Paying particular attention to how great teachers feel about teaching does a number of important things for teachers, schools and students. Perhaps most importantly, paying attention to what makes great teachers happy helps these teachers stay in teaching; it reminds them of the good and great things about their vocation that too often pass by with too little attention. And this attention not only helps teachers stay, but it helps them stay engaged with their students and with the exploration of their subjects. It reminds them that teaching is not so much a performance as a set of reciprocal relationships that move like a see-saw on the playground, learning and teaching, giving and taking, the energy of one raising the energy of the other.

 

And finally, paying attention to what makes great teachers happy helps remind teachers how important being a great student is to being a great teacher. Learning more about your favorite teaching topics while sharing what you already know is an extraordinary way to earn a living, and something to be celebrated.

 

But happiness comes in many kinds, and the goal for a teacher should never be an easy happiness. Asking people to smile and be cheerful is exactly the opposite of the cultivation of real happiness. Far better to help teachers be happy by cultivating their opportunities to learn, and to help young people see the complex beauty of the world.