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This is like the conversation with my daughter the other day. She's been teaching for two years now.
This is what I get from our last conversation: Of course, like all teachers, it's mandatory for her to constantly drone on about how hard the job is. My response: "I would gladly pay all teachers twice what they make not to hear this injected into each and every conversation I've ever had with any teacher on any topic. Is this required by your union to repeat this so many times a day?" Teachers are heros. Make that.......super-heros. My response: What about the garbage man, who works hard every day long before everyone is awake to keep the US clean and safe. They ride around on the back of those dangerous trucks in the snow and ice to protect us from disease and pollution? can't we make this case about every job? nurses? firemen? mechanics? Does everyone deserve a medal? Isn't everyone a hero?" Teachers are the only people who have to continue education for their jobs. My response: "Not only are you insulting your mom and myself, but everyone else from people in the health care fields to insurance/financial people, boiler operators, welders, mechanics and every other trade or profession. Teachers are not the only people that do it and guess what? While you guys sometimes get paid to do it, the rest of us bust our asses all day long and go home to crack the books on our own time, on our own dime!" "Furthermore....how advanced are these 7 year olds you teach that you need additional schooling to keep ahead of them?" The whole...."It's for the children" thing. My response: "It's for the children that you claim to love being around so much, but when there's talk about putting a few more in your classroom, you freak out. If you just love children so much, this shouldn't be a problem. The private sector has learned a long time ago to do more with less. It's the way things are done now. get used to it. Adapt or go find another job." Teachers have to pay for supplies. My response: "Go price out a set of Carharts, scrubs, workboots or a set of quality hand tools the rest of us have to pay for. Tell me, what kind of supplies did you buy for your classroom this year?" Her response: (sheepishly) "Blackboard borders and stickers." (I thought my head was going to fucking explode at this point) This went on for a while and she knew I wasn't happy.The sense of entitlement doesn't take long to soak in. In two years, she's totally sucked into it. I told her she's very lucky to have lived such a charmed life, insulated from how the real world works. She's a real sweet girl, I love her dearly, but it ended with me saying. " I only hope you never have to learn the hard way how the rest of the world works. you will not like it one bit." |