Why did I ever become a teacher? A view from the classroom
|
If ever a chalkie had the time to reflect, he might seriously wonder why it is that he does what he does. For as he conducts the daily Socratic dialogue with his charges (“Why should I?”/”Because I’m asking you to”/”Get stood on”) or seeks for “outcomes” with colleagues (“I think you will find I was ahead of you in the photocopy queue”) or calculates at what temperature permafrost will form in the gulag of the outer portable classrooms, a part of his being is whispering “you’re completely and utterly mad”. How is it then that he ever became a teacher? The received wisdom is that teachers hearken to the siren call of the pedagogic muse because of that one teacher in their adolescence who profoundly shaped their plastic sensibilities. The more prosaic explanation is that many teachers enter the profession because their high school grades were not good enough to get into anything better. Sad to report but at certain schools the mediocre are over-represented. As are those biding their time until they receive a better offer. Happily there are plenty of good teachers to offset the duds. As naff as it sounds, all the dedicated want is to make a difference. Altruism which the government is not ashamed to ruthlessly exploit as it holds down wages and drags its heels with school improvements. Consider only the practice of contract teaching. The contract teacher is engaged from term’s beginning to term’s end. Unless the teacher is re-engaged from day one of the following term he will not receive holiday pay. Happy Christmas, Mr Chips. It makes one almost nostalgic for Workchoices. Even should the teacher score a permanent position, he must still teach in surroundings which make those Third World village schools depicted in heartening pics sent by international aid agencies to Mum and Dad sponsors (who attach them to the Kelvinator Deluxe with fridge magnets) seem enviably advanced. The meagre remuneration is not a cause of the decline in teacher numbers and quality but a symptom of an expediency which says it is fine and dandy to cut costs in an area which is critical to any meaningful and productive future. So the next time the pong in Room A3, the signal of a bereavement in the rat metropolis beneath the floorboards, becomes so chumpy you could carve it or the air-con blows hot instead of cold on a day Venusian in meteorological extreme or the power shorts because the bursar has thoughtlessly switched on an electric jug, the most you can do is gaze up to the ceiling studded with spit balls and the accumulated sh-t of a million flies (and wherein asbestos surely lurketh) and sigh. |
|
|
|
15 Comments
Tony. The tone of your email suggests you are unhappy/not cut out to be a teacher, let alone with trying to communicate with Gen Y. Teaching does not owe you a living YOU owe it a living. Like all employment it takes a focused person to excell and enjoy
Universities still naively expect to attract geniuses. A level A (lowest) academic is expected to have a Masters degree industry experience, teaching skills and published research. They might get a part time job or at best a twelve month contract.
With wall to wall Labor governments, will there be any real improvement in teachers’ wages and conditions in Gove schools? Somehow i doubt it Until a society values its educators, this deplorable state of affairs will continue.
My wife did the first year of her B.Ed (to teach HS science) and quit. The ‘education’ topics bore no resemblance to the real world. Only the mediocre would tolerate them.
Tony - and some parents pass on nothing of any value to their children - so what!
Tony Papafillis-who taught the engineers and scientists-oops!
Sounds like “sour grapes Tony” couldn’t cut it and is jealous of those who did.-Teacher envy!
Ps-love my holidays and 30 hr T.A.F.E. teaching week mate.
Winners are grinners-go figure Tony!
Tony Papafilis-sorry I forgot to mention my 4 day week and unreal super!
C’mon!-time for another grizzle!-it’ been 3 days!-we miss your sagacious and droll comments!
Better luck in the next life though mate (try joining a union for starters!)
Bigger pay as a result of political pressure does not equate to society valuing teachers. Teaching is not a patch on engineering, science etc & is not worthy of the kind of adoration teacher unions expect. After all, some parents teach kids for nothing.
I assume you became a teacher for same reason as most teachers - you weren’t academicaly able to get into a better course at uni but 3 months holidays, 3pm finishing times etc appealed. Teachers teach at kids’ levels so there’s no genius required.
Teaching in high school is a good job for those people who are suited to dealing with young adults. The often grubby and unsafe conditions, [broken power points, suspect building materials, steam driven computer systems etc], will always be there.
I think we should all stop teaching and let the parents do it. I’m sure Tony would be happy with the result and think of the tax payer’s money we would save!!
No, Robert, teachers do not produce engineers etc. Teachers simply deliver set courses to impart a body of knowledge to our children and then test the children to see where their talents are & where help is needed. Or at least teachers did it in past.
Tony Papafilis-sorry I forgot to mention my 4 day week and unreal super!
C’mon!-time for another grizzle!-it’ been 3 days!-we miss your sagacious and droll comments!
Better luck in the next life though mate (try joining a union for starters!)
Until we understand that kids do not need to be taught trivia but be shown how to learn, primarily by their parents, we will continue this foolishness where politicians, bureaucrats and parents demand the irreconcilable and blame teachers for failing.
Tony, they don’t take geniuses either. Years of lecturing (to kids 5 mins past high school), years in industry, a science PhD and they still want a waste of time Dip.Ed. Laughed my arse off when they said they want a “Dr Karl” in every school.