For me, that was a real cannonball because I was taking everything in. I had to stop. I took two weeks off work. I couldn't sit or eat. It was just painful. From that day I now know the triggers of when I'm feeling that way. To me that was a lowlight, to be so ill from the stresses of teaching that I stopped taking everything in. If you've got 29 kids and they all come with baggage, and you're taking all of that on, it's not good for you. Look at the stats of why 40 to 50% of teachers leave in the first five years.
When asked why she does what she does, Alex is quick to respond, "Because I love it. I know that
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sounds so cliche. There is no other word though. I wouldn't be putting myself through so much if I didn't love what I do.
"One of the other reasons I started whattheteacher-wears is because there is no direct message of what to wear unless you're a high school manual arts or science teacher and have to wear enclosed shoes. It is really broad when you look at the dress code description. It says you can wear whatever you want as long as you can do your job. I know we have to be careful not to discriminate, but it can be interpreted in so many different ways.