I have taught in public schools for almost 40 years. I work in a rural district and two small school right now. I have taught math, reading, gifted, computer skills, PE among other things. I am certified in math PE and admin. This poem or speech is true for many teachers. I never made much money but the rewards of seeing kids have an "ah ha" moment or come back and tell me how much I meant to them made it all worthwhile. Some of the best human beings I ever met were 9 years old. I learned much more from them than I think they learned from me. Everybody has a school story to tell. Some are awful and some are inspiring. I was a lucky one. I was able to give kids what they needed in the course of the day without too much nonsense from the BOE or politicians. Sadly, those days are coming to an end and the pendulum needs to swing back some. Otherwise kids will continue to suffer from the stupidity of policy makers. I hope the poem gives you an idea of how important teachers can be,
Sure, the government has no clue how to manage education, but do you think returning control to the teachers and governors will actually change much? When my parents went to school, the teachers were totally unaccountable and no one made sure children were actually learning, and now that I'm at school and a lot of schools (including state-funded ones) in my country are being put back under private control, tyrannical councillors are being replaced by tyrannical teachers and headteachers. The deputy head at my primary school was an absolute nightmare and ruled over our packed lunches with an iron fist while letting school dinner kids eat processed crap every day, and she wasn't the only one.
Teacher is such an underrated and underappreciated profession that it's actually sad. Probably the most imoortant job there is, yet it has a ridiculously low status. Especially here in Sweden. In Sweden you, literally, can enter "teacher's school" without even knowing how to read. All a result of nobody wanting to enter the field due to its undeserved low-status. Additionally, teachers are left almost with no freedom at all and have to stick to the government's plans on, not only what, but also how to teach. Students show little respect to their teachers and there is a huge demand for teachers, but the supply is just way too low. And the low supply consist mostly of very bad ones. :/ I have been thinking about entering the profession a lot, but I am hesitant. Hesitant because I don't want to enter such an imoortant field without being sure (don't want to end up being that boring and uncommitted teacher). Respect to all teachers out there!
Some of my Teachers were better or more enthusiastic than others. But I pretty much liked them all. Next to my Parents, Teachers were the most influential and important adults in my life.
