Why I Teach

Abstract

It was mid-October 1981, and had just survived my third annual Ursinus College student teachercooperating teacher banquet. For the third straight year, listened to a speaker who failed to move me, my student teacher, or anybody else. It is, as understand, the guest speaker's job at this annual affair to inspire student teachers to great heights, to clarify options, perhaps to spur them to ask, Do really want to be a teacher, and if so, why? As walked back to my car, pondered-why are these always so boring? Why do they miss the real message? Suddenly, it came to me. The problem was they didn't ask me. I'm the one who can tell those senior education majors the truth. know the Ursinus experience. am the example. Then, as the engine in my car ground to a start, my pipe dream ground to a halt. Not me. It can't be me. have no master's degree, let alone a doctorate. I've published no scientific papers, no scholarly treatises. haven't done much of anything, except Sorry kid, said to myself. Your alma mater will never ask you to speak. But said, I know the reason why teach. And if only they'd allow me, that is what I'd tell them. grew up in the village of Spring Mount, Pennsylvania, in the shadow of the Spring Mountain Ski Slope, which didn't exist yet when was growing up. In my early years, wanted to be a football player, a baseball player, and the world's most successful paper delivery boy. Then in 1960 was promoted into ninth grade, the big time, time to start thinking about my future. Now, like most kids who went to small schools and lived in small