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Ask any teacher the worst part of their job. Less than 5% will say 'the kids'. Non-educators can moan and groan saying things like, "I don't know how you do it" and "No way could I deal with bad kids all day". You're definitely right. YOU couldn't deal with kids all day--so you don't. However, those of us that choose to be teachers knew we would deal with kids all day. We knew that some of them would not be as good as others. We did NOT know, however, how much other crazy stuff we would deal with on a daily basis. If you are entering the teaching profession, especially in a low-income, inner-city school, here are some circumstances you are likely to face.
Before their first job, most teachers do not know they will be…
- Disrespected, in some form or fashion, every day.
- Expected to give up my time, for NO pay..."because it's for the kids"
- Expected to plan every family and personal event around the school calendar because ‘they get all that time off'.
- Possibly docked in pay if I sign in one minute past the expected arrival time.
- Unable to use planning time to plan and grade papers.
- Dealing with endless policies created by people far removed from the classroom.
- Sitting through hours upon hours of pointless meetings that have absolutely no tangible effect on enhancing education for students.
These conditions are the norm in many inner-city schools around the country. The teachers who don't completely lose their passion often leave for schools that promise better conditions. The students who benefit the most from the structure and consistency a school can provide, often don’t have that. Such conditions contribute to the large numbers of teachers who leave within the first few years of teaching. See next week’s post, How Teachers Rebel, to learn how those teachers that remain in the classroom often resort to other ways of dealing with the stressful conditions of the workplace.
What do you wish you would have known BEFORE you entered the classroom?
Nothing could have prepared me for this! I've been doing this for 20 years and nothing 20 years ago could ever have prepared me for this! I am ready to get out!
Exactly. I used to be very impressed with teachers that were in for 20 or 30 years. Now, I'm impressed when someone says they have been teaching for 10 years. It's unfortunate.
Never was paper load addressed with us in our education classes.... teaching English, by nature, produces many time intensive written responses. As such, grading is laborious. Also, nobody warned me that I would worry about my students long after they left my classroom.
English teacher,
I completely agree. There are so many things I wish I would have known!
I never realized until I was in the classroom that your kids become *your* kids in so many ways- coming to you for help and advice, crying when they break up with significant others, or calling you when they're thinking about suicide. It's awesome, but often scary.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm a newbie in most respects (year four, up for tenure) and there are many days that I would rather just quit this whole evaluation process and find something else to do. I can spend ten to fifteen hours planning a two week unit for my students and not feel like I wasted any time, but whenever I sit down to prep an evaluation form I feel like the entire time is wasted. (why are they six pages?!)
The good 'ol boys club still does exist. You have to document contacts each time you speak with a parent, and often other teachers-when, how, and a little note about what you spoke about to CYA. This has saved my @ss several times. Recently, for evaluations, WE as teachers have to provide the proof/materials for the evaluation process to show we are doing a good job. This process is very time and labor intensive. (in Michigan.) As a special educator, not only do I have to teach classes, a job in itself, but do the whole other job of managing a caseload (there is a long list of what it means to 'manage a caseload'), documenting goal progress for students and planning and running annual meetings for 22 students. If you are a special educator, you will be doing at least two jobs. You will (not a surprise here) have to buy supplies for your classroom out of your own pocket. You will probably not have working equipment in your building ie copiers, computers, and other technology that you think is essential to do your job. This is my 16th year. I am applying for jobs outside of education. Like it is stated..it is not the kids, for the most part, though that aspect has gotten worse (decrease in basic ability to have any respect for their fellow human beings, much less adults/teachers..and their parents..well..it's easy to see why the students are the way they are...) but as the holder of a M.A. I feel I can contribute to society by volunteering while holding another job.