Teacher Identity

I have been thinking about my identity beyond being a teacher. My entire life, I have emersed myself in my work.  I have had a mantra that I will never have a job...I will have work, but it has to be rewarding beyond the financial end of it.  I have to be fulfilled.  I need to feel a connection to the work and feel like it is truly worth while...to me.  From making pizzas to being a child therapist.  From being a stock boy to being a teacher. My heart and soul was committed to the work. I become invested in the work to the point that it becomes my identity.

This leaves me...no identity?

I do things for fun, etc. beyond teaching or my investment in the education world.  But- most of my free thought is so invested in the world of education, that in reality...it is who I am.

I am a teacher. It is not what I do.  It is what I am.

Even as I sit here trying to list secondary identities in life for myself, they all tend to take a considerable back seat to being a teacher.

I write about teaching.

I present about teaching.

I consult about teaching.

I create about teaching.

Recently, I had a conversation about this with a friend.  They noted that if I had kids of my own, then education would take a secondary role with my family being a priority.

I truly believe that they are right.  But- I do not have kids of my own.  My teacher- wife and I have decided a long time ago that our teaching world might be compromised with kids and we feel more than fulfilled with the kids that we teach.

On a strange note- I am under 5-years from retirememnt. What in the world will my identity become?

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#MIndfulliteracy
@LevineWrites