doesn’t make me choose between sleep and email on school nights.

Perhaps my new direction will be something related to teaching, learning, and creativity. That’d be cool. Or it may be something completely different.

Time will tell.

The impermanence of my stay makes these years more precious

The point is that I won’t be here forever, which makes my stay in education’s hallowed halls a temporary one.

That doesn’t take away from the list of celebrations I’ve shared here — not for a moment. If anything, it makes each day, each experience, each student and colleague more special.

The education of our children is a wild, wonderful, and precious space to occupy. It’s a sacred calling, an incredible privilege, and the benefits are many.

I don’t know how many pages this chapter holds, but I’m immensely grateful for it.

Here’s to my 24th paragraph.