If You Can't Take the Heat

I have a bone to pick with teachers.  

Yes, I realize that I am a teacher, so it seems odd to want to pick a bone with my colleagues, but that’s what I’m doing.  

I know I’ll catch some grief with this too.  Seems to always happen when I finally decide to put my opinion in a blog post.  

I just don’t care.  

As the great philosopher, Swift, says, 

“The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”

Here it goes teacher folks...  

Stop complaining.  Just stop.  

We all get it.  Teaching is hard.  Nobody in their right mind views teachers as working from 8:00-3:00 and having summers off.  We’ve all shared enough blogs, ecards, quotes, etc. saying the exact opposite of that theory.  The public knows your struggle.  

Yes, it’s a pretty low paying job considering.  Yes, we are overworked.  Yes, policies change.  

That’s called life and that’s why it is called work.

I’m pretty sure doctors, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, lawyers, and soldiers all have stress in their jobs.   

Heck, I’m positive people who work at Walmart have stress at their jobs and feel underpaid too.  

We all wish our jobs were easier and we were paid more.  That’s human nature.  (Cue the Michael Jackson song now.)

Here’s the deal folks.  Nobody is making you stay in teaching.  You can quit.  But if you want to, do it and quit writing things about why you might quit.

Or, take the motto we early grade teachers tell our kids when a birthday treat is being handed out.  “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.”  

Now, I am all for a good venting session with my fellow teachers.  I can dish out with the best of them of all the things I think the district, state, and country can and should do better.  Bless my poor husband’s heart while we’re at it.  Goodness knows he gets a lot of the venting that I have to do.  We all do it and it’s far more healthier than holding it inside.  

But at the end of the day, I choose to teach.  I want to teach.  I LOVE to teach.  

Sure, I’m not a fan of every single part about it, but even on the worst of days I love my job.

I get to work before I have to be and stay longer than I have to most days.  That’s my choice.  I could work diligently through my one conference period and even through my lunch,  but I choose to interact with my team.  I want to talk to them about their families at home and what is happening in their life.  Does that take my work time away and cause me to stay later?  Yes, but to me it’s my choice and so very worth it.  

Do I work at home after school and on the weekends?  Yes, but it’s because that’s what it takes to be the kind of teacher I want to be.  Nobody is forcing me to - again, it is my choice.  

Show me a lawyer that doesn’t put in overtime on a case.  Show me a shop owner who doesn't spend hours trying to make things just right.  Show me someone who truly leaves work at work.  Great professionals just don’t do that.  Some just do it better than others.

Do I have to learn new technology and programs every year?  Yes, and that can get frustrating.  But aren’t we glad things continue to move forward?  I for one am glad that people decided to learn new technology so that we aren’t trying to fly in rickety old airplanes.  The fact that I’m typing this right now is because someone took the time to learn new technology.  Growing pains are necessary.  Nobody said they were fun.  

The bottom line is this.  Teaching is a job that I choose.  I choose to take the low pay, the long hours, and the endless paperwork.  I do it for so many reasons, but the main reason is for each and every one of those kiddos that come through my door every single day.  

So teacher, if you can’t take the heat, get out of the classroom.  

Also, please get out before my daughter ends up in your class.  

For the love teachers - stop complaining about how hard your job is.  If it’s something that needs reform - go after it.  Be the change.  If it’s something that can’t be helped, think about changing your attitude.  Stop posting about why you and your friends want to quit teaching.  

I’m sure there are plenty of passionate men and women chomping at the bit to get into your classroom and start making a difference.  

Now....back to my lesson plans.  Well, right after I read my daughter a bedtime story.