I am a teacher. 

It is the case that I get paid for some of the teaching I do, but I do much more teaching than the hours for which I am remunerated. I teach whenever it comes up as appropriate. And, if I am honest, I probably teach when it is not entirely appropriate. I am surrounded by people who know me well, have really good manners, and love me just the way I am, so get away with telling people things they already know or don’t give a whit about. For me, though, I love to tell people information that I think will help them or that they will find interesting. I love it. As in my heart sings when someone appreciates my teaching because it helps them in their life. I can burst into smiles or giggles when the lightbulb bursts into incandescent glory. Picture that at the front of a lecture hall filled with 120 young adults.

This attachment to teaching means the work-life balance equation is not something I have to solve. I have some methods in place to make sure grading and planning do not take over my hours, but the teaching is something that I always do. Or am ready to do. Even when I am really hating marking the 112th assignment, I know the point of all the marking is to teach through the feedback of the marking. The learner stays firmly planted at the forefront of my conscious mind in order that I do not resent wrong answers or poor writing. I am not marking or assigning grades, I am teaching through my pen or computer keyboard.

I have taught my loved ones to let me know when I am teaching them when they would rather I keep my knowledge to myself. I sometimes hear “Please don’t teach me right now” or “It’s okay if you don’t want to teach me right now” or “No lectures right now” when I am getting warmed up to a full lecture at the wrong time or on the wrong subject. Periodically I get an exasperated look or I catch a look between people. I am mostly not hurt by this, but sometimes what I have to say must be said, so the reluctant learners just sit through it. Rarely, very rarely, a potential learner will burst out with a “Do not teach me right now.” And, so, I don’t. 

I don’t presume to know the answers to everything out in the world. I don’t want all the answers. I do have an inquiring mind, which gets me many answer, but really gets me many questions. Some questions I let fall away, other questions get filed for later follow-up, and some questions force me to drop everything and learn. And when I learn, I want to teach.