If you're anything like me, I'm sure you're tired of hearing the typical comments from everyone who has no clue what we actually do. And you're also completely over explaining yourself.
Sometimes we can't help but just smile, nod, and listen while they think they are changing our life, with the speech we've heard a million times (We get tons of practice with this move from the snide comments we get from your kids). But we're actually just thinking about how funny this will be when we rant to our education friends later.
And if you aren't an education major, you can save your time if you're about to make one of these 10 comments.
1. "Awe that's soooo cute!"
As if I don't get that every.single.time I tell someone what I'm going to college for.
By the way, your biology major is just down right adorable.
2. "So you just babysit kids all day, right?"
Yeah of course! Because the thousands of lesson plans and tons of money spent on resources are just for fun. We would totally rather spend alllllll of our money and time so we can just "babysit".
3. "That must be such an easy major! You just play all day long!"
So much free time! With all of the lesson plans, observation hours, presentations, posters, PowerPoints, resume builders, candidacy, portfolios, standardized tests, and maybe even a part time job. But yeah, no it's super easy we totally don't do anything. At all. Ever.
4. "I could never be a teacher!"
And I could never be an engineer. That's why I'm going for education and you're not. Isn't that how this works?
5. "But teachers don't make any money"
Honestly, there isn't a single education major who hasn't already heard this. We would much rather love what we do and work with kids. We generally aren't in it for the money. But even if we are, or have other plans with this degree, we've heard the speech a thousand times. Save your breath.
Kid's are great, that's why we love working with them. But that doesn't make them "easy" to deal with. You try pulling screaming children apart, chasing them around, helping them with homework, telling them to "keep your hands to yourself!" or "get that out of your mouth!" all while plastering a huge smile on your face and trying to stay calm.
And that's just during their 15 minute morning recess.
7. "Those who can, do; and those who can't, teach"
Oh wait, I'm sorry, didn't you just get done saying you couldn't ever be a teacher?
I really don't understand this one. Do they seriously think we can print out our certificate from google and be automatically qualified to teach? They act as if it's just a "back up plan" to declare candidacy, put together portfolios, do observation hours, student teach, take countless standardized tests, and every other obstacle there is to actually becoming a teacher.
8. "But I thought you were smarter than that"
You're right, I am smart. Maybe you just didn't realize that if you want to get your certification, or even take higher level classes, you have to keep a 3.0 GPA all while going above and beyond so you can build your portfolio which you need in order to graduate.
Wouldn't you want your children being taught by someone who is smart? Isn't that how children grow and learn? It should be a great thing to have intelligent students in this major. You should be praising them, not putting them down.
I could go on about this one for hours, but I think you get the point.
9. "You're never going to find a job!"
Finding a job can be hard for literally anyone graduating from college in my generation. Yes I know what I'll make. Yes I know where I should and shouldn't teach. Yes I know there are tons of other "better" jobs working with kids.
Yes I am positive I want to be a teacher.
10. "You look like a teacher!"
Wait, actually no, we love hearing this. This might be one of our favorite things to hear. We love what we do and looking like the cute teachers we idol is always a great way to give us confidence.
