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The Question...



Every day my students write in their journals.  Once a week they write to me.  The entry is called "Dear Mr. C".  Here they can ask me questions, share their thoughts, or tell me anything...I read their entry and write back to them in their journal...I then return it to them.

This week one student wrote:

"Dear Mr. C,
If you could pick any job and you knew you would get a million dollars to do it, what job would you pick?"

Now when you look at that question it seems pretty straight-forward...it's asking me to put aside the idea that we get paid for jobs and to focus on what job I would like most...since I would get a million dollars, money should be no object in my response of which job I would love to have.

I get questions like this all the time.  Kids inquire about how I would spend my time if I had an infinite amount of time on my hands.  They ask me where I would like to go on vacation, what instrument I'd like to play, what sport I'd like to play, what would be my ideal dinner...the list of these types of questions goes on and on.

These questions give me an opportunity to think outside of myself, outside of reality.  It affords my students the opportunity to tap into their teacher's mind to see what I think about.  It calls the imagination to come to the forefront and enjoy the prospect of engaging in something one might not otherwise have an opportunity to do.  

I have found, in my years of teaching children how to journal and in the many "Dear Mr C" entries I have responded to, that these types of questions elicit different responses as I grow personally and professionally.  My ideas of the "perfect" dinner, the "perfect" vacation, the "perfect" sport or instrument have changed over the years.

I have found that despite these changes, one thing remains constant...
Whenever a student asks me what job I would love to have, what job I would pick above all, what job I would pick regardless of income...I always have answered with the same response...

Teaching.

Mr. Casten
Oct. 7, 2011

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

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