Why the "Martyr" Perception Amongst Teachers?

[SDFgirl]

I feel like lightening is going to strike me down right now, but...

Could "lightening" possibly strike you down? Here is some friendly advice. Make sure you check your spelling before you start complaining about other teachers. It adds credibility to your statements.

Yes, "lightning" has always been a word I've had trouble spelling, for some reason. I appreciate your pointing out my mistake in such a kind and respectful way. You must be a fabulous teacher!!

 

[bushdianee]

I totally agree with the OP! I teach first grade and enjoy my job. Each day is different with ups and downs.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

I'm glad to hear positive things about the job - I do hear more negativity than positivity. I'm starting graduate courses to be a teacher this summer - definitely not going in to this much debt for the salary, I'm doing it because I learned last semester that I LOVE teaching!

 

[ticktock]

I couldn't do it - I'm glad there are others who can. Would love the 3 months and school vacation and snow days and all the other supposed perks, but not willing to be the target of kids and their parents to do that.

Some parents are awful, but let's face it - just as in any other profession, there are some awful teachers who are just phoning it in.

Yes. Agree with all of this.

Why won't so many teachers admit that some of them are just BAD teachers? It just makes ALL teachers look bad when they won't admit that some of them are crap. Just as it makes doctors look bad when they rally round a bad doctor.

I had one teacher tell me she could tell that students had a particular teacher the year before by their complete ignorance of the subject this teacher supposedly teaches. It would make it so much easier for all the teachers after her if she was fired. They wouldn't have to spend the first half of the year teaching Algebra 2 to students who should have learned it the year before.

 

[goldwest]

I have taught 20 years and I still love it. One aspect I especially enjoy is the challenge of helping students figure out what learning strategies work best for their personal learning styles. Sadly this can also be one of the most frustrating aspects of the job at times. I've mostly taught sciences (and I think if I read the NSTA periodical correctly some people might be surprised at the attrition rate in science teaching) - By the way decided to type into word and then paste in here since my typing skills often get me in trouble with spelling!

 

[disfan07]

A lot of my high school teachers complained mainly about one thing and one thing only....

No Child Left Behind.

My governemnt teacher told us that he never had any thoughts about quitting his job until that started.

I think NCLB has made teachers even more defensive, and make them tend to complain more because of what they are now forced to do. NCLB is a huge factor in everything that a teacher has to do now. All most teachers are supposed to be docusing on now is getting kids ready to pass the teast. This test adn that test, Standards of learnings, etc. The focus needs to be taken off of all of the testing.

From everythign that I heard at my school plus form my mom (she taught elem. school)and her coworkers, many teachers would enjoy their jobs much more if they would demantle NCLB

 

[aprilgail2]

? I teach elem, so the only plan time I have is when my kids are in specials. .

Our school has added a third day of gym each week so on Fridays my daughter has gym 930-1010 and then art 1015-11. Then its math from 11-12 and then lunch from 12-1. So from 930-1 the teacher only has an hour of classes to do! They come back from lunch and have 2 more hours of class time....parents are not happy with the whole thing- not about the teachers free time but about only having 3 hours of real lesson time other than the specials garbage. We also have an office worker here than does the teachers copies for them. They send one of the kids down with the papers to be copied and the office worker makes them and sends them back up to the teachers.
It is so different in so many places- guess it depends alot on how strong your teachers union is too! Our teachers would never ever be expected to do "lunch duty" here- that is what they have paid cafeteria aides for! Same thing for the playground-people are paid to watch the kids out there, not the teachers.

 

[agnes!]

