The wrong perception of the teaching profession
Who has never been told that “it’s just that teachers live very well…”? I will not be the one to defend the group, since I have many reasons to criticize us and you only have to take a look at a certain Facebook group (which all teachers know) to see the empathy and good vibes we have among ourselves. In fact, unfortunate comments made in a bad light are the most common, more typical of angry children than of serious teachers, but well, in any case, we will talk about this another day (or not).
The joys of being a teacher
Neus Rossell, in his book “Three months of vacation (and other joys of being a teacher)”, humorously portrays this very erroneous perception that society has of teachers and makes us reflect on the reality of our profession. He raises real situations and problems: diversity in classrooms, meetings with families… The limits (or non-limits) that we can establish as teachers and, ultimately, the obstacles that we encounter daily. Teachers and professors we are always questioned. And now I will not give a victimist speech on this issue either, I will simply remind the population that having to justify and excuse ourselves day after day is quite burdensome.
The lack of teaching professionals
Currently, there is a lack of teachers (and those specializing in Catalan, even more so). The lack of teaching professionals is alarming and directly affects the quality of education. So, when they tell us that we have three months of vacation, we would have to ask them: “If it is so easy and so wonderful, why is there no line to enter the profession?” We are waiting for you with open arms! And, after this proposal, there will always be those who will justify themselves: “no, no, I already have another job”… And those who will try to fix it: “no, no, I couldn’t, eh? Deep down, you I admire…”
Teachers’ daily challenges
As a Catalan teacher, I face daily challenges that range from student motivation to the defense of our language. In an increasingly globalized world, trying to convince thirty teenagers that Catalan is useful for “something” can be quite a challenge. In addition, we assume roles of counselors, mediators and everything else that is needed. We find ourselves dealing with surreal situations and setting limits without setting many. We often feel unprotected, discredited and belittled in our work every day, by the system and by society. But despite everything, we continue forward.
The real reward
The true reward of being a teacher is not measured in teaching hours or holidays. It is seeing how a student learns and grows. That, dear ones, is priceless. So the next time someone tells me with a smile that I have three months of vacation, I will make them a recommendation: read Neus’ book. Perhaps this way they will understand that our work goes beyond stereotypes and that every day we face unique challenges and rewards. And if any of those who criticize our profession decide to join our ranks, we will be happy to welcome them into the educational world.
