Insight into Teaching

As you might already know, especially if you listened to my podcast episodes, I'm a teacher in training. Who knows how long that career will last, as most people tend to change careers multiple times throughout their working lives?

But for now, that is one of my paths.

Interestingly, it has led me to the title of paraprofessional. Who knew?

Not surprisingly to some, but surprisingly to others, I won employee of the month and was nominated for employee of the year my first year as a paraprofessional.

UPDATE: Funny thing—this piece was rewritten written two years before the release date here, even though the podcast version came out soon after. Since then, life has shifted in a big way. I’ve stepped further into the classroom, now standing in front of students each and every day as their teacher—Science Teacher! Who would have thought? Only God! What began as just another job, a paraprofessional role helping certain students learn and grow, has blossomed into the real thing, and I can honestly say the journey has changed me. There are so many good things to share, along with confirmations that most people who’ve never stepped foot in this role might dismiss or justify. The struggle is real, the loss is real, the sorrow is real—but so are the rewards of seeing students choose growth and academic success, and walking with them through that journey.

Anyway, before I began this path, I had some perceptions of teaching that I know are not unique. No. Those perceptions are heavily universal amongst us who have no knowledge or training in that field. In fact, we all have a lot of perceptions about a lot of jobs and career fields in which we have no education, training, or experience. I guess that is why we are sometimes so quick to call out those who do work in those fields when a situation occurs that does not line up perfectly with our limited understanding and perceptions, and we are quick to confidently take the role of armchair quarterbacks, or, as it is sometimes referred to, Monday Morning Quarterbacks.

Oh, how often we are wrong, and our confidence and arrogance in our limited understanding, lack of experience, and false perceptions change our name tag from the name we were given at birth to "Fool."

Anyway...

Teaching is like any other profession; no matter how much you think you know, how skilled you are, how great your intellect, how much you prepare, or how much training you've had, you will always have the opportunity to be pushed beyond your limits and to learn more, to grow, and to adapt.

Little did I know that a teacher’s load was so much more intense than lecturing and grading assignments and that it was a blending of methodical creativity.

I have also since learned the hard, stressful, and physically and emotionally draining job that a paraprofessional has. And why paraprofessionals are greatly underpaid. (UPDATE: I can now add Teacher to that list as well—different role, same heavy load.) Most people don't even know what that job—paraprofessional—is, and some that do think it's no more demanding than a first-time or fast food job, which is probably why I've heard some people (even a few teachers and administrators, believe it or not) disagree with the reality of the workload and request by paraprofessionals for higher pay.

I've been in both the classroom as a substitute and teacher-in-training and as a paraprofessional, and I must say, although the paraprofessional can oftentimes leave their work at work, their job is sometimes more dangerous, disgusting (think snot-dripping sleeves and bathroom explosions), and rewarding, and I agree that they deserve much more pay for what they have to put up with, deal with, and do.

(UPDATE: Now, standing daily in front of my own students, I see even more clearly how both paraprofessionals and teachers shoulder unseen burdens—things like the constant challenge for classroom behavior, the sting of disrespect, and the difficult reality that some parents unintentionally enable those struggles. These are parts of the job outsiders rarely witness, and many would hardly believe if they did.)

Anyway, back to teaching.

My perceptions about this career field were altered once I had to really learn about the intricate and unseen aspects of such a job. The moment I had to actually do the job (step into the role and prepare the actual duties of such a position and perform those duties in a live setting) was when my understanding and perception were altered, and I truly began to get a new and proper perspective and understanding of the job. I got an inside, hands-on experience, rather than a spectator's view.

This is something I really think everyone should have the opportunity to learn and experience, not just for the profession of education but for many professions, including law enforcement. So many armchair quarterbacks with that one. Trust me, go through their citizens police academy at least, and your whole perspective and perception will be altered. Especially when you have to go through an active shooter situation as the person rushing into danger with little information and lives on the line. Or traffic stops where things can go south in a fraction of a second.

Anyway, again.

It took me by surprise to learn that teachers actually have some personal say in the norms for their classroom and how they will deal out consequences, up to a point, even though all, it seems, try to follow the universal key elements of strong norms. Although consequences are something we could discuss for a while. But the strong norms are something I mention in that podcast episode: (Spotify) EPISODE 036: My Growth in Secondary Education]

Either way, [due to my willingness to step up, strap my boots on, and take the initiative to gain more experience and training in this career field], my perception of teaching has greatly changed to be more understanding and admirable of teachers and their classroom rules, and my understanding has increased. I now know that a teacher's load is great, their work is never done, and their patience and aptitude are, more than a lot of us can say, strong and ever increasing.

Did you know that many teachers not only have the responsibility of creating lessons that follow strict federal and state standards and have to grade dozens if not over a hundred children's work assignments (each and every time an assignment is given), stay after school to meet with parents, and continually go through training, but some also have dozens if not more of other students with disabilities that they also must monitor and spend so many extra hours writing reports for and altering the very same lessons and work to fit each child's individual needs?

How many of us can say we would choose—and be able—to put on a smile each and every day, walk into a room full of twenty-plus kids (and I've been in some that are literally shoulder to shoulder), take control of the atmosphere, read and speak to them for nearly an hour, give them work, hear grumbling voices, calm down bad behavior, clean up messes, and then repeat that process five or six more times that same day, each time with the same smile and enthusiasm and with a different group of kids? And beyond that, teachers often spend their own money on pencils, art supplies, headphones, and other materials that disappear, break, or never return, while also replacing some damaged classroom items out of pocket. Add to that the unseen pressures of handling disrespect, negativity, even name-calling or threats, and the reality that some parents—through well-meaning—can sometimes mirror those same behaviors, creating more stress and red tape. And that's not even mentioning the extra workload of Special Education, which amplifies all of these challenges, including scratches and bites, which paraprofessionals face often. These are burdens most people outside the classroom never see, yet teachers carry them daily with patience and perseverance, because the rewards of watching students grow and succeed make the weight worth bearing.

Granted, there are some things that are, shall we say, incorrect and potentially harmful to children and future society that need to be corrected in the schools and classrooms, especially when dealing with behavior, but the teacher's job is a heavy load, especially mentally and emotionally.

One thing I like to ask myself is this:

If the students do not, at least in some small part, comprehend and understand the application of the material, then did teaching ever really occur?

As a paraprofessional, I got to work one-on-one with many students, and one thing I learned is that if the student is firmly intent on not learning, then there is almost nothing the teacher can do for them when it comes to teaching the material in that moment. They can lecture, present, and shout over the student if the student is being loud, foul, and disruptive, but they can't force the student to actually learn.

I'm more old school, but I have learned that there is much manipulation in order to get the children to do what they are supposed to do, to stop being disruptive, and to still not offend (or hurt the feelings of) the child, at least in some part. It works, but I sometimes wonder if it is not building a wrong structure for society: bad behavior gets you what you want, you don't have to respect authority, manipulation is acceptable, etc.

When feelings become the sole focus, learning itself is pushed aside—because if the priority is only to protect emotions, then behaviors are quietly enabled, and the very purpose of education is lost.

Sometimes the student just does not learn that day or that hour, but that doesn't mean they can't still excel. It's like anything in life with anyone: if the person is not willing to help themselves, then you cannot really help them either. And, if the person is not willing to listen and learn, then you cannot really force them to listen and learn.

You can't force, but you can encourage.

If you want to hear more, or if you've wondered "what do teachers do?" "What do they have some say or control over?" then listen to the podcast episode: (Apple Podcasts) EPISODE 036: My Growth in Secondary Education from the podcast From My Standpoint.