Teachers in our World

I am a teacher in the public school system here in the United States. Teachers face many pressures and stress working with teen age students. Teachers are also not generally supported my parents, administrators, other staff, or the public in general. T

Teachers in our world
 

Teachers As taxpayers we want the following from our public school teachers: 1) They must correct disruptive behaviors, although parents aren't doing that at home, 2) Observe the kids for signs of abuse and face the loss of employment if they miss any 'obvious' abuse, 3) Monitor the kids dress habits and instruct them to change if something is offensive to someone else, why are they leaving the house with those clothes? 4) instill in them a love for learning, although each kid in the class of 30 has to be treated as 'an individual', 5) check their backbacks for weapons, although this could put the teacher themselves in jeopardy, 6) raise the sense of self esteem and personal pride in these students, (how are families doing with this assignment?), 7) They make sure that students pass state exams but teachers face possible dismissal if students don't succeed in those tests, 8) provide students with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, 9) communicate regularly with parents in English and Spanish by letter, phone call, email, conferences, online, report cards, and web pages, 10) Teachers are expected to succeed at all these things all the while the public complains that 'education is a black hole' in the state budgets and as a consequence a teachers beginning salary qualifies them for food stamps. And... Teachers are asked to do all of the above while not being allowed to pray in school! Is there something wrong with this picture?

Author's Note

Please think about this important issue and let me know your thoughtful comments. DO NOT just tell me what school was like when you personally attended, but instead tell me what you think of this societal issue.

Reviews

[Yuvia Chairez]

In my country prayer in school has not been allowed since the early 1900's. I've been a teacher for over 10 years in all branches of the school system (elementary, high school, and now I am a college professor). The problem I see here is the serious detachment that parents seem to have on their kids: parents who are not aware of what their kids are doing, watching, talking about or thinking about because they're too busy living their own adult lives. They think teachers are here to guide their kids when the real guides are they (as parents). Parents are not parents anymore: they have become their kid's FRIEND. I would say that teachers are supposed to to all of the above while receiving a s****y salary and working under s****y conditions most of the time.

[Laura Nikkinen]

lifestyles are getting "busier" for families, parents etc... so the role of a surrogate parent is being given to the teachers, all of the above reminds me of a Nazi guard doing his job at a camp in a way.... although the comparison is a tad extreme.

Although number seven is closely connected to the teacher, so I'm not sure if i can really say that it's not to be expected from teachers to bring out the learning abilities in kids, cuz... that's what they're there to do. But i do understand there's only so much you can do as an outsider.

[Morgan A Lynch]

i also see not what the teachers are doing wrong but what a lot of parents are doing wrong.. not saying all but a lot dont spend quality time with there kids to teach them right from wrong. they dont care what there kids do in school, out of school or at home. i say how about putting more things on parents shoulders.. but in reality it is not more it is the things parents should be doing in the first place..

i am a single mother i work full time, go to school and still have time for my son and all ways will.. personally parents need to get there priority's strait before they ask all this from teachers..

[Kristina Moulaison]

I don't envy you your job. I have four children who I have homeschooled all their lives. One is in college and three others are in middle school and high school. They also attend a charter type school and take classes in a school setting where parents are present and participating. I feel fortunate to be able to give them this opportunity. The problems within the education system and the inordinant responsibility placed on a teacher's shoulders is a charged, complex issue. You hit at the heart of the problem when you spoke about the lack of parental care and responsibility. It is hard to place individual judgement on parents doing the best they know how to do in our modern stress filled world, but we can certainly do better as a culture by our kids. I think teachers at all levels should be among the highest paid professionals in the country. We show how little we value our children and our future when we fail to invest intelligently in that future. Do not lose heart. Yours is an honorable profession. My life was greatly impacted by teachers who really spoke into my life and they never knew the impact they had. You may not ever hear from them again or see the outcome of the impression you have left, but rest assured it matters. Yours is a sacred calling no less than a pastor or priest. Parents do impact them more, for good or bad. You can't save them all or change the homes they come from, but your contribution will leave an abiding impression. I hope and pray that our culture can value what you do more, make your job less demanding and compensate you according to the value of your product, our children and our future.

