13 Things Your Child's Teacher Won't Tell You

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Some of the recent responses have made me wonder:

I know that I am who I am today because I was extraordinarily blessed to have some absolutely amazing teachers who went well above and beyond to challenge me. They definitely made me who I am today (well, at least contributed significantly.)

I wonder if those of us who have chosen teacher have all had similar experiences and that is why we wanted to be teachers? Maybe for one reason or another teachers have had more of an impact on our lives than is the norm and that has lead us to want to give back? That might explain some of the back and forth on the last page.

 

[texaslover]

As a teacher this just makes me so discouraged. My parents used to drill it into our heads that we respect our teachers and that they were there to make us smarter and better people. Unfortunately, now many parents have the same mentality as is being shown here. We are their "servants" who have an easy job and are lucky to have such an easy schedule. We should move heaven and earth to stay late with their kids because their car broke down (You only work until 3:30 anyway!), we should not inform them of any behavior issues (That's your problem when they are at school!), and any academic struggles are our fault (They didn't have any problems until they had you for a teacher - guess they don't know that there are records that follow the kids and we actually talk to their previous teachers, even if they don't teach at our school anymore!). We should be lucky to have them berate us, belittle us, make increasingly crazy demands on us, and generally work with absolutely no positive feedback whatsoever.

I don't claim to change lives or make a kid into the person they will become but I do think I have some sort of impact in their lives! I work in a wealthy district and many parents do not know how to help their kids with homework and will email with questions or tell me they can't get their children to complete/understand the curriculum at home. I must know something to be able to teach these same 22 children all day and have them leave my grade level having met all standards! So I do feel I had some sort of impact and positive effect on them as people. Especially since in addition to academics I spend many hours on treating each other respectfully, being kind, solving problems within their peer groups, etc.

I do my job because I'm good at it and I love the kids but the disrespect and attitude from the adults will eventually drive me out of the profession. Which will be sad for me and the kids.....

 

[minkydog]

Don't think for a minute that they quit telling us things once they become teenagers! I certainly don't believe everything they say, and I run it all through "teen filter".

thank you! MY Ds23 wrote an English paper once which described his "room"--a box under the stairs. And he wrote another one describing his pain and despair when we hit him with chains. Yep, we had some 'splainin' to do

 

[Ember]

As for your DH coaching- teachers here get paid extra to do that. They even pay other staff extra to keep score and time of the game.

Really?! I have never heard of a teacher being paid for this. Any extra curricular things I do are on my own time. I've also never heard of a teacher getting overtime.

thank you! MY Ds23 wrote an English paper once which described his "room"--a box under the stairs. And he wrote another one describing his pain and despair when we hit him with chains. Yep, we had some 'splainin' to do

LOL!

 

[lillygator]

As a teacher this just makes me so discouraged. My parents used to drill it into our heads that we respect our teachers and that they were there to make us smarter and better people. Unfortunately, now many parents have the same mentality as is being shown here. We are their "servants" who have an easy job and are lucky to have such an easy schedule. We should move heaven and earth to stay late with their kids because their car broke down (You only work until 3:30 anyway!), we should not inform them of any behavior issues (That's your problem when they are at school!), and any academic struggles are our fault (They didn't have any problems until they had you for a teacher - guess they don't know that there are records that follow the kids and we actually talk to their previous teachers, even if they don't teach at our school anymore!). We should be lucky to have them berate us, belittle us, make increasingly crazy demands on us, and generally work with absolutely no positive feedback whatsoever.

I don't claim to change lives or make a kid into the person they will become but I do think I have some sort of impact in their lives! I work in a wealthy district and many parents do not know how to help their kids with homework and will email with questions or tell me they can't get their children to complete/understand the curriculum at home. I must know something to be able to teach these same 22 children all day and have them leave my grade level having met all standards! So I do feel I had some sort of impact and positive effect on them as people. Especially since in addition to academics I spend many hours on treating each other respectfully, being kind, solving problems within their peer groups, etc.

