Things They Don't Tell You About Being a Teacher

•  As soon as you start teaching you will become at least 40 years old to every student, regardless of your actual age.

• Sometimes your most troublesome students become your favorite success stories.

•  Sleep becomes a distant dream, except for School Holidays, where sleep becomes your only plans for the three day weekend.

•  Students will do just about anything for stickers...especially high schoolers.

• "Free Days" are a double edged sword. Weigh your options carefully. Is a day outside really worth hearing "Dooooooo We Haaaaaaaaaaaave Too?" or "Can't we just go outside?" every day for the rest of the semester?

• The school secretary is your best friend. They will save your life millions of times. Just start buying double Mother's Day cards from now on.

• Don't show weakness. Students to weakness is like dogs to bacon. They can smell it from a mile away during a tornado on a dairy farm. Fake it till you make it, just don't show weakness.

• You don't actually get summers off. Sorry about this one. Really and truly I am very sorry. You know all of this professional development that you have to do? Guess when it takes place. That's right! Summer time. Also school starts almost a full week earlier for teachers at the end of summer. Oh, and who do you think decorates the classrooms? Yep...that'll be you again. Enjoy your maybe three straight weeks off, where you will undoubtedly be unable to sleep anyway.

• Teacher work days are a joyous occasion, staff development days are much less anticipated.

• Some days you will have moments where you see all your hard work make a difference. When you have a moment, you'll know.

• You made the right choice becoming a teacher.