..........what compels someone to become a public school teacher?????

Today is one of the many days that I ask myself that question. I can only imagine what it is like to teach one of the core subjects that students are required to take regardless of their interests. My kids take band by choice. They know full well what is expected of them in the way of commitment months before they have to make the final decision concerning being in the performance group. We are an active performing group, and we have many performances that take place on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and sometimes even a holiday. Again, they know all of this way before the commitment is made. The marching band of today requires a great deal of effort and time if we are to be successful. I'm a motivated teacher with a great deal of ambition to have my groups perform well. I can't imagine not wanting to see and hear the best that my students have to offer, and I really couldn't tolerate being satisfied with sub-standard outcomes to our performances. I don't go for excuses as to why or why not. I expect results, and I expect them now! I push my students to excel, and I try my best to encourage peer leadership to the point that it will make the group successful. I always have students that surprise me, both in a positive and a negative way. It's a shame that my Seniors aren't my best band members. It never fails - I am most disappointed by my Seniors every year. They are at the top of their game and too often turn out to be the worst students in the program. This year is no exception. Then I start to "second guess" my leadership as the director. It's hard for me to accept that I can't do anything to stop the negative momentum. What do I have to do to put a halt to a downward, out of control spin? Should I give them something - some sort of reward? I don't believe in rewards for standard behavior. Standard behavior is expected, and with nothing less being acceptable. I do my very best to find something positive to say whenever I can. That doesn't seem to hold much water anymore. I really don't know what the answer is. I get my students involved in performance opportunities that many kids would only dream of. This year we're going to the BCS National Championship football bowl game - the biggest and most important bowl game of the entire college football season! Not only that; it's being held in the Louisiana Superdome! How many times in their lives will these kids have the opportunity to experience New Orleans? Currently, my kids are barely trying to get a performance on the field for us to use. I used to say, "it's like pulling teeth"! I've got to change that. Pulling teeth is a pretty straight forward procedure with only minor problems. Instead, I'll say that pulling this group into line is like, "dragging a dead elephant across desert sands"! That about describes it. Did I say dead elephant? Okay, maybe that one should be re-phrased too. At any rate, I hope that I can make a positive impact with these students soon. As "touchy - feely" as this sounds, "I want to make a positive inpact with my teaching, and I want students to enjoy what I'm able to show them." It so often seems like I'm making no difference at all. It hasn't always been that way. What's changed? What can be done differently? I can't and will not accept defeat. All of the "experts" say that all I have to do is challenge my students and they will step up to the plate and learn. Well, the challenge is certainly there, the plate's there, where's my homerun?