I do my job because I'm good at it and I love the kids but the disrespect and attitude from the adults will eventually drive me out of the profession. Which will be sad for me and the kids.....

personally, I don't know any parent locally who thinks otherwise. For me, which is probably really horrific, I let the girls have some slack at home just based on what their teachers tell me of their behaviour in school. If they even thought of treating them with disrespect or not following rules they know they would be in hot water. (not that they are disrep at home, but not on such a rigid schedule or anything)

I am not that parent at all, simply because I can't be. My DD's school starts when I am supposed to be at work, so she is dropped when the bell rings and bussed to after care after school. I really hope you aren't experiencing this from the parents of your students.

 

[Macca1111]

Wow! Maybe I need to move to NY. Teachers here start at around $30,000 and are lucky to be making $50,000 when they retire after 30 years.

Marsha

Here too...but remember cost of living is significantly higher in NY. That makes a big difference too.

As a teacher this just makes me so discouraged. My parents used to drill it into our heads that we respect our teachers and that they were there to make us smarter and better people. Unfortunately, now many parents have the same mentality as is being shown here. We are their "servants" who have an easy job and are lucky to have such an easy schedule. We should move heaven and earth to stay late with their kids because their car broke down (You only work until 3:30 anyway!), we should not inform them of any behavior issues (That's your problem when they are at school!), and any academic struggles are our fault (They didn't have any problems until they had you for a teacher - guess they don't know that there are records that follow the kids and we actually talk to their previous teachers, even if they don't teach at our school anymore!). We should be lucky to have them berate us, belittle us, make increasingly crazy demands on us, and generally work with absolutely no positive feedback whatsoever.

I don't claim to change lives or make a kid into the person they will become but I do think I have some sort of impact in their lives! I work in a wealthy district and many parents do not know how to help their kids with homework and will email with questions or tell me they can't get their children to complete/understand the curriculum at home. I must know something to be able to teach these same 22 children all day and have them leave my grade level having met all standards! So I do feel I had some sort of impact and positive effect on them as people. Especially since in addition to academics I spend many hours on treating each other respectfully, being kind, solving problems within their peer groups, etc.

I do my job because I'm good at it and I love the kids but the disrespect and attitude from the adults will eventually drive me out of the profession. Which will be sad for me and the kids.....

Is there an applause smiley?

 

[aprilgail2]

As for your DH coaching- teachers here get paid extra to do that. They even pay other staff extra to keep score and time of the game..

They sure do get paid extra for that! No way do they do it out of the kindness of their hearts!!

 

[torinsmom]

It makes me sad to see that many of the posters on this thread don't think much of what teachers do. I don't know about other teachers here, but I spend my day helping them grow as students and human beings. I spend more awake time with them during the week than their parents do. Teaching is a calling and a passion and I don't know anyone who went into it for the money. I am really glad that the majority of my parents see the importance of what I do each day. I make a difference in the life of their children, and I hope they will remember me like I remember several of my teachers to this day.

My job is not more or less important than your job. Don't look down on me because I get some time off during the summer(if we didn't,some of us would explode,LOL). Don't treat me like a God who can fix everything that is wrong with your child in one year(it didn't take one year for them to get that way). Treat me like a person who has a lot of knowledge in teaching young children skills they need to move on to first grade and beyond and be successful. I am your partner in helping your child become more proficient in academics and social skills.

 

[disneygals]

My kids have been in the school system 13, 11, 9 years so far (sr, sophomore, 8th grade). Except for a couple, they have loved their teachers!!

There are plenty of happy, grateful parents!!

 

[texaslover]

I really hope you aren't experiencing this from the parents of your students

Yes, I do. Daily.

I am berated by email and phone for disciplining kids, for making them go to study hall when they don't do their work, for not reminding parents for the nth time to send in field trip money/forms/donations, for not taking their kids side over another when trying to sort out an argument, for letting the kids go out to recess when it was cold (and then by another parent for being "too lazy" to take the kids out when it was cold), for making a student correct their errors on a test, for playing music while they worked (and then for not playing music while they worked), etc., etc.

