The Teachers I Know – July 9, 2022
Most of us have heard the tired and discouraging expression referenced above, “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”. This type of derogatory attitude towards the teaching profession can demoralize and alienate educators as they selflessly labor to teach and train the leaders of tomorrow. If you have not seen Taylor Mali’s response to this in his viral video, “What Teacher’s Make”, it is worth a quick review.
I have been thinking about the teachers I know over the past few weeks. In Tennessee, they recently came under fire from comments made by the President of Hillsdale College, Dr. Larry Arnn. Here are a few of the excerpts that raised the ire of educators across the state:
“The teachers are trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country.” (the crowd laughed in response)
“Here’s a key thing that we’re going to try to do. We are going to try to demonstrate that you don’t have to be an expert to educate a child because basically anybody can do it.”
“…what are their degrees in? Education. It’s easy. You don’t have to know anything.”
I don’t know Dr. Arnn and I was not in the room for his speech. He is clearly well educated and highly successful, however, his comments were irresponsible, simple, impractical, ill-informed, caustic, and damaging. In the past few years, teachers have been subjected to extreme demands based on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fluctuation between in-person and virtual schooling, in conjunction with the implementation of mitigation strategies and other additional responsibilities have exhausted our teachers. According to the American Psychological Association, 49% of teachers reported a desire to quit or transfer schools. Now is not the time to make off the cuff remarks demeaning teachers. I have been a professional educator and administrator for 25 years, served in 7 different schools (public and private), known hundreds upon hundreds of teachers personally and professionally, and I can attest that the above is woefully short-sighted and inaccurate.
The teachers I know can do AND choose to teach. In fact, many have. I know former pharmacists who left their field to pursue teaching, a former actuary, former financial consultants, professional actors, musicians, DEA agents, and more. The teachers I know weren’t relegated to teaching based on some professional failure or personal incompetence, but they chose to be a teacher.
The teachers I know are highly knowledgeable in their chosen field of study. Often in multiple fields of study, due to need, experience, and opportunity.
The teachers I know are ALWAYS growing in their knowledge and skill. They seek professional development opportunities during the year, as well as over the summer break. A team of our faculty and administration ventured to a conference in Texas recently. Our math department attended a local conference at MTSU. Members of our humanities faculty participated in ongoing professional writing training on campus last week as well. Our entire faculty is engaged in a summer book study. Several of our teachers recently completed advanced degrees and several more are in process. These are just a few examples.
The teachers I know are professionally trained and skilled practitioners of the trade. Teaching is not just knowledge, but requires a significant skill to educate others. They are constantly refining and honing their pedagogy based on current research, personal experimentation, and collaborative practice. They observe one another and relish the feedback. They research and lead professional development sessions after school to improve their practice.
The teachers I know fill many roles during the day. They are teacher, coach, mentor, spiritual advisor, encourager, listener, counselor, confidant, example, and often more. They develop lasting relationships with their students, often providing essential guidance at a critical stage of adolescence.
The teachers I know are passionate about their work and they give everything they have to their vocation and their students. They work tirelessly, always willing to do more. One more email, one more paper, one more class, one more study hall, one more lunch help session, one more meeting, one more student… They do what they can, when they can, as often as they can, because it is their mission. It is not simply a job.
The teachers I know regularly sacrifice their own time, money, and resources to serve their students. I know teachers that host advisory barbecues at their home, take advisories to breakfast, give up their weekends to take students to conferences, take students on week long trips, use their own money to provide classroom resources, use personal belongings when what is provided is insufficient, and so much more. The teachers I know sacrifice for the benefit of their students.
The teachers I know make a difference. I speak from personal experience as one who has benefited from a long line of excellent teachers. They helped make me who I am today. Teachers shape the future. If we want to get serious about educational reform, we best not point the finger at our teachers by dropping cutting soundbites, further alienating our staunchest allies in our mission. Rather, we must validate the essential role they play, enlist them in the discussion, and provide them with what they need to get the job done. It’s not too late – but we better not take them for granted. They are the ones doing battle in the arena – the teachers I know are warriors worthy of our honor and respect. Let’s give it to them.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
What about the teachers you know? Drop a comment here to let them know you are thankful for them. Tag them on this post. Teachers, how have you been growing as a professional? Take a minute to comment so everyone can see what you have been doing!
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
Remember, our citizenship is in heaven!
In Him,
Andy
An Alien Journey 