Today at the high school where i substitute teach, a student came into my classroom and give me an invitation to go online and complete a survey about my job. Always happy to accommodate, I complied.

Being a part-time substitute , I felt unqualified to answer some of the questions, like on cell-phone policy. Others, like the necessity for standardized testing, I answered anyway — Agree, some testing is necessary. And the same for homework — some homework is needed because there is so much to learn.

Then there were some questions that suggested student origins —

Do I have favorite students? Yes, that’s inevitable. Of course, the corollary to that is students have favorite teachers; whenever I’m at the high school, I invariably have satisfying and extended conversations with kids I remember from middle school.

Am I a cool teacher? Based on student reactions, yes, I think I am. I just hope that translates into learning.

But the most thought-provoking question was What would you like to anonymously tell your students? Lots of things! Like “The teenage years are the most difficult of your life.” Also, “Learn all you can, because no one can predict the future and at some point you will need different skills.” (For example, this is my third career.) And “Appreciate your siblings; someday you will really need them.”

But the best thing I like about teaching is the stimulation I get from being around young people. It certainly is much more exciting than being around people my own age! I just hope that was reflected in my answers.

And I hope I have a few more years left to do this.