Our school has added a third day of gym each week so on Fridays my daughter has gym 930-1010 and then art 1015-11. Then its math from 11-12 and then lunch from 12-1. So from 930-1 the teacher only has an hour of classes to do! They come back from lunch and have 2 more hours of class time....parents are not happy with the whole thing- not about the teachers free time but about only having 3 hours of real lesson time other than the specials garbage. We also have an office worker here than does the teachers copies for them. They send one of the kids down with the papers to be copied and the office worker makes them and sends them back up to the teachers.
It is so different in so many places- guess it depends alot on how strong your teachers union is too! Our teachers would never ever be expected to do "lunch duty" here- that is what they have paid cafeteria aides for! Same thing for the playground-people are paid to watch the kids out there, not the teachers.

I understand that teachers need a break but I wish they could maybe eat lunch maybe once a week or at least occasionally with their students...seems like it could help them in the classroom....so much goes on in the cafeteria that can carry over to classtime.

agnes!

 

[jodifla]

Most the teachers I know have a pretty darned good life. There's some complaining about 10 hour days -- 12 and 14 hour days are standard in my industry. As are working Saturday, Sunday, nights, EVERY holiday, including Christmas.

They didn't start off with elaborate salaries, but after 20 years in they are doing well, and most have good pension plans.

Most too have lesson plans already done, so they are not doing them from scratch every year.

NCLB is a terrible thing, they all say....hopefully that will be changed this year.

 

[MM27]

Yes. Agree with all of this.

Why won't so many teachers admit that some of them are just BAD teachers? It just makes ALL teachers look bad when they won't admit that some of them are crap. Just as it makes doctors look bad when they rally round a bad doctor.

I had one teacher tell me she could tell that students had a particular teacher the year before by their complete ignorance of the subject this teacher supposedly teaches. It would make it so much easier for all the teachers after her if she was fired. They wouldn't have to spend the first half of the year teaching Algebra 2 to students who should have learned it the year before.

I've said it before. There are teachers in my school that are horrible. If I were in charge, they'd be out of jobs. Unfortunately, the admin. needs to do something and they are not.

I was at a math workshop with a bunch of them and some couldn't do simple math. I'm not talking about high school. I'm talking about 3rd and 4th grade math that grown adults couldn't figure out how to do. I wouldn't want my child in a class where the teacher couldn't do the work.

We also have a girl that is always at her computer or sitting at her desk doing her plans. Every time you walk passed her classroom the kids are sitting silently doing busy work. Guess who complained this year that she hasn't been teacher of the year yet?

I don't rally around anyone. I've had teachers in my building laugh at me for staying late, making comments because I bring my student math journals home over the weekend to grade and tell me I'm crazy because I spend money on my students. I've said many times that I take my job seriously. I put in every ounce of effort possible because I believe my students deserve that. I don't want to be lumped in with all the rest, but many times, that is what happens. Someone had a bad experience with a teacher and all of a sudden all teachers are horrible. One teacher makes a six figure salary and suddenly we all make that.

 

[stm61]

I understand that teachers need a break but I wish they could maybe eat lunch maybe once a week or at least occasionally with their students...seems like it could help them in the classroom....so much goes on in the cafeteria that can carry over to classtime.

agnes!

no unions here in the south and we do eat with our kids, EVERY day, no such thing as cafeteria/playground monitors. Elementary teachers sit with their classes, middle and high school teachers, except for special services, have designated teacher tables and are expected to monitor behavior from there. I teach elementary and the teachers in my school rarely have a chance to eat their own lunch. I should write mine off as a charitable deduction because I give most of it to the kids. We spend most of our time either helping the kids or heading off problems. If the parents could see what their darlings do with food every day they'd be shocked. Some of them are VERY creative lol. I'm not complaining, but it would be nice to have that half hour to just relax and unwind a little.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have met many teachers as they are dance moms like myself.

I have yet to come across one that carries the "martyr" label. They like any other working parent--have their job joys and their job difficulties--their issues with the system, their issues with parents--etc.

But I have yet to come across one that behaves like a martyr. Maybe it is different IRL versus a discussion board. IRL, they don't feel the need to defend how tough their job is or complain that they don't get paid enough to work outside of the standard school day. I've witnessed much grading while they waited for their dancers.

