As I progress through student teaching one day at a time, I recall what is written in the handbook for the experience, as designed by my college. It states that we are allowed to work an outside job only from the hours of 6 PM on Fridays to 6 PM on Sundays. I understand the reasoning, setting strict guidelines in an effort to keep us well-rested throughout the 15 weeks. However, it is becoming more and more evident to me that many teachers simply cannot do what they live for without working another job.
While back at home for the summer, I learned that one of my co-workers at Bath and Body Works was actually a primary education teacher, working at the mall in her spare time. I wondered how she could possibly find the time, between writing lesson plans, grading papers, and keeping parents up to date. And then I realized, she has no choice. What she probably makes as a teacher alone just isn’t enough. Time is a sacrifice she has to make, and I’m familiar with that. As I student teach now, I am not paid. It’s not unlike an internship. However, going through this process after graduating only makes it harder because I have to pay to live. At the moment, I am working at an ice cream store on the side. I follow the guidelines and make sure I don’t end up overworking myself. But how is it truly okay with the DOE to have teachers expending energy in multiple directions when they are supposedly most interested in having teachers prepare the youth of today for the challenges of tomorrow? It confuses and upsets me that a teacher can’t just be a teacher out of choice. S/he has to work even more hours during an already full week in order to have just enough. I don’t know that I will ever understand, and I do know that my complaining helps nothing. However, is there really as much awareness as there should be?
athoughtfulmind 