“dedicated” to Mary Kay, Lesa R, Jen H, Jessica F
I used to know a teacher who taught Journalism and Newspaper at my school. She was (is) so brilliant, caring, and just so pleasant to be around. However, there was one trait of hers that disturbed me to no end: she worked every day for about three extra hours after school. You may ask, “Why should that disturb you if it’s what she wanted to do?” Well, here’s why: When students and parents know of one teacher doing this, then all other teachers NOT doing this look like lazy bums or shirkers..
It never ceases to amaze me that teachers are some of the only people on the planet that work for free during those extra hours. Whether that means staying after school for three hours OR taking work home, such as papers to grade. Try for a moment to imagine someone working as an attorney, or as an administrative employee in an office, or even a medical professional like a nurse, doing this. I dare say that I don’t think they would.
People should value their own time, whether you want to spend your time helping your friends and family, exercising, reading, watching Netflix, or picking your teeth.
All of this is the MAIN reason I became the Union Steward for my building for about five years in the late 2010’s. I was simply tired of seeing teachers’ time and efforts de-valued, which they constantly are. The ways in which teachers are mistreated are that they are 1)expected to spend their own money in many instances for class needs, 2) expected to get papers graded within a reasonable amount of time with only one planning period per day, and 3) in some ways, expected to abide by certain rules that students abide by in order to provide an example.
The first one about money is self-explanatory, but some states do give teachers a stipend of $200-300 at the beginning of the year. This is a step in the right directions. The second one–let’s figure this out. If I’m a high school English teacher and I teach five classes with 30 students in each, then I most likely have 150 papers perhaps twice a week to grade. Now, let’s say one of those “stacks” is an essay assignment. Just how long would it take a person to grade ONE essay? and now multiply that. And there is the great rub (Ay..there’s the rub!…Act III, Hamlet) for the daring English teachers! (Please refer to my earlier blogs about my first department head who told me to carry my essays everywhere I went.) Now, to the third about abiding by rules. I am an adult and therefore will most likely need to use my phone on a daily basis. I am an adult expending energy and need to sometimes eat in class when terribly hungry, and I am an adult who may have to use the restroom in the middle of class, and at times I cannot wait for someone to come and watch my class.
Unions can be a good thing for teachers, but they aren’t always helpful or in tune with the seemingly small issues that can build up and create a load of stress. If you are a teacher or even if you know one, tell them to have respect for their own time and for their human needs. Establish BOUNDARIES and respect them, teachers! Just because a person becomes a teacher doesn’t mean that they should be exploited. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!….including teacher-people.
I’ve created many TIME and ENERGY saving lessons for teachers at my online store (link below), ranging from rubrics to presentations with far less-than-usual paperwork–so you won’t have to bring 150 essays home as your weekend date.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/literary-ladder-lessons
and…
Here’s an article about how teachers work more hours per week than other working adults. I’m sure there are exceptions, and I certainly know people who are not teachers that work very hard and many hours. A few…. A very few, in fact.
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