Ever since I was old enough to put thought into my future career, I have wanted to become a teacher. It feels as if it is more than a career for me—It is a calling. However, as I express to established public educators my dream of becoming “like them,” many of them discourage me. The common trend amongst those educators who suggest I choose a separate career path is that they adore the kids and love the impact they have the privilege to make, but the lack of appreciation and stakes at which their accountability is measured has become far too suffocating in the profession that they “used to” love. Educator discontent and lack of autonomy is devastating to current and future teachers, as well as America’s education system as a whole.

On several occasions, I have stumbled upon a meme that an abundant amount of teachers have been sharing. The meme is titled “Public School Teacher” and it includes images depicting what opposing groups of people assume teachers “do” with their time. The most striking image contains the caption “What society thinks I do” with an entire room of students, along with the teacher, snoozing on their desks. In contrast, a picture with the inscription “What I think I do” reveals a teacher encouraging a crowd of smiling students. The last image is titled “What I really do” and portrays a teacher surrounded by piles of paperwork and pulling at her hair in frustration. It is clear that all three images are incompatible with each other. The fact that the public assumes a teacher has the ability to be lazy all day has led to systems in which teachers must fill out regulated paperwork for each and every plan of action in order to measure their own progress and accountability. In this twisted arrangement, the image that is ignored is the one in which students receive sufficient instruction and assistance in growth. It is obvious that due to a false outside interpretation of what the teaching profession is, students’ productivity as well as teachers’ sanity is disturbed in the process of extensive accountability practices and distrust.

I am only studying to become a teacher and my father is already uneasy about my career choice. He respects and loves my motivation and heart but does not want to see me become burned out like so many ex-educators. His main concern is that I will feel under appreciated in the community. Others close to me tell me I am “wasting my brilliant mind by going into the field of education.” While teaching is not detested in America and many parents instruct their children to respect and be thankful for their teachers, that isn't always enough. Why is it that in various other countries teaching is considered the highest esteemed career, but it is not here? Sadly, these concerns cause me to question my future career on the same premises. According to the 2003 New York Teacher of the Year, feeling overloaded and a low salary are just a few reasons why teachers leave the profession. She explains that keeping “qualified, passionate, and hardworking” teachers out of the classroom is detrimental. In an anonymously written essay entitled “Why I Love Teaching—and Why I Had to Leave the Profession,” one former teacher describes her defeated spirit in the classroom:

“Eventually, I just got sick of being in a profession that I felt held no real status in this country. I had countless arguments with other parents – they felt that although there were individuals who worked hard, teachers as a whole were lazy and complained too much. Although I knew the opposite to be true, I didn’t want to be seen as one of those any more. I felt flattened by having to constantly justify why what I did even deserved a wage.”

One student even told this anonymous ex-teacher, “Miss, my dad said to tell you he thinks it’s disgusting that we pay you to have holidays.” Negative parental viewpoints towards teachers are often reflected in the way students treat their teachers. According to American anthropologist, David Graeber, it is possible that society’s attitude towards teachers stems from the growing opinion that rage should be directed against those that get to do meaningful work. Furthermore, the more one’s work benefits other people, the less one is likely to be paid for it. Under this ideology, teachers should be paid less because they are lucky and get to be fulfilled by doing what they love. Graeber argues that teacher critics would certainly notice if teachers disappeared from the world. Some experts believe that this nationwide mentality is causing the loss of the next generation of great teachers.

In the Colonial Era of America, the idea of “in loco parentis” (in place of parents) and educators having a strong influence over children at school, was not taken lightly. Society as a whole admired the benevolent souls willing to take on the job. Where did the disconnect between then and now begin? In the Common School Movement that lasted between 1820 and 1865, education became more accessible to America’s youth than in previous years. The new wave of education was heavily sought after and teachers were taken seriously and trusted as a result of their normal school training. Perhaps educators became less trusted in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, revealing that America’s students were “behind” in the basics. This includes science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as other core knowledge that all students “should” know. The effects of this ego blow and the nationwide “Return to Basics Era” still dictate teacher accountability today.

