Public Education
"Be a teacher!" they said.
"It'll be fun!" they said.
"It's rewarding!" they said.
"June, July and August!" they said.
Off to college I went with a revolutionist mindset
Stay away from the parties, the drunkies, and flunkies
"I'll change the world one child at a time, no child left behind"
Study, join clubs, come early, leave late
Student teach in buildings filled with lackluster burnouts
Lesson plans for days detailing every move
Trial and error to see what works
Inspire! Motivate! Galvanize! More! More! More!
Observations that made me sweat through my clothes
Squinted eyes and confused looks from my professors
"Do more! Be better! Strive for excellence! Spend more time!"
Back at the 3 am drawing board I went with my head held low
Spend $100 on material for the perfect lesson
Pulled an all nighter
Professor spends 5 minutes observing, abruptly smiles, thumbs up, then leaves
Only two grade options: Unsatisfactory or Satisfactory
With grit and determination I earned that coveted 4.0
Worked three part time jobs
Averaged four hours of sleep per night
Aced all my classes my transcripts were a beauty
The single most expensive piece of paper in the world was handed over, the diploma
Along with 18 pages of student loans
Repayment! Repayment! Repayment!
Nothing in this world is free
Spend $100 on clearances that expire every 30 days
Pay $10 per transcript to the school that cost $60k
Print out resumes on $20 paper
Go to countless interviews simply for schools to make quota and hire someone's cousin
Finally land the job with stomach in knots
Receive an average salary
Spend thousands of dollars and hours to get classroom ready
RIP summer vacation
First day jitters
Activities prepped
Smile so hard until face hurts
Students unenthused and roll eyes
Prepare documents
Email parents
Coordinate schedules for meetings
Students already failing
Special education: Write IEPs, ERs, RRs, NOREPs, send invites
Document every sneeze
Observe and learn the function of a behavior
Develop in depth plan to target behavior
Beg children to do work and make up missing assignments
Get cursed out
Smile at the teachers passing in the halls
Receive a low grumble or growl in return
Call parents requesting help to get child passing
"It's your job. Not mine."
"It's part of his disability."
"You are a racist because his English teacher is failing him."
"I have a job I'm busy."
"I cannot be held accountable for his homework."
"Why can't you just do your job and get him to pass?"
"What do you do all day?"
Beg child to complete work
Get punched in the stomach
Get bit on the arm
Get questioned by principal, "What did you do to provoke it?"
Teach classes all day
Work on special education paperwork on lunch break
Coordinate the schedules of 17 people for meeting
Meet all deadlines for 32 kids on caseload
2 hour delay
Early dismissal
Holiday break
Truancy
"Do more to be involved!"
"Run clubs!"
"Coach sports!"
"Do more! Do more! Do more!"
Attend school board meeting, or else...
Listen to unemployed and retired people vilify teachers
"They do nothing. Must be nice."
"They need to do more and be paid less."
Administrators say,
"Make learning fun, don't teach to the test, but really what we mean is teach to the test"
"Evidence of a good teacher is a student that self teaches"
"Teachers will be graded on how well students perform on tests"
Tests are given in non-native languages
8th grade tests are given to students reading on a 1st grade level
Tests are given for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 6 full weeks
Teachers are responsible to get students excited for tests
If students don't pass they don't graduate
If students don't pass teachers will be let go
If students don't pass administrators will still be given bonuses
If students don't pass it's the teacher's fault
Still living in parents' house
Repay student loans until 2058
Receive media bashing from government
Listen to others, "Your job is so easy!"
Arrive at 5 am
Leave at 8 pm
Can't afford a car payment
Can't afford a mortgage
Go back to school for advanced degree
Complete school work all hours of night and at red lights
Type. Research. Type. Edit. Submit. Grade: B. Comment: Show don't tell.
Cry.
End of school year activities begin
Finals for days with 300 multiple choice questions
Assemblies. Spirit week. Pay $10 to wear jeans.
Sporting events. Play rehearsals. Staff meetings. Drink dinner.
Ah sweet friend we meet again
September through May have nothing on you
Soaking in your rays. Breathing in your breath.
Sweet June Sweet June Sweet June
