People like making things up about teachers.
Somewhere along the line, someone started a rumour that teachers in Australia start work at, like, 8:30ish. They just waltz into a classroom, probably pulling a box television from the 1980s, and while they drink their coffee and read a magazine, they force their students to watch some traumatising sex-ed video before shouting: “NO QUESTIONS”.
After that, they get a recess break AND a lunch break, before running out the door at 3:15pm to go home and watch Netflix. And they only do that for like… four weeks a year. The rest of the time they’re in the Maldives. On holiday. Fanning themselves with taxpayers money.
Watch: Things teachers never, ever say. Post continues below.
As the daughter of two teachers, I can say how much I enjoyed our family holidays in the Maldives growing up, and how great it was having my parents at home at 4pm everyday, smiling about their stress-free days.
Except I cannot say that at all because none of it happened.
There are five questions that people seriously have to stop asking teachers, because there seems to be some bizarre myths about one of the world’s most important professions.
1. “Is it just amazing leaving work at 3:15pm everyday??”
Oh.
It… would be. Sure. But teachers wouldn’t… know. Because they don’t run out the door with the bell. HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY SEEN THAT OCCUR? IN THE WILD?
There are lesson plans and bus duty and admin and meetings and marking and countless other tasks to do once the students have left, meaning most teachers are still at school until five or six in the evening, ready to be there bright and early the next day.
2. “Is it cute playing with little kiddies all day?”
… No.
A Kindergarten class might be cute five minutes into the first day of Term One, but they're likely not so adorable at 2:30pm on a rainy afternoon in August when Jordan is chasing Felix with two pairs of scissors.
Furthermore, there are like EIGHTY THREE OF THEM. Just little people running around yelling words they don't understand and yanking nuts out of their school bag when half the class is seriously allergic.
I remember vomiting in my Kindergarten class more than once. Which was carpeted. No one can control their bladders. Some kid is always snotty or coughing and some poor teacher has to sort that shit out.
Get to Year Nine and let's just say no one is cute at 15. They're demonic.
And if only teachers got to 'play' with kids. Every minute is planned to ensure children learn all the things they need to.
3. "Did you choose teaching because you get lots of holidays?"
Lol.
Just because it's holidays for students does not mean it's holidays for teachers.
There is an enormous amount of work to get done in that two week period that the rest of the world seems to dismiss.
4. "Why don't teachers teach stuff that's actually applicable? Like taxes? Rather than Pythagoras' theorem?"
.....
.........
Why don't... you teach your kids to do taxes? Because it's a life skill. And schools can't teach kids everything. Parents already complain about the homework load and the pressure placed on their children and yet insist they learn more.
On top of that, most kids actually DO learn how to do their taxes. It's covered in the mathematics curriculum. And algebra and Pythagoras theorem are ways of teaching problem solving and basic mathematical concepts which can be extrapolated into various areas in life.
5. "WHY ARE YOU OUT TO GET MY SON?"
They're not out to get your son, he's just a little shit.
Of course - not all teachers are Saints - but overwhelmingly, they're doing the best they can, and don't have time to hold grudges against particular students, despite what little Blake tells you.
What did we miss? What questions do you wish people would stop asking teachers? Let us know in the comments below!
Top Comments
Teaching is the best job I've ever had. A lot of teachers have no clue what it's like not to be a teacher. I am realistic in saying that teachers do very much live in the real world, but to constantly complain about the job? The article is such a load of crap. The main thing that irks me is that people who don't teach have no clue what other things the job entails, I would say the smallest part of my job is actually teaching. The rest is data entry, pastoral care, dealing with fucked in the head parents who turn their child into an anxious mess, extra curricular activities, never ending professional development, pretty much organising a town of kids and that's just starting with the nuts and bolts of the job. But our pay is great, holidays are fantastic, work hours are flexible once the final bell goes and most leave not long after the bell to do some work at night. But working with kids is an awesome job, I love it, I love teaching them new things, giving them confidence when their parents shoot them down because they didn't get a certain grade their cousin's child got so they are embarrassing the family, etc. etc. I've heard the "You're out to get my child" before. There's a simple response to that. I say "How good is education here, you can go and enrol in another school if that's the way you feel. I want what's best for your child and if you aren't interested in sharing the same goal there's the door." That generally shuts their mouth and gets them onside when they realise you aren't going to take their shit. Adults are just like kids, if they know a pussy is in charge they will run riot.
What nonsense. Waste of my time reading this. You’d be lucky to find a teacher past 4pm at my kids’ primary school.