Teacher Work Ethic

Every profession deals with them; employees who do the bare minimum to get by.  Stereotypes have never been productive or effective, and this stands true with the teaching profession.  Of course, and unfortunately, some teachers do not possess the fire to lite their passion for a job requiring such.  But the truth of the matter is they are the few, and the hard working, dedicated teachers are being blamed for the failure of a few.

Many in this country assume teaching is an 8-3pm job.  Yet the truth is, teachers take home huge workloads, spend countless hours planning weekly lessons, attend graduate courses in the evening, hold 2nd jobs, and during weekends carry a burden of concern about troubled students.  Inner city teachers are constantly concerned about students' well-being; are they fed properly, if at all, the extent of verbal and/or physical abuse, are they allowed out of the house for fresh air (many aren't because of neighborhood shootings and violence)? 

To respond to the country's misconception that teaching is 8-3pm, some teachers in

Manheim Township, Warwick and Hempfield school districts took their "homework" public.  The group of teachers spent hours in a mall, publicly grading papers, planning lessons, etc.  I admit, I thought it was silly when I first read the story.  Why do teachers feel the need to advertise their hard work when other professions don't?  Well, receiving positive feedback is motivating and constant negative feedback and blame for others' weaknesses can be devastating on one's work ethic.  Plenty of common sense individuals understand how hard teachers work both on and off "duty".  But our culture is on a perpetual down spiral of demoralizing the teaching profession.  The result is devastating, with less interest by potential young teachers, larger class sizes, etc.  The teachers holding this demonstration were proving a point, that there exists more dedicated teachers than those lacking in effort.  That if scapegoats are going to be made, praises must also balance.  I am just disappointed that teachers are at a point where they have to spell it out to the public that teaching lasts much longer than the hours students are present.  I guess our teaching is never done...

 

To read the full article visit:  http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/370135