Teaching is rewarding, but it is also a job

Recently, I saw an article in your paper about a teacher who set the world record for the longest teaching career in social studies. I believe what he has accomplished in his life is remarkable, and I am sure their are countless students whose lives he has positively impacted. He should truly be celebrated for that. That being said, one quote in that article really bothered me .

The teacher is quoted as saying that teaching "It's not a job…. It's a way of life." I am a teacher myself. A 10-year veteran. Most of us do enjoy teaching students and we hope to make a positive impact on them every day, but to be clear, it is a job and we do it for the money, just like any other working professional. Many of us have families to support, mouths to feed, mortgages and rents to pay. We cannot afford to live and take care of our loved ones if we simply get paid in "student outcomes."

The rhetoric that implies that teaching is not a job is harmful to educators. It makes it seem like we need to revolve our lives around an 8-4 profession instead of around our own loved ones. In the same manner, implying that teachers do not do it for the money sends a message that we do not deserve the same wages or raises as our equally as educated counterparts.

I say this as a teacher who loves her job, but even now with a masters degree, I struggle supporting my family on my salary. I equally struggle with devoting enough time to my own children while putting the time into work that this profession demands.

My family is my life, teaching is my job. It just happens to be a job that I enjoy.

Sarah Robertson

Elgin