So, sadly, it is a daily part of the profession and the soul reason many of my collegues have moved on. I worked in a corporate job for years before I started teaching and the stress, lack of appreciation, and questioning of every little decision was nothing compared to being a teacher.

 

[SnowWhite607]

My kids have been in the school system 13, 11, 9 years so far (sr, sophomore, 8th grade). Except for a couple, they have loved their teachers!!

There are plenty of happy, grateful parents!!

Not on this thread.

I didnt say a bank teller made 80,000....I said a bank teller probably makes as much as I do right now...figure stated above.

Yes 616.00 every 2 weeks after deductions BUT let me tell you that the deductions are very small......I do not get health insurance or any benefits at all. Its fed tax, state tax and SS tax. Thats it. No union dues, insurance, retirement, etc. I think its like 719.00 gross pay before texes are held out.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

My job is not more or less important than your job. Don't look down on me because I get some time off during the summer(if we didn't,some of us would explode,LOL). Don't treat me like a God who can fix everything that is wrong with your child in one year(it didn't take one year for them to get that way). Treat me like a person who has a lot of knowledge in teaching young children skills they need to move on to first grade and beyond and be successful. I am your partner in helping your child become more proficient in academics and social skills.

I think this is very reasonable. I've had lovely teachers. They didn't make me what I am. But they did bless my life.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I just want to clear something up. I do not think that teachers are horrible people. I think they have a hard job and when you have a good teacher that is worth it's weight in gold- HOWEVER- I cannot stand when teachers act like martyrs because they have to take work home or deal with gasp! kids and parents! Almost everyone I know takes work home and does not get paid extra for it. They also do not have the option of taking their summers off or even being off when the kids are on break. There are many parents who cannot take off during school breaks at all. Yes, some teachers work during the summer but they get paid extra for that. It is not required.
So again- while I think teaching is a hard job I cannot stand the whole "woe is me" attitude that some people have about it.

 

[Ember]

HOWEVER- I cannot stand when teachers act like martyrs because they have to take work home or deal with gasp! kids and parents!

But to be fair, no one could possibly prepare you for some of the parents you'd have to deal with. Sometimes on a daily basis. The grade two teachers at my school are already both trying to get out of having the "picking your nose and eating it is healthy!" student in their class because no one wants to deal with the mother!

In most customer service jobs you get the loony toons, but you only have to deal with them for a short span of time. When the kids walk in with loony toons for parents then we're stuck with them for 10 months. And so far I've only had a crazy but mostly harmless variety parent or the parent of a special snowflake kind. I dread the day I get the vicious one who hates you...

Anyway, I don't think we're saints or anything, and certainly not martyrs. But ya gotta give us some credit that sometimes we have a legitimate complaint. We grin and get through, just like everyone else, but there are times when situations strain the boarder of what is reasonable.

 

[golfgal]

I just want to clear something up. I do not think that teachers are horrible people. I think they have a hard job and when you have a good teacher that is worth it's weight in gold- HOWEVER- I cannot stand when teachers act like martyrs because they have to take work home or deal with gasp! kids and parents! Almost everyone I know takes work home and does not get paid extra for it. They also do not have the option of taking their summers off or even being off when the kids are on break. There are many parents who cannot take off during school breaks at all. Yes, some teachers work during the summer but they get paid extra for that. It is not required.
So again- while I think teaching is a hard job I cannot stand the whole "woe is me" attitude that some people have about it.

I don't believe that for one second. I know of NO ONE that brings home work NIGHTLY in any other profession, on occasion, yes, every night no.

The problem is not so much that the teachers think they are martyrs it is all the crap they have to put up with from the general public that thinks they have this simple job and they are so far overpaid for what they do. Do you realize how many people think that teachers are just glorified babysitters? How many threads get started on these boards about other professions and how overpaid they are and what can we do to cut their salaries? THAT is the problem.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I don't believe that for one second. I know of NO ONE that brings home work NIGHTLY in any other profession, on occasion, yes, every night no.

