My "Real" Job

[alianora]

My name is alia, and I am a teacher.

I am a teacher of the last district in my state to settle this year's salaries.  I am a teacher of a district that is very conflicted right now about the state of those salaries.

I am a teacher who went to school for four years to get my bachelor's degree, specifically so i could become a teacher.

I am a teacher who is still in school, trying to get my master's degree in EDUCATION to make myself a better teacher.

I did not strike, even though we are not being paid for an extra four days that were added to our contract days.

I did not strike, even though my students were all up in arms about the situation on the day many teachers called in sick.

I work more than 40 hours a week, grading papers, making lesson plans, and job developing.  I work on the weekends, in the early mornings, and late in the afternoons.

I counsel pregnant teenagers, I teach sex education on the side to girls who are too panicked to think clearly and who can't go to their parents.

I help with homework, give detentions.  I know science and math and language arts, even though I dont teach any of those classes.

I know the names of over two hundred students, and I know most of them on sight.  I know backgrounds, boyfriends, homework struggles, and parent's names and phone numbers.

I monitor what students are wearing, what they are saying and their body language.  I stop fights, hug students and offer tissues and a shoulder.

I spend more time with my students than I do with my husband.

So for someone to write in to the newspaper and tell me that I need to get out into the real world and get a real job and stop whining about what I dont know, means they have no idea what my real job is.

And thats fine.

But for you to write in to the editor of the newspaper, and proclaim this:

For the most part, teaching is kind of a real easy profession.  A lot of teachers do not deserve more pay or anything.  Basically, I think people become teachers when they drop out of the work force and don't want to participate in working any more.  They rely on just, hopefully, being able to pass on some of their meager knowledge on to students, instead of learning what it's like to work in the real world.

is unfair and so ignorant that I am surprised you are able to write as well as you do.

Your grammer is fairly good, with the exception of using "a" instead of "an" before a vowel.

However, you have presented your opinions as facts, and have provided no supporting evidence.

Final grade: F

Comments

[tylergrrls.livejournal.com]

Oh.

My.

God.

Please let me kill them. Please. Please.

*hyperventilates*

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

believe me, i would write back directly if i didnt think it would degenerate into incoherant shrieking.

*hates*

[tylergrrls.livejournal.com]

I think you should send in what you just wrote. It was coherent, it was scathing, and it was exactly what that person needs to hear.

-Bree

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

im thinking about it. at just this second, my students are planning a protest. i love my kids.

[tylergrrls.livejournal.com]

Though if you reread that comment again, there are quite a few more errors. A real instead of a really and a couple places where they started a sentence one way and ended it a different way.

It's kinda an incoherent mess. *g* Which is what I would expect from someone THAT ignorant.

I take it this person was complaining about the flu incident?

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

lol, yes, but i was too angry by what i was reading to grade completely. i went through it three times and started swearing before the end of the second sentence.

and yes, there have been lots and lots of opinions about that incident since it happened. it started two days ago, really. when "Connie" posted her opinion that the teachers did not deserve any more pay because we needed to go out and get "real jobs" in the "real world" where we work 8-10 hours a day with few benefits.

the newspaper exploded today. 9 letters and phone calls printed, including the one i quoted.

[jenahville.livejournal.com]

Unbelievable.

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

you have no idea. i read that today, and my class got to see me hit the roof.

[jenahville.livejournal.com]

The person who wrote that is stupid. Ignorant. You name it.
In every "workplace" you will find those that slack off and aren't the best. EVERY workplace.
I have a good friend that is a teacher and also a single mom. And every day she is conflicted because of how much she gives and wants to give to her son and to her students. It isn't easy. And it isn't only "while they are at school". It's on the weekends and at night.
Teachers are so important, such an important role as our kids grow. I try to work closely with my son's teachers every year.
You go, girl.

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

as a teacher, thank you for being involved in your kid's education. thank you for not thinking i do nothing. thank you for caring enough about your kid that you are involved.

i dont have enough parents that care.

[jenahville.livejournal.com]

Well that is just wrong. I know that there are parents whom I don't feel are involved enough and leave the parenting to others. And it's WRONG.
=(

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

it is wrong. and bad, and stupid and WRONG. i am not these guys mom. i am their TEACHER. there are hours and hours when i dont see these guys. so please ask them to stop wanting me to raise their kid!

Sorry, got a little annoyed..er.

[storydivagirl.livejournal.com]

My God! Who wrote this? It's ridiculous. Teachers aren't paid enough and I would think it's one of the hardest jobs out there (god knows, I don't have the patience for it).

People's ignorance scares me.

If it's any consolation, I appreciate what you do!

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

im so..disgusted, i can barely talk. or type. im just SO PISSED that someone would say shit like that.

And thank you. it does mean something, but later, when im not imaging multiple ways to maim this guy.