3.10.11

The one area of my life where I feel enormously successful is my profession. 


Right now, it's under fire, for a variety of reasons. I've got a blog. I need to throw this out there.


Here's what I know. 


I am a damned good teacher. I don't need a review to tell me that, a high salary to tell me that, a gold medal, a trophy, a cash prize, a trip to Disney, or cheap health insurance.


I didn't choose this profession for the summers off.


I didn't choose this profession for the "short" work day, the "cheap" health benefits, or the "outrageous" amount of money I make (or that is given to schools) that is draining our economy like a sieve. 


Yet here I sit, having perused the media, irate at the amount of close-mindedness that people are expressing in light of Wisconsin's taking away collective bargaining rights AND in the same breath taking away millions in funding from schools. And Ohio is getting ready to follow suit.


I get it, those in favor of these bills. I get your message. We all need to cut costs, pinch pennies, pay back our debts. Drastic measures need to be taken in order to make any kind of progress in reducing the deficit. 


I see your side. I would just like you to see mine. 


There is much belief that taking away unions will get rid of the "bad" teachers, and help cut the costs in school districts by freezing bargained salary increases, and allow districts to oust older teachers higher up the pay scale in favor of cheaper labor found in recent college graduates. If I do a good job, the correlation should be that my kids do a good job, and I'll subsequently get paid more.


How...corporate. It's almost dreamy...on paper.


Let's talk money first.


Today I spent $45 on supplies for tomorrow. I'm hosting a Japanese tea ceremony for my 6th grade World Cultures students, and later in the day I'm exposing my French I students to the wonderful world of French cheese that, let's be honest, they would never try unless I talked it up, brought it in, and gave it to them. 


Earlier this week, I spent $70 (although I did receive $40 in donations from the kids) to buy King Cakes to aid in my lesson that exposes my students to the cultural tradition that is Mardi Gras, so that they understand it's more than drunken debauchery, boobs, and beads. 


Let's factor in time to the finances.


I work 8-9 hour days (pretty common in this country), sometimes 12-13 on parent-teacher conference night. When I coached, those days were easily 15+ hours long, and the bonus in that was free warm-ups and shoes (but not just any shoe...cheerleading shoes).


In the summer, you might see me at the pool with an umbrella drink in hand on certain days, and on other days, you'll find me in my classroom, building a floor-to-ceiling light up Eiffel Tower, or painting my classroom because the paint is peeling off the walls and the money seems to dry up when I ask for it to be painted. You will always find me at Target, buying fans so that my students don't stick to their seats during the first month of school, and while I'm getting fans, I get folders, pencils, markers, paper, notebooks, glue, and scissors. I can deduct $250 on my taxes for these expenses, but my receipts always total closer to $1,000.


And I know, anti-teacher people, that I don't have to do any of this. But if you're mad about where money is being spent, why don't you ask why schools don't have money for paint? Where is the money going? Why do I get $20 to spend...for the year...on things for my classroom?


Let's talk job description. 


I want to expose your children to as much as I possibly can. Teaching them how to take and pass a test that makes you think money is being appropriately spent is not in my realm of skills, nor should it be if you truly believe in the progression of our country.


Outside of tactile experiences, I am also a provider of emotional support. Every single day I am not just a teacher, but a mother, sister, nurse, friend, counselor, or just plain shoulder to cry on. I advise, hug, smile, wipe tears, and feed your kids--their bellies, their minds, their hearts.


Stop being so quick to point the finger at me. At teachers. 


Question where the money is going. 


I love my job. LOVE my job. Your cheers for victory in Wisconsin don't take away from my success.