Why Public School Teachers Have a Harder Job Than I Do.

As I go about my daily life, I do not always readily reveal to others that I am a homeschooler. I tend to wait for a time to test the waters before I let strangers or new acquaintances in on that little tidbit of personal information. When I think the time is favorable (or am outright confronted with a direct question) I am met with one of two schools of thought:

1. I am a supermom with inhuman patience.
2. I am a bitter woman with a severe hatred for public school teachers.

Neither one is true.

I openly and freely admit that patience is not one of my inherent virtues. My husband and children will attest to that fact more emphatically than I feel necessary. While I have had some issues with one public school in particular, I try not to paint them all with the same graffiti. Teachers, however, (especially in the public sector) receive my utmost respect.

After having a conversation with a very dear-to-me public school teacher about the issues facing teachers today, I realized just how good I have it!

I am free to teach my students the curriculum I feel best suits our family's values and standards. I can add to it, take away from it, or change it completely without permission or approval from an outside governing source.

The only person I need to impress is myself. While I do sometimes get caught up in seeking others acceptance and approval, they have no influence in whether or not I "keep my job". I do not have to worry about my students ripping my character up over the supper table unless they want to do it to my face.

I do not have to try to help dozens of children all understand the same concept simultaneously before we can move on. I don't have to deal with "concerned" parents over less than stellar grades earned by less than motivated students that I am then blamed for. I do not have to take orders from politicians who have never taught a single class but think they know better how to teach mine than I do. I do not have to teach things I don't believe in or not teach things I do believe in because I might offend someone.

I don't have to feel the burden of teaching others' children about nutrition, exercise, or hygiene simply because it's not being taught where it is supposed to be, in the home. I don't have to deal with the parents or guardians who get upset that I have usurped their authority in teaching their children about nutrition, exercise, or hygiene because it's their job, not mine. I don't have to deal with parents or guardians who feel that I'm not teaching their children enough about nutrition, exercise, or hygiene because they feel it's my job, not theirs.

I am free to congratulate my students' accomplishments with a hug and not be accused of inappropriate relationships. I can discipline poor behaviour and not be accused of abuse. I can kiss the principal. ;)

I don't need to worry about leaving work issues at work and not bringing them home because work is home and home is work. I have a maximum of 5 papers or tests to grade at any given time. I don't need to fret over whether or not a student has had a decent breakfast or a good home to go back to.

My Zero Tolerance policy makes exceptions for disgruntled siblings accusing each other of appearing to wield plastic spoons as makeshift weapons. I am not required to volunteer...isn't that a little oxymoronic anyway? I don't get "sick days" per se, but if I am sick and have to take a day off here or there, I don't have to count them to make sure I'm not going to get in trouble. I don't have to defend my salary to ignorant individuals because I don't get paid...wait a minute....never mind that last one.

I do not intend to give the impression that homeschooling is a breeze or that public school teachers have no reason to love what they do! I am simply tipping my hat to those who educate children who do not belong to them and the superhuman patience needed to do it.

I realize I have only scratched the surface but I AM a homeschooling supermom, I only have so much time......

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Minding My "q's and p's"

I think the single thing I love the most about homeschooling is the flexibility it affords. Doctors appointments and little trips are never a problem to schedule. Snow days are non-existent but Too Nice To Stay Inside days abound. Field trips to our local science centre usually result in one-on-one time with the staff since we are often the only ones there. We recognize our flexibility as a luxury we are thankful for. I am not, by nature, a flexible person. I like routines. I like structure. I like things to be done my way, at my pace, in my time. I am self-centered and stubborn....but at least I'm honest! I taught my two older daughters exactly the same way. While they each excelled in different areas, they both learned. I was happy to say I had "normal" children. Not brilliant, not gifted, but wonderfully, happily, beautifully average. The eldest loved math but was not particularly keen on learning how to diagram a sentence. The younger loved ...
Read more

Small, Simple, Crazy Things

One thing I have always been able to do is see the humour in almost every situation. Not necessarily right away but eventually the hilarity dawns on me. Today, I even chuckle at the time Hubby and I found poo on the living room ceiling. I wasn't really laughing then but I do now. Every day there is something to laugh about; small, simple, crazy things to laugh about. It makes me feel better. God said it would.   A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.... Proverbs 17:22a  When I was a child I was the same. I always found something to laugh about. Especially when I was bored. When I was bored my creativity flourished. Like the time I was riding in the backseat of my mother's car on a long drive. We had stopped at a fast food place for milkshakes and Mom was listening to elevator music on the radio as usual. I attached the straws to the arms of my glasses and told Mom I was picking up HBO. If we had gotten into an accident that day it would have totally been my fault. She...
Read more

Bombshell

I am about to drop a bomb. It's something that no one would expect to hear from me...then again, maybe one would...or hope to. I am really not sure. Because the one thing I always thought was clear about people I know is that they are either Supporters or Opponents. But the funny thing is, I've learned that's not true. There are Supporters and Opponents but there are also Questioners and Indifferents. Also, sometimes Supporters and Opponents switch roles depending on circumstances. Questioners can be a type to themselves (just enjoying watching people fumble to answer pointed inquiries while having no vested interest) or they can be a sub-type under Supporter (gaining more info to share in your joy/understand your hurt) or Opponent (thinks you could not have possibly thought of all the things they have because you are so very, very wrong). All four of these types and sub-types of people are important, necessary even! They help shape and define a person. They encoura...
Read more