Most do not like the FCAT, and the ones that teach K-2 enjoy the fact that they can teach their children in a more educational matter than the teachers that must worry for a couple months of every school year to do those silly math drills. ETA: by silly math drills, I'm referring to specifically created and required use of drills that solely prep the child to take a bubble test at the expense of learning the regular curriculum of that school year.

They also do not like that when the administrations solicit their professional opinion on curriculum choices--that it falls on deaf ears and the admin goes with the curriculm of their choosing, usually tied explicity to budgetary constraints versus what is best to educate the students on a particular subject.

Remove the kids and you would hear similar complaints in corporate america when the big whigs solicit suggestions from employees only to do what they wish for the bottom line. (aka undercover boss and the front line complaints).

I wonder what would happen if a superintendent went undercover in a school. Not sure how they'd pull it off--but I'm sure their observations would be shocking of the difficulties of teaching in the constraints of the modern day public school system.

 

[castleview]

Here's my take FWIW...and I taught for a short time: Every job has people who complain about how hard they work...as if no one else works hard. If you went to school, college and then to working in a school - you have no idea how other companies and jobs work. My own teacher mom dealt with stuff for over 30 years that I never want to deal with, but at the same time she has no idea how great her benefits were. However, teachers have the added bonus of people thinking they have it easy and they could do a better job then them. Because one went to school, they feel they can do this teaching thing too. For some reason, people rant about what a sweetheart deal teaching is, but none ever think of going into teaching if it's so cushy.

I do think dealing with parents and some disrespectful children in addition to bosses, makes some teachers feel insecure and defensive. The same kindness and wanting to help out that attracts someone to teaching, is also their biggest weakness as it leaves them vulnerable to insults and criticism.

My husband's biggest pet peeve, is that teachers take the blame many times for things they have no control of. Legislators pass impossible mandates, boards of ed decide what curriculum will be taught, and administrators are responsible for discipline. When any of these challenges are not met, people immediately blame the teachers and not the overall system.

 

[crusoe2]

Many of the comments I've read and heard from fellow teachers are simply meant to point out that we deserve our pay and a certain amount of respect, just like any other professional. No more, no less. Just because our official work hours have ended doesn't mean that we've stopped working. So, yes, it's a little offensive when someone refers to my job as being part time. So much of the criticism leveled at us implies that we don't even deserve the salary we currently make so how dare we expect more. Truth is, I don't know that many teachers (if any) who expect to get paid more. Most of us are just tired of having to defend what we already make. It's incredible the number of people who think they know so much about what we do each day that they can be an authority on how much compensation we deserve. Being a teacher myself, I would certainly know more about it than someone who has never taught a day. But I still would not be so arrogant as to pass judgement on what other teachers do or do not deserve, whether they do or do not earn their pay. Not on teachers in my own system and certainly not on teachers in other parts of the country when it is so obvious that there are vast differences in how things are done from state to state and system to system. But I've seen other people do just that, repeatedly.


Another sticky point for many of us is that we begin to feel that it isn't humanly possible to do all that is expected of us and yet we get more and more heaped upon us while we watch our students fall further and further behind. NCLB certainly is part of the reason. I have no problem with accountability - educators should definitely be able to show that they have done everything possible to teach the students the course content. But some of the measures we're forced to use for this are laughable. For instance, all teachers on our campus are required to provide the students with a monthly calendar that briefly indicates what we'll be doing each week. We have a handful of parents who actually ask to see these but you get three guesses where most of them wind up. In the trash, of course. And that's if the students have the courtesy to actually wait until they get to a trash can to toss the thing. I can't tell you how many of these I've picked up off the floor. It's a waste of paper and ink to print them (at a time when money is incredibly tight, no less) and a teacher's time could be better spent on something that will actually be used for instruction. That's just one example and, yes, we do gripe and complain a bit about having to do some of these things that just seem like such a waste of time. But my complaints and the ones I hear from other teachers are not because the teacher wants more time by the pool. It's because we feel we could be doing something much more productive for our students.

