Fair warning: This article is full of sarcasm.
Being a teacher is rewarding. It's worthwhile. It's inspiring and tough and emotional and us education majors receive a lot of criticism. For one reason or another, people tend to poke fun at our major, and these are just some of the things we're sick of hearing.
1. You're not going to make any money.
This one really gets me. All I can do when someone says this to me is stare blankly at them. I had no idea I wasn’t going to be a millionaire by teaching. I’ve been deceived my entire life.
2. So you're getting paid to babysit someone else's kids all day?
No, I am not. I am not a babysitter. I am an educator. I am responsible for more than watching them and making sure they’re taken care of while in my care. I’m responsible for their emotional and social development while they are in my class. I’m responsible for how much they learn. What they take away from my class. I’m not here to tell them to stop running around the house and occasionally taking them to sports practice.
3. I hate kids.
Great. That’s why I’m the teacher and you aren’t.
4. So you're going to get to color and play all day?
Sure, teaching kindergarten will include arts and crafts. Who doesn’t enjoy those? They make learning fun and get the kids engaged. But it also includes learning the fundamentals of language, math, and other subjects that kids will carry with them throughout the rest of their educational career.
5. Why don't you choose something more challenging?
You think teaching isn’t challenging? You think classroom management is a walk in the park? Okay. Let’s bring 20 kindergartners to your house and see how well you control them and keep them all engaged for the duration of the day. Teaching is tough; there has to be a balance. You can’t leave students behind who are struggling to understand, but you also can’t hold back those who excel. Finding that middle ground where everyone benefits is key and can be quite difficult.
6. I bet you're happy you're going to get summers off.
Summers off? If I have summers “off” then who is going to write the curriculum for the next school year? Who is going to plan my classroom setup and decorate it when the time comes? Who is going to read all of the professional texts and coursework? Surely not me, because I “have summers off,” remember?
7. I hate school. Why do you want to spend the rest of your life in a classroom?
I was always that annoying kid who loved school. I had some amazing teachers who helped me in more ways that I can ever say (Mrs. Sarratt and Mrs. Hanna, I’m looking at y’all.) I loved getting to see all of my friends, and I didn’t even mind the work. I liked learning, and I still do. And I want to instill that love of learning to kids so hopefully they get as much out of education as I have.
8. You know you won't be able to swear, right?
Dang, you got me there.
Whenever someone says this to me, I could not roll my eyes more. Teaching is no stricter on swearing than any other job. Do you think you’ll be able to get away with swearing as an accountant, nurse, or any other job? I’m positive I can contain myself. Thanks for your concern.
9. Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.
This statement is so ignorant it doesn’t even deserve a reply.
