Where is the Village? Part 7 -- Teachers

You went and saved the best for last ~ Vanessa Williams

Indeed I did...and for good reason. Of all the members in the village, when it comes to educating a child, we teachers should be the renowned experts in that area. We know best what goes on in our classrooms. We know our students' academic needs better than anyone else. Inside the school house, we are the ones who spend the most time with the children because we work directly with them. We are exposed to their academic strengths and weaknesses before anyone else. Like the parents, we too leave a deep-rooted impression and influences in our children's lives forever; we feed their knowledge bases, shape their mind, and teach them how to think. We do more for our students than we do for ourselves. We give to them what they need academically and sometimes what they want via tangible rewards. We are their listening ears and advisers. We encourage them to follow their dreams. We support them in and outside of the classroom. We show them some tough love when they misbehave. We shower them with praises when they give their best. We cheer them on to success and strive to save them when they fall. Surely, we do wear many hats.

“You have to perform at a consistently higher level than others. That’s the mark of a true professional. Professionalism has nothing to do with getting paid for your services.” ~ Joe Paterno

Yet, by the public we serve, we are treated horrendously for our efforts. We are ridiculed, disrespected, not appreciated or encouraged, falsely accused at times, overwhelmed by the demands of the public, and walked on like doormats. Even with the professional and academic credentials many of us have, we are publicly looked upon as docile, lost puppies who are dismissed as servants instead of stewards. It makes me sick when some people tell me "Oh, you teachers deserve more money and more support for what you do" or "I have the utmost respect for teachers" or "You guys do a very hard job"; yet, these same people are the main ones who bad-mouthed our profession and claim they can do a better job. Knock yourself out! I got money on you falling straight on your behind. Working in a classroom with other folks' children isn't easily. Plus, trying to impart knowledge, maintain order, and keep their interest are also challenging. It takes some skills, patience, intellect, tactfulness, creativity, temperament, and heart to do what we do. It can be exhausting, but when a student shows his/her appreciation and love, it means the world to us teachers.

While we understand and expect public criticism, we don't like our profession being disrespected and disregarded as dangerous, worthless, lame, or full of sorrow. While we embrace the notion of being positive role models, we don't want to be super heroes. We are not given enough latitude to use our professional expertise to help bring much needed reform in education. We are unfairly castrated and embarrassed when our students fail those high-stakes tests, regardless of our valor efforts in preparing them. Our profession is treated like a joke.

Who is truly responsible for this?...WE ARE! Yeah, that's right...THE TEACHERS THEMSELVES!

Going back to my general philosophy about people -- one will do what is allowed, since I have been in the profession, I have been amazed in our overall complacency. Why do the public and policy makers treat us teachers the way they do? BECAUSE THEY CAN. WHY? BECAUSE WE LET THEM!  The madness will continue and worsen until we COLLECTIVELY stand together and demand the public respect.

Plus, while bad apples exist in any bunch, why some of us sabotage our professional status? How can we demand to be treated professionally when some do not act the part?

“Professionalism: It’s NOT the job you DO, It’s HOW you DO the job.” ~ Anonymous

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy when some of us

• Engage in illegal activities;
• Violate the teacher-student sacred relationship;
• Hurt our students physically, verbally, and emotionally;
• Low our standards by publicly acting unprofessionally;
• Speak up and stand for the might, instead of for the right;
• Look the other way and remain silence when wrong is done by others; or
• Show job apathy while cashing your paycheck.

“If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior. In other words, begin to act the part, as well as you can, of the person you would rather be, the person you most want to become. Gradually, the old, fearful person will fade away.” ~ William Glasser

I have also been blown away by the competitive nature our profession has embraced. I have a difficult time comprehending this: Why are we competing against one another when we are striving to achieve the same ultimate goal...student achievement? Why are we looking down on each other, instead of uplifting each other up? Why are we reluctant to share and tease your colleagues when they are struggling? Where is the deference among novice and veteran teachers? We can learn for one another and improve in our craft...together. Why reinvent the wheel? Work smarter, not harder.

Finally, this "go along to get along" attitude is feeding the public perception of teaching giving unconditionally devotion to the public we serve. What about the teacher's personal obligations? When do we have time to fulfill them? How can we fulfill them? Like everyone else, we teachers have bills, families, ambitions, and a certain way of living we must pay for and maintain. Most teachers, including myself, don't do what we do for the money; in fact, many of us pump in a nice chunk of our personal funds back into our classrooms (I know I did). Nevertheless, states continue to make budget and pay cuts in education, but intensify the school accountability pressure on teachers. This is BS!

Even in the current yet unfavorable economic climate, several teachers, like myself, are leaving the profession and changing careers indirectly or directly outside of education. Many of us are outstanding teachers who know our professional worth so well that a bad economy can't keep them in the classroom. Personally, for me, it was a heart-wrenching decision to leave. In my heart, I am forever a teacher who love the kids. However, with good conscious, I refuse to return to the classroom until the madness stop. I guess I will be waiting for a long time. That's fine, because it's a decision I have to live it, not anyone else in the village. This is not being selfish on my part. Rather, this is about me taking care of my whole self. That's a big difference in itself. Playing so many roles, we teachers tend to the cares and needs of others than we do our own. An imbalance here can be detrimental to a teacher's mind, body, and soul. That's what happened to me, compounded with my frustration with the current education reform crisis and political shenanigans. I was completely burnout and emotionally lost in despair. Now, I have no regrets in leaving, even as my personal funds are now funny.

 "The way to procure insults is to submit to them. A man meets with no more respect than he exacts.” ~ William Hazlitt

I, and those who left, cannot and will not be the sacrificial lambs sent to the slaughterhouse for standing up for what we believe to be right and fair. Just because we refute the "if you can't beat them, then join them" way of thinking and decide to leave doesn't make us sellouts or traitors. I rather us be called "rebels with a cause". When it is all said and done, all of us will be enjoying the fruit of the labor of a few. Hell, we don't even have a "few" who are willing to stand up and fight the powers that be. What about the teachers' unions? Their powers vary by district and by state; and on the national level, in my opinion, they are talking loud and not doing enough (watch out for a separate blog entry on teachers unions in the near future).

In order for change and REAL reform to come, we have to stand and fight TOGETHER! We have to mobilize, write letters, be vocal and risk-takers, and solicit support from others in the village. We need a resolution for some understanding of what we teachers go through ever school day and suppress the stereotype that we have a luxury jobs with paid summer vacations and all holidays off. Many of us work other jobs, prepare future lessons, improve in our craft, and/or advance our professional credentials when not in the school house. Some where in our busy lives, we have to find time to have an actual life. What more does the public want from us? Whatever we allow them to expect...

“Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.” ~ Susan Jeffers

Stand for something or be a sucker for anything. Teachers, the choice is ours. We must come together and act wisely...