Ramblings of A Lost Teacher & Thank You Teachers

I have been absent from this little blog for far too long because I have seem to have lost the magic.
You know the kind that inspires you as a teacher.
The kind that gives you the strength to stay up late into the night to plan, create, followed by printing, laminating and cutting an activity or lesson you know will impact your students learning far better than what you were handed in a book. After all you are the teacher and know how to help your students best.

Yeah mine has been gone. Beatin' out of me by the overwhelming day-to-day events that keep springing up that I have absolutely no control over, but yet need to deal with because once again I am a teacher. It's part of my job.

Somedays I wonder if it will ever change. Most days I have the hope that it will.

I found this article going around this weekend. I let out a cheer! Yes she nailed it! 10s across the board!

Then I saw the comments and all that good feeling was gone.  For the first time ever I wanted to comment to a negative commenter that they were part of the problem. Instead of adding to the negativity I decided to write here.

Here's some facts from what I know about being a teacher, talking, emailing and communicating with other teachers:

What We Do? It varies day to day. We aren't quite sure every morning we arrive at school. Yes we have a plan, but nothing ever goes as planned. We don't know if we have to be a counselor, act like a loving parent, be a meditator, staff member, mentor, be a liason between the school and parent, spend the day testing, some more time managing the classroom as students are super excited about something, listener, supporter,  work on mountains of paper work, repairman to a copier, computer, printer, backpack, projector, locker, pencil sharpener, jewelry, a toy, coat, book or someone's feelings, or if we actually get to teach. Usually it is a combination of most or all of the previous tasks.

Lazy? On a weekly basis I can guarantee teachers have to miss out on family time, dinners, seeing friends, their own child's games or meetings. They usually don't have time to cook a proper meal unless they planned well in advanced. I can also guarantee most teachers have gone to work sick because it is more work to be sick than it is to suck it up and go to work.

Summer breaks? Oh, you mean those days where we create new activities, lesson plans, organization systems, work on curriculum, complete projects, professional development, meetings, college courses, papers but can still fit in a a trip to the beach during the day. Maybe I am overgeneralizing but the ones who truly belong in this profession didn't chose it because of summer breaks.

Overpaided? Yes I know there are some. I have been in the teaching world for the past eight years in different areas around the state. I have yet to find one. I know those who spend hundreds of dollars of their own money on their students or materials they need for their classroom. I know those who completely paid for their additional courses and Master programs because their schools offered no financial support even though those courses and training were required for them to stay licensed and keep their jobs. I also know I could make more money working my summer jobs with less hours than I do as a teacher. Yet I am a teacher.

Those 8-3:30 workdays? If I ever have the power to actually leave school and leave all thoughts of my job, students, my school to-do list at school it would be a dream. Doesn't happen. Ask my friends, boyfriend, or family I can be found discussing and figuring out issues on a Saturday night, grading papers at any hour of any day. Sunday Fundays are planning days in a teacher's world.

What I do know is those teachers, the ones meant for this profession, (yes I know there are bad teachers out there) need RESPECT. More that anything respect is what we need. We spent years being educated to get a classroom. Once we get one we start a whole new education that doesn't stop until we say a final goodbye to our students and classrooms. We play a large part in shaping the future of our communities and country. Please respect us as we do that.

Thank you to all you amazing teachers who have helped to keep me going these last couple months! You are truly inspiring not only to your students but your fellow teachers. I know because I am one of them!