Plus four other phrases teachers are tired of hearing
Imagine a world where teachers were not constantly told that they are superheroes and that they can accomplish anything. These kinds of statements foster an unhealthy and erroneous perception of what it takes to be a teacher. Educators are not superhumans. They don’t have to sacrifice themselves or save the world. It’s time to stop expecting teachers to play the hero and martyr and start treating them like professionals. Here are five words that bore teachers.
1. “You are a superhero!”
This one gives me the creeps. It puts a lot of strain on educators. Nobody wants the responsibility of trying to improve education, especially when they aren’t included in the discussion.
The day can be saved if teachers are heroes, right? Wrong. It is more than acceptable that teachers are just trying to get through the day. I’ve said enough. The tales that teachers share are nightmare fuel. not enough subscribers. There are constant schedule adjustments. major problems with classroom management. Teachers continue to come to work, but stop referring to them as super heroes. For performing their duties, they seek respect.
2. “Thank you for always going above and beyond!
This one is deceptive. Nobody contests the fact that people value teachers. It’s crucial to express gratitude. The thank you is followed by an unjust expectation, which is the issue here. There was nothing in the job description that stated, “Know that you will go above and beyond everything that is written here,” when I applied for teaching positions.
We occasionally overlook the fact that teachers have lives and obligations outside of the classroom. Have you ever encountered a student at the grocery store who suddenly freezes as if they’ve seen a ghost? Teachers have wives, husbands, sons, daughters, parents, and friends. They have doctor’s appointments, need to clean their home’s gutters, and would prefer to sleep longer each night than four hours. Let’s thus stop taking “going above and above” for granted and instead try saying, “Thanks. and how may I assist?” in its place.
3. “If anyone can handle it, it’s teachers!”
And what truly annoys me is that instructors frequently don’t have a choice when they are asked to “handle it,” let alone the tools they need to complete the task. Teachers did not sign up for a position where they had to sacrifice themselves. When it is assumed that teachers can handle anything, we are setting them up for failure and making them feel as though they are never doing enough. Breaking news: Teachers cannot solve systemic issues in education, which is even more justification to stop referring to them as superheroes.
4. “Focus on the positive!”
If you tend to see the bright side of things, congratulations. Right now, we need people like you. But that doesn’t imply that the rest of us don’t have a place at the table. The fact that teachers’ issues and concerns aren’t being addressed is one of their biggest current struggles.
While we can all hope for the best and try our best to be present and perform our duties, asking teachers to overlook the issues that are interfering with their daily lives and maintain a constant grin is unkind.
5. “You’re a teacher? That’s so cute!