Home, at long last. Juggling a mere three children is a reprieve after a long day spent listening, laughing, and cajoling ninety plus personalities to learn all day. Greeted by a stack of laundry, the need to rush through homework agendas, plus make dinner and squeeze in some laughter at home is the warm embrace of home. After crazy evening routines and rituals, I have earned the right to sit on the couch, watch fiction, and enjoy my creative outlet - lesson planning.
Yes, work. Embracing lesson-scrapping and revamping, altering, adding, and changing is who I am. This is honestly how my creativity works best. I love my job. I do not complain though sometimes it is because I am burried under 90+ essays and can't breathe let alone talk Because I enjoy it. Yet, yesterday I found myself near tears while talking about work with Hubby.
Why? Because I have never in my life had so many people judge me and seem to hate me, without even knowing I exist - EVER. The animosity that is pouring forth from any and every one towards my profession is staggering. Suddenly parents, who dread the mere idea of spending another snow day trapped in the house with 1-3 kids looking for any way to keep them busy for a measly afternoon, are proclaiming that not only do teachers make too much money, they aren't doing it right either. Everyone seems to know exactly what we do and how we SHOULD be doing it - for free.
Let me tell you a secret, I have been to the hospital a time or two in my life. I've watched blood draws and IV inserts, heck I've even seen stitches put in and babies birthed. Does that make me equipped to tell the nurses and doctors how to do their jobs?
hmmm. I feel I am missing something. this happens from time to time, because I don't watch the news. So I will assume there is some school union stuff going on. Or teacher stuff. Are all the parents tired of snow days and taking it out on the teachers?
ReplyDeleteI think teachers have a HUGE HUGE job to do and are under paid/appreciated. and often have to deal with having their hands tied over hat they can and can't do.
(yes, some home schoolers really do think that!)
so, whatever is going on, I hope general public wises up and gets their heads screwed on properly very soon.
I am a parent grateful for teachers who have, for only the love for what they do, made sure that my daughter who could easily fall through the cracks has not. I support teachers and can only imagine how you must feel. I don't know what to say to help you feel better except to remind you that a portion of the payoff comes later when many of the students you touch remember the very profound impact you had on them. For me, it was Ms. Lockeby, Mrs Josnston, Mr. Webb, Mrs Peters. Seems odd to be sitting here a bit teary eyed about it but I am so thankful that I was fortunate to have been put in each of their paths. You probably don't know which kids they are but they will rermember you and likely be very grateful too!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you and every single teacher out there. You have a hugely important yet normally thankless job. I appreciate you. Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteOH- About those bags... since I often bike to the store I can only get 4 bags at a time. I go in the van a couple times a month and have about 8 of the cloth bags. sometimes I have enough, sometimes not.
ReplyDeleteThey hold more than the store's plastic bags! and hold a lot more weight.
I agree! And I can relate, having taught many years in the past (albeit as a substitute). Years ago, I read that the average teacher got paid $20,000 annually--while the average trucker got paid $40,000 annually. And surely this inequity exists still. This is one reason the U.S. is such a mess--those with the most important jobs get paid the least, those with the least important jobs get paid the most. And I can think of no more important job, in any society, than teaching.
ReplyDeleteI agree! And I can relate, having taught many years in the past (albeit as a substitute). Years ago, I read that the average teacher got paid $20,000 annually--while the average trucker got paid $40,000 annually. And surely this inequity exists still. This is one reason the U.S. is such a mess--those with the most important jobs get paid the least, those with the least important jobs get paid the most. And I can think of no more important job, in any society, than teaching.
ReplyDelete