Are teachers a dying breed? Or just mistreated by the media?
By Christine Schalich
Hiring teachers in 2022 be like…
What are we trying to convey here? How are you “reading” this?
All kidding aside…
Why would anyone want to become a teacher under the circumstances that current teachers are put under?
Is it because we as teachers believe in a world where everyone matters and we want to change the way things are?
Or my favorite “you’re a teacher because you want holidays and summers off”.
Whatever your “why” is, you have to be thinking how has teaching become so far from what it used to be?
Teaching is an art form. Whether you are the traditional; teaching using only the hardcover book with pencil and paper. Or the technologically advanced:using a link to your online reminder app for students' homework and an Instagram page where your class portfolio highlights students' achievements and work. Or you are somewhere in between you have to be thinking some of these things are not what I signed up for.
As stated in Critical Media Project on Why Identity Matters,
Identity is a socially and historically constructed concept. We learn about our own identity and the identity of others through interactions with family, peers, organizations, institutions, media and other connections we make in our everyday life.
What is the media saying?
Take a look at these videos:
SPED teacher was fired for Drinking
Eddie B. is a social media influencer that has “established himself as the official voice of teachers across the globe.”
This is just one of his many Reels that he posts about the teacher-life that is plastered all over media and social media. He gets to say things that teachers may want to say but know they can’t, but this is just one of them.
These narratives push a certain image of the modern day teacher. Now this is only one case where a teacher was fired due to inappropriate behavior, but when you actually look into the real story it seems a little different.
But I will let you do your own digging on the story…
The media is pushing a socially constructed idea of what teachers can be like. We, teachers, are real people with real-life problems. I have no idea what her story actually was but the media has now constructed an image of what some teachers can be like.
Here’s another example,
Payroll is Messing up their Paychecks
Now what is the public “reading” with this headline?
To me, it seems teachers must do their jobs no matter what the consequences, even if it means that you won’t get paid for months.
Almost sub-human.
In some contracts it’s written that we cannot strike. Teachers have families and bills just like everyone else. Why is it that teachers seem to be this other breed of human? We are held to different standards.
Yes. We take care of the youth.
Yes.
I said “take care of” because gone are the days that we are expected to just teach content.
We take care of all of their needs.
Teaching kids how to wipe their butts.
Teaching kids how to regulate their emotions.
Teaching kids proper behavior and manners.
What happened to teaching letters, phonics, and the Laws of Gravity?
Then, what kind of teacher are you viewed as if you don’t do all of these things AND leave at contracted time.
Teacher GUILT!
The media and social media has done a disservice to the teaching profession and we are bearing the consequences. But we know it’s worth it in the end.
How have you been trained to feel guilty in the teaching profession?
Disclaimer: I do not have any rights to the videos or pictures on this page.
One, I loved this blog. Great job! Secondly, I agree with all your points. Teachers, we are held to a higher standard and honestly it isn't that we're getting worse but sometimes I think the "new" generation of parents have gotten worse. HAs COVID just made us lazy?! It isn't the teachers job to teach basic things to a younger student, that is up for the parents. Our job is to educate, it always has been. I know our world changes daily, but sometimes I ask myself, "are teachers being asked to do more than what we signed up for?"
ReplyDeleteWow, this was so well said! Teachers are put under more and more pressure everyday. We are such "yes men/women" to everything we do in regards to our students and no matter how much we provide or attempt to teach it isn't enough. Somehow we are blamed when students make mistakes and fall behind academically but when you look at the laundry list of things teachers are expected to do who can blame us? There is only so much time in the day to achieve all the academic criteria but now we also have to add in teaching students how to be human (SEL, executive functioning skills, etc.) I learned quickly that we get done what we can and when the bell rings at the end of the day I leave work at work, because if we can't do that we'll burn out quicker then we already are.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think it is both! Yes, we are a dying breed. And yes, we are mistreated by the media.
ReplyDeleteThat's been made very clear to me this year, when I was asked to teach two additional classes because there was just nobody accepting teaching jobs at my school, heck the entire district for that matter! We lost teachers in droves these past two years or so. They are either leaving the field entirely, retiring, or going to other districts probably in hopes of better working conditions. Sadly, I don't think they'll find it. I can go down a rabbit hole here! This is my 19th year teaching, and so much has changed since I started. The lack of respect from parents, students and administration has been ten fold. The work load, which is primarily paperwork as a special educator, is daunting. We are so worried about crossing our "T's" and dotting our "I's" that the real reason we are here gets lost. It's not only the student's that suffer, it's the teachers that suffer too. Student accountability has been sorrowfully lost, and this I feel, has much to do with parents. Many parents enable their children and blame the teachers for a poor grade. Instead of asking their child why or how they "earned" the poor grade, it is "why did you give my child that poor grade?". It is also not often that you hear of a positive account of teacher action in the media, yet there is plenty out there about the few that have made poor choices. Many have criticized us for hiding behind the protection of the Teacher's Union, and taking advantage of tenure. There are bad apples in every field. There are so many that are in the trenches working just as hard if not harder than when they first started, and it's not for fame, or glory, and it certainly is not for that paycheck!
I loved this blog! The video clips were pretty funny and worrying at the same time. There is always so much commentary out there about the teaching profession. Other professions do not experience the same judgement and scrutiny that we do. I've always felt like teachers don't receive the same respect and trust as other professions. Why are we always micromanaged and not treated like the highly educated and trained people that we are?! I recognize that yes there are teachers who are not dedicated and do the minimum necessary but that has always been the exception not the rule where I taught. I had the pleasure of working with some truly exceptional educators who always put their students first. It is a shame to lump all teachers into the same group and make wide generalizations. I've seen other similar videos online that are supposed to be funny posted by educators but it just feeds into the same negative commentary. I'm not sure how to turn the tables, but something has to change....
ReplyDeleteOh. My. Gosh! Yes! the micromanagement drives me CRAZY!! I am a professional. Let me do my job and if I'm not doing it up to par then tell me, but otherwise leave me alone!
DeleteI love this! Such an interesting and important topic to think about. I agree with Dana in the sense that teacher's aren't seen with the same sort of respect as other professionals are. There is so much happening and so much changing within the education system and teachers are expected to take a very heavy load in the process. Something you said that really stuck out to me was your emphasis on teachers taking care of kids. Not many people, who aren't teachers or who don't know teachers, realize the amount of work teachers do within the day. They don't just teach academic content, but they are also working as counselors and social workers when dealing with student mental and physical health along with their academic wellbeing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that teachers are completely under appreciated. The idea too that teachers should be payed less because they get summers and holidays off always baffles me because every teacher I know has a summer job of some kind. I also hate the notion that teachers are heroes because it puts us up on an unstable pedestal. I honestly don't want to be a hero who is sacrificing themself for the betterment of students. This doesn't mean I don't love working with kids and seeing them learn and grow, or that I don't take pride in seeing them do so, but I also would like a life outside of school. For other jobs that doesn't seem to be a problem, so why is it for a teacher?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Christine! To answer your question, something that has been pushed on social media and is causing teacher guilt is the idea of an "aesthetic classroom." I frequently see pictures of classrooms that look beautiful.They use neutral colors, have trendy posters, and are neatly organized. As someone who is not yet teaching, but is hoping to in the next year or so, that is extremely stressful to think about. I know I won't have the funds to create such a pretty classroom in my first year. It also makes me wonder how it even benefits student learning? It may look nice, but are the cute posters helping them succeed in the classroom? Can students read them or are they designed in a way that makes it hard for young students to read? There's a pressure that is placed on teachers to be perfect and to be a guiding example to all students.
ReplyDelete