There is a multitude of thoughts that pop into a teacher’s head every day – most of them are completely unacceptable to say out loud. Teachers have self-control that surpasses all other professionals. No one does censorship quite like us. Bearing this in mind, Beyond explores what teachers really think but can’t say out loud…
In no particular order, here’s a brief but relatable list of what teachers really think daily but can never say out loud:
1.‘I don’t get paid enough for this’
Are you even a teacher if you haven’t questioned your career choices! Teachers often (I’m talking weekly) reach the point of sheer frustration where they compare their workload to their salary and something isn’t correlating.
2.‘I’ll mark the test when I’m good and ready!’
The same students that moaned, grumbled and would do anything in their power to avoid the test now suddenly become obsessed with getting it marked within 24 hours! Please give us a break, we’re still recovering from all the test motivation tactics we had to do with you. You’ll get your test back when we’re good and ready!
3. ‘Dear parent, with all due respect, I didn’t give birth to your child’
Teachers are constantly being told how to do our jobs. We are told we’re doing everything wrong and expected to teach, discipline, counsel, motivate and parent kids we had no hand in creating. Somehow it’s strictly our job to teach you right from wrong. But we can’t say that. Sadly, we have to bite our tongues and keep it professional. We just have to woosah our way through.
4. ‘Do these children have ears?’
No other profession teaches you to be patient like teaching. Most teachers have a high tolerance for repeating instructions because students don’t follow them. You can put the instructions on the board, remind them daily or even scream into a megaphone and you’ll still get at least one student who says ‘I don’t get it’. You honestly start to question your sanity – is it me or them?
5. ‘There’s a bunch of things I hate doing too – it’s life kid!’
Young people don’t fully understand the way life works yet. They think adulthood is about doing everything you enjoy and nothing you dislike. You often hear them say ‘I don’t want to write’ or ‘I don’t like this subject’. With a clenched jaw, you have to resist the urge to bombard them with the long list of things you hate but do anyway!
As the true professionals we are, we do an awesome job of keeping these thoughts under lock and key. We know it’s not wise to blab but wouldn’t it be nice?
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