Who has heard it before? oh your a teacher your so lucky you only work from 9 til 3 and you get all the school holidays off. I feel like screaming every time I hear that and the more you try to correct their perceptions the more they look at you like your lying. Another favourite of mine is thats right your a teacher you know everything I don't think I have ever professed to know everything in fact I am shrewed enough to know that learniing is a life long journey and if you think othrwise your just kidding yourself. If fact there are times I actually question if i know what i'm doing which I feel is a healthy thing because if you are always questioning your teaching philosophy then you are closer to praxis. What I really dislike is having to compromise my philosophy because of red tape within the teaching environment and i refuse to compromise if it is harmful to my childrens' learning. Just thought I would get that off my chest and get the opinions of others on the subject.
Over all that's not the perception of teachers where I am. They realize that during the summer we're working another job, or workign to fulfill our 60 hours of requried inservice. They also realize that a lot of us are there by 7 am and don't leave til 5 or 6 in the afternoon. Of course there are the few! But overall I think the people around here realize exactly how hard teachers (at least teachers who want to make a difference) work.
Macbeth, it is just like you described over here in Germany, too. It has gotten so bad, that I try to hide the fact that I'm a teacher from new aquaintances for as long as possible. We get paid during the holidays, too, so that we don't have to work then, which makes people's perception even worse. Sometimes when people talk to me like that, I ask them if they would like to change places, and they never want to do that. Especially when they hear, that when you teach at a comprehensive school, your day begins at eight and ends at four, when you go home to prepare your lessons, grade papers or organise projects. It seems it's the same wherever you go. And it makes it even more difficult to find the enthusiam you need for your work everyday.
I agree blueskies and people forget the nights we have meetings until 8pm or a professional development workshop on the weekend and we certainly don't get paid for that. Sdhudgins what is this inservice you are refering to what does that entail?
I feel the same way!! People dont realize how much we do, and what a difference we acutally make! I always respond,.... "without teachers there would be no other professions!"
OK< I have a different twist... I'm currently working as a program assistant, or not-so-glorified TA... we do a LOT of 1:1 teaching of thek ids we're working with... yet our school continually refers to us as the "non-professional staff," excludes us from meetings about the kids we work with, etc... HELLO!!!??? who knows this kid better than anyone else here? um, how about the person who is with them ALL DAY!? They call us "shadows..." if I wanted to simply be a shadow, I could do that, but then I wouldn't serve any purpose. yes, we have a LOT of PA's who DON'T have college degrees or education classes.... but there are a number of us who DO, and we resent the term "nonprofessional." I didn't get my education degree and teaching certificate to be considered "nonprofessional." *steps off soapbox* Man, I need a new job! *crosses fingers for Wednesday's interview*
I hear it from my guy friends when I grip about work sometimes "Oh you work till 3 and have summers off I don't want to hear it." But they don't know the planning, the late evenings we spend, countless worries about our students and so on. Good luck Clarnet on Wednesday I will be starting my hunt for a new job for next year, I want to work in public school. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
I am shadow. I hear it all the time... after people ask what a shadow is... you are lucky, you get summers off. I have been with my autistic student for a year and a half now. I'm just got invited to his last IEP session. (Agreeing with clarnet73... HELLO? Who knows this kid better than I do?) I am with him from 7:20am until 1:40pm. I don't take a lunch break or many bathroom breaks for that matter. He is in a "regular" classroom but he can't be left alone without a shadow. I go with him and help him in his speech, occupational therapy and EC classes. I also assist him in the "regular" encore classes such as music, computer, gym, spanish (he doesn't talk... I'm still trying to figure out how this class is helping him?), guidance, art, etc. I have spent hours at night creating file folder games and his PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) notebooks. Not to mention my own money buying all of this stuff. Since his parents don't take him out in public, I take him out every once in a while during the school year and once or twice a month in the summers. After all of this, and a college degree in Early Childhood Education, I don't even get the title and prestige of the name "teacher." Crystal
Amen! Been there, been a shadow, done tons of work as in class assistant, helping teacher prep, taught lesson plans, implimented goals & objectives, ran circle when clueless sub sat at the desk & read newspaper....but none of us "aides" were invited to the meeting which asked, "How can we work more efficiently as a team?" lol! Now I'm starting student teaching for Early Childhood Special Ed & I hear, "Well, it's kinda like babysitting isn't it?" or worse, "well it's not like you can TEACH those poor things anything..."~There's also the asumption it only takes an AA degree. This credential requires a Master program! Have them come spend a day in our shoes...but then again they'd most likely decline!
wow sounds bad I don't think I like the label 'Shadow' Our teacher Aides are a god send and I for one are very grateful for any assistance they can give In fact my programme would be greatly compromised if I didn't have a Teacher Aide to help. Our T.A's are the first ones invited to an IEP meeting because as you say who knows the child best. And as for E.C.E special or otherwise thats where the first most important teaching and learning takes place. The first 5 years are the most important for cognitive development.
