by Jeff Kanter, a secondary teacher in Ottawa.
I have just read a letter to the editor
in today’s OTTAWA SUN (just to clarify, while it is not my policy
to support idiots, it is still instructive to know where they stand).
In this one, the writer (or as I suspect in this case, the printer)
hurled out the old accusation: teachers are underworked whiners with
an almost non - existent work day.
It is really difficult to resist the
urge to reply in kind, but, with tongue loosely planted in cheek, I
will attempt to avoid sinking to his level. It is even more
challenging to totally ignore the inevitable editorial addition to
this bottom feeder’s assertions, in which the erstwhile SUN staffer
so assiduously pointed out that the teachers are not done complaining
yet.
I would like to invite this individual
to sit down with me for a frank and earnest exchange of views on the
present situation involving the teachers and their struggles with the
provincial politburo, I mean, government. He could bring a
dictionary as long as I am allowed a few bodyguards.
But it seems to me, that for this dude,
there is no need for a crisis in education for him to gleefully join
in the chorus of those who feel the need to trash teachers. I have
to wonder which of his teachers either made him stand in the corner
(for bullying perhaps?) or disciplined him when he wasn’t paying
attention (often perhaps?) or just got on his nerves (“annoying”
has become the new catchword for just about everything that is
negative in any way). Of course, he may have arrived at these
conclusions all on his own.
It is tempting to wonder what this
fellow does for a living, but, truth told, I don’t really care.
Given that teacher trashers are from a wide variety of backgrounds
and perform a range of functions on the job chart, one can only
conclude that the only real requirement to join this classless
anti-class club is a strong sense of closed mindedness. Low tolerance
is an asset, but not a necessity.
He has every right to his opinion –
and full respect for having it – no matter how wrong and stupid it
may be.
Silence is often interpreted as assent;
therefore, I must reply to this guy. Do I care if HE ever reads
this? Nope. He is not the person whom I hope to reach because he
appears beyond that pale; but if one other person, perhaps a reader
of his published perspective, can be prevailed upon to wade through
all THIS, and at least admit to the possibility of another point of
view that has some truth or logic, then our work here today will have
been not for naught.
Teachers are appropriately paid for
what they do. Their benefits are appropriate, too. They did not
establish the framework / hours of instruction for the school day.
They established unions lawfully and peacefully and have been
bargaining collectively and somewhat more successfully, it would
seem, than the NHL players association of late. But that is all
peripheral.
Teachers may teach short hours but they
work long hours. A class is somewhat like dealing with 25 +
demanding clients all at the same time in the same place. And to
dismiss preparation and parental contact and marking and
participation in extra curricular outright is an outrageous
miscomprehension of teaching. And yes, there ARE those teachers who
have figured out how to work the gig to their advantage, but that is
true of any workplace. However, in my experience (almost 40 years in
two cities and 7 schools) those folks are the exception while the
vast majority of my colleagues are exceptional in terms of their
dedication, their hard work, their integrity, their commitment, and
their work ethic.
The actual time spent in actively
teaching classes is INDEED the smallest part of the day for many
teachers. Our educational Einsteinian evaluator must think that at
the moment the actual class ends, the teacher is finished working.
Sadly, nothing, I am afraid, would convince him otherwise. Only
first hand experience, actually seeing what it is like to teach,
would have any impact. Anyone who has ever taught is now free to
giggle at the image of this gentleman trying to keep up with any
teacher from K-12.
Better get after all those professional
athletes, then. After all, using our friend’s convoluted thought
processes, the hockey player whose actual time on ice might be ten
minutes per game and who might play three games in a week is
therefore earning around half a million bucks for, what, half an hour
of actual work for the entire week!
Others have spent much time and energy
listing the many things that make teaching such a challenging and
time consuming profession. The message to our friend here today is
come see for himself what a teacher really and actually does over the
course of a day or two hundred. For that matter, would that he could
also see for himself what many teachers do on their weekends, their
evenings, and what is left of their evenings after their play
rehearsals or coaching gigs or club activities. The number who do
use time in the summer for upgrading teaching credentials is
impressive. If some do travel or just relax during that time, they
have surely earned either.
Teachers, whose work is important but
not valued by some in government and the public, are now being faced
with draconian attacks on basic democratic rights.
Buddy, and the faceless editorial staff
member who added that silly rejoinder after the letter: teachers are
not only going to continue opposing illegal legislation and
unprecedented attacks on our profession, for what it could mean to
many others if they do not, that is exactly what they should be
doing.
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