Do teachers complain too much about their jobs?

Question

Curmudgeon · Accepted Answer

It depends upon the teacher. This particular teacher's lament is spot on:

"Let me see if I've got this right:

You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning. Not only that, I am to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, peacefully disruptive behavior (without any authority to actually do that), and observe them for signs of abuse, drugs, and T-shirt messages.

I am to fight the war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for guns and raise their self-esteem. I am to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, how and where to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook and how to apply for a job. But, I am never to ask if they are in this country illegally.

I am to check their heads occasionally for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize signs of potential antisocial behavior, offer advice, write letters of recommendation for student employment and scholarships, encourage respect for the cultural diversity of others. And, oh yes, teach, always making sure that I give the girls in my class fifty percent of my attention, never mind that they almost always actually get the majority of it.

I am required by my contract to be working, on my own time, summer and evenings and at my own expense towards additional certification, advanced certification and a master's degree. I am to sponsor the cheerleaders or the sophomore class, and after school, I am to attend committee and faculty meetings and participate in staff development training to maintain my current certification and employment status. I am to collect data and maintain all records to support and document our building's progress in the selected state mandated program to "assess and upgrade educational excellence in the public schools."

I am to be a paragon of virtue larger than life, such that my very presence will awe my students into being obedient and respectful of authority. I am to pledge allegiance to supporting a "progressive" curriculum, yet also a return to the basics, and my current administration. I am to incorporate technology into the learning, but monitor all web sites for appropriateness while providing a personal one-on-one relationship with each student.

I am to decide who might be potentially dangerous and/or liable to commit crimes in school or who is possibly being abused, and I can be sent to jail for not mentioning these suspicions to those in authority.

I am to make sure ALL students pass the state and federally mandated testing and all classes whether or not they attend school on a regular basis or complete any of the work assigned.

I am to communicate frequently with each student's parent by letter, phone, newsletter, and grade card. I am to do all of this with just a whiteboard, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a 45 minute or less plan time, and a big smile. Is that all?

You want me to do all of this, and you expect me to do it WITHOUT praying?"

Avicenna · Accepted Answer

Teachers don’t have „three months off“. During the summer break, they have to do professional development and it isn’t a 40 hour a week job during the school year.
Plus read up on the EdTPA and ask yourself if you’d want to have to do that in addition to ordinary teaching responsibilities. Furthermore, teachers are usually expected to coach, serve as a faculty advisor or serve on committees.

TrueConfection · Accepted Answer

They really do have tough jobs. Of course there are a few that make their own job tougher and live on a power trip. The students know which teachers love their job.

FictionalCharacter · Accepted Answer

Yes. I don’t know why they torture themselves like that.

ChrisMaster69 · Answer

In the UK they do, far to union controlled and expect everything done for them.

Also far to militant and influenced by far left (this is UK far left).

A lot of people lost respect for teachers during lockdown.

Far too political.

BeMuse · Answer

Go teach for a year and actually try to teach and then come back and tell us how easy it was...

EnglishEuropean · Answer

No, if anything they don't complain enough.

Joker_ · Answer

They don't complain enough

Do teachers complain too much about their jobs?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said