I'm not a teacher

"I'm not a teacher."

How many times in my life have I said that?  A bajillion.  I'm not a teacher.  I didn't major in education.  I never wanted to have a career in teaching.  I even took one education class to make sure, and I hated it.  Yet, here and there and everywhere, people seem think that I am.

In a lot of ways, I've been teaching forever.  I always helped my peers in class, and I eventually was a peer tutor after school.  Then I went to Honduras, and I taught first grade.  Now I'm in Haiti, teaching a first grader and 20 University students.  I spend at least 30 hours a week teaching.

"But maybe... the truth is that I love it."

I love it.  I love people.  I love watching people learn.  My real passion is teaching people about Jesus, but (right now, at least) that mostly just happens through hoping my life can be an example to someone.
But I also love watching a child go from hardly being able to read a single word to being able to read long sentences and understand different sounds.
I love watching college students study hard in hopes of changing their communities.
I love it when students come out of their shells.
I love the bond that is formed between the teacher and the students.
I love that I can laugh with my students.
I love that they asked me to preach to them.
I love that one of my students taught me how to drive a moto and subsequently promised me that I can call him whenever I need anything ever.
I love watching my students get passionate about learning and try harder and get better and better grades!
I love when my students enjoy a hard quiz because they say it makes them think.
I love the way they always want to learn more.
I love that they gave me a Haitian name that signifies how much I have to learn about Haiti.  (I'm here to learn.  Bring it on.)

Sure, there are things that I don't like.  I don't like it when my students turn in something really late or don't show up for a quiz.  Then they beg me to give them points for this and that because they're not getting a good grade.  Gah.

Yet those things are completely eclipsed by how fun it is to be a part of their education, a part of their dream to make Haiti a better place.




My name is Asefi, and I am a teacher.