Just wanted to address some common misconceptions about teachers and the world of education, while providing you some light humor. Enjoy!
1. We are done with work by 3:00.
No….no, no, and no. We have staff and IEP meetings, after school clubs and committees. After all that, we go home and plan or enter grades.
2. We have the summers off.
Although we enjoy part of our summers, much of it is spent planning for the next year. Many teachers also have mandatory staff development over the summer.
3. We get to have fun all day.
Although we always try to make learning fun for kids, there is a lot of brainwork that goes into planning and implementing each part of our day. We are always thinking on a level that is much higher than you think because we are multitasking constantly. It is like having 17 tabs open at once on the computer.
4. We get to spend more time with our family.
Last time I checked, I didn’t think ignoring children and or a husband while planning lessons and inputting grades qualifies as “family time.”
5. We have sufficient support with public funding.
I’ll admit, many people know we don’t get funded. But there are still people that have no idea. Most of us spend lots of our own money for our students. Guess that “summer vacation” fund will have to wait.
6. We don’t have a boss breathing down our neck.
I worked in a district where one person got 81 informal evaluations from August to March. Administrations have been pressured to micromanage teachers more and more each year.
7. We decide what and how to teach.
We are given standards, and many districts have programs where we have to read from a script. Each minute of our day is regulated by our state policy-makers and administration. Teachers are lucky if they can work at districts where they have the liberty to teach what and how they want. Professional decision-making is very limited.
8. Teachers don’t ever have fun.
We are the ultimate fun-havers.
Are there any misconceptions you would like to address? I would love to hear from you! Be sure to leave a comment below!
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