You Know You're a Teacher When

 You Know You’re a Teacher When…

1. You end your day with Expo marker ink tattooing your fingers and hands.

2. You’re asked, “Can you tie my shoes?” multiple times.

3. You carry extra band-aids and learn to clean cuts gently.

4. You develop a heightened 6th sense of students BS’ing, especially during class.

5. You appear magical as your kids think you have invisible eyes “all over your head.”

6. All students engaging in your lesson? Check. You did well, maestro!

7. You’re rarely “in the moment.” Your teacher brain is always several steps ahead.

8. You cannot switch out of “teacher mode,” even with your friends and family.

9. You count the milliseconds to three-day weekends, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring, and summer breaks.

10. You live for the weekends and those 48 hours of reprieve.

11. Your students call you “Mom” at least once every few days.

12. You develop The Look and The Tone. Your students know when you’re serious.

13. You’re in contact with your students’ parents before, during, and after school hours.

14. You hear your students’ voices in your head—sometimes for no apparent reason.

15. You often wonder, “Am I doing too much?” “Am I not doing enough?”

16. Free time—what’s that? You’ve never heard of such a wondrous concept.

17. You’re either bringing home papers and homework to grade, or your students think you live in the classroom.

18. You’re constantly monitoring your students’ grades and progress and then fielding calls of “how can my child improve?”

19. You miss your kiddos when you’re on vacation or home sick.

20. You coax yourself out of your warm, cozy bed, especially during the cold, stormy winter months, because you see your students’ faces in your mind and don’t want to let them down.

21. You learn to walk backward…and only occasionally bump into walls or other objects.

22. You excel at reading upside down when progress-checking your students’ work.

23. You “adopt” your students and refer to them as “my kids.”

24. You train your brain to translate kid writing and scribbles into actual words.

25. You put your life on the line for your babies.

26. You hold them accountable, help them understand their mistakes, learn from them, and grow academically and emotionally stronger.

27. You’re protective, a lioness with her cubs, especially when a classmate bullies them.

28. You know them all by name—even if it’s been several years—you still remember and think of them fondly.

29. You sacrifice the early morning and the later afternoon hours, searching for extra resources to ensure your students are prepared for the next grade.

30. You wear the hats of Teacher, Educator, Mentor, Guidance Counselor, Mediator, Comedian, Parent, Empath, Nurse, Ringmaster, Coach, Referee, Janitor, Detective, Test Administrator, Role Model, Content Expert, Therapist, Cheerleader, Entertainer, Motivator, Handwriting Decipherer, Field Trip Wrangler, Decorator, and Friend—all within the same day and often simultaneously!

The number 1 way you know that you’re a teacher is…teaching does not come with an “off” switch as you love your babies with the depth of the Mariana Trench.