Spare thought for teachers in testing times
Trying to be all things to all people is a thankless task, writes Ian Cole
HOPEFULLY some people somewhere gave some thought to the good old classroom teacher for World Teachers’ Day last month.
My generation, when reminiscing about school days, will recall names and incidents about certain teachers. These days many of us may be more concerned that our kids, more likely our grandkids, are getting the best education. So, let’s talk about their teachers. What are they faced with? Into our grandchildren’s classes may arrive kids who couldn’t care less about learning, who are not used to rules, who can’t sit and listen, who are rude, unreasonable or use inappropriate language. On top of this there may be some students who have ADHD, autism, or disabilities.
Into this environment step parents and grandparents who want to know why their child’s reading and maths is not up to scratch.
Let’s give the teacher a break. Compounding this classroom and parental pressure comes demands from administrators sitting behind a desk who seem to want to make educational changes and set tests. Changes seem to be made by people who aren’t facing 30 students all day, every day. Decisions for change are often made by people who have the luxury of time to sit and think educational thoughts some distance from the nearest classroom. On top of this, a teacher increasingly is asked to “engage” the students in their subject, which is often a euphemism for entertaining them. Learning my times tables was due to rigorous teaching, not due to any entertainment value. In short, there are numerous and often unfair pressures on the classroom teacher.
So we need to wonder why a young person with a science degree would take up teaching when they could be in the serene surroundings of a laboratory mixing chemicals in a test tube and having their work appreciated by a research company.
Don’t get me wrong. There are some plusses being a teacher. There can be those so-called light bulb or breakthrough moments when a kid finally grasps a concept, but these are not everyday occurrences. Sometimes the plusses are not immediate. Rarely will a student walk out and say “that was a good lesson, thank you”. Rewards can come 20 years later when an ex-student stops you in the street and wants to talk. You can be happy with that. There are those also who will want to point out teachers’ holidays as being a big plus. Yes, but without them, many teachers would not make the distance. AFL footballers need recovery time after a match. Teachers need recovery time after a term.
It wouldn’t hurt also for teachers every now and then to be reassured they are doing a good job. Like everyone, they would like to feel their endeavours each day are valued, and despite pressures from students, parents, principals and administrators, they would like to go home at night not stressed to the eyeballs. Even though the rewards might at times be distant, hopefully on World Teachers’ Day, teachers may have been given some positive feedback. In the old days it was probably finding an apple on their desk.
So for teachers to keep on top in any given day, things may not be easy. Some days they might need the patience of Job, the understanding of Mother Teresa, the persistence of Gandhi and the entertainment skills of Harry Houdini! And when those thorny issues arise from students or parents or administrators — or from all three — which create vast amounts of stress, some teachers might wish they also had Harry Houdini’s skills as an escapologist.