three words

[ryca]

I've watched Stand and Deliver more than a few times.  I've seen Lean On Me.  I get choked up when I think about Dead Poets Society.  Somehow I missed Dangerous Minds.  And then I skipped Mr. Holland's Opus.  Somewhere in there I stopped watching the "inspirational teacher films" completely, because... they burned me out.  Even the commercials made

Comments

teaching

[sikander7]

Me too. Teaching is not easy.

[stacieann15]

Agreed. :) Those movies are draining -- you make smaller but just as significant changes in your students, I am sure.

[noodledays]

I do wish more people would let teachers know when they're remembered and appreciated.

[basric]

So true. Most of us have those special teachers that touched and changed us,

[alien_infinity]

Somewhere in there I stopped watching the "inspirational teacher films" completely, because... they burned me out. Even the commercials made me feel hollow and pointless, not inspired. They made me feel like I could never be that teacher, like I could never lead students to triumph over adversity, like I could never fill them with a passion for learning.

This resonated with me so much. I'm not a teacher or trying to become one, but "inspirational" stories demoralize me more than anything else. They tend to make me feel like I'll never be THAT awesome or influential, so why try? "Inspiring" stories lead me to believe that I suck because I'm not as amazing as whoever the current inspirational protagonist is despite having more fortunate-seeming circumstances. I think I'm getting off-topic here...

I like what you chose as your "three little words." "Keep doing better" feels inspirational in a possible-to-live-up-to-it sort of way, if that makes any sense. :)