[smiggle wiggle]

I don't think it is right for people to complain about the education system and how it is run, you can't lay everything on a teacher's shoulders. The student has to be willing to learn also, they have to do their part if they want to make the grade.

[emmajoy]

I'm a Brit and know that (free) state education varies within its very own system depending on area - inner city, rural or whatever.. plus, is, in most cases, very different from the private or public school system which is generally paid for. Most of the first class qualified teachers enter the latter system, a few - bless them, go into the state system because for them, teaching is more a vocation than a job. Teachers vary, just as characters generally vary; many are responsive to their students but are constrained by educational curriculum restraints.

it' seems that in both Britain and America the teaching staff is responsible for behaviour within school premises, though are frequently tried by difficult students in some areas - gangs exist. Teachers are encouraged to address inconsiderate behaviour but, again, must act within strict guidelines. These comments refer to the state system, whereas the fee-paying system is stricter and standards are generally higher if only because of parental influence - that's by no means 100% however.

As to religious studies or prayer assembly, that is more common in the fee-paying arena.. whereas many of our state schools in the inner cities have so many diverse cultures, single prayer is considered inappropiate

I could add more but it seems that requirements in the education system is similar in both your and my country, just as requirements and expectations are.

Pity there isn't more cash available to train more teachers however; pity many parents don't teach their children the difference between right and wrong from the word go, they're the people to influence their children and shouldn't expect teachers to teach ethics instead of maths; pity priorities have altered the young and old's attitude to education - seems kicking a football and being attractive/sexy is more important than knowing one's country's history or being able to count further than ten!

(Incidentally, my brother is a teacher!)

[Akina]

you wrote this really good, and you made me think of how important this is.
I have never thinked of that before that teachers has to do all that, but you are right. thats many things for a teacher to do, and I think it's really bad that you dont could pray in school. thats not a problem at all that someone wants to pray, but it's really meen if you are not allowed to do it.
and it's not so simple to beeing a teacher at all, because I'm a student myself, and I know how hard it could be for tha teachers to handel with the teens today. I got to say it; we are a real pain in the a*s! haha :P
but really great written, and thats really unfair.

[MIA ST. PAUL]

Being a teacher is not easy and I think you have portrayed that beautifully by listing all the "expectations" and daily stress society puts on teachers in general... I agree that discipline and teaching children the proper behavior is a parent's responsibility and should start a home. Teachers are not babysitters, although many parents are guilty of treating them as such..as far as the religion goes, I believe that there is a place for religion and it is not in the school, it is the parents responsibility once again to raise their children in whatever religious beliefs they want..there are too many religions to consider. I think it would become an issue of discrimination before it became a normal part of school curriculum, we couldn't expect the Department of Educaiton to cover every single religion out there...

[Voice11]

I guess I dun really have an oppinion on the school issue, idk about what school your talking about, my school isnt like that...but hay good writing it talks about the issue and proves a point

[Fernando Pessoa]

I can't truly speak to the condition of today's schools as you are able to here, but I appreciate your insight and honesty so much. Hopeful that things can improve, and wishing I had an answer! Thank you for what you do and what you give to help this generation.

Jacques Barzun: "In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years."

[Samuel Dickens]

Several of my friends are school teachers, and knowing them has given me an even greater appreciation for that profession. Having grown up without the benefit of real, functioning parents, I can tell you that most of the role models I looked to when young were my teachers. It was they who set the examples I accepted as proper, respectable behavior. To this day, I still admire them. Furthermore, living in the "Bible belt," we had prayer in school all the time. When it was outlawed, (about 1962, as I recall) no one I knew was upset about it but one particular teacher who was also a preacher. Being a Christian, prayer doesn't bother me, but I can see the other side of the coin, too. In our local area, we have many Vietnamese and Laotian people who came here to avoid persecution after the war in Vietnam ended. They're mostly buddhists, so I can see how school-sanctioned prayer might make them feel excluded.