congratulations you are about to enter
one of the most noble professions in the
world so here are 25 things you should
know about ahead of time that's right 25
during the first week of school your
feet are going to hurt but you'll
discover the joy of simple things like
smelly markers you will have teacher
nightmares the month before you start
teaching it's totally normal
we all get them but some of those
nightmares will become a reality because
you're going to fail hard but each
mistake is another iteration closer to
success so keep experimenting you will
learn to hold your bladder for hours on
end if this were an Olympic sport
teachers would be gold medalists you
will cry in your car or at your desk or
maybe even both and you're going to put
on weight it's like the freshman 15
except it might be better about 20 or 25
you will yell at your class you will
apologize and your students will amaze
you when they forgive you right there on
the spot but here's the thing you are
also going to have amazing lessons and
you'll shock yourself with how awesome
you are when you bring your a-game
you'll leave your lunch at home and eat
it from the vending machine and you'll
convince yourself that cheez-its and
Cheetos are a full portion of dairy
you're going to start carrying around
hand sanitizer everywhere you
or as the kids call it Hana tiser from
this year forward you're going to be
stuck watching the same blood-borne
pathogen video every single year welcome
to the club you're going to fall asleep
at like five o'clock in the evening with
this half empty jug of Ben and Jerry's
ice cream and a massive pile of papers
you're going to try to do too much and
try too hard and that's okay just give
yourself the permission to rest watch a
movie read a book go out into nature and
take care of your health your students
are going to amaze you with their work
and their ideas and their growth and
you'll feel like the luckiest person
alive and you are but here's the thing
so are your students because they have
you you will worry about your students
and you'll have a student whose story
breaks your heart and you will think
about that child every single day when
you go home and then you will go back to
school the next day and you will listen
to that child and affirm that child and
teach that child and love that child
even when
because you are a teacher and that's
what we do
someday the kids in your class will come
back and invite you to their college
graduation and they'll hand you a
thank-you note and you'll cry in your
car or at your desk just like you did in
the first year of teaching even on your
worst days you are going to think
critically and promote justice and
transform the teaching practice you will
inspire your students to be better
people and empower them to be deeper
thinkers they will feel safe and loved
and challenged they will be the makers
who build a better future and the world
will be a better place because of you
[Music]