Summary

The article discusses the challenges and misconceptions faced by teachers in the current education system, emphasizing their role beyond administrative tasks and standardized testing.

Abstract

The author, a teacher in a public school within a developing country, expresses frustration over the education system's administrative burdens that detract from teaching. Despite the profession's long-standing traditional methods, the author highlights the need for a more dynamic approach to education that goes beyond rote memorization and standardized testing. The article argues that teachers are undervalued and misunderstood, often seen as glorified babysitters or replaceable by technology, when in fact they are essential providers of feedback and context for learning. The author points out that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that teaching can occur outside the traditional classroom setting, and that educators are adaptable and capable of using various tools to facilitate learning. The piece calls for a reevaluation of the education system to create a more effective and humane approach that recognizes the diverse needs of students and the critical role of teachers in their development.

Opinions

The author feels that the current education system, which has remained largely unchanged for over a century, is inadequate and in need of reform.
Teachers are burdened with administrative tasks that hinder their ability to effectively educate students.
There is a societal misconception that teachers are merely glorified babysitters or that their roles can be easily replaced by technology.
The author believes that the true value of teachers lies in their ability to provide feedback, context, and adaptive learning strategies, not just in administering tests and assignments.
The pandemic has demonstrated that teaching is not confined to physical classrooms and that teachers can effectively utilize various tools and environments for education.
The author criticizes the "cookie-cutter" approach to education that fails to account for individual student needs and instead enforces rigid standards.
There is a call to action for a systemic change in education, with the hope that the challenges of the pandemic will lead to meaningful reform and greater appreciation for the essential role of teachers.
The author acknowledges the dedication of teachers, some of whom have given their lives for their students, and emphasizes the need for societal recognition and support for educators.
Despite the challenges and low pay, the author maintains that teaching is a vital profession that contributes significantly to society, and there is an urgent need to retain experienced teachers who are considering leaving the profession.

That’s Not What Teachers Are For

We really want to be of use

I’m a teacher. Don’t worry; it gets worse.

I work in a public school in a developing country, which means instead of doing my job, I have to spend precious hours complying with administrative tasks that hurt my students.

I’m a teacher.

Back To Basics

We have been doing things pretty much the same way for the past 150 years, give or take.

In my case, a bunch of students — between 40 to 50 — sit in front of me, and I’m supposed to talk to them about the stuff they need to know. Then, I give them instructions on how, through a certain number of assignments, they will demonstrate they understood what I said. Every so often, I give them a test to prove to my boss my students memorized the contents.

There have been many attempts to revolutionize this, and they seem to work for a little while. However, after a couple of months, we go back to basics.

No one would believe I’m doing my job otherwise.

The Glorified Nanny Conundrum

To many, teachers are nothing but glorified nannies that take care of their kids while they do important things like, you know, real work.

To others, we are heroes because we perform an ungrateful job under horrible circumstances and for very little money. Honestly, what would they do without us?

But I cannot shake the feeling most don’t really know what we actually do. Or, you know, what we would do if we weren’t drowning in paperwork and memos.

It is true we take care of your children. Sadly, some teachers have even given their lives to protect them. Many educators invest their own money to create the appropriate conditions in the classroom for students to learn.

However, despite all of that heroism, we keep being told the boogeyman, aka the internet, will soon replace us because we have become obsolete.

We are everywhere.

Yes, we teachers are not a modern concept anymore. Some people ask, “Why would I go into a classroom and sit for hours every day to listen to someone talk when I can instead watch a video or do some reading?”

I agree so much I think I’ll hurt my neck due to intense nodding. I mean, really, who in their right mind would do that when they have a better alternative at hand?

The problem with this line of thinking is that it assumes that teachers can only do their job while being inside a special room with a whiteboard. Clearly, the past year has proved that’s not the case.

The building and the seats in it are just instruments, and so are the computers, cameras, and mics we have been using lately. The worksheets, the pencils, the videos, the books…all of them are just tools to reach our goals.

True be told, you can have the most expensive equipment in a classroom but, unless you have a teacher who can provide the necessary context, it will be of little use. You see, despite what many still believe, we are not repeater stations.

We are much more than that, and we are everywhere, not just inside schools.

What we do.

You see, we are not here to teach students how to answer a standardized test. That’s not what we are for.

Above all, teachers are professional feedback providers. We are not there just to say, “this is wrong.” Instead, we do our best to help you make it better every single time you try. Giving the necessary feedback for growth, providing context to the new knowledge students receive, and selecting the best tools for a learner’s needs will never go out of fashion.

We are there to assist you in learning how to keep on improving, even when we are not there to look over your shoulder.

Sadly, we keep being forced to play the role of evaluators. We have to give a number or a letter that will tell the world just how proficient you are in certain skills.

We hate it too.

Cookie-Cutter Methods

Please, let me clarify. I’m not saying that credentials and certificates are not useful. I mean, if I ever need surgery, of course I’ll make sure the doctor performing it has all of the necessary certifications.

The problem is teachers keep being pushed to do this with every single skill a child can develop, even from a young age. Due to working in overcrowded classrooms, we are given cookie-cutter methods to deal with our students while improving efficiency, as if they all had the same needs and abilities.

There is no such thing.

We can prepare a lesson plan, but we do so with the full knowledge that we’ll have to make adjustments to make it work. Ask any teacher, and they’ll tell you how some students work better when you keep visual reminders at hand or how others require some redirection from time to time.

We are given standards to which the students must comply—those who don’t are labeled as defective; cogs that don’t fit in the machinery. We are then told to hold them back until we can force them to change or, you know, just stamp a “Faulty” label on their forehead and keep going on with our lives.

Going Back to Normal

Nowadays, the “going back to normal” talk is all the rage. Everybody is desperate for teachers and students to go back to school and do what they always do. In fact, in some cities, they didn’t even wait that long.

What a sad waste…

We could have taken this moment in which, against our will, we had to slow down and built a whole new system—a better one. But very few are interested in it. Most just want kids to sit on those chairs while a teacher talks to them.

As usual, some voices try to bring forth change. In many countries, educators make an effort to do better for their kids to prove teachers are not there just to give As or Fs. Instead, we are there because we are needed, even if the tools we use evolve.

So, despite what many believe, our services are required more than ever. Sadly, some educators cannot take it anymore and have decided to quit. Remember what I said about this being an ungrateful job? I hope this brings forth some thinking, with parents realizing we really need them to cooperate with us, and with students accomplishing some actual learning, you know, the kind that goes beyond knowing how to answer a test.

It is not too late for us to learn from last year’s painful lessons. And if we don’t know how, we shouldn’t worry too much. Something tells me we can find someone willing to teach us.