RANT: Teachers, why are you so whiny?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And don't tell me "i spent the summer preparing for distance learning" we're friends on Facebook. You haven't done anything but whine all summer while people with real jobs worked

You are friends with all the teachers? That is amazing!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I guess I think it is funny that you as a parent think that I as a teacher even care about your opinion/s. At this point I am so fed up with the teacher bashing that I'm not doing anything unless it is my best interest. When we go back, and at some point we will, I'm not doing any more extras. No more "help" during my lunch, no more staying after school for free tutoring, no more answering emails outside of contract hours, no more treats bought with my own money, none of it. You've built your beds, parents, now lie in them.

Petulant.
Are you mad that we expect a certain level of engagement and expertise from you? Do you realize that you are illustrating the whiny teacher stereotype perfectly?

Now, you’ve added a punitive element to the mix. You sound like a petulant teenager. Ask them to do something, they do it poorly and half-assed, ask them to improve, cue pouting and bad attitude.

Extras? Parents can do those.
Need a tutor? Hire one.
Response to emails etc? Work hours only. The teacher's actual contracted work hours - not the hours, not whatever hours you think they should work.

A former colleague worked visibly 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday. She offered help at lunch 2 days per week.

Outside of those hours she was unavailable to students and parents.

My banket, doctor, etc isn't available whenever I want. My hairdresser doesn't respond outside of salon hours. Why should a teacher work when oarents decide they should?

Exactly, we are expecting teachers to work from 8-5pm. With the exception of buying extra crap for our kids (which I would be happy to do if asked to do), above teacher can teach and respond to emails during a normal 8 hour work day. Even staying "after-school" would fit into a normal 8 hour work day. School ends around 3:30 right? There are virtually full-time professional jobs that have a 100% protected hour for lunch everyday. Most professional jobs expect WAY more than 8 hours a day. Teachers have no understanding of what is expected of MOST full-time professional jobs, which is WHY, when you come back with your petty complaints, you get NO sympathy from 90% of the adult work-force.

Did you see where I said "visibly"? As in, in the school and available unless she had a meeting. Those weren't the only hours she worked.

My SIL works in a bank. She whines because she has to work a pancake breakfast once/year on customer appreciation day. She sure as hell isn't doing anything work related after the bank closes. She misses time every day to drop off and pick up her kids.

I know quite a few professionals who leave work at work.

I think teachers need to take back their jobs. Don't let parents dictate what you do or how you do it. (IE: The thread about tests.)
Teachers ARE the professionals... stand up and do it. Leave the extras to others. Do your jobs the way you know how to do them, not how untrained parents think you should.

PTA's first priority should be filling in gaps in classroom supplies and necessities, nevermind cookies and coffee for the staff room. Stock a cupboard with food for kids who go without.

There is so much wrong with all of it. I wish education would go back to education. Not snack time, social work, and whatever else goes into it.

If they want to do extra then guess what? Those hours should be acknowledged, not scoffed at because other professionals do it too. A lot DON'T.

Yes, there are whiny teachers. Ds's Kindergarten teacher was one of the worst I have ever come across. However, they are not all whiny.

Then also act like a professional! Being a "professional" also means doing what's in the best interest of your clients/customers. This can mean putting their interest ahead of your own. Just narrowly focusing on "what's the safest/most convenient thing for me" without regard for your students is therefore not really professional.

??? It is in my best interest as a patient if I get to see my doctor face-to-face. Guess what? That professional is only conducting face-to-face visits as an emergency. My newly diagnosed case of bronchitis? On Friday he saw me via some sort of zoom equivalent and used his phone to send in a few scripts.

You just made my point. Sounds like in your example the doctor was doing a version of hybrid. But nothing short of 100% DL was acceptable for teachers, was it?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And don't tell me "i spent the summer preparing for distance learning" we're friends on Facebook. You haven't done anything but whine all summer while people with real jobs worked

You are friends with all the teachers? That is amazing!!

NP. I never ask a teacher to be my FB friend ... it seems intrusive to me. But sometimes, they friend request me, and if they do, I accept -- no big deal.

There is a teacher who has taught two of my kids and may very well teach my others who INCESSANTLY posts about how hard teaching is. And how parents only want to send our kids back to school because now we know how terrible they are. It's really unprofessional and gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And don't tell me "i spent the summer preparing for distance learning" we're friends on Facebook. You haven't done anything but whine all summer while people with real jobs worked

You are friends with all the teachers? That is amazing!!

They request it. And yes only teachers get away with being so un professional

[Anonymous]

Teachers should NOT have parents on their FB. DH's is as locked diwn as it can be. He might even have two, come to think of it.

