Being a teacher is very rewarding. Not financially, of course, but in many intangible ways. Although the Jewish community has deep respect for teachers in theory, it doesn’t always play out in practice. Despite the many “oys” of being a teacher, there are also many joys.
Teachers in limudei kodesh and in general studies from pre-K through high school must follow a fixed curriculum and syllabus. These standards may be state mandated or dictated by the school. In either event, teachers do not always have input into what is taught. In some extreme situations they are even told how to teach the subject matter. Oy!
The sheer volume of subjects to be taught in short bursts of time often compromises a teacher’s ability to make sure every student fully grasps the concepts being taught. Frequent assemblies, special events, trips, teacher conference days, holidays, term breaks, pull-outs, etc., cut down considerably on the recommended 180 days of instruction that are deemed necessary to cover the required coursework. Oy!
Lockdowns and fire drills are important. Add them to the mix. All of these time-consuming events are only some of the reasons why there is a headlong sprint after the Pesach break to finish the curriculum. Yet, despite some grumbling, our teachers do quite well in imparting knowledge to our children. Despite these time limitations they succeed, and our children somehow become educated. Joy!
The credit must go to our teachers who are self-motivated to succeed. Their methods and approaches are honed by experience and continuous learning. They deal with children, often in large classes, and in today’s society they all have some kind of baggage. There are single-parent issues, financial issues, behavior issues, social and emotional issues, learning issues, peer pressures, apparel anxiety, image issues, puberty, to name a few. Yet our teachers, some better than others, take all this in stride. Differentiated instruction, patience, a sense of humor, and a smiling countenance makes education happen. Joy!
There are three highlights of being a teacher. The first is seeing a student or a class grasp a concept or an idea and fully comprehend what the teacher has been trying to explain. When the light bulbs go off in the students’ eyes signifying the aha moment, that is a teacher’s greatest joy. The second highpoint occurs when a student with any of the problems listed above is helped to overcome whatever has been holding him/her back. The third-greatest joy of being a teacher is when students still come back or write to you years after graduating to thank you for giving them their start or the push they needed to succeed. Joy!
It’s been a while since I have been in a classroom. I had to deal with the fallout from messy divorces, parental suicide, murder, truly deranged parents, dress codes, students who should have been classified but weren’t, allergic and hemophiliac students, and the usual issues confronting students outside the classroom that impacted their performance in class. Sure there were social workers, a school nurse, and a concerned principal. Some students just needed to be held. But after 1980 we were no longer allowed to give students a reassuring hug or sit them on our knee. The burden is always heaviest on the classroom teacher who spends more time with a student than the parents. Oy!
Yet, despite it all, the classroom is the most exciting place to be. Teachers make an impact. That’s where the action is. Joy! It borders on the criminal to take a great teacher out of the classroom and make him/her an administrator. It is educational malpractice. Pay them more and get someone else to handle the school’s administrivia. Oy!
On a personal note, I am pleased that many of my students over the decades are still in touch with me. Some from as far back as 50 years who found me on Facebook. Most recently two shared photos of their first siddur and first haggadah when they were my students in 1967!! The fact that they still use these texts is a joy.
What do teachers make? They make a difference.
By Rabbi Dr. Wallace Greene
Rabbi Dr. Wallace Greene has had a distinguished career as a Jewish educator, principal, and day school consultant.
