ten on tuesday - the why i love being a teacher edition

It's National Teacher Day! So happy day to all you teachers out there, or teacher wanna-bes, or teacher used-to-bes! Wow! It's amazing they planned two great holidays so close together (National Scrapbooking Day was Saturday in case you weren't born on this planet). Yes, I did scrapbook on Saturday in case you were wondering. Had my first little crop at the new place. Thanks, Barbara, for bringing all your stuff over. It was a grand time, even if Craft Warehouse never called me to say I had won the $100 grand prize.

So, since it's National Teacher Day, I thought it would be appropriate to write my list about teaching. That, and I really had nothing else pressing to write about at the moment.

1. I love being a teacher because, well, I'll be honest. . .having June, July, and August off pretty much seals the deal for me. Not to mention all those national holidays that come on Mondays throughout the year. And snowdays. Can't forget about the snowdays.

2. I love being a teacher because of the big paychecks. (Detecting any sarcasm in that one?)

3. I love being a teacher because I get to read really good books out loud every single day. And I get to stop at the good parts. This is my fourth round on the Sarah, Plain and Tall series, and when even the boys love the story, it's just a happy place. Except when Grandpa dies tomorrow. Then it'll be sad and maybe I'll cry (like when Charlotte dies in Charlotte's Web, or Searchlight dies at the finish line in Stone Fox). But we'll rejoice that this family somehow stuck together through it all!!! And to think, it all started when Jacob met Sarah in the newspaper ads.

4. I love being a teacher because I love school supplies. And the back to school sales are just amazing. I mean, when else during the year can you buy a whole 8 pack of Crayola markers for less than a buck and packs of glue sticks for under a quarter?

5. I love being a teacher because I am often thought of on trips - like when they go to see Grandma in Arizona and the characters at Disneyland. And I have the humungous pink grapefruit from Grandma's tree and a Mickey Mouse mug from the Magic Kingdom to prove it.

6. I love being a teacher because I save some of their papers throughout the year. Then during the last week of school we make a portfolio and they are always so impressed with their improvement since September. I hear things like, "Oh my word! Look how I spelled because!" or "Remember when we didn't know how to write in cursive?" I'm usually impressed too. Well, with most of them anyway.

7. I love being a teacher because I get to rhyme and make up songs all day long if I want to. And I usually do. It's fun. And it drives them insane. And I figure since they drive me insane with all their talking, I get paybacks.

8. I love being a teacher because I get that fancy educator's discount on things at lots of places: Barnes & Noble, the Dollar Tree, Staples, etc. We also get free coffee on Mondays in September from Starbucks and pizza coupons from Papa John's.

9. I love being a teacher because I still get to look through the Scholastic Books flyers. I always loved getting those when I was a kid - even if my mom never bought me any books from it. She never let me get a library card either, but apparently I still turned out ok. And now I don't have to buy books, I get them for free by using my bonus points!

10. I love being a teacher because I get lots of crafty things - beaded necklaces, little painted things, homemade cards with sweet little sentiments like, "I love you" or "You're my favorite teacher!" or "I wish you were my mom." Well, I don't wish I was their mom, but it's nice to know your students are thinking about you.