Pp who thinks teachers are the only ones who get away with being "so unprofessional " needs to leave her house once in a while.

[Anonymous]

I don’t even know why I read this thread. It’s disgusting. I have been teaching for 20 years and hope I never had any of your children. I also don’t hear whiny teachers at my school at all. I only hear entitled whiny parents. I am at an independent school but still, you all are awful. My colleagues and I work our asses off at school and all night at home as well. Distance learning certainly isn’t great but considering the circumstances last spring it worked really well and my students continued to learn, and we finished the curriculum for the year. I teach middle school and the kids were awesome. Maybe you need to look at your own home if it isn’t working for you. Stop pointing fingers. Don’t bother responding to this post as I will not check back here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t even know why I read this thread. It’s disgusting. I have been teaching for 20 years and hope I never had any of your children. I also don’t hear whiny teachers at my school at all. I only hear entitled whiny parents. I am at an independent school but still, you all are awful. My colleagues and I work our asses off at school and all night at home as well. Distance learning certainly isn’t great but considering the circumstances last spring it worked really well and my students continued to learn, and we finished the curriculum for the year. I teach middle school and the kids were awesome. Maybe you need to look at your own home if it isn’t working for you. Stop pointing fingers. Don’t bother responding to this post as I will not check back here.

I can see why you are annoyed, but in defense of the thread, it was started long before COVID. Many of the contributions have nothing to do with DL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers should NOT have parents on their FB. DH's is as locked diwn as it can be. He might even have two, come to think of it.

Pp who thinks teachers are the only ones who get away with being "so unprofessional " needs to leave her house once in a while.

Many parents here have posted the same experience. If my kids teacher sends me a friend request, of course I'm gonna say yes. And very often it is extremely enlightening, and not in a way that reflects well on the teacher.

I know a teacher who has sent her kids to various day camps all summer "cuz they NEED socialization" but insists she'll die if she has to teach. Not on east coast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I agree with that long rant 100%. Teachers, you do not work harder than other professionals -- PLEASE STOP ACTING LIKE YOU DO. We all work long grueling hours and don't have summers and every other holiday off. Your pay is fair for what you do. What you do isn't rocket science. I'm sure it does require A LOT of patience, and I don't doubt for one second you work after hours. But again, so do all other professions. Please get off your high horse of how special you are and how you "deserve" so much more pay. Stop your whining.

I love a lot of teachers. I know many! But STOP playing your violin. You chose this career. I am so sick of alllll the teachers I know whining CONSTANTLY. Pre-COVID and post! I don't see any other professional constantly whining about how deserving they are of more and everything else you're always crying about. Ugh.

And yet after dormant for over 4 months you had to revive this thread.

Ha I didn't realize this was a zombie thread. But honestly it makes it more interesting considering our current climate. With all the uproar about defunding the police, I am glad that public school teachers are FINALLY being seen for what they really are- the weakest link in a very dysfunctional system. We can't keep hiring the least capable among us to teach our children and expect quality outcomes.

The statement I want to address is that everyone works grueling hours or overtime or whatever. This is simply not true. I know lawyers who do not work grueling hours, feds who work EXACTLY 40 hours a week, not a minute more, engineers who don’t work overtime, admin assistants who don’t work grueling hours, etc. Please stop with the notion that everyone works 70 hours a week. It’s not true and it’s not something to brag about anyway.

There is a massive gap between grueling hours and whatever you'd call the barely part time gig teachers have. Besides, it's not how long they work, it's the quality of work they perform. Be honest- think about your friends from HS that went into teaching- they were never the sharpest tools in the shed. It's the same now as adults- I have friends that are teachers, but honestly they aren't very motivated/disciplined/intelligent people.

We need to accept that, and then address how to correct the problem. We NEED to make education more competitive and lucrative. Maybe distance learning will allow more qualified people to teach a larger number of students, and therefore be compensated at a higher rate. I definitely believe it is time for vouchers. Idk. But there has to be a solution. Allowing the mediocre B- chick who went into teaching because "she loves kids and wants summers off" isn't working.

+1000. That's been my experience as well. Let's raise pay but then also make becoming a teacher far more competitive.

Katie B. Class of 1995, I’m looking at you. “Exactly” the person described above in bold. Her mom was a teacher and so she just set her sights on the same job, same town, same college, and now the same school system. True of a lot of teachers in my kids’ private school as well. Not an intellectual bone in her body. The only ambitious, smart teachers are the ones Who do it for two years through Americorp and then bail for law school. And those kids are NOT helping the system.

