Let’s honor, not denigrate, our teachers
I am so sick and tired of teacher bashing. Don’t people realize that our teachers are doing the most important job in the country — educating and taking care of our children and preparing them for the future? I can’t stand to hear the same lame cliches, such as “they get summers off,” “they don’t work a full day,” “I’d like to make what they’re making.” How inexcusable that in this day and age, some people still resort to using those derogatory comments.
First, almost all teachers I know get to their classrooms early and stay late to try to give themselves time to plan, time they don’t get during regular school hours. They usually wind up working at least 10-hour days. Then, they use their evenings to do more planning, grading papers, etc., to put themselves in the best position possible to have a productive day the next day.
And don’t get me started as far as what they get paid — most of these extraordinary, educated, talented teachers could certainly earn quite a bit more in the private sector if they would choose to do so. But they don’t; they are dedicated to seeing that our most precious commodity, our children, receive the best education and start in life that is possible.
Let’s start celebrating teachers instead of denigrating them. All of you out there who think that you could do just as good a job, feel free to try it some time, keep order in a classroom, teach, and inspire 25 to 30 disparate children all with their own special needs and individual learning requirements, in addition to attending the daily staff meetings and more. Great job teachers — you are fantastic! And if you can read this, thank a teacher.
Bill E
Arlington Heights
Copyright © 2012 Paddock Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
