You know when you’re a kid and you think superheroes are actually real? Well, I’ve come to find out that they are. They’re just disguised as teachers. Lately, I’ve seen a lot of criticism on social media toward teachers or students aspiring to be teachers. Speaking as a former education major, in no way did these negative comments influence my decision to take a different career path. I changed my major because I was so passionate about teaching that I couldn’t fully commit to the job if I didn’t see myself doing it long term, as it just wasn’t fair to the students. I still feel just as passionate—if not more—about the major and the profession. I will always support and defend teachers because they deserve all the recognition in the world.
Think about how difficult it is to learn a concept in school; sometimes it takes you hours to finally grasp it. Now think about the challenge of teaching it and making sure a class full of students with different learning styles understands it in the required amount of time.
Education majors work just as hard as any other major. This is where I see the most hate on social media. “Why would anyone wanna go back to school?” “You know teachers make no money, right?” And please don’t get me started on the “People become an education major when they want to take the easy way out” comment, we’ll be here all day. Let me set the record straight: education majors do not spend their time “coloring all day.” They spend hours in and out of class developing lesson plans keeping in mind how a student with ADHD, dyslexia, special needs or other learning disabilities will understand the material. They also factor in ESOL students who are still learning English, as well as gifted students to ensure they’re engaged. All of this is taken into account when writing a lesson plan along with providing the materials, interactive activities and forms of assessment. Being an education major is time-consuming and requires a lot of dedication.
Once graduated, these former education majors become certified teachers and begin devoting their time and efforts toward helping their students. Teachers have the ability to change a student’s outlook on the way they feel toward school and life. Most students spend more time at school than at home, and for many in Title I schools, this is their safe haven. Imagine trying to learn when you’re hungry because you haven’t had a real meal in days or being tired because you were up most of the night listening to the fights in your household. These are some of the challenges children face that teachers see every day in the classroom, and many are still successful at keeping their students on track with school. A lot of teachers even go above and beyond providing food, clothes or other necessities students aren’t receiving at home. Studies show the average teacher spends about $479 per year on school supplies, and most are not reimbursed. And it’s no secret that teachers are extremely underpaid. While many people use a teacher’s income to look down on the profession, I use it as just one more reason to admire it. Teachers are clearly not making the amount they should for everything they do, and they still choose to do it because of their passion and love for inspiring the lives of others.
This article is not meant to discredit any other majors or professions. I think doctors and lawyers are very important in contributing to society. But think of it this way: a teacher taught that doctor how to be a doctor and taught that lawyer how to be a lawyer. This article is, however, written to shed some light on these modern-day superheroes who spend their career helping the greater good and shaping the generation of our future: their students. Behind every successful profession stands a teacher. Not only do they teach the educational skills you need, but they might just very well set the pathway in your decision of what and who to be. So, appreciate them, thank them and treat them like the superheroes they are.