It is amazing to me that you know one person that fits this description and you can paint the entire profession this way. You sound like a complete idiot.
~not a teacher, but somebody who has respect for them

The point is that we ALL had a “Katie” in our high school class who fits this description....

More than one unfortunately...

[Anonymous]

I guess parents should revolt. Home school your kids until teachers meet your expectations. Or be teachers yourselves and show 'em how it's done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess parents should revolt. Home school your kids until teachers meet your expectations. Or be teachers yourselves and show 'em how it's done.

+1.

In the meantime, let's also do unpaid furloughs and use the savings to support families who have to home school now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with that long rant 100%. Teachers, you do not work harder than other professionals -- PLEASE STOP ACTING LIKE YOU DO. We all work long grueling hours and don't have summers and every other holiday off. Your pay is fair for what you do. What you do isn't rocket science. I'm sure it does require A LOT of patience, and I don't doubt for one second you work after hours. But again, so do all other professions. Please get off your high horse of how special you are and how you "deserve" so much more pay. Stop your whining.

I love a lot of teachers. I know many! But STOP playing your violin. You chose this career. I am so sick of alllll the teachers I know whining CONSTANTLY. Pre-COVID and post! I don't see any other professional constantly whining about how deserving they are of more and everything else you're always crying about. Ugh.

And yet after dormant for over 4 months you had to revive this thread.

Ha I didn't realize this was a zombie thread. But honestly it makes it more interesting considering our current climate. With all the uproar about defunding the police, I am glad that public school teachers are FINALLY being seen for what they really are- the weakest link in a very dysfunctional system. We can't keep hiring the least capable among us to teach our children and expect quality outcomes.

The statement I want to address is that everyone works grueling hours or overtime or whatever. This is simply not true. I know lawyers who do not work grueling hours, feds who work EXACTLY 40 hours a week, not a minute more, engineers who don’t work overtime, admin assistants who don’t work grueling hours, etc. Please stop with the notion that everyone works 70 hours a week. It’s not true and it’s not something to brag about anyway.

There is a massive gap between grueling hours and whatever you'd call the barely part time gig teachers have. Besides, it's not how long they work, it's the quality of work they perform. Be honest- think about your friends from HS that went into teaching- they were never the sharpest tools in the shed. It's the same now as adults- I have friends that are teachers, but honestly they aren't very motivated/disciplined/intelligent people.

We need to accept that, and then address how to correct the problem. We NEED to make education more competitive and lucrative. Maybe distance learning will allow more qualified people to teach a larger number of students, and therefore be compensated at a higher rate. I definitely believe it is time for vouchers. Idk. But there has to be a solution. Allowing the mediocre B- chick who went into teaching because "she loves kids and wants summers off" isn't working.

+1000. That's been my experience as well. Let's raise pay but then also make becoming a teacher far more competitive.

Katie B. Class of 1995, I’m looking at you. “Exactly” the person described above in bold. Her mom was a teacher and so she just set her sights on the same job, same town, same college, and now the same school system. True of a lot of teachers in my kids’ private school as well. Not an intellectual bone in her body. The only ambitious, smart teachers are the ones Who do it for two years through Americorp and then bail for law school. And those kids are NOT helping the system.

It is amazing to me that you know one person that fits this description and you can paint the entire profession this way. You sound like a complete idiot.
~not a teacher, but somebody who has respect for them

The point is that we ALL had a “Katie” in our high school class who fits this description....

More than one unfortunately...

Omg totally we ALL know these people- it’s like no one every inherit businesses from their parents or become a dr because it “runs in the family” or a lawyer because their “dad taught them how to argue”. I think your point just exposes how you view the world from a privilege entitled vantage point. But you know you vote blue so you are “good.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I’m a former teacher, now lawyer, and everything OP said is spot on. And now teachers want to claim they aren’t “essential,” SMH.

How can people say they want to fire all teachers and take the tax money to pay for pods, yet claim teachers are essential? No one says let’s fire all the firefighters and use the tax money to buy fire extinguishers. Or let’s fire the meat inspectors and just use the tax money to pay for Imodium.

But the difference is that firefighters and meat packers showed up and did their jobs. Teachers have abdicated their roles and still whine and complain and how difficult they have it.

You can’t fight fires and pack meat from home online. You can teach online. Apples and oranges.

No. You. Can't.

DL is totally ineffective for most students, especially young kids. Stop lying.

Also, if online learning requires full-time assistance by another adult in the room to make sure DC is actually learning, that's generally called home schooling, not DL. Let's recognize it for what it is.