 

[crusoe2]

My husband's biggest pet peeve, is that teachers take the blame many times for things they have no control of. Legislators pass impossible mandates, boards of ed decide what curriculum will be taught, and administrators are responsible for discipline. When any of these challenges are not met, people immediately blame the teachers and not the overall system.

And this. I could not have said it better.

 

[ticktock]

I've said it before. There are teachers in my school that are horrible. If I were in charge, they'd be out of jobs. Unfortunately, the admin. needs to do something and they are not.

I was at a math workshop with a bunch of them and some couldn't do simple math. I'm not talking about high school. I'm talking about 3rd and 4th grade math that grown adults couldn't figure out how to do. I wouldn't want my child in a class where the teacher couldn't do the work.

We also have a girl that is always at her computer or sitting at her desk doing her plans. Every time you walk passed her classroom the kids are sitting silently doing busy work. Guess who complained this year that she hasn't been teacher of the year yet?

I don't rally around anyone. I've had teachers in my building laugh at me for staying late, making comments because I bring my student math journals home over the weekend to grade and tell me I'm crazy because I spend money on my students. I've said many times that I take my job seriously. I put in every ounce of effort possible because I believe my students deserve that. I don't want to be lumped in with all the rest, but many times, that is what happens. Someone had a bad experience with a teacher and all of a sudden all teachers are horrible. One teacher makes a six figure salary and suddenly we all make that.

I've had NIGHTMARE problems with teachers both as a student and as a parent and even I, as hyper prejudiced as I am, (JK) know that not all teachers are like that. The problem is that you have given all your power over to the unions who will always defend the bad apples even to the detriment of the good teachers. You will never again receive the respect you deserve until you demand that the truly awful teachers are gotten rid of.

It is the same way for government workers. You know the old joke about driving past four road construction workers digging a hole? Three watching and the one digging. My DH is always the one digging (metaphorically speaking, he's an engineer, though he would rather dig holes all day then deal with the useless people the unions won't let him fire).

And to all the GOOD teachers out there who have tried to help my DS and even tried to reverse some of the damage done by the bad ones, THANK YOU. And yes I know he isn't God's gift to the Earth. At this point I think most of his teachers like him better then I do. He IS charming. Sigh.

 

[C.Ann]

I know this is a sensitive topic here on the DISBoards - but the other thread made me want to comment....

I'm a teacher, and I don't understand why this is such a controversial profession. I feel like lightening is going to strike me down right now, but...I'll say it: I get so tired of hearing teachers complain about their jobs! I mean, a little mumbling and grumbling is one thing - everyone does that. But I get sick of the "suffering martyr" role that a lot of (not ALL) teachers take on.

I don't just mean here on the DISBoards, I mean everywhere out in the real world too.

I like my job. Some days I work long hours, some days I work shorter hours. I think it all shakes out in the end. I work hard, but so do a lot of people.

I've had a few crazy parents, but most parents I deal with are pretty supportive and respectful. And guess what - every other job I've ever had? There are crazies there too. Everyone deals with crazy people.

Yes, I would like more money but overall I'm satisfied with my salary. And yes, summer break is a great perk, even though I do some work over summer break. I also spend a lot of time at the pool.

I guess I'm saying, I don't understand why teaching is perceived to be this thankless, misunderstood, disrespected profession. For me, it is challenging, sometimes difficult, but rewarding work - just like so many other jobs. I don't feel any different from any other hard workers out there.

Great post!

There is no such thing as the "perfect" job - with the "perfect" pay - "perfect" schedule - and "perfect" people you have to interact with on a daily basis.. Think about nurses.. And doctors.. And policemen.. And waitresses.. And on and on..

Teachers go into teaching knowing up front what is involved - what the pay scale is - and with a good idea of how much time they will have to put into their job in order to be successful.. Grumbling now and then is fine - even acceptable - but sometimes it really does fall into the "suffering martyr" syndrome and that gets old really fast..

