From Amanda's very early writing (1990s to early 2000s), shared as it was originally written.
Unsung Heros
I had the great fortune yesterday to speak at a couple of seminars for teachers from the South West Coast of Victoria.
It prompted me to think about how much we undervalue our teachers. To be a teacher is a calling - not just a job. Think about the responsibility our teachers have; do you recall a teacher that had a profoundly positive or negative effect on you? I do. Miss Steve set me on a lifelong love of English and words , and taught me to speak and write good! Another one whose name I have blanked out bestowed me with a hatred of history - until I was 24. Others inspired me to reach for great heights because they believed in me.
And yet how do we treat our teachers and principles? Not so well, based on years of discussions I have had with various people in this profession. Firstly we think they are overpaid and they have three holidays a year and only work 8.30 till 4.00pm. They have an easy job. Oh yeah?
Let me outline what I know about them. My sister in law is a principle at a large country school. She is never home! Not only does she have to attend school every day, she is expected to be at meetings at least two to three nights a week. At these meetings teachers and principles are madly learning new skills, techniques , languages etc so they can teach your children the latest advances in curriculum.
It is just expected that they will continue to do these ongoing education of themselves. Many in the South West District of Victoria have had to embark on a one night a week for 20 weeks program to learn all about computers, because it is now an integral part of your children's schooling. That is just one of the meeting they must attend. And they don't get paid to attend these meetings.
They are expected to attend 'professional development days' on a very regular basis. Conferences abound that they must go to because - particularly in the case of principles, they must be kept up to date with the enormous rolling changes that are omnipresent in our education department. And the world for that matter!
Principles are also now 'business managing' their schools far more than in the past. They are responsible for many aspects of running a school that were previously organized by the Department.
Teachers do not work just 8.30 to 4.00pm! They are in much earlier and generally by the time they finish preparing classes, marking papers, helping children after school and completing other duties expected of them , they either leave much later or take work home routinely and finish it after THEIR children have gone to bed.
Their holidays are often taken up with study. Either they need Masters degrees or they are expected to attend courses to update their skills of teaching or their knowledge of subjects .
Not to mention the stress of dealing with 30 or more children in a class every day and being mother or father or therapist with many of them. Or dealing with irate parents who storm in and complain about anything that they can blame as an excuse for not parenting properly! Or sensitively managing abused children who are experiencing difficulties at school. Or helping parents with marital problems who come in to discuss the effect on their children's behavior and learning .
So if you don't think we acknowledge what a great job our teachers and principles do enough - let your children's teachers know how much you appreciate what they do. We're very quick to berate them when we think our child is not being looked after - and if that really is the case we do need to step in. But we rarely acknowledge the zillions of great gifts special teachers bestow on our children.
And why not promote the profession of teaching? Encourage our children to become teachers - they have a wonderful purpose in life; can make a significant difference in the world; usually love their job and are offered great opportunities. We should be happy to pay them more, given the huge responsibility these people embrace, because they love to see children blossom. Maybe if we acknowledged them more both financially and emotionally we could increase the number of fabulous teachers. Gifted children often make incredible teachers as adults.
Life for a teacher is not doomed to be 'stuck in a classroom'. A charming and wise man with whom I had the pleasure of chatting , said that in 35 years of teaching he had only spent 10 in a classroom. The rest were in a wide variety of different environments that created a rich tapestry for his memoirs - which I encouraged him to write!
So lets hear a big cheer for our teachers! They need to be treated with great respect and gratitude - the small number of lousy ones are vastly outnumbered by those who are dedicated and committed to giving your child the best chance in life.
