It's easy being a teacher, isn't it?

The ancient Greeks said: "If Athens does not have a shoemaker, the Athenians will walk barefoot. If they don't have a tailor, the Athenians will be naked. And if Athens does not have a teacher - there will be no Athenians. "

I am writing this article in the hope that at least some of you who are not engaged in this business will, when you read it, at least for a moment ask: How easy is it to be a teacher? I have been working as a teacher for a long time. And I think that there are bad teachers, as in every business, there are good and bad ones. Still, most of us love a job that works and does it with utmost dedication and responsibility. However, there are many misconceptions about this profession. I will write today about the most common ones.

First I will tell you what is expected of us according to our pedagogical regulations:

"We are expected to have high moral qualities, humanity, to possess certain intellectual and speaking abilities and to have a fully developed personality. Also, it is necessary to have a good pedagogical and general education, to be aware of the need for continuous improvement, the spirit of collegiality, to govern ourselves and to have a positive attitude towards work. "

"A competent teacher loves his job, does not waste energy on class indiscipline and has authority that students accept. He has enthusiasm, integrity, honesty, honesty, fairness, consideration, care, modesty and compassion. "

"He has an understanding for students and their problems and a positive attitude towards young people. He has the ability to approach them, understand their needs and is ready to help them. He manages to establish friendly relations with them along the set boundaries, respects the student's personality and is required in accordance with the possibilities and abilities of the students. "

"A good teacher is responsible, consistent and fair. He cannot have double standards. He is dedicated, ready to cooperate and tactful. He is also adaptable, helpful, open, well-meaning and optimistic. "

"A modern teacher is creative and knows how to inspire. He is the organizer and leader of the teaching process, but also the coordinator, mentor, motivator and associate. "

Simple, isn't it?

What the majority of the public thinks about our business:

1. The teacher works 4-5 school hours during the day and has 3 months of summer vacation.

The job of a teacher is a demanding profession and the most difficult part is done outside working hours in the classroom. According to a survey conducted by the Government in Great Britain last year, a teacher works on average more than 50 hours a week. This data does not seem to be updated as I know many teachers who often work close to 60 hours per week. They spend a lot of time drawing up a plan for teaching, searching for literature, reading and correcting written assignments, devising new assignments, analyzing what has been done, assessing and assessing children's knowledge, and not just to make classes interesting and encourage students to participate in class, but to make sure that they have adequately supported each student individually and encouraged him to face new challenges. Children are often unpredictable so even the best-designed plans can fall into the water. That is why it is necessary for teachers to be flexible in planning and to count on numerous unforeseen situations, ready to rethink the way of teaching in order to meet the needs of students, from year to year. As for the summer holidays, we also work when the students go on vacation (for me personally, that work is the hardest). In accordance with the law, our annual leave is as long as with any other employee. However, there is one difference. We have to make full use of it during the summer holidays, so there are no cheap holidays for us in the pre-season or after the season.

2. For teachers, going to seminars is just another excuse to take a day off.

You're right, we're going to seminars. We are obliged to have 120 hours of professional training during one school year. We improve in order to teach our students as well and as well as possible. And not only that, if we don't do that we can lose our job. What is not true is that because of going to seminars we take days off. Seminars are usualy held on weekends (in our free time) and we pay for these seminars out of our own pocket.

3. Those who have some knowledge and skills do some specific work, those who do not have it go to teachers.

I have to admit that I always feel sick when I hear this sentence. Everyone who has graduated from a faculty (I say a faculty because teachers have to finish it) has learned to do that job. It goes without saying that after the internship he will be able to do that job on his own. However, all teachers need many other knowledge and skills that are not taught in colleges.

No one can teach you how to pass on the knowledge you have to students who know nothing about it. I have a habit of quoting then "It is not knowledge to know knowledge, but knowledge to give knowledge".

4. Teachers are responsible for the entire education of the child. I have heard many times how parents complain that their child does not know how to tie shoelaces, does not know the general culture, does not know the current events in the country ... Who is to blame for that? In their opinion, of course teachers. Well, my dears, I will tell you my opinion on that. Every adult who spends time with a child is responsible for at least part of his education. Spend quality time with your children, talk, read, comment. Teach them how to tie shoelaces and practice it with them. As for what we teach them from various subjects, help us by encouraging them to learn at home. Just as the old African proverb says "It takes the whole village to raise a child"

For the very end, I will share with you an experiment that I read on one of the teacher forums.

If you want to know what it's like to be a teacher, stand in front of the TV on, turn it up and talk for 45 minutes about anything you know well. Of course you have to be louder than the TV and pay close attention to what is happening on the screen at all times. Whenever one of the housemates passes, answer each of his questions in a meaningful way and satisfy all their requests. During that time, be sure to be calm and pleasant, with a smile on your face in order to contribute to a better atmosphere in the room. Repeat this exercise at least 4 times every day (preferably with only short breaks for five breaks) for five working days, so you may then roughly understand what it looks like to be a teacher

. I'm just talking about holding classes here, you don't have to try everything we do, by which I mean writing numerous plans, preparations, research, designing classes etc.

After all that you have, I hope you have read, see how true the title of my article is:

It's easy being a teacher, isn't it?