In between social media gigs and promoting my green jobs site Hirejam.com, I became acertified substitute teacher with the Akron Public Schools.
To say that teachers have a tough, but rewarding job is an understatement.
As a sub I was able to go from grades K-12 and I learned was that there are still a lot of good kids in Akron, they just need structure and discipline to excel, (You would think that most children would get some kind of discipline at home, but to often this is not the case.
Being a teacher not only honed my presentation skills, but also my problem solving abilities.
Everyday you are faced new challenges and the way that you handle a problem with a eight year old is drastically different from a fourteen year old and a seventeen year old; but regardless of age, they are still kids looking for guidance and encouragement, (even if they act like they do not want it).
To be a teacher, you have to be:
Thoughtful, but tough.
Caring, but disciplined.
Creative, but focused.
I still think that nurses has one of the toughest, most unappreciated positions in the workplace, but teachers are right there with them; playing the role of educator, disciplinarian, coach, role model and too often times parent.
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Kevin Lockett is a social media strategist and pop culture blogger in Akron, Ohio.In 2009, he launched the green jobs platform Hirejam.com to help Ohioans find green and renewable energy positions. Mr. Lockett can be can be reached at kazwire@yahoo.com , Hirejam@gmail.com, Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter .
