Teaching as a "Calling"

Why does the term "calling" resonate with so many teachers -- including Bill Ayers and other authors we have read this quarter?  As Ryan astutely pointed out last night, this is one of those terms that has secular as well as religious meaning to people.  When I say I feel called to teach, what I mean (as a Christian) is that I am drawn to teach because of my faith orientation to love and humbly serve others (all others) non-judgmentally as well as my belief that God created me with an orientation toward compassion for children and passion for learning.  These reasons could just as well be given by a person who is not religious, without the attributions to faith and God of course.  Dictionaries define “calling” as a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action or career.  

It is with genuine non-judgmental love that I will approach each and every child that I teach.  This is a core value that we have discussed at length this quarter and I’m sure it’s one we all share.  It doesn’t matter that the reason I feel compelled by that core value is my faith and the reason someone else is compelled by that core value is something else within or outside of them.  I think the term “calling” resonates with most teachers, religious or not, because it connotes the very personal and emotional connection to our work which is so important to us all and vital to our success as teachers -- as we have also discussed this week.

On a related note, I would also like to add that just as we should take care in applying a broad label like “poverty” (and its attendant assumptions) to kids in an enormous spectrum of circumstances (from generational poor to temporary poor), we should also be careful in attaching assumptions to other broad labels such as “Christian,” “Muslim,” “progressive,” or “conservative,” (to name just a few examples) which also encompass an enormous array of beliefs and opinions.  In approaching our students, their families and each other, we should just try to get to know each individual person for the unique human being that they are and work on building a bridge from there.