What I Miss About Being a Teacher

A former teacher working at an edtech nonprofit reflects on things she misses about students even as she continues to support their education.

By Rachel Fuhrman

Edutopia

September 30, 2024

In the article "What I Miss About Being a Teacher" by Rachel Fuhrman, the author reflects on her experience after leaving the classroom to work for an edtech nonprofit. While she values her new role, she highlights several aspects of teaching that are hard to replicate outside the classroom, providing insight for educators who may be considering a similar career shift.

Being a Trusted Adult

One of the most significant aspects Fuhrman misses is being the trusted adult that students rely on. As a teacher, she had the opportunity to be a source of support and comfort for students, much like the teachers she depended on during her own school years. She notes that in the classroom, educators can provide consistent emotional and academic support, helping students navigate challenges and offering guidance. Once outside the classroom, maintaining that close connection with students becomes much more difficult. Although one can still care deeply about students and their success, the personal bond is harder to maintain when not present daily in their lives.

Becoming Part of Students’ Families

Fuhrman also misses the sense of becoming part of her students' extended family. As a teacher, she felt a unique connection not only to her students but also to their families, building relationships with parents, guardians, and other relatives who helped support students throughout the school year. Whether it was sharing good news about a student's progress or partnering with families to support academic or personal growth, the teacher-family bond was a rewarding part of her job. After leaving the classroom, she notes that this connection with families diminishes, making it more difficult to maintain those vital relationships.

Seeing the Impact of Teaching Daily

In her current role, Fuhrman finds it challenging to witness the direct impact of her work. As a classroom teacher, she enjoyed seeing the immediate effects of her efforts, such as students having "aha" moments, mastering difficult concepts, or becoming more confident and engaged in their learning. She explains that these daily successes, no matter how small, made the challenges of teaching worth it. While she understands that her work in the nonprofit sector still supports students and teachers, she misses seeing the tangible results of her teaching firsthand.

The Joy of Classroom Laughter

Finally, Fuhrman discusses the irreplaceable joy and silliness that often occur in the classroom. Students, whether in elementary, middle, or high school, bring lighthearted moments that make teaching fun. Whether it was laughing at a joke, enjoying a student’s witty comment, or hearing about their weekend adventures, these moments created bonds and fostered a positive atmosphere. Although she works with wonderful colleagues in her current job, she misses the daily humor and joy that came from interacting with students.

In conclusion, Fuhrman acknowledges that while educators can continue to make a significant impact from outside the classroom, there are aspects of being a teacher—such as the personal connections, daily successes, and joyful interactions with students—that are hard to replicate. These experiences remind her of the unique rewards and challenges of teaching, which she still cherishes.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com