Sunday, 10 May 2009

• The Downside of Teaching.

  Let me preface this entry by saying that I love my job. It's the best job that I've ever had and (most) of my students are a joy. A difficult, whiny, confusing, makes-me-want-to-rip-my-hair-out joy, but a joy nonetheless. Still, as with any job there are downsides. Inspired by this blog, I decided to highlight a few of them.
  
  
  1. You Have To Be Switzerland
  Opinions of any sort are frowned upon. You must be careful about every word that comes out of your mouth, because if you aren't and ONE person takes offense, you'll be collecting an unemployment check faster than you can say "Not fair!".
  One of the great things about teaching is the fact that you can connect with students. It's very hard to connect when you have to respond with "I don't want to share that with you. My opinion doesn't matter" at the end of EVERY question they ask.
  
  2. Bureaucracy
  "You're here to teach." That's what they tell you, right? Well, yes, you are there to teach. Unfortunately you're also there to fill out several mountains of paperwork, endure sudden curriculum changes, yell at kids in the hallway, call a bajillion parents, fill out more paperwork, attend ARD's, chaperone events aaaand fill out more paperwork. It's a nightmare. Sometimes I am so bogged down with other (paper)work that I forget I'm a teacher.
  
  3. No Respect
  If you go to a "normal" job, odds are that people will greet you pleasantly, make small talk, etc. Very rarely will Jim Bob from one cubicle over start jumping up and down cussing at you about how they hate you and wish you would die. Jim Bob also probably doesn't ask "Do I haaaaaaaave to" anytime to make a request of him. Additionally, he probably doesn't fall asleep on you in the middle of a conversation and then get mad when you wake him up.
  
  4. We Are Glorified Babysitters
  You know what's sad? When you have to tell an 18-year-old boy to keep his hands to himself. Or yell at a 16-year-old boy for putting a tack on someones chair (dead serious, this happened). Similarly, quite a few parents have the unfortunate mindset that they are not responsible for their kids education. That's our job, not theirs. Sorry to break it to you, mom, but learning doesn't stop at 2:30.
  
  5. The Students Have More Rights Than We Do
  If a student were to punch me in the face, who would get in trouble? Well, unfortunately in today's society probably me. Something I said or did probably "scarred" this student for life. Similarly, if a student doesn't like a teacher, all they have to do is say that the teacher hugged them the wrong way and bada-bing bada-boom, the teacher is out of a job. I find this news report to be especially ridiculous: http://www.wyff4.com/news/18800227/detail.html
  
  6. No Privacy.
  Everytime I see the news put up a teachers myspace picture I cringe. It's like we're not allowed to be human. OMG DOES SHE HAVE A BEER!?!?!? HOW DARE THAT 28 YEAR OLD TEACHER DRINK ALCOHOLLZ! RAWR! Yes, I understand that you need to be tactful. I don't post anything that is scandalous, and nor should I be allowed to. It sets a bad image for the system. However, there's no need to freak out over the fact that a teacher went to happy hour.
  
  
  All of the negatives aside, though, teaching is truly one of the most rewarding careers out there. Once you get past all of the tip-toeing, beraucracy, disrespectful students and annoying media attention, it's awesome. I get to watch my students make their way through high school and, if I do my job right, I can say that I contributed to their growth as human beings. I love it, and wouldn't have it any other way. :)
  
  

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