Many teachers have said, “Spend the day in my shoes!”

The scorn from the mainstream media and even some alternative media sites towards our teachers have become the norm these days. Supposedly, according to sources that have not spent an hour teaching in the classroom, teachers have a “cushy job” with time off in the summer and excessive pay. Nothing like a little ignorance to belittle the teachers that work hard every day for our children! Furthermore, our mainstream news report as much degrading and humiliating information as possible to make it seem like ALL teachers are bad news!

In REALITY, most teachers work hard day-in and day-out, instructing students, grading papers, meeting the needs of their students most effectively, correcting misbehavior in more positive ways, integrating technology, modifying lessons, administering tests, applying the standards, meeting the demands of their administrators, keeping abreast of the most effective ways to educate their students, taking professional development classes, attending workshops, meetings, and conferences, participating in their communities and more.

One teacher in Florida describes her average work day as 10 hours and with time spent almost every Saturday with something school-related. Furthermore, she points out that she spends her own personal time and money on professional organizations and summers in training. She further explains how teachers are expected to keep up with all current research and technology and be able to demonstrate it in the classroom. This Florida teacher also describes how she must find ways to make boring content more exciting and engaging for the students; how she settles quarrels; bandages boo-boos; and makes “lightning-fast decisions”.

See here at NYF DAILY NEWS~“Think teaching’s easy? Spend a day in my shoes!”

A teacher in Texas expresses that state regulations are an ever-increasing presence in her classroom and that testing has become a major focal-point. Moreover, she stated how classroom management is more problematic, as she discovered that teaching was really hard work, but loves her job, nonetheless.

See here at From My West Texas~”Teaching is hard despite getting to spend day with kids, books…”

Want to spend the day in a teacher’s shoes? Here’s a basic run-down of a teacher’s workday:

• Arrive early to work for fine-tuning my lessons, grading papers and preparing for the day.
• Perform my morning duty as hall monitor
• Greet students, check homework, read parents’ notes, take attendance and lunch count, and make sure students are engaged.
• Start the instruction for the hour but make sure to stop instruction in enough time to go to today’s assembly.
• Attend Assembly.
• Finish instruction if possible.
• Take students to their special (today it’s library).
• Make the necessary phone calls to parents or guidance, etc. Also, do any administrative paperwork that’s left on my desk.
• Get the students and perform the next lesson for the day. Ensure that they are engaged and on task. Help those students that need extra guidance, and monitor their behavior.
• Perform the next lesson. Ensure that they are engaged and on task. Help those students that need extra guidance, and monitor their behavior.
• Go to lunch and attend my meeting.
• Get the students and take them to recess. Make sure the students are playing safely and appropriately. AND ALWAYS monitor student behavior.
• Continue in my instructional objectives for the day, as I ensure that they are engaged and on task, help those students that need extra guidance, and monitor their behavior.
• Give the students some down-time to rejuvenate.
• Continue in my instructional objectives for the day, as I ensure that they are engaged and on task, help those students that need extra guidance, and monitor their behavior.
• Assign homework, prepare students for dismissal, and make my best effort to hear the announcements while my students are discussing their day.
• Ensure that all my students leave to their designated dismissal areas with a pleasant parting or “see you tomorrow”
• Attend my workshop for the afternoon (2 hours)
• Go home with papers to grade, report cards to do, and lessons to start for next week.

So what are you waiting for? Spend a day in a teacher’s shoes.

Resources: NYF Daily News, My West Texas, & numerous teachers across America

Teachers, you have a sacred trust as educators! Shine the way, and keep your nurturing nature with your students. Also, as Dr. Jeff Goldstein states, “We have to ensure that testing should serve education and that education does NOT serve testing!”

Believe it or not, those who struggle with Autism may have the ability to express themselves. They just need the proper tools, and for Carly, she has found a way to speak to the world! This is an amazing breakthrough!