I am just amazed at how people look at educators. It's really a shame. My co-work and I were talking yesterday at work regarding this matter. My co-work is the teacher and I am her assistant. I showed her my college diploma yesterday (since I graduated this past december and I just got my diploma a few days ago). She was telling me how doctors and lawyers and people of the "high status" get to put their diploma and certificate on the walls, yet teachers who are also harder working professionals don't get to do so (or are more shy about showing their hard work). Then we went on about coorporate America. She said when they go on meetings outside of school, they (teachers) have to pay for parking and for food etc. Business people get to eat whatever they want and it's all free. This teacher works for LAUSD and said that they haven't had a contract in years now! It also makes me sick to hear the "you're ONLY a teacher?" statement. It's like I wasted my time to be a teacher. OR that... "you're lucky you're a teacher... you don't have to do anything." They think we play all day and do crafts. I'm 22 and I just got my BA. Yet the rollercoaster of school is not over. I still have to finish my CSET (1 more section to go!), then there is the RICA, before all those exams I had to pass the CBEST and inbetween all those "big" exams were studying studying and more studying... then don't forget student teaching which we don't get paid for to do. Hmm. How exciting is that?! My friends, as young as they are, believe that teaching is all fun and games. If I could change the world, I would make teachers one of the top high paid professionals...why? Because if there weren't any teachers there wouldn't be any doctors, lawyers, dentists, engineers, and all those high paid people. I don't want it to seem like they don't deserve what they earn. I'm sure it's well deserved. BUT, teachers... come on... with all the exams they want us to take to show that we're HIGHLY QUALIFIED... why don't they make our income show that we are highly qualified. It seems (I'm not sure how accurate) that teachers are the lowest paid professionals. It doesn't take a day to become a teacher... we work and study hard to understand our profession. We NEED to change how people perceive us!! My co-worker was saying that all teachers should march up to Washington just like Martin Luther King Jr. and prove our point. We want to be well respected and well paid too!
Amen!!! Just a note to Macbeth25... here in North Carolina, the Teacher's Aide or Teacher's Assistant and a Shadow are two different things. I am paid on the assistant pay scale but the "title" of shadow is considered to be a classified employee. According to our human resources department, classified employees are un-instructional employees, such as cafeteria workers, custodians, etc. So, I don't even "qualify" as any kind of teacher. Boy, I feel appreciated! The class that I am in, has a teacher and an assistant teacher. I can help the other children, as an assistant, but my primary reason for being there is to be with my student only. Crystal
here is a twist...I direct a child care center and act as the preschool teacher. You want to talk about disrespect and such? Wow! Some of the parents that we come across imply that we are not educated...EXCUSE ME??? ALL of my staff members have at least an associates or are working towards the CDA (Child Development Associates Credential) I constantly hear that we just babysit, or that we have the best job because all we have to do is play with the kids...not so much. As mentioned, I am also the preschool teacher. I doubled up my job because i didn't go to school for education and psychology to not work with children. I do twice the work that I would do if I were just the director, and get paid the same. I love working with the kids, and if I had to only do all the paperwork associated with directing a child care center, i would never stay in this job. How frustrating. My boss, of all people, doesn't even value my education! We have another center and the director of the other center has an ASSOCIATES DEGREE, and gets paid more than I do!!! I have well over twice the education that she does, and do twice the work, but that doesn't matter. My prechoolers are so intelligent! We spend a lot of time with kindergarten readiness, and they are all doing well. Parents and other teachers even think that child care workers are nothing. Who watches their children while they are at work? WE DO!! Who does activities with their infants and toddlers, preschoolers and the school age kids before and after school? WE DO! Who gets the kids ready for kindergarten? WE DO! Ok, sorry, but in my area, there is a lot of disdain for child care workers. Truth be told, I wouldn't want one of their jobs if they offered, because I don't have much respect for the public school administrators around here! So frustrating! Bethany
