As an elementary education major, there are certain stereotypes and stigmas that you become associated with. It is very hard to see someone openly criticize the major you are extremely passionate about and are currently pursuing. It makes me wonder how a career that has been around for so many years could be constantly degraded. It is really sad to see your future career being torn apart and criticized. I have had enough of the negativity.
On behalf of my elementary ed majors, here are five things we always hate hearing:
1. "You have the easiest classes, I should have chosen education."
Maybe lesson planning or a project on butterflies seems easy to you, but would you be able to explain it to 30 children while half are asking a million questions and the other half are falling out of their chairs? There is not one derivative that can help you out of that. So yes, maybe we do not have as much homework as you, but we still do actual work. We are just learning different information than you, that's all.
2. "Those who can, do, and those who can't, teach."
Many of my classmates were in the top of their class and had excellent SAT scores. So this statement is totally irrelevant. We could have been doctors, engineers, or lawyers, but we chose teaching because it was our passion. I honestly could not see myself in any other profession. So I beg of you to stop telling us we are wasting our potential, because we are not. Don't you want your children to be taught by someone who is smart and knows what they are doing?
3. "You know you won't make any money."
WE KNOW! If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I could double the amount of money I will make my first year of teaching (see, I can make jokes about my future income, too). We are not in it for the money, we are in it to teach the future. We enjoy the moment a kid actually gets "it." Sure, I would like to make more money, but it is not the motivating factor for me.
4. "You are just a professional babysitter."
Please, please, please don't call us babysitters! We are so much more than that. While babysitting is all about watching kids and entertaining them, teaching is more about watching students learn over the course of the year. A teacher must teach her students so that everyone understands, not just the super smart kid. We do have fun and take care of kids, but we also get to give them the gift of knowledge.
5. "You need to get out of education and find a real career."
I have had so many people try to tell me to change my major, even complete strangers. One used to be a teacher, but hated it and now is a nurse. Sometimes it will get to you, the constant negativity. That's when I remember why I picked teaching, it is because i love it. On behalf of elementary ed majors, please stop this nonsense now. How would you feel if people were always telling you to change majors? It stinks. We chose this, so just try to say something nice about teachers. If you can't do that, smile and change the subject, we would really appreciate it.
We are the teachers who will be teaching your children or grandchildren. Don't you want them to receive a great education? We are the ones who guide the future doctors, lawyers, and presidents to become all that they can be and to reach for the stars. As kids, we always are told to follow our dreams. Since when are we not allowed to have dreams of being a teacher? We know the advantages and disadvantages of our future profession. We would just like for people to appreciate us, instead of trying to change our dreams.
Finally, to all the Elementary Ed majors who hear these phrases all the time:
We are in this together!
