February 5, 2004
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we have been doing a FLYLady theme this week for wellness. so each day i have been sending a "mission" ala Kelly. here is today's
Thursday is Reflection and Thankfulness Day
Today is a day to sit down and reflect on all the hours you work, doing your job. Remind yourself how "little you work for so much pay". (Especially all that vacation time you spend doing nothing.)
And then reflect on your educational background, the years you have been in school, as a student and as a teacher, the courses you have taken to become a better teacher (although we all know we only do it for the pay increase).
And then thank your lucky stars that you are not ignorant to state laws that require students to be in school 176 days regardless of snowdays ("Those are just free days the teachers don't have to make up." says one helpful taxpaper), half days ("If we didn't have half days wouldn't that save on transportation?" asks one unknowing parent.) or vacation time ("Why aren't the inservice days on vacation time? Why do teachers get all that time off?" asks an underpaid civil servant.). Be thankful you understand that the 176 days students are required to go now is 1 more day than students were required to go in the 1980's and 1990's (when I was a student), not less as some people would have you believe ("There sure are a lot more days off now than when I was a kid" says one mom.)
Be thankful your job isn't a line item (sorry KB, ER, JS, JR and CN) that can be debated and discussed regardless of contracts, state laws and actual need. Reflect on all this, and then remember why we are here. The big bucks...no....the gracious parents....no....the future of our educated society....nope...oh yeah, we are here for the kids. That's it, the kids.
Finally, go into the lounge, sit back, have some candy and nachos and relax, after all you hardly work at all.
Comments (3)
My SIL is a teacher and I have heard much the same from her. (Especially about the mother who got in SIL's face and asked, "Do you understand what you're asking me to do?????", in response to being told she needed to read with her 2nd grader every night.) Teachers are most certainly some of the most underpaid and under appreciated people out there. My hat is off to you!(There are af ew parents out here that know your job isn't a cakewalk!)
Kudos to you! I have taught grade one and two for more years than I care to say! I loved it; especially in the early days..worked hard! I left because I was burned out and needed some kind of change. I became an Educational Technology Integrator..teaching teachers and students, and PD! Now, I have returned on an occasional basis...mainly grade 6/7/8 and the computer lab! Quite enjoying it!
I dare anyone who criticizes teachers in the ways you've written in this entry to try to do our jobs for one week and then still say we don't deserve the benefits of our jobs.
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