You may not know this--and I don't blame you, because I didn't know it until I started teaching--but your teachers are doing the very best that they can. Most of my life I've heard people say and said things myself that are really pretty unfair. I have gotten upset at my teacher for not grading assignments right away. I've heard people get irritated at teachers for complaining about grading papers. I've heard kids say that they think a teacher is mean/unfair/too strict etc...But let me tell you, it's time to cut them some slack.
Being a teacher is hard. Standing in front of 7 and 8 year olds who really just want to run around all day long is hard. Seeing kids just stare into space when you ask them to do something is hard. Standing on your feet all day and talking loud enough for everyone to hear is hard. Always knowing what to say when kids ask questions they shouldn't is hard. Reading elementary school cursive is really hard. Looking like you're happy 100% of the time is hard.
Did you know that a lot of the time your teacher doesn't even have the chance to go to the bathroom? Did you know that your teachers, while you've made them out to be super heroes, are completely human and occasionally make mistakes? Did you know that your teacher wants to be there for everyone and change everyone's life like John Keating does in the Dead Poets Society and like Mr. Holland in Mr. Hollands Opus?
Your teachers were responsible for your start. Your teacher is the reason that you can read books, and communicate effectively. They're the reason that you can write. They could be the reason that you learned discipline or time management. Your teacher helped you graduate high school, she let you turn in that one paper late, he helped you find some extra credit when you needed it to boost your grade. All together, they make your education possible. And with all that responsibility they get paid less than they need to support a family.
We all do the best that we can, so cut your teacher some slack.
I could not agree with this more!!! My 7th grade Spanish students usually have a weekly vocabulary quiz on Friday. They expect me to have it ready by Monday for them (grade hungry). My new line to them is "You didn't have homework last night, so why should I have had homework?" They've backed off since.
Yeah it can be really hard! Especially subbing. It's very difficult to gain the necessary respect to have good classroom management as a sub :/ kids are tough!
AMEN AMEN AMEN! As a high school English teacher, I constantly wanted to shake my sassy kids at times and tell them I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN, JUST TRY!
Found this post through That Tiny Website, and I absolutely love it. It's interesting timing for me to come across this, as many elementary school teachers in Ontario have just gone on strike, and teachers in my area may be going on strike as of Monday. This is the second strike in three years, which, to the public has become another sign of 'greedy, lazy teachers'.
What they don't understand is that it's not about greed or laziness. So many of our teachers (I'm sure much like you) are overworked, underpaid, and expected to go far above and beyond the call of duty regularly. To me, the fact that this is the second strike in three years shows that there is a serious problem that the unions and government keep trying to apply band-aid solutions on, and then wonder why it keeps falling apart.
Love it! I've been subbing for a few months now and it gives me a new appreciation for teachers!!!
ReplyDeleteLove this!
ReplyDeleteAmen! Thank you, Katie!
ReplyDeleteI could not agree with this more!!! My 7th grade Spanish students usually have a weekly vocabulary quiz on Friday. They expect me to have it ready by Monday for them (grade hungry). My new line to them is "You didn't have homework last night, so why should I have had homework?" They've backed off since.
ReplyDeleteRight! I think that students think that teachers do literally nothing but teach, prepare to teach, and grade...Sorry Kids, but no.
ReplyDeleteIt's just so necessary to say things like this sometimes!
ReplyDeleteYeah it can be really hard! Especially subbing. It's very difficult to gain the necessary respect to have good classroom management as a sub :/ kids are tough!
ReplyDeleteAMEN AMEN AMEN! As a high school English teacher, I constantly wanted to shake my sassy kids at times and tell them I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN, JUST TRY!
ReplyDeleteFound this post through That Tiny Website, and I absolutely love it. It's interesting timing for me to come across this, as many elementary school teachers in Ontario have just gone on strike, and teachers in my area may be going on strike as of Monday. This is the second strike in three years, which, to the public has become another sign of 'greedy, lazy teachers'.
ReplyDeleteWhat they don't understand is that it's not about greed or laziness. So many of our teachers (I'm sure much like you) are overworked, underpaid, and expected to go far above and beyond the call of duty regularly. To me, the fact that this is the second strike in three years shows that there is a serious problem that the unions and government keep trying to apply band-aid solutions on, and then wonder why it keeps falling apart.