dedication

A recent post from an Art Ed colleague still in the teacher-prep program highlights a theme for the week at this school. Dedication. She posted her frustration at others for their attitudes toward the job: teach the content, not the student. Your job ends when the lesson plan is done, or the chapter is complete.
I understand her frustration - as there are plenty of teachers who just teach the content, only teach the book, and have no involvement with their colleagues, students, or school leaders, further than that. My only encouragement to her is that when her student teaching is up, her dedication to the students and to the school make her a more desirable candidate when she goes for the job interview - and it will possibly be considered if further budget cuts come up in the following academic years.
Other things I can mention to her is that the students also will see the involvement and dedication - and they will also notice the lack thereof. We all understand family obligations, and the need for a disconnect from the profession. However, a connection on your own terms, (dedication, involvement) can bring a good perspective of how important you are to a student or two, how much you personally impact the school, and a reminder of how much the parents are glad that you are teaching their children. The job can be stressful and isolating enough: why would you miss out on an opportunity to get that positive feedback?