Teachers = No Respect

Teachers just do not get respect. Each year that I have taught - eight altogether - it gets worse. It's not just respect from parents, but everyone. My own in-laws don't respect my work. From businessmen to political figures none respect a teacher's work.

When I'm in a check out line in a store and the checker finds out I'm a teacher, the checker undoubtedly will say, "Oh, you have summers off! The same hours as your children! How nice!" Well, no, I think but never say. I get to work early, leave late and spend my summers in workshops learning something I already know!

It's a very hard and time consuming job. The more pressure the government puts on teachers for higher test scores, the more I want to quit teaching.

I used to love teaching. What happenend in only eight years? Well, the government. President Bush has a great idea for the "No Child Left Behind" act, but it doesn't work in the real world. There will be children left behind. Not because of a poor teacher, but because of parents that don't care. I know that sounds harsh, but it is reality.

As a law, teachers must make contact with parents. I can't always do that. I always have one or two parents with disconnected phone numbers. When they move, addresses are not updated. If they change jobs and don't let me know where they are, I can't contact them.

With so many of our children living in homes where drug addiction is common, teachers are on the losing end. Teachers care about their students, but we can't control home life. I've had so many students tell me that they stayed up until 2 a.m.! These are seven and eight year olds talking! Why? Because Mom and Dad don't care. Because Mom and Dad were partying or weren't even home!

So, in the classroom, I try to make sure they've eaten and had rest. I've always tried to help each student, but I CAN NOT change their home life!

Then the government comes in and says that I'm accountable for their education. Yes, I would like to give each one a better education, but who else looks out for their health and mental well-being? Parents sure don't.

I know I sound as if I'm bashing parents. I'm not meaning to. I have seen parents bend over backwards for their children. There are a lot of good parents out there. But there are just as many bad ones.

As teachers, we can only try to educate our students. But if a child has an empty stomach, tired and filthy body, and not to mention images going through their minds of things they shouldn't have seen; how can we expect them to succeed?

Teachers just do not get respect. People outside of the education world pass judgement on us, saying we have an easy job. No, I am here to tell you that teaching is the hardest job there is. I am always fatigued, stressed and worried. I do not leave my work at school. It follows me home everyday.

No, teachers don't get paid enough. I doubt they ever will. But the pay is not the reason I want to quit teaching. It's the stress of teaching to the test. It's the stress of making sure everything is documented and done perfectly. It's because of the lack of respect from the students, the parents and everyone else.

Teachers are not baby-sitters. We have a specific job to do, but we also have to fill in where the community fails the students. Unless our political figures address these problems, more and more teachers will hit burn out very quickly.

I've only taught for eight years and I'm ready to quit because of the lack of support and respect from just about everyone.