Dear Editor
There are a lot of realizations I have come to over the past two and a half years since I started teaching, and I thought I had entered this profession fully prepared for the commitment it required. I was aware of and excited about the prospect of coaching, providing extra help and differentiation for those students who need it, and the challenge of keeping my lessons engaging and exciting. I knew I would be spending a lot of time preparing the material, correcting and out of school doing extra curricular activities. I realize now, even as a well prepared university student and not a member of the general public, I had no idea.
I had no idea I was going to be the confidante of several students who were going through hard times, or that I would be looking for ways for students who couldn't afford a lunch, a pair of shoes or cost of the ski trip to take part and benefit, sometimes at my own cost. I didn't realize the extent society has shifted expectations of raising our children to the school, and that we are now taking part in virtues development, trying to implement 60 minutes of physical activity a day, counselling, and sometimes even feeding and clothing our students.
I didn't realize how much work went into developing differentiation for the several levels represented in every subject I would teach. I wasn't aware of the sacrifice that many teachers make of their own time, which drains their relationships with their own spouse and children. It didn't occur to me when I entered the profession that it would be hard to raise my own family when I don't know what time I am coming home, and I may have to go back to finish later that night, and our 'leisure time' is never really our own.
It didn't occur to me that I would not have adequate funds in the beginning of my career to consider big purchases.
Still, the rewarding experiences I have had and relationships I have built have made my career, so far, worthwhile.
The message we have been sending about teachers' worth when it comes to bargaining in the past concerns me. Are teachers really less valuable to society than nurses or police officers? When they go home, are they done their work for the day? I don't mind doing the extra things for my students because I have seen the benefits. I have seen students who were considering dropping out completely change their attitude towards school because of participation in a sport or activity. The relationships that develop between the students and common ground created between the teacher and the student are invaluable.
I have had several parents and students personally thank me for coaching and organizing extra curricular activities. I have even had people express how important they feel teachers are, and recognize we are inadequately compensated for our hard work, professional role and investment in education.
However it seems just as often I will hear complaints about teachers, and allusions to teachers not working hard enough. I have heard misguided members of the public say we work only from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and get off July and August. Until I became a teacher, many members of my own family didn't realize the amount of commitment and dedication involved in this profession.
In our local there is a general dissatisfaction with the pace of change teachers are being asked to maintain, and the cost of our own health, leisure time and commitment to students. Teachers are burning out, and many of them are experienced and wonderful teachers. Many teachers feel the demands on their time are increasing at an exponential rate.
I have heard from veteran teachers who feel like it is their first year teaching, with extra responsibilities. From what I have experienced, teachers realize the worth and engage wholly in professional development when given the opportunity, though when initiatives coming from the ministry, division and local keep changing, and don't always align, teachers feel they are not given sufficient time to fully utilize and develop any of the tools they are given. When inflation is considered, we are asking to do more and more, for less and less.
Teachers are professionals who are relied upon to provide authentic reactive experiences for the students in our classrooms in line with the curriculum, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to teaching the curriculum teachers are often providing much more to their students and their community.
The extra responsibilities teachers take on contribute to the development of the next generation is admirable. A teacher's professional role in the development of socially responsible citizens, prepared for the future and armed with critical thinking skills required to be successful in society is not a responsibility that should be taken lightly. What is our worth?
Michelle Olchowski
Maymont
