for the children?

You did this for the kids, Rachel? For the kids? You've got to be kidding me. What madness overcomes an individual to exhaust his or her energies in the most underpaid, under appreciated, and under successful profession known to human societies? Considering my current endeavor, I can not say the idea of teaching is at all repulsive in its philosophical embryonic state. Nay, it is in fact attractive--which thing is clear by the fact that thirteen young-adult philanthropists beat the halls of the Berhan Language Institute in Taiwan, contracted to teach every day for 6-12 months, but contracted at heart for negative that amount. Why the change of heart? Understanding--bitter cruel understanding. The reading and research turned realized reality. Actual classroom experience is nothing like the simulation room. There we learned and practiced what to teach. Here in the classroom we learn not to teach . . . at least not without a beat stick. Sometimes I find myself wondering why we didn't spend most of training going over torture techniques instead of teaching techniques. They could have just handed us a manual full of things to teach at the end of torture training and we would have been better prepared. But instead, we are driven to madness in the first two weeks of reality, confused and suddenly uncoordinated by the necessary change of focus. And madness is unpredictable. But when it is, I predict more madness. The sane and rational moments I have, I spend wondering why it is that hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of teachers already versed in the bitter cruel reality of teaching children do not stop. Why are they still teaching!? Coming back year after year to break down the natural caveman and instill in him principles of civil participation, when they will never see the fruits of their labors, except when a former student appears on television either as a wanted assassin or a ground-breaking scientist. The saints that choose such a life are awarded my awe, and my money if ever I am elected president (your money too, with my "no teacher left behind" tax). Young minds must be taught. This much is certain. But here's the weird part: they are taught. Enough teachers actually enjoy being teachers. Crazy.