There are several philosophies of education that teachers cling to. Two of the most popular are “Essentialism” and “Progressivism.” Essentialism is teacher centered and traditional. It assumes the position that the teacher possesses the information that is to be inputted into the minds of students. Scholars must show they have received the information through a series of tests. Progressive classrooms are student centered and focus on the needs and interests in which they formulate through collaboration. Progressive teachers focus on showing students how to think, rather than what to think. Essentialist classrooms are set up in favor of high-stakes testing and the clear end result rather than the learning process. Due to heavy criticism and calls for proof of progress through measured learning, progressive teachers often suppress their convictions to tailor to the classical system society expects. Most teachers want to take their students on a meaningful cognitive journey, but pressure to maintain an essentialist system leaves much unexplored. This allows student success and failure to be pointed to teacher causation.

It makes total sense that parents desire for their children to be placed with efficient teachers. One popular internet meme states, “Teacher Accountability: Your child is assigned to one of the following…The Great Teacher, The Average Teacher, or The Poor Teacher who needs another career. How do you know? How will your child fair?” Parental fear of bad teachers does come from a real place and is certainly justified. The sad reality is, a small percentage of teachers aren't good at what they do. Some of my K-12 teachers fit the mold of a person who chose a career in which they clearly had no real passion for. We must come up with a system to phase those teachers out without aggressively inflicting upon the autonomy of teachers who have a true ability and desire to make a difference in the lives of students.

I will admit—I have had some teachers whose methods did not correlate with my learning style. I dealt with it, received outside help, and passed. If a student sinks below passing level, it does not go unnoticed by teachers or administration. Are there times when students do miss the mark as a result of teacher and scholar miscommunication? Absolutely. Still, teachers should be given the chance to take their students on a journey before judgment is thrown their way. In my public school experience alone, I witnessed so many students claiming to fail a class because the teacher “hated them” or “couldn't teach.” At the same time, they rarely turned in homework and often watched Netflix in place of studying. This may come as a shock, but believe it or not, teachers choose the profession because they want to inspire kids and guide them in learning. They are generally driven by their place in the betterment of society. Paperwork, scrutiny, and hoops they must jump through to be held accountable every second of their day only hinders their ability to do their job and thusly negatively impacts the children more.

Amongst other trends I have recognized is a sarcastic E-card. It humorously declares, “‘I went into teaching for the big salary, short hours, overabundance of resources, and low level of stress’…said no teacher ever…like ever.” It is clear that the creator of this E-card, likely a teacher, feels unappreciated and struggles with his/her own identity as a hardworking teacher who makes sacrifices for the sake of students verses the public opinion that teaching is simply a breeze. In his popular slam poem "What Teachers Make," famous educator Taylor Mali mocks individuals who make accusations such as “Those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach,” and, “A kid can’t learn if he’s being taught by someone who decided their best option in life is to become a teacher.” He then recites a list of the noble acts he engages in for the sake of student development. He not only teaches students content, but also to believe in themselves, be active citizens, follow their hearts, and never let anyone set their limits in life. Educators everywhere spend years of training to gain the ability to complete those tasks efficiently. Can we really blame them for craving proper recognition?

Imagine if the greatest teacher you ever had gave up on teaching because of the way in which society judged him/her. Where would you be now? When I imagine my future students and the thought of going down a separate career path, something inside me feels off. That is because I know teaching is what I am destined to do. Luckily, I will not abandon that drive, but many individuals do so out of fear. This is a great loss to the field of education. America cannot afford to have current educators or cynical commentators discouraging prospective teachers from entering the profession. The goal for a wide-range of respect for teachers in our nation is only attainable if society abandons its recent tendency to undermine teachers. This nation needs superb teachers who are free to communicate with students in the absence of distracting paperwork and lack of gratitude.