Thursday, March 13, 2008

why I retired from teaching at age 31...

....other than wanting to be a full-time potter:

My old pal and neighbor Lis asks:

"Can I ask why you no longer teach special ed?"

and I reply:

"I retired from teaching when I was 31. I taught English skills and pottery to very wealthy high school students, plus coaching, yearbook and all the rest. I was a good teacher, but we were at a boarding school, 24/7 with the kids, and I wanted to be a potter. I hated our headmaster too, and from what we heard, he ended up having a Spitzer/Clinton moment with the school's director of development the year after we left! (complete with heart attack on the toilet of a hotel room in San Diego.....quite sordid, but served the bastard right) If he hadn't been such a jerk I would be teaching still!

Don't miss it, though.

gr"

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can only imagine how difficult teaching was under those circumstances, and "special needs" children, whether they are extremely gifted or require services of some sort, are a unique and demanding bunch, even in the best of schools. Of course, I am basing this observation on what it's like living with my child. Much as we love him, his challenges are everyone's challenges.

gary rith said...

oh, the kids were wonderful, the headmaster was a ____________

Susan as Herself said...

Both my parents were teachers. I don't miss it either, and I have never actually even been one! ;)

Anonymous said...

very informative indeed. i think lis should ask you more questions. perhaps this could be a regular feature?

gary rith said...

hey, ask away, anybody!

Anonymous said...

Why has denis stopped calling me?

Anonymous said...

Celeste, you should be the regular feature. Would you field questions on Fridays?

Anonymous said...

Sure. Just give my agent a call. You'll find my terms to be quite reasonable.