We’ve all heard this phrase, “Those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach”.

Anybody who has gone to school knows this statement to be completely false. Or at least they should know. Unfortunately, however, there are plenty of people who still believe it to be true, and it pains me to see the careers of hard-working people so overlooked.

I am the daughter of a teacher. I have watched my mom work hard to give a good education to hundreds of students in her more than thirty years of teaching. I’ve watched her carefully plan out her lessons, tirelessly consider what’s best for her students, and, time after time, stay at work hours late to help the ones who struggle.

It is true that, just as in any other field, not all teachers are as dedicated as my mother has been. And just like any other kid, I’ve had some teachers I don’t like. But that is no reason to ignore the work of those who are very good at their job, those who impact lives every day.

Teaching is a multi-skill task. In order to teach material, one must first be a master of it. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to teach somebody a concept, but if you have, you know that it takes considerable confidence in that field. In addition to mastery of the material itself, teachers must also have a good understanding of how to teach it effectively. They must cater to their students, considering the weaker ones as well as the stronger ones. To top it all off, a good teacher must gain the respect of a classroom, and find a way to inspire the kids in it.

There are certainly perks to being a teacher. Summer vacation, for instance. It seems this extended vacation is behind many arguments that teachers have an easy time of it. Those who make those arguments, however, overlook the intensive nine months teachers spend hard at work. They overlook the fact that when teachers come home from a long day at work, they often have a pile of essays, tests, or lesson plans still waiting for them there. Relaxing on a school night is hardly feasible.

I think it goes without saying that not just anybody is cut out for this job.

But that’s just it. Not just anybody can do it, which is why not just anybody should choose it. Those who do would probably tell you that it is worth it. True teachers are passionate people, and they don’t choose a career that will bring them a huge paycheck, or a lot of acclaim. But they choose it anyway. And that is not something to sneeze at.