Actor Says First Six Months As A Teacher Has Been Harder Than Imagined

The Los Angeles Times (3/31, Graham) reports from Philadelphia that "With the blessing of city and Philadelphia School District officials," actor Tony Danza "became a first-year English teacher at Northeast High School and the star of an A&E reality show called 'Teach.'" Now, after six months on the job, Danza said recently that he enjoys what he does, but that it is "tougher than he ever imagined, and sometimes he wonders if he's done the right thing." During "his first week in the classroom," Danza said that "he cried three times" and was corrected by a student during a lecture when he "didn't get his facts quite right." At the end of the week, Danza "felt like calling every teacher he'd ever had and apologizing because he just didn't get how difficult their jobs were." Danza noted about his experience, "Sometimes you work your butt off, and it doesn't pay off. ... There should be some pride in what you did."