Working with people.

I think people are different. Scratch that, I know they are different. The sexes are different, cultures are different, even siblings are different. Why would I bother to make such an obvious statement? Well, some people may say they enjoy working with people. I realize working with people can be done many ways and in some instances at a geographical distance. But I don't think that is exactly what they are talking about.

What I think they mean, is that they enjoy working with people and actually being with them. Not just emailing, not just video conferencing, not even just working with a glass wall between them. I think the glass wall is the most telling. Some people just desire that human closeness. I think elementary teachers probably have this desire much of the time. Counselors don't just want to call someone that just had a miscarriage. They want to be there, they want to hold them if necessary. They want to look in their eyes and show how much they really care. They want to hand them a tissue. It isn't about just being able to communicate. I genuinely think some people just desire to be with others.

In some ways I think we all desire this. Most of us want to be near other people sometimes. I think this is a legitimate claim for a teacher. Why can't they desire to be with their students at least some of the time. It has NOTHING to do with distance education, online delivery, or anything else. It is just about how they are as human beings. Personally I am not that way. I get my personal contact with people between my family and friends. I don't need that from my work, but I at least have the wisdom to recognize that others may want that from there job and it isn't about Online courses.