So, there are two more days in the school year. Well, at least for students there are. Teachers have a couple of days next week to tie up loose ends and then we are FREE! As a creator and a teacher, I feel that there are some misconceptions in the teaching profession that need to be addressed. So, if you've ever been curious about the world of education, here is your window into my world.
1) Have you ever heard someone say "teachers are so lucky that they get paid during the summer for doing nothing"? LET ME TELL YOU. We do NOT get paid during the summer. Please stop saying that. School systems have a few options for how teachers get paid. My school system uses the 12-month payment approach where they take money out of your monthly check during the school year so that you can have checks during the summer. We do not get paid during the summer. That is money we have already worked for. Many teachers will also get 2nd jobs during the summer and save to supplement their salary during the school year.
2) Teachers are not out to get your kids. I do not walk into my classroom every weekday thinking to myself "which young life am I going to irrevocably destroy today"? I genuinely want to best for your child. I will bend over backward to get your child the help they need. I will give your child more than their fair share of extra chances to make up or redo assignments...if they would only take me up on it.
3) Teachers do not hate teaching. For all that we gripe and complain about our chosen profession, we truly love it. What person do you know of who says "I want to be a teacher for the fame and the money" unless it's said in jest? We are underpaid, underappreciated, and undervalued. But, we do love our students and stick it out year to year because we want to see them succeed. Yes, it can get a little annoying listening to teachers whine and complain about their jobs, but people who make waaaaay more than we do also complain about their jobs and they don't get any flack. Just saying.
4) Teachers do not only work their contract hours. My contract hours are 7:30 am-3:00 pm, but I do not stop working when the bell to dismiss school rings at 3 pm. Throughout the year, you can see so many teachers leaving school 2-3 hours after their contract hours and many more who take 2-3 hours of work home every. single. day. I love my job, but I do not believe the pay I get for my contract hours is worth the amount of work I put in just to keep up with the minimum demands of my job...as a high school biology teacher.
There are so many more misconceptions about teachers floating around social media, so I am sure I'll be writing about this topic again in the future! Thanks for joining me in my little slice of the internet.
Until next time, friends, stay creative and carry on!