What I wish you knew about being a teacher

Aug 9, 2017
3 min read

I am a professional, trained in my position.

Earning my degree(s) resulted from taking courses such as child development, pedagogy, assessment, differentiation, diversity, technology and behavior management, in addition to reading, math and a variety of other subjects.

As your child’s teacher, I spend 6 ½ hours a day, 5 days a week observing, assessing, and working with your child. Therefore, please know that if I express a concern to you, it’s my professional concern, not a personal opinion or an attack. It’s worth noting that if your child’s teacher takes the time to express a concern to you, it’s likely a good sign they are doing their job looking out for their student’s best interests.

I’m human. I’m not beyond reminders, mistakes, or displays of emotion.

Since I’m in the business of humans, I never stop thinking or caring about the kids I teach. Not only the 180 days they are with me, but nights, weekends and breaks too. Being a teacher is part of who I am - it permeates everything I do.

The demands of my time are heavy and my personal life is often impacted. The workload is bottomless and schooldays are beyond hectic. Truth be told, the majority of teachers work their tails off under conditions in which many others would have long since quit their profession and moved on.

It is not my job to make it easy for my students.

It is my job to prepare students for their lives in the 21st century. The words ‘difficult’ and ‘mistake’ do not have negative connotations in my classroom. I want your child to do well, but more importantly I want him or her to grow as a problem solving, independent thinker. This will not be easy but I will work hard to help make it happen. I hope we can be partners.

being a teacher, classroom full of desks

The day to day life of a teacher is greatly impacted by a number of factors that you may not be aware of.

I am a counselor, addressing personal space issues, reports of bullying, and needs specific to students that you can’t even imagine.

I am a nurse, offering comfort and care.

I am a magician, crafting a schedule comparable to fitting a square peg into a round hole.

I am a work horse, grading 25 math assessments in a night.

I am a multi-tasker with (give or take) 75 tabs open on my mental web browser.

I am a manager, with 25 "employees," all with diverse backgrounds and needs.

I am a communications director, a conduit between school and home.

I am an interventionist, for the students needing something ‘different.’

I am a student, constantly seeking new research and best educational practices.

I am an agent of change, adapting my teaching year after year.

I am a role model, with 25 eyes on me each day.

A positive parent-teacher relationship helps your child feel good about school and fosters their growth.

This doesn’t necessarily mean we will agree on everything (refer to my first point). It means that your child’s best interests are my priority. Too often teachers are treated as if they’re the enemy, instead of like the partner they’re trying to be. Teacher’s commitment and expertise are too readily overlooked, and I hope each parent can start the school year working with their teacher(s) for a great, productive year.

We all have a story to tell.

This guest post is part of a series tackling this topic. If you would like to read more, see below in "related posts" or click on Guest Bloggers in the categories to your right. If you would like to contribute to this series, email AuthenticallyAmy.