“TO BE A TEACHER”–poem by Erwin A. Thompson

My wife Ruth Thompson taught in the grade school classroom for thirty-two years. Our son Gary Thompson and daughter Julia Thompson both were awarded “Teacher of the Year” the same year in totally different settings. Our younger daughter Janet Riehl taught English as a Second Language and literature, set up a sewing center, trained Popular Theater community development workers and designed literacy curricula in Africa during her five years there. I taught basic Infantry training during World War II. One of my men that I trained met me later and said: “Sergeant, I am alive today, because of the things you made me learn!”

Teaching can be very rewarding. Even after twenty years of retirement we had ex-students come up to Ruth and say how much they appreciated the help that she gave them. The verse below is not to discourage future teachers, but to point out the expectations and some of the hazards. –Erwin A. Thompson

TO BE A TEACHER

So you want to be a teacher–
Let’s sit and talk a little while.
It’s not as easy as it used to be.
You’ve got to “keep your cool,”
And always wear a smile.

You’ve heard of Solomon, I’m sure,
Somewhere along the way;
You’d better study his technique,
And don’t forget to pray!

And “Job” (Long “O”), whose patience was severely tried
Should be your mentor every day.
You’ll have new chapters for the book,
And don’t forget to pray!

Oops, I forgot!
Separation of the Church and State.
God didn’t make the world,
It just happened,
No one knows just how.

Ann Landers at your finger tips,
The social graces to endow
Into the little rascals’ thoughts and deeds
Nobody knows just how.

The standard tests are vicious things,
Designed to chart the knowledge flow.
They’ve got to “do good on the test!”
No matter what they really know.

It’s against the law to spank them, now,
To keep them on the beam.
And, Goodness! Never scold them.
You’ll spoil their self esteem!

It’s your responsibility —
Before this world they roam
To teach these little rascals
The things they should have learned at home!

This is what it’s all about,
When you walk through that classroom door.
Think about it for awhile, and then come back
And we will talk some more.