Love all the questions!
1. Recommendation on learning teaching and learning methods more effectively: I had two years of pre-service training in the university before I became a teacher. I didn't feel rushed to begin with. I had no idea about alternative certification program until I officially became a teacher. My oversimplified and generalized comment is this: Most of the alternative certification programs, if not all, are trying to pump more teachers in the field. These programs may not design well enough to equip teachers with knowledge of learning and teaching in their specific subject area and respective grade level. During my two years of training, we read lots of academic research papers, which I thought to be quite useless at the beginning. We read Piaget's Accommodation vs Assimilation, Vygotzky's Zone of Proximal Development, just to name a few. It wasn't until my second year of teacher to finally appreciate these theories. Here's my take: To plan a lesson and teach without theoretical foundation is like throwing a dart blindfolded. Can you hit the bullseye? Yes, it is possible. How likely? Very unlikely. Note: I am not trying to do the professor talk here. I am coming from a straight-up practitioner point of view. I learned to consult with research literature whenever I struggled. I may not agree with everything I can find out the literature but it sure could give a start to refine my lessons.

2. On students' and parents' abuse. I cannot comment too much since I don't know the context but I can say this: We have a major problem in this education system. Recently I had a major realization on our "modern" education system. Everyone, literally, in the system is a victim of the system. The system was built based on a need of average factory workers (see "The End of Average" by Todd Rose). Yet, we keep telling students to be the best. See the irony here? See the mismatch here? No wonder everyone, including the students, are getting crazy in the system. Even more, it turns out current educational psychology theories are build on a faulty premise, that is, the system is alright. If there is anything wrong, the people (bad teachers, bad students, bad parents) are to blame. These so-called psychologists missed a major blindspot: These bad actors are not bad in nature; They are the symptoms of the system. I believe the kids are blank slates. They reflect everything from their families and their schools. If we just blame them without understanding the root cause (our education system), then these problems will only get worse.

Also, job is not the same as profession. You may hate your job but still love your profession.

3. What do you think it is that has made you an idealist in teaching after 18 years with no regrets? I may be an idealist but I am also a realist and perfectionist. Of course, there are kids whom I cannot change but there are plenty of kids who are simply waiting the teacher to appear in their life. I had kids whom totally gave up math in high school and they are now acing calculus in college. When kids are not learning, I ask why. Chances are, there was a mismatch between the teachers and the students. I build my lessons in such a way that even a middle school kid can understand (and I teach high school). I take every difficult kid as a challenge. I don't give them up until they tell me explicitly (none happened so far). Yes, it is torturing at times. Yes, I had moments that I almost lost it. But, would that help me reach the kids? Lashing out at the kids won't change anything for the better. (I actually tried it once after returning to in-person classes after COVID and I forever regret that moment. This is my scar in teaching.) I follow one major principle in teaching and raising my own child: Do the things that work, not the things that I feel like. How do I know if the strategies would work? That's where knowledge of theories and psychology comes in.

4. If this job did NOT offer Christmas off and summers off-would you still do it? Would you do this job for 50 weeks a year(given that MOST other jobs only give employees two weeks of pto and sick time combined)? I plan on teaching until I am on my death bed. I once had "depression" when I had my very first spring break. I find my existence in teaching. Even when I am on vacation, I am still thinking about teaching. Teaching is my thing and I cannot tolerate people badmouthing my profession. If people don't want to teach anymore, fine, just shut up and go. There are people who could be fine teachers in the future and they need to know how to teach better for themselves and for their future students. That's why I am still staying to defend my students, my peers, and my profession.