"If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had forty people in his office at one time, all of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job."
-Donald Quinn
Dr. Hicks gave us this quote in class the other day and it just made me start thinking about how much people and society in general do not appreciate teachers and the work that they do. There are some out there who even believe that teachers should be paid LESS for what they do. I've never understood this train of thought because in all reality, where would these doctors, lawyers, and dentists be without the teachers they had when they were younger. While I cannot wait until the day that I actually become a teacher and finally get a class of my own (and I wouldn't trade this career path for any other), I still can't help but be somewhat discouraged by the lack of appreciation that is shown by all those who are not in the educational field. Why is it that the very people we entrust with our children and the youth of this country are so often looked down upon? What is it about these other professions that elevate them to this higher status? To all of these people that feel they are somehow above the role or profession of a teacher, I dare you to "walk a day in my shoes..."
I completely agree! My own grandfather asked me before why I was going to school to be a teacher, he told me I should do something more important, like become a nurse. When he said that I was outraged! I got into an arguement with him about how teachers are just as important- if not more important than nurses. People need to learn to understand and respect the amount of work teachers do. And like you said- if it weren't for teachers, no one in all of the other professions would have made it to where they are today.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find even more discouraging are the people who actually ARE in the field and have a negative attitude towards it. It's not that they think that they should be paid less, but that the lack of appreciation of others has sprouted bitterness in themselves. It is really unfortunate when an excited and passionate sophomore, college student, pre-service teacher enters into a teaching veteran of 20+ some year's classroom only to be discouraged by her negative attitude towards the profession.
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