Bethany, I worked in childcare for five years before working in the public school system. I feel your pain! Here in North Carolina the perception of childcare teachers is just as bad! Hopefully childcare teachers will get the respect they deserve one day!! I think people sometimes forget that not all children are coming from a home where parents have (or have taken the time) to teach them. The standards are so high for Kindergardeners now. Where do people think they get the "knowledge" to go into public school from? Kindergardeners are now working on curriculums that used to be first grade. After working all day, most parents only have time to feed their children supper, give them a bath and then it's close to bedtime. Childcare workers are a child's second teacher... with the parents being first and the school system being third! Everyone in the educational "triangle" needs to be appreciated. They are the ones creating the future. Without a teacher (professional or parent) who do children have to imitate and role model from? Childcare teachers need to have more respect and benefits for choosing their profession... because they don't choose it to "play all day" and it surely ain't for the money! Crystal
I work as a Pre School teacher in a private family daycare facility. I find that the parents do respect what I do and have many positive comments...such as, "You have my respect for doing what you do," "I could never do what you do," many thank you's at the end of the day from parents as they pick up their children(I have 13),and lovely cards and notes from a few parents.This is quite common where I work. There are always those few people on the "outside" who say things like, "How is babysitting going?" (My dumb father-in-law)...I don't give people like that a second thought because they are so dumb. Our program is in direct competition(if you will) with the schools new Pre School Program(half day.) Now THERE is the sore spot. They do far less with the children because they only have them a couple of hours a day, just long enough to be bused there, eat, poop, and read a story ... but the PARENTS think it such a necessary place to send their child because after all, it is THE SCHOOL!!!! So, whatever. It doesn't take them long to figure out my program is superior.Where I work, we all do lesson plans, and we know those kids inside and out because we have had many of them since they were born. I focus on educating the parents.I send them weekly letters about what we are doing. My room and the classrooms throughout the center are like walking into a magical world...full of color and magical decor...over- flowing with flowers and fabric and silky play dresses...tubs of sand with seashells and dinosaurs waiting to play, orchestra music floating through the air making the kids smile and laugh and tumble with fun, staff greeting parents with smiles and talking with them about the day, etc. There is no way to make many people understand what our jobs entail...because most people don't understand our need to GIVE of ourselves to the children. They are too busy being stuck on themselves and what they can do for themselves to understand what our world is...so if you really want to get a rise out of someone who is being so unkind about your profession, consider telling them that!(or maybe NOT!)
I DO hang my diploma on my wall along with my teaching certificate as many of my co workers do. You CAN do it, you just have to chose to.
Crystal, thank you for the uplifting words. You are so right...it ain't for the money!!! But when the day is done, despite all the frustrations that sometimes come up, I love my job! I love the children and their families (yes, even the difficult parents!) I also hang my diplomas on the wall...I feel entitled! Afterall, I didn't put myself into debt for nothing! Grammy teacher, it sounds like your parents are certainly appreciative! That's great! Of course, not all of the parents at my center are unappreciative, or belittle us, but I get the feeling, by and large, that we aren't very respected! For example, we closed for a snowday a couple weeks ago, because we got 10.5 inches of snow, plus freezing rain on top of it. Some of the parents were so angry, they left voicemail messages yelling at us, then had to call again to finish after the voicemail cut them off! 10.5 inches of snow and freezing rain on top of it made most secondary roads impassable. The snowplows finally caught up with the mess and cleared the roads around 2:00 or so, and we still had parents calling to complain. Come on! Schools close at far less messy roads and such, and we had to think of the safety of our employees, and the parents dropping kids off. There were some who completely understood, but like I said, most felt like no matter what, we should always be there, like we are always at their disposal. My center is prodominately a preschool, a learning program based on play,but still a preschool. We couldn't properly carry out our day without half of the staff members there. There are some parents who have said that they respect us or that they couldn't do what we do, and that is nice. It just seems like it is harder to shake off the negative comments! Oh well...the job is still worth it! I get to spend 9 hours a day with the same kids and employees, and I love that part of it! Like I said, though, I hang my diplomas....I earned it!!
Grammy Teacher, you sound like my kinda lady! I see your dedication shining right through my computer screen! Your words speak nothing but the truth! I've have gradually learned that I alone have to choose to be happy with my profession... even if no one else is. All it takes, for me, are those few parents that make it known that they appreciate all I do for their children. As a teacher without children of my own... I put every bit of my heart and soul into each one of my students and always have. My husband says that I sometimes put too much in, but how can I not. That is my job and I love my job... Crystal
