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Shannanigan's Search for More...

Looking Ahead

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by
Shannanigan
, 09-24-2007 at 02:08 PM (1509 Views)
As an aspiring teacher, I'm amazed at how discouraging the world can be for those of us out there that want to teach. Despite the low pay, despite the dangerous schools, despite difficult parents, we plan on teaching, and yet, more deterrents are thrown our way every day.

I can totally understand requiring education courses of people who want to be teachers; I am in full support of that. I actually enjoy my education courses for the most part because they usually provide me with information on how to be a better teacher when I get there. I work hard and try to gain as much as I can from them, because I want to be the best teacher I can be.

What annoys me is that while I toil away at my English and education courses, trying to finish in the four years I have covered by scholarship and always taking a full load of courses to do so (and also being denied free time to post on LitNet), there are lowerclassmen, fellow students who are younger with less experience and credit under their belts than I, who are getting teaching positions at local schools! Ugh! They totally bypass the No Child Left Behind act, requiring highly qualified teachers, totally bypass the local certification process, totally bypass all that is normally required of a person who is expected to know their material as well as how to teach it...and they get a job simply because they KNOW someone on the inside. EERRGG!!!

THESE are the types of people who will be my coworkers one day? Puh!

On the flip side, I met a woman the other day who very nearly depressed me with her dispassionate disposition for her job. This woman works with students every day, and not just any students, but the really intelligent students who are going places...and yet, as I sat and chatted with her since she was sitting next to me at a university function, she kept saying things like "I'm just here because they pay me." and "As long as there's air conditioning I'll stick around." Her position requires passion and enthusiasm, and she just seemed like she was in it for the job security. How dissappointing.

I start student teaching in January, if all goes according to plan. I hope it does, and I hope I do okay.
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Comments

  1. Shalot's Avatar
    Hey Shannanigan - nice to see you back. I don't know what to tell you about those people who get their positions without being properly qualified. What you describe is unfair and not the way things should be, but it happens a lot different fields. I myself had several teachers who seemed very passionate about what they did, and then some who were probably burned out on dealing with certain brats and their parents etc... Good luck and don't get discouraged because the world needs enthusiastic, qualified educators. And if you do experience burnout once you get into your profession, I hope you make it through okay.
  2. mtpspur's Avatar
    I second Shalot on the advice. People at the best are but people. It's important to see what can and canot necessarily become of even the best intended professions if the goals are not constantly being examined. Burout creeps up on you slowly so if you can get an inkling of the symptoms you're ahead of the game. I confess to being less then impressed with high school teachers--tended to suspend/expell more quickly then practice rehab--not that my little guttersnipes were angels--they weren't but their potential was there. Keep that in mind even with the difficult ones. Sometimes they need it more.
  3. kiz_paws's Avatar
    Shannanigan, I totally feel for you, having read this blog entry. It really is a shame that there are people out there that exhibit so lackluster an effort where young minds are at stake. Heck, they might even be having the privilege of instructing the next Nobel prize winner, or at the least, be responsible for forever changing one young one's life. Teachers have many difficulties to endure, so your caring attitude and your zeal for the profession are very admirable. May your fire ever burn. Keep us up to date on how things are going, too, I hope!