Teacher Comments

I am a sucker for punishment when it comes to reading the comments posted on articles written about teachers. I don't know why but I am always compelled to read what the general masses have to say about my job. It's like a strange form of torture that I willingly inflict upon myself.  I always tell myself that it will be the last time I read the comments, but then another article surfaces on facebook or in an online newspaper and I find myself scrolling down to see what kind of bad person I will be today.

Let's get one thing straight off the bat - I love my job.  Please note my use of the word job.  Yes, I am lucky that I get to go to work in a place that I actually enjoy, but at the end of the day, like everyone else, it is a job.  It's what I do to pay the bills, eat out occasionally, save up for a trip, and buy new clothes.

Somehow, based on comments read, that makes me a terrible person.  I should love to go to work everyday because I get to shape the minds of the future generations and because of that privilege, it's like a bonus that I get paid at all.

I hate reading articles that talk about how much work teachers do, and how much time we give up in the evenings, and that it is those factors that determine that I should get an increase in my salary.  I do these things but I did enter into this job with that knowledge of the "extras" that would be required of me.  However, even if I didn't do the "extras" that my job entails, I don't think that it would be unreasonable for me to request a raise just like the rest of the working population.  Minimum wage increases, the private sector gets raises, government employees receive annual wage increases, but as a teacher, every time we have come up for a contract renewal, we have to fight for even the smallest percentage. And in my teaching career, I have yet to go through a negotiation where I am not made out to be a horrible person.

Just in case you were wondering, I'm pretty nice. I work hard and try my best in my classroom, the same way I would if I worked in any other career. Yes, there are bad teachers.  There are also bad lawyers, nurses, doctors, secretaries, McDonald's cashiers, and letter carriers.  Please don't lump me in with your one bad experience.

I am not a perfect teacher.  I am certainly a better teacher now than I was in 2005 when I got my first contract. I like to think that what I do in the classroom is pretty darn good but I know that there are students who don't like me. I know that there are times when I don't teach my most effective lesson. Sometimes, I fail.  I know - that's not allowed, teachers aren't human - so if we fail, we've somehow caused the entire fabric of society to unravel.  Please accept my sincerest apologies.

Maybe, when you're writing your comments, you could think about the 90% of teachers who are awesome and do their jobs to the best of their ability - but who also need to keep up with the cost of living, prepare for retirement, and even once in a while, take that much needed vacation (don't even get me started on the whole summer holiday thing.  Just stop that thought before you even go there).

I'm not asking for you to shower me with compliments about how my job is so hard and I must be a saint for doing it. I have other options. I picked this one. Now, how about treating me fairly and instead of generalizing in what you say, think carefully about who you are hurting in the process.