Monday, September 28, 2009

Love, Sacrifice, and Border-Line Abuse

You may be wondering to whom I am referring when I use a word as strong as abuse...ME and every teacher that has stepped foot in a classroom to sacrifice his/her time to educate the youth of America.  There are certain individuals in the world who truly know what I'm talking about when I say teachers are tired, but most of America has no clue.  I'm done hearing that "but you get summers off" crap (excuse my frankness).  If I didn't get summers off then I wouldn't be able to effectively teach our children or live a normal life without going crazy.

I'm tired of being completely disrespected, cut off and cursed out by a 13 year old who then turns around and asks me for help on an assignment ten minutes later.  And guess what???  I help them..I want to kick them in the throat, but I help them.  Someone please feel my pain.  It is so humbling and such a lesson about this life NOT revolving around you when you must serve those who don't appreciate you.  Today my team of teachers and I told a kid that we cared about her and all she could ask us is why...

I told her that I had no clue because the way she was acting, I just wanted to wash my hands and be done! 

I wish I didn't have to care, but at the end of the day I know that I'm going to do whatever possible to help these children.  I'm tired of hearing my students talk about who is now pregnant and how her mom is "tripping" because she is mad about it.  I'm tired of students coming in with doctor's notes because they have a STD and had to be out for a few days.  I'm tired of 14 year olds walking around and acting like they are married in the hallways...doing things that my husband and I don't even do...and don't get me started on what goes on in the bathrooms.

How can I put my kids in a system like this?  How can I equip them to be leaders and not followers?  How can I know that what I'm telling them is really sinking in and they won't be living an infectiously poisonous life?  I don't know and I don't have the answers to my questions.  I don't know if anyone does.  I don't, but I have faith in who does and He is already making the arrangements...

2 comments:

  1. Hey Girl!
    First off, excellent post and thanks for sharing your heart. It's funny because I always joke with Melissa about the "summer's off" thing and I know that probably riles you guys up. But, the reality is that many of us know and realize that we could NEVER do what you all have to do day in and day out.

    Yeah my job is stressful, do I wish I had more time off, sure who doesn't. But there's an element to what you and other "caring" teacher have to do that I will never fully understand or be able to comprehend. I'm all to familiar with it, my mother lived, served and even came to her death in the school-house, which I always find a little ironic. Truth is, she loved all of her students as much as she loved her children because in a way the children that were deposited into her classroom year after year were her children for about 8-9 hours a day for 8-9 months out of the year.

    Please know there are those of us outside the situation whoe appreciate all that you do and are praying for you to be empowered to keep doing what you do. Of the folks I know, I don't believe any of them have or were teachers for no reason - I believe it takes a special person to be the head of a classroom and I commend you and every other teacher out there. keep pressin and we'll keep praying... Winter Break is on its way!!

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  2. Nice post BB. Its almost like you are forced to care for the students. You arent a bad person, but for real the parents arent doing their jobs. Thats why i will continue to blame the parents for the the students not respecting teachers. I love the "kicking them in the throat" part because its so true.

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