If there's anything I've learned about the teaching profession throughout my years majoring in education, it's that teachers are not appreciated. Some parents consider them to be glorified babysitters, while others believe that teachers do not actually care about the students and are in it "for the money and the time off." I currently work at Target, so I get to see first hand how some parents react to their children's school supply lists. Just last week, a parent said to their significant other, "He doesn't need all of this !#@?, the teacher already has it." The family left without getting so much as a pencil. Difficult parents, unhelpful school budgets, and stubborn students make the profession seem like it isn't worth it; but teachers aren't in it for the money (which is usually less than jobs with less strenuous work), or the vacations (which are usually spent doing work related tasks). Teachers are in it for reasons that go beyond pieces of paper and a day at the beach.
When I'm a teacher, I'll give you a school supply list for your first grader. You'll complain about buying the Crayola crayons instead of the store brand and ask why your child needs the folder with pockets instead of the cheaper ones. I'll be at the store too, buying all of the 50 cent Crayola crayons I can fit into my basket so that when that inevitable moment comes where a student has broken every single blue in the box, I'll be there with a brand new one. And some magic erasers too, because the washable ones are $1.47 and I just can't swing that.
When I'm a teacher, you'll pick your child up from the last day of school. You'll tell me to have a great summer, and to enjoy my vacation. You'll tell me you wish you had gone into teaching because it would be great to have three months paid vacation. I'll smile and tell you "sure, I will," and I'll go home to try and decompress after the long day. I'll spend some of my Summer doing fun Summer things, but I'll also spend it buying classroom supplies whenever a sale comes up, going over lessons from the year before and deciding what works and what doesn't, attend professional development to keep myself current, and prepare my classroom for a new crop of students.
When I'm a teacher, you'll comment on that Facebook post about teachers going on strike because their students have to go to school where they have little heat in the winter, old technology if any, and leaks in classrooms. You'll say, "teachers are overpaid anyway, all they do is play with kids all day and take vacations all summer." I'll read the post, and know you're wrong, but I won't comment. I'll go back to grading homework off the clock and get to bed early to be there an hour (maybe two) before school opens, because I want your child to have the best education I can give them.
When I'm a teacher, I'll be happy. I'll know that I'm in the profession where I belong. I belong cleaning up broken crayons and writing on the white board. I belong handing over tissues during cold season and making my students laugh and reminding them over and over and over again to please use their walking feet and their inside voices. You won't understand, but that's okay. I can't explain why there is nothing I'd rather do than teach, but when I'm a teacher, it'll feel like home.
