Real Appreciation
If you aren’t a teacher then you probably know one. They are feeling worn down as another school year comes to a close. Many are feeling beaten down by added responsibilities and pressures that come from their state, their district, and their campus.
In the interest of full disclosure, I started teaching in 1997. I made $28,000 back then, but that amount of money was more than reasonable for a single guy. I was able to afford an apartment, a car, and have a little bit left over. I am making over $70,000 now. Due to the economy, inflation, and other factors that amount of money ends up coming fairly close in terms of buying power.
What those outside the profession fail to understand is that those of us near the end feel grossly underappreciated just based on the pay. Beginning teachers in our district make well over $50,000. So, my Masters degree, special education stipend, and 25 years of public school experience net me less than $20,000 more than a beginning teacher.
The normal course during these times is to give us some breakfast tacos, nachos, and maybe a jean’s pass. Stores and restaurants around the community give us coupons or special deals. Sure, you might be a highly trained professional, you might spend countless extra hours grading papers and planning lessons, and you might spend hundreds of your own on supplies, so here is a two for one coupon at The Sizzler.
My sarcasm can be biting at times and this shouldn’t be the time for that. Our administration is trying to honor us the best way they know how. Each department is getting students to say something nice about their teachers. I do not officially work in a department like that. So, we are not a part of that. So, I’m paid like a teacher. I have that as my job description. I just don’t get treated like one.
Teachers don’t want a jeans pass. I can wear jeans any day I want. Extra food is nice. Any time I don’t have to pay for my own breakfast or lunch is good. Yet, the real key is when someone is thinking about me without being forced to think about me. I turned 50 this year. It took me guilting one of my colleagues into getting a card. Our campus honors employees of the month. It took a couple of us to guilt them into honoring our department. No one else would nominate any of us for an award like that.
I shouldn’t have to alert you that we are being left out of things. I shouldn’t have to make you feel guilty for not thinking of us in order to get some consideration. It should be given of their own free will. We should be valued and respected as professionals. We should be trusted to do our jobs. We should be valued for our expertise.
In terms of the politics of everything I will just say a couple of things. If you value me and my well-being don’t give me a gun. Don’t ask me to be Wyatt Earp on the open range. I trained to help students read, write, and add. I didn’t become a cop. I didn’t become a soldier. I became a teacher. Secondly, if you want to know what we are teaching your child then ask us. Don’t believe a YouTube video your cousin Larry sent you. Don’t believe some yahoo at some site that has never been in a classroom. We will tell you that CRT isn’t being taught. We will tell you what books are actually being taught. We will tell you what is actually being taught in science classes.
This all goes back to the beginning. Real appreciation happens 52 weeks out of the year. We shouldn’t have to wait until a random week in May before getting appreciated. That goes for every other profession as well.
I was always especially appreciative of the gummy bears that I’d find in my mailbox some mornings. Really picked up my day.
1Teachers deserve far more credit for all they do. Not only should parents ask teachers directly what is taught in the classroom, they might sit in a class with today’s students for an hour. It would be an eye opener for many.
Thank you Nick, for your (hopefully continued) unarmed service.
2I left teaching 14 years ago and retired. The best the admin types at the school where I worked could come up with for Teacher Appreciation week, was a pizza lunch. We were so happy (sarcasm) to know how much we were appreciated for the twelve hour days, many times without lunch or a bathroom break, and for the average of $1,200 plus of our own money we had to spend for our classrooms.
3I chatted with a recently retired teacher. I asked a lot of questions. Is discipline absent as I hav heard? Yes, Classroom discipline in High School is gone. Student interest, other than the top 20%, is low. This is a low income, depressed area of Texas. Small town football is king. Students graduate without any usable life-skills.
Nothing is taught in the classroom that is not reflected on the STAR(sp?) test. This includes Texas Government and Texas History. Should a school performs well on this test, the Superintendent, Asst Superintendent and possibly other administrators. Teachers do not partake of this bonus. No trickle-down. Unsurprisingly, the Superintendent puts a lot of emphasis and pressure on the teachers, and nothing that is not on the test will be taught in their classroom in their district.
Seems to me Texas Legislature has created a pay-to-fail system. Who wrote this Test? Who voted it in? Why’s it the standard? How many experienced teachers were involved in creating this standardized test? (Zero) Why are we dumbing down our future citizens and work force? How much money is allowed by Texas to implement this test each year, and call it educational? Where does Texas rank in higher education placements and employable graduates straight out of high school?
And, teachers are not security guards or disciplinary substitutes for parents. They are wells of knowledge and wish to share with your children. They are teaching because they know the benefits of a solid, well rounded education and how far good behavior/manners can assist in equipping their beloved children a lifetime of change.
4Having a better half who’s a retired teacher, I appreciate you Nick.
There’s always been at least an undercurrent with some folks of the idea that teachers don’t do real work.
“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” It’s Bullshit.
I remember when public education was supposed to be the great equalizer. Providing the bootstraps for those willing to work hard, get an education and pull themselves up.
And for many it was. But that dog just don’t hunt for people who wanna build bigger fortunes by running schools for premium pay, with little oversight, no requirements to accept all students, no minimum standards, and using unqualified teachers getting even lower pay.
Cause that’s a helluva business model right there.
Profit-wise that is.
Notsamuch with the widespread educational results mind you,
But hey, ….. something or other about omelettes and breaking eggs.
Anyhoo, bootstraps are overrated.
They got them slip-on shoes now you don’t even have to pull the heel up with your finger.
And sadly for lots of folks, those last bits of idiotic wannabe witticism are just the ticket for ending the earlier conversation about how and why public education is goin away.
5Anyhoo,