"Oh, I don't do it for the money, I do it because I love my students."
If you are, will be, or know a teacher, there's a good chance you've heard this phrase uttered in some variation. Growing up with my mother and a few aunts and uncles all involved in the education system, this was a common topic of discussion at the dinner table. These remarkable people spend their careers doing everything in their power to ensure that the next generation can be successful. They dedicate their lives to empowering students and teaching the next brain surgeons and Supreme Court Justices. So why don't we value our teachers just as much as we value those in careers that are perhaps perceived as more lucrative?
My mother wakes up at 5:00 a.m. so that she can get ready for her day, eat breakfast, drive to school, and be in her classroom by 7:00 a.m. Early enough so that students who have questions on assignments can ask her for help before the first period starts. Even though the school day lets out at 3:00 p.m., a teacher's job doesn't end there. She often stays at work until 5:00 p.m. or later, grading papers and creating lesson plans. "But you get summer and winter break off!" one critic may cry. While it's true that teachers don't technically teach during these times, this is not to say that a break from school constitutes a complete vacation.
These days are spent finalizing semester grades, attending seminars and workshops to improve teaching skills, analyzing new literature or textbooks to prepare for the upcoming year, writing letters of recommendation for graduating students looking to go to college, and an array of other work-related activities.
Teachers can be involved in more than just classroom work, too. Teachers, especially at the elementary school level, are considered glorified babysitters in addition to all their responsibilities in the classroom. Teachers are responsible for the safety and well-being of their students eight hours a day, five days a week. Teachers are often some of the first to notice when a student's behavior changes because of a problem at home or a student cannot afford a hot lunch, or a fight on the playground gets out of hand. Not only do teachers carry the responsibility of making sure each child learns given material, but they also are a "parent away from home," a vital part of making sure a child leads a safe and happy life.
The education system in the United States is undoubtedly flawed. Teachers are underrated, undervalued and underpaid. Without the influence of phenomenal, hardworking teachers it is safe to say that none of us would have made it quite as far as we have today. It's time to reward teachers with salaries that are reflective of the time and effort they put in each day to ensure that we live in an educated society.
To every teacher who molded me into the passionate, lifelong learner that I am today; thank you.