The problem is not so much that the teachers think they are martyrs it is all the crap they have to put up with from the general public that thinks they have this simple job and they are so far overpaid for what they do. Do you realize how many people think that teachers are just glorified babysitters? How many threads get started on these boards about other professions and how overpaid they are and what can we do to cut their salaries? THAT is the problem.

Then you are very lucky because almost everyone I know has work that they take home on an almost daily basis. They are also not all corporate people. It is simply the nature of many jobs.
I will agree with you though in that there are plenty of parents who think it is a teacher's job to teach their kid everything. I don't agree with that. As I have said previously I think teaching is a hard job and not everyone can do it well. I love my kid's teachers. I let them know how much I appreciate them often. As for cutting teacher salaries I can tell you that I as well as other parents in our district went to our BOE meetings to dissuade them from doing that. We want to be able to chose the best teachers we can and if we don't offer them good salaries why would they want to work here? What would be their incentive? You can love your job but you still have to live and the COL on LI is very expensive. That's why our teachers make what they do.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

But to be fair, no one could possibly prepare you for some of the parents you'd have to deal with. Sometimes on a daily basis. The grade two teachers at my school are already both trying to get out of having the "picking your nose and eating it is healthy!" student in their class because no one wants to deal with the mother!

In most customer service jobs you get the loony toons, but you only have to deal with them for a short span of time. When the kids walk in with loony toons for parents then we're stuck with them for 10 months. And so far I've only had a crazy but mostly harmless variety parent or the parent of a special snowflake kind. I dread the day I get the vicious one who hates you...

Anyway, I don't think we're saints or anything, and certainly not martyrs. But ya gotta give us some credit that sometimes we have a legitimate complaint. We grin and get through, just like everyone else, but there are times when situations strain the boarder of what is reasonable.

Oh I agree that you couldn't possibly know how nuts some parents are. Heck as a parent I had no idea either until I had kids and met other Moms that there are some real interesting people out there.
I do give teachers credit for dealing with that. I personally would have no patience for that hence one of the many reasons I have chosen not to be a teacher. I don't mind the complaining about things like that - and your nosepicking kid with the insane mother makes me laugh everytime- it is the "oh I have work to do all day and all night my job never ends" type of thing that I roll my eyes at. So many people have to work like that. They are not the only ones. Sure, you can be having a stinky time at work and who doesn't go through that? It is just the whole "my job is so hard nobody understands" that irks me. I am not saying every teacher is like that but some on here constantly complain and I have to wonder why they bothered to become a teacher if all they do is whine about it.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

This thread has had many interesting viewpoints. As a future teacher, I'm glad I read it!

 

[SnowWhite607]

I don't believe that for one second. I know of NO ONE that brings home work NIGHTLY in any other profession, on occasion, yes, every night no.

The problem is not so much that the teachers think they are martyrs it is all the crap they have to put up with from the general public that thinks they have this simple job and they are so far overpaid for what they do. Do you realize how many people think that teachers are just glorified babysitters? How many threads get started on these boards about other professions and how overpaid they are and what can we do to cut their salaries? THAT is the problem.

Need a clapping smilie....how about this one instead?

The above bolded part is what I have a problem with, like my job is to play play dough with your kids all day. I dont think I am better than anyone else but I did go to college and I do have a master's degree so I think I know a *little* bit about education and methods and such. I think we just want people to realize that we are also professionals and we want to be treated as such.

Ember....you spoke a mouthful, girl. Some of the parents I have delt with in 11 years

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Need a clapping smilie....how about this one instead?

The above bolded part is what I have a problem with, like my job is to play play dough with your kids all day. I dont think I am better than anyone else but I did go to college and I do have a master's degree so I think I know a *little* bit about education and methods and such. I think we just want people to realize that we are also professionals and we want to be treated as such.

Ember....you spoke a mouthful, girl. Some of the parents I have delt with in 11 years

The problem with considering yourself a professional and having others treat you that way is that many teachers are members of labor unions. Professionals don't strike, imo.