Everyone works hard - no matter what the job - and considering the unemployment situation in this country right now, I think there are many unemployed people out there who would be extremely happy to even have a job to grumble about..

Seems to me that you have a good handle on the pros and cons of being a teacher and have chosen to handle it in the best way possible.. Good for you! I'm sure it makes your life a lot easier..

 

[ticktock]

no unions here in the south and we do eat with our kids, EVERY day, no such thing as cafeteria/playground monitors. Elementary teachers sit with their classes, middle and high school teachers, except for special services, have designated teacher tables and are expected to monitor behavior from there. I teach elementary and the teachers in my school rarely have a chance to eat their own lunch. I should write mine off as a charitable deduction because I give most of it to the kids. We spend most of our time either helping the kids or heading off problems. If the parents could see what their darlings do with food every day they'd be shocked. Some of them are VERY creative lol. I'm not complaining, but it would be nice to have that half hour to just relax and unwind a little.

I've never understood the teacher should eat with the kids thing. You spend all day with them. I would think both you and the kids could use a little alone time.

The best way to make the system better for everyone is to put the kids with serious behavioural problems in separate class like they used to. Teachers could actually teach and students could actually pay attention.

There is a big difference in making accomodation for a well behaved (or at least normal behaviour for the age group) child in a wheel chair or who is blind and a child who bangs there head against there desk or has to have an aid right beside them all day so the child didn't start masturbating in front of the whole class, in between hitting the other kids. I had a friend who's job this was one year. .So how many times did little Jimmy whip it out today? What a joy. It did nothing for this kid to be in a class with the mainstream kids, but it did a lot of damage to the rest of the class. Who benefited from this? The parents who got to pretend that their little snowflake was normal.

 

[castleview]

I've never understood the teacher should eat with the kids thing. You spend all day with them. I would think both you and the kids could use a little alone time.

The best way to make the system better for everyone is to put the kids with serious behavioural problems in separate class like they used to. Teachers could actually teach and students could actually pay attention.

There is a big difference in making accomodation for a well behaved (or at least normal behaviour for the age group) child in a wheel chair or who is blind and a child who bangs there head against there desk or has to have an aid right beside them all day so the child didn't start masturbating in front of the whole class, in between hitting the other kids. I had a friend who's job this was one year. .So how many times did little Jimmy whip it out today? What a joy. It did nothing for this kid to be in a class with the mainstream kids, but it did a lot of damage to the rest of the class. Who benefited from this? The parents who got to pretend that their little snowflake was normal.

I agree with this, but laws have made it impossible to do. Don't you realize good well behaved kids have no rights? Flame away!

 

[WDWMom]

I know this is a sensitive topic here on the DISBoards - but the other thread made me want to comment....

I'm a teacher, and I don't understand why this is such a controversial profession. I feel like lightening is going to strike me down right now, but...I'll say it: I get so tired of hearing teachers complain about their jobs! I mean, a little mumbling and grumbling is one thing - everyone does that. But I get sick of the "suffering martyr" role that a lot of (not ALL) teachers take on.

I don't just mean here on the DISBoards, I mean everywhere out in the real world too.

I like my job. Some days I work long hours, some days I work shorter hours. I think it all shakes out in the end. I work hard, but so do a lot of people.

I've had a few crazy parents, but most parents I deal with are pretty supportive and respectful. And guess what - every other job I've ever had? There are crazies there too. Everyone deals with crazy people.

Yes, I would like more money but overall I'm satisfied with my salary. And yes, summer break is a great perk, even though I do some work over summer break. I also spend a lot of time at the pool.

I guess I'm saying, I don't understand why teaching is perceived to be this thankless, misunderstood, disrespected profession. For me, it is challenging, sometimes difficult, but rewarding work - just like so many other jobs. I don't feel any different from any other hard workers out there.

Amen! I wish more teachers talked the way you do.