The impetus for today's thoughts come from an article posted by a friend on Facebook. It's title "I'm Sick of Appreciating Teachers" gave me hope, especially as it was posted during 'Teacher Appreciation Week'. However, the words that followed crushed me. Simply stated, it was just another in a long line of puff pieces determined to glorify teachers, and set them on a pedestal that very few among the human species could ever hope to achieve.(1)
The main gist of the article seemed to be that teachers simply aren't paid enough for the work they do. Which is a joke, as I have previously documented. She laments that teachers are not paid ''a living wage" which is as dumb of a statement that can be made. Teachers are paid well for the job they do, and what's more, they chose their profession. Sometimes they chose it because it was what was available at the moment, others chose it because it had a very convenient schedule, and yes, there are those who do it simply because they believe in educating the next generation.
I would love to say that I am wholly in the last category, but I'd be a liar if I didn't pretend that a teacher schedule isn't something that I enjoy. The hours in the day (though they often appear to take longer than normal ones) are not horrific, and the day to day schedule as far as when days off come along is pretty brilliant, much better than I have experienced at any job in the private sector, for instance.
To be clear, the days off are a necessity, because it is not just teachers who get worn out, but students, too. The current stretch that we are going through at my school (post April-vacation until the end of the school year is perhaps the most brutal on the calendar for all parties involved. There is only one scheduled day off (Memorial Day), and there is a plethora of state and district tests/assessments that need to be completed, with the result being that many students end up going through the days not unlike the cast of The Walking Dead.
However, the biggest problem that Kate Kooyman made in her article was to issue a blanket statement of how brilliant, un-thanked, and mistreated all teachers are. It's a faulty line of thinking, no different than the public assumption in some sectors that other public sector positions are all good, quality people who are only interested in serving the public. Like the U.S. Congress or POTUS, for instance. This simply is not true. As is the case in every occupation, there are those who do their best, those who care, others who are malcontents, and then those who are simply there because they have no better options. It's important to note: being a Teacher does not make you a Hero, it does not put you in line for Sainthood, nor should there be a constant outpouring of affirmation about how much the profession is appreciated. Teachers, like everyone else, are people who are (for the most part) trying to get through their day while doing the best they can.
If Miss Kooyman and others who are so inclined to prop up the teaching profession really cared about increasing the amount of take-home money teachers receive, perhaps they could get on board with what Governor Scott Walker has done in Wisconsin - eliminate public sector unions and the protection they provide to those who are not doing their jobs properly. As a bonus - those teachers who remained behind saw their pay increase by up to $10,000 per year. Keeping poor teachers on the job simply because is bad policy. Forcing teachers to join unions and pay dues even if (or despite) they disagree with the union and its policies is abhorrent. Correcting these problems will help to lift up the profession, and make it more worthy of appreciation.
Except - it shouldn't be necessary. Teaching is a job - one that can be highly rewarding - chosen by the person who endeavors to do it. It should not be necessary to constantly heap praise upon it anymore than it should be to blame them for failures that are beyond their control.
(1) Bearing in mind, I am a member of the profession.
