Why I’m lucky enough to hate my job!

So…I have a great job!  I have a job, that affords me a lot of opportunities.  I have a job that would be a dream for a lot of people.  I am growing to hate my job!  So, let me explain.

Without the really necessary back story, I am an “academic” (I use the term loosely); I am an administrator (department chair); I am an educator.  I think that it is the middle role that I inhabit most often, but with dramatically less frequency then I used to.  It is the last role that I most identify with and the culture that surrounds it that gives me the most cause for pause and retaliation.

What does it mean to be an educator?  From my perspective, it means that it is my job to create environments that are conducive to learning.  Kind of a learning designer. I love learning.  I adore learning.  But I adore learning things that I’m interested in or intrigued by.

I hate the politicization of today’s classrooms.  I don’t care if it is Kindergarten or College.  I hate the implications and limitations that politics and expectations have played in the learning environment.  When research has shown that there is no definitive, one right way to teach, various factions repeatedly emphasize the expectation (and somethings the requirement) to do it (teach) their way.

In the course of hoping that everyone is equal, no one is excelling.  What’s worse, I’m seeing less and less enjoyment.  Students ask, “Tell me if I’m right.”  “Tell me if I did good.” ” Did I do the right thing?” “Did I think the right way?” What are these people going to do as adults when no one is there to tell them what is good, right, or expected anymore?

So, why am I so lucky?  Because I’m passionate about learning.  I hate the rules and the push for creating boundaried expectations that confine learning.  But I love thinking about ways to promote expansive learning.  I love working to create environments where students are pushing themselves.  I love pushing my employees to be creative and expand their thinking.

I love hating my job because it gives me tremendous opportunities to challenge the norm and do something different.  It gives me opportunities to create things new and different.  It is not boring. Conflict equals interest because there is always work to be done.

I sometimes have to remind myself how fortunate I am to hate my job!