In America, many people (including myself) feel that teachers don't get enough credit for what they do. On the surface, it seems like all teachers do is stand in front of a classroom and talk about whatever they want their students to learn. However, that is far from the truth. Teaching is a rewarding job, but it is also full of stress, challenges, and restrictions. Too many people underestimate the job of a teacher and how hard they really work.
Being the daughter of a teacher, I know all of the behind the scenes of a teacher's life. They stay up late making lesson plans, trying to think of new and creative ways to teach while still following the guidelines created for them by the state. Then they must wake up early to get to the school, grab their mail, go to their classrooms, and get everything ready for the day. In between their classes, you can find them grading papers, sending emails, attending meetings, helping students, and getting ready for whatever life throws at them next. Contrary to what many may believe, a teacher's job does not stop once the final school bell rings. They are required to attend meetings and workshops, as well as prepare for tomorrow's lessons and activities.
Most of the extra things that teachers do outside of the classroom aren't paid, either. Most teachers aren't paid enough for all of the papers they grade and time and effort they put into their lessons and activities. Some of the districts (at least in New Jersey) that have the best performing students also underpay their teachers. In some parts of the state, new teachers make more than teachers who have been in the same district for over ten years. In fact, many teachers in America have to work a second job in order to make ends meet. To put things in perspective, here is a video in which teachers in America are compared to those in Finland.
Teaching isn't how it used to be, where teachers were trusted that they were doing their jobs correctly. Now, the American education system demands that teachers' skills be measured by several different evaluations and their Student Growth Assessments (SGOs). Not only this, but since there are more standardized tests than ever to assess every students' knowledge, teachers are constantly teaching to prepare their kids for these tests, as well as teaching for the Common Core.
But wait--there's more. The state is always changing ways in which teachers are to teach. Recently, teachers have been told that putting students into groups and having them go around the classroom and do different activities is the best method for a student to learn, while the teacher is sitting at their desk and not actually teaching. Don't get me wrong, group work is great for applying knowledge and analyzing content after students have learned the main lesson. So if a teacher is watching his or her students do group activities, they will receive a "distinguished" on their evaluation, which is the best rating a teacher can get. But I guess lawmakers and the state government knows the best way for students to learn and teachers don't.
It's no secret that the American education system needs work. But the least we could do is show our teachers that we appreciate them, because at the end of the day, teachers work hard for their students. Their students are the ones who make their jobs worthwhile. All I can hope for is that future educators (like myself) aren't afraid to change their student's lives in the classroom and make education fun in spite of all the challenges they will be given as a teacher in America.
