Gripes

Will You Allow Me to Vent for A Minute?

Just because I like my job, does that mean it’s not a real job?
Just because I have fun at my job, does that mean it isn’t real work?
Just because I teach kids to paint and use clay, does that mean I don’t have real responsibilities?
Just because I “play” with kids all day, does that mean my job isn’t really important?
Just because I have conversations at work about striped ducks, does that mean my job isn’t serious?
Just because I’m happy with my job, does that mean it doesn’t matter?
Just because I don’t suffer at my job, does that mean I don’t contribute?
If you prick me, do I not bleed?

Er… never mind that last one, but…

Apparently, because I have chosen a career path that makes me happy and is satisfyingly fulfilling in all its fun, imaginative and creative ways, and because I do not make as much money, my job does not have the same value as real jobs in real, professional fields. And to this, I ask…

Just because you made bad decisions in your life and with your career choices, does that mean I have to be punished for mine?

Standard

16 thoughts on “Will You Allow Me to Vent for A Minute?”

  1. Ooh boy. Do I know that feeling. But I'm just a sub; I'm not a “real” teacher. And my job isn't important. I can just up and leave in the middle of the day. No problem. 😉

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  7. I love when someone asks what I do and I tell them and they say “oh, that must be so much fun”…yes, it actually IS EXCEPT when its not. Like when I have 6 classes in a row, with not a second to breathe. When I switch out grade levels here there and everywhere. When I get a new group of behaviors, abilities, quirks…every 45 minutes. When I teach “hit and run art” to 5 groups of kindergarteners in a row 30 minutes at a time.

    But then there are moments like last monday…when I look around my room and it is a TOTAL mess…paper, glue, stuff…everywhere. And I am SO happy and everything is wonderful..and great and I realize that there are people out there who hate their jobs.

    And then I realize I am so incredibly lucky.

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  8. It's only worse in high school- when a kid is a few minutes late to his next class, because he was cleaning up his project, and you get a scathing e-mail from their Engilsh teacher saying, “Keeping him late for a REAL class was a decision made in poor taste.”

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  9. Anonymous says:

    I love my job too. I hate that I get negative comments from people who chose to not finish college. I tell them if they admire my job so much go back to school. They usually stop talking. If they like my new color printer so much (at school) come teach photography. More silence. Whiners suck. Every job has its pitfalls; we are just lucky because our pitfalls are covered in paint:) Amy

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  10. What an awesome post! I would love to link to or reprint this entire post in my own blog (giving you full credit of course)! I, too, am a beleaguered elementary art teacher and I have heard all of these comments from friends and other teachers at some point. I do love my hubby though, who after days where I've rooked him into coming and helping me with something crazy on his day off… he's looked at me and said, “Honey, I couldn't do your job. It's too hard! I don't know how you do it.” Yup. He's a keeper! And I do love my job, all hassles aside. I so loved your last line. I've always wanted to say this and never known how to word it!

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  11. Anonymous says:

    I really love when people ask “do you make as much money as a REAL teacher??”, as if our Masters Degree is worth less than others! They just can't see the value in what we do (and I'd like to see them try to teach Art to 7th and 8th grade for 80 minute blocks….bring it!!)

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  12. It's worse when it comes from another teacher… like I'm their break therefore I can't be teaching “real” important curriculum or comments like “oh, I did art in the classroom too!” when it's actually a crafty, everyone-looks-the-same project that actually is a time filler. No, you didn't make real art, you told the kids exactly where to put the circle and square… I actually introduce them to artists, techniques, and cultures. Thank you for posting this!!!

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Music teachers get the same thing too…a favorite of mine is (cue baby voice now)… “Oh My Gosh…YOU are a music teacher? That's SOOO cute!” Try my job for a week honey and tell me how “cute” it is.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    I just found your blog and I needed the laughs. Thanks, because everything you say is TRUE. I feel like I only represent a BREAK for the teachers. They say that's not true but it is really. Get this. I teach music AND art. I used to teach both every week all year. Then the school curriculum changed to allow for large blocks of morning time in homeroom study. I like having a block of time off in the morning but that also means we have to divide my two subjects into semesters because of scheduling difficulties. Basically I have to teach a whole year of each in only a half year. I don't know how to do that and to top it all off, they gave me a study hall to monitor! I have a music degree, but I've gone back to school for art and now I don't know which is my favorite if I chose (I get asked all the time). I have a nice big room but it must serve both music and art because there will be no building project in the near future and no new person hired to create two part time jobs. But believe it or not I'm glad to have a job I like. Others ARE jealous.

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