10 Thoughts That Go Through A Teacher's Mind On Pay Day

This article is sponsored by VIPKID, an online learning service offering an international learning experience to Chinese children - from the comfort of their homes! Full curriculum provided — no lesson planning or grading — just teach! Join their fun & supportive community of +20,000 teachers, and earn up to $22/hour, with a flexible schedule! Find out more at VIPKID.com.

Teachers know they didn't get into this profession for the money and fame, that's for sure. We get up in the morning and march back into the circus, coffee mug in hand, with high hopes for our students. We hope that they'll feel loved, that they learn something from every lesson we sacrifice our social lives creating, and that they walk out of the school a better and smarter human being, every day. Our energy is fueled by our passion for education and our desire to make a difference. When we see a student have an "aha" moment, we feel good about our career choice, and truly believe we are changing the world, one student at a time.

But then pay day hits... We get our paychecks, and a whole wind of disappointment and discouragement sweeps through and knocks us off our feet. It's demoralizing and makes us question how we can keep doing what we do. Here are a few things that go through a teacher's mind on pay day.

1. There must be some kind of typo, I think there's a zero missing at the end of this number...

2. OK, time to spend half of this on some more classroom supplies, to replace all the ones that disappeared this month!

3. I hope I won't be hungry for the next couple weeks, so I can pay my bills...

4. OK, I think it's time I signed up for VIPKID, to start making some extra money with my teaching skills...

5. Why did I go get 2 college degrees, a teaching certification, state license, and attend conferences every year for professional development, again?!?

6. Man, I'll never be able to pay back all my student loans! Why didn't I think of inventing something like fidget spinners!?

7. Deep breaths, deep breaths. All the vomit, snot, and germs you surround yourself with every day is for a bigger cause...

8. Wait... how much can I make with VIPKID? Up to $22 per hour?? SIGN ME UP!

9. Where's my overtime pay for all the hours I spent grading, lesson planning, and inputting data after school and at home? Oh wait, I do that for free...

10. If one more person says anything about how lucky teachers are for getting school breaks, I might lose it on them...

What else goes through your mind on pay day? Let us know in the comments below!

SHARE the LAUGHTER!