“I’m Just a Teacher” – Just Five Reasons You’re Wrong

“Just”
How did that word creep into my vocabulary?

When I first graduated, I was so proud.
This was an important job, and I knew it.

But somewhere along the way, teaching lost it’s “street cred”. Voices I respected, were mocking our profession. Teachers were boring. Teachers were lazy. Teachers were only in it for the holidays. Teachers didn’t know what real work was.

And the awful word arrived.
“What do you do?”
“Oh me? I’m just a teacher.”

Well… it’s time to delete the word “just”.
We are a vital profession.
Here are just five reasons why:

We Educate!
An education is the most powerful asset you can give any human.
We equip young people with the tools they need to build their life.
I am the one who hears a child say “Ohhhh! I get it!”
Every teacher knows the deep satisfaction of that sound.
And what a precious moment it is.
We empower our students with the fundamental knowledge and skills they need to pursue future success.
We help to discover their personal interests and develop their unique talents.
After all – “Teaching is the profession that educates every other profession” (Unknown)

We Motivate
Teachers spend their whole day encouraging.
We encourage our students to listen and learn, when most of them would rather be doing anything else.
We encourage them to get involved in life.
To take risks.
To build resilience.
To speak in front of their peers.
To participate in games.
To ask questions.
To kick goals.
To speak politely.
To learn the times tables.
We are every child’s daily motivational speaker!

We Perform
So much of teaching is a performance. And it can be a tough audience!
We are “on” from the moment we enter the 40 kph speed limit zone.
We have to pretend to be cranky, when we are trying not to laugh.
We have to pretend to be happy, when we are trying not to cry.
We have to pretend that subtraction with trading or adverbial phrases are fascinating topics.
Our students and their families are watching, all the time.
Our shoes, our haircuts, our hobbies, our mistakes, our words; they’re all being closely monitored.
We must be deeply interested in every child and their individual story.
Sarah lost a tooth.
Jason scored a try.
Millie won family tickets to the movies.
James had a birthday party.
If it matters to our kids, we will make them believe it matters deeply to us too.

We Care
Most teachers are awesome people.
It is our job to care for other peoples children, and we do.
We care about…
– their learning.
– their behaviour.
– their relationships with their peers.
– their health.
– their emotional trauma.
– their joy.
We will lose sleep over that kid we are trying to build a connection with.
But…
we care about way more than more than just the kids.
We care about…
– their families.
– our colleagues.
– test results.
– how the basketball team went.
We care about…
We care about everything.

We Get **it Done
Teachers work really really really really hard.
Most teachers I know keep hectic hours.
They arrive early or stay late (sometimes both).
They work though morning tea breaks and lunch breaks and weekends and holidays.
They write learning programs, mark workbooks, compose evaluations and research evidence based practice.
They plan sports carnivals and creative arts festivals and public speaking competitions.
They prepare excursions with risk assessments, permission notes, medical plans and bus transport.
They analyse data, write individual learning plans and research innovative ideas.
They coach sports teams and rehearse performances.
They decorate classrooms and school halls and libraries and office spaces.
They shop (with their own money) for Easter gifts and Father’s Day crafts.
They go to meetings and more meetings and more meetings.
They train in everything, from anaphylaxis allergies to syllabus reforms.
They write reports, call families and respond to parent complaints.
They push on and hold on, even though they’re desperate to pee.
They are freakin’ machines.

We Make a Difference
Teachers have the capacity to change the course of a life.
That’s not a cliche – it’s reality.
My career alone has directly impacted 840 lives and indirectly influenced countless others.
Every adult can name both a teacher they loved and a teacher they hated.
Our words speak life or death over dreams, hopes, futures and possibility.
We have the ability to build up or tear down.
To restore or to humiliate.
To ignite hope or spill negativity.
Teachers have immense power to influence a child’s identity and how they see themselves in the world.

There is so much more we do than “just teach”.
We are first responders to broken bones and asthma attacks.
We are detectives, investigating who actually started the fight.
We are nurses, wiping away tears and applying band-aids.
We are psychologists, supporting families through devastating crisis.
We are peacemakers, calming volatile situations and bringing clarity to confusion.

So let’s get rid of the word “just”.
What a ridiculous word it was in the first place.

I am a teacher.
I empower and equip the next generation.

How to be a happy teacher … stop using the word “just”.

Thanks for following along,

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Have a fantastic week,
Jen