The reasons I am proud to be a teacher.

Nits, bullies, yard duty. They were just some of the reasons one teacher recently handed in her notice and ran screaming from the playground. Now, teacher Lucy O’Brien has responded with all the reasons she’d never give the classroom away.

I’m a High School History teacher in Sydney and I’ve been working in public education for 8 years. Teaching. It’s certainly not for everyone and I admire anyone who knows when to walk away. But alongside the achingly bad there is a lot of good and it’s a profession that I am proud of. These are the 17 reasons why being a teacher is sensational.

1. Being able to stand up every day and talk to a group of people about something you find interesting.

2. Being a source of inspiration, even if not with the actual content of the lesson but with your attitude. Life is good and it’s worth paying attention.

3. Receiving an email from an ex Year 12 student thanking you for persisting in teaching them how to write.

4. Finding what makes a particular student respond. Sometimes it's an activity you spend two hours preparing. And sometimes, more often than not, it's being the only adult to smile at them that day.

5. Reading 150 essays that make you want to rip your eyeballs out. And then reading 1 that makes you beam.

6. Being barely able to roll out of bed by the end of term from exhaustion and then being given two weeks away from the kids to recharge.

7. Getting to the end of the holidays and secretly not being able to wait to get back in the classroom.

8. Learning the quiet kid's life story on the bus on the way to basketball and feeling nothing but
admiration for them.

9. Seeing another teacher teach something better than you. Overcoming your fear and trying it yourself.

10. Being asked for advice on how to teach something.

11. Meeting parents and instantly understanding a child you have been confused by all year. Resolving to be a better teacher and parent.

Watch below as teachers reveal the strangest comments parents have made. Post continues after video. 

12. Having all technology within 100 metres of you spontaneously combust… making a lesson up on the spot and killing it anyway.

13. Staff days. Imagine having to face 30 teenagers at 9am on day 1?

14. Being humbled by a bunch of hooligans when you get something wrong... and being able to show them that adults stuff up too.

15. Having an incredible 6 week summer break. Work is long hours and bloody hard during term but very few other professions are given this relief time. And it's possibly the only reason why there are still any teachers.

16. When the Year 9 terror becomes the funniest/easiest kid to get along with in Year 12. Being glad you never gave up on them.

17. When the burly kid in Year 8 accidentally calls you mum.

Watch below for ten things you only know if you're a teacher's kid.