We seem to forget how much we love our teachers.
Don’t get me wrong. We do like them, especially in teacher-centric times like the back-to-school season, teacher appreciation week and when they go beyond our kids. But once the conflict arises, we seem to forget.
Have your child been bullied? The teacher did not pay enough attention.
Is something in the IEP plan missed? Seriously? You have a job.
The test score is not good? I know that it is a mistake to have a first-grade teacher.
Time and again, it was the teacher’s fault. They are scapegoats in some way and The Savior blames the failure of the country, but also expects to save it from it.
Just last week, someone on my Facebook page wrote: “School system needs to do better because my 14-year-old gingivitis is what gives people red hair. What do they even teach in school these days?”
I’ve been seeing this stuff all the time, not just where people are hiding behind the keyboard online. It feels like the teacher has become the preferred target for everything. Do you know? It needs to stop.
I am not a teacher, but I have endless educators throughout my life who do their best to serve our young people. We have to do better.
Why do the stags stop at the teacher’s desk?
It’s time for me to whip a story of “Well, back to my days…” about how we used to give teachers more authority, trust, and candid respect. But that’s not what I think. What do teachers think about their attitudes towards them?
Sadly, the survey results are not good. A 2024 poll found that 73% of K-12 teachers believe public perception has worsened over the past decade. It’s not just the teacher’s salary or workload, both of which have frustrating prospects, but it’s about the respect or lack of what we give to our teachers.
“The Bucks Here Stop Here” is a sign on President Harry Truman’s White House table, designed to accept responsibility and take action. Unfortunately for the teacher, I felt the stags stop at their table. Parents, students, administrators, school districts and the entire system use teachers as scapegoats.
Who should take responsibility?
We should.
We – Pay taxes, votes, leaders’ communities are setting up teachers for failure. Between unrealistic course requirements, endless paperwork and multiple IEP teachers don’t have time to implement, we have to tell the truth. There really isn’t enough time for a day.
The teacher tried to speak out. The recent survey found that 77% of teachers said their work was often stressful, and 68% found them overwhelmed. They regard their own physical and mental, student behavior and even political pressure as areas of concern.
These numbers are shocking. Think about it. Of course, stress is part of life and most jobs are also – but if you’re overwhelmed most Isn’t this a sign of change during working hours?
We need to take care of teachers, listen to their concerns and support their needs. If we don’t do that, then a decade of time will be a horrible time. Just as my supervisors and companies are responsible for creating a decent work environment, we should also attribute it to teachers. It is obvious that their working environment is not enough. Administrators, districts and school systems need help.
How do we provide more support to teachers and what can you do?
It’s easy to find and quote all the mistakes in the way we treat teachers, I tend to one Hopeful optimist. No matter how bad things are, we can still strive to achieve impactful changes and meaningful improvements. Teachers should get more support. Here is what we can do:
We can trust them.
As far as I know, the teacher essentially waves the white flag. They surrender and tell us they are overwhelmed and overworked. We can’t just keep nodding and pretending to be like someone or something magical will change. Let’s start by believing them and actually doing something about it.
We can defend them.
Next time we hear someone complaining about the teacher of the child or talking about the teacher that should be more, give a rebuttal of objection instead of pile up.
We can bring them the benefits of doubt.
It’s easy to jump to your own kid’s defense or assume the worst when it comes to the story through rumors, but before we go to the teacher to complain or whip our inner mom bears, let’s stop and listen to them.
We can show a little patience.
We live in a world of right presents, and hours (or gasping!) can feel like eternity when you wait to hear a question from a teacher. Let’s remember that they may have many other students and challenges.
We can support policies that support them.
Many of us want to avoid politics these days, but we can still be responsible for understanding how certain issues affect our teachers. This starts at the local level and is also important nationwide. You can really support the teacher with notifications.
We can help promote better working conditions.
The investigation I mentioned earlier is indeed to help. These teachers need our care. They are not only looking for easy paychecks or increased wages (although we owe them too). They demand better working conditions for their overall well-being. We can speak to support the working environment they deserve.
We can keep our children accountable.
Ask you what the biggest problem at school these days, I promise that your “parents” will always be the best answer. Parents’ requirements and expectations for students are falling, making teachers’ work harder. We must make students more responsible and stop placing the blame on teachers.
We can say thank you, and that’s what you mean – more often.
Those extra back-to-school supplies and holiday gift cards were great. But there is nothing like real support and finding a way to show that you are grateful.
Ultimately, teachers do not ask for perfection or praise, they ask for partnerships. If we want schools to thrive, it starts with how we treat their core people. Let’s stop blaming the teacher and start backing up.