Exactly! You don’t have firefighters calling it in. “Grab the fire extinguisher and garden hose. We are your housekeeper!”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I think it is funny that you as a parent think that I as a teacher even care about your opinion/s. At this point I am so fed up with the teacher bashing that I'm not doing anything unless it is my best interest. When we go back, and at some point we will, I'm not doing any more extras. No more "help" during my lunch, no more staying after school for free tutoring, no more answering emails outside of contract hours, no more treats bought with my own money, none of it. You've built your beds, parents, now lie in them.

Petulant.
Are you mad that we expect a certain level of engagement and expertise from you? Do you realize that you are illustrating the whiny teacher stereotype perfectly?

Now, you’ve added a punitive element to the mix. You sound like a petulant teenager. Ask them to do something, they do it poorly and half-assed, ask them to improve, cue pouting and bad attitude.

Extras? Parents can do those.
Need a tutor? Hire one.
Response to emails etc? Work hours only. The teacher's actual contracted work hours - not the hours, not whatever hours you think they should work.

A former colleague worked visibly 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday. She offered help at lunch 2 days per week.

Outside of those hours she was unavailable to students and parents.

My banket, doctor, etc isn't available whenever I want. My hairdresser doesn't respond outside of salon hours. Why should a teacher work when oarents decide they should?

Exactly, we are expecting teachers to work from 8-5pm. With the exception of buying extra crap for our kids (which I would be happy to do if asked to do), above teacher can teach and respond to emails during a normal 8 hour work day. Even staying "after-school" would fit into a normal 8 hour work day. School ends around 3:30 right? There are virtually full-time professional jobs that have a 100% protected hour for lunch everyday. Most professional jobs expect WAY more than 8 hours a day. Teachers have no understanding of what is expected of MOST full-time professional jobs, which is WHY, when you come back with your petty complaints, you get NO sympathy from 90% of the adult work-force.

Did you see where I said "visibly"? As in, in the school and available unless she had a meeting. Those weren't the only hours she worked.

My SIL works in a bank. She whines because she has to work a pancake breakfast once/year on customer appreciation day. She sure as hell isn't doing anything work related after the bank closes. She misses time every day to drop off and pick up her kids.

I know quite a few professionals who leave work at work.

I think teachers need to take back their jobs. Don't let parents dictate what you do or how you do it. (IE: The thread about tests.)
Teachers ARE the professionals... stand up and do it. Leave the extras to others. Do your jobs the way you know how to do them, not how untrained parents think you should.

PTA's first priority should be filling in gaps in classroom supplies and necessities, nevermind cookies and coffee for the staff room. Stock a cupboard with food for kids who go without.

There is so much wrong with all of it. I wish education would go back to education. Not snack time, social work, and whatever else goes into it.

If they want to do extra then guess what? Those hours should be acknowledged, not scoffed at because other professionals do it too. A lot DON'T.

Yes, there are whiny teachers. Ds's Kindergarten teacher was one of the worst I have ever come across. However, they are not all whiny.

Then also act like a professional! Being a "professional" also means doing what's in the best interest of your clients/customers. This can mean putting their interest ahead of your own. Just narrowly focusing on "what's the safest/most convenient thing for me" without regard for your students is therefore not really professional.

??? It is in my best interest as a patient if I get to see my doctor face-to-face. Guess what? That professional is only conducting face-to-face visits as an emergency. My newly diagnosed case of bronchitis? On Friday he saw me via some sort of zoom equivalent and used his phone to send in a few scripts.

Same. My doctor’s office is not seeing patients in person unless a physical exam is required. They even sent me to a lab for blood work and to minute clinic for tests and shots. No discount on copays either. This is the new world. I’d rather be face to face in the office with my doctor, but I trust that what they are doing virtually is good enough and not a sign that she thinks her life is more important than a ER nurse or a grocery store worker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I think it is funny that you as a parent think that I as a teacher even care about your opinion/s. At this point I am so fed up with the teacher bashing that I'm not doing anything unless it is my best interest. When we go back, and at some point we will, I'm not doing any more extras. No more "help" during my lunch, no more staying after school for free tutoring, no more answering emails outside of contract hours, no more treats bought with my own money, none of it. You've built your beds, parents, now lie in them.

Petulant.
Are you mad that we expect a certain level of engagement and expertise from you? Do you realize that you are illustrating the whiny teacher stereotype perfectly?

Now, you’ve added a punitive element to the mix. You sound like a petulant teenager. Ask them to do something, they do it poorly and half-assed, ask them to improve, cue pouting and bad attitude.

Extras? Parents can do those.
Need a tutor? Hire one.
Response to emails etc? Work hours only. The teacher's actual contracted work hours - not the hours, not whatever hours you think they should work.

A former colleague worked visibly 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday. She offered help at lunch 2 days per week.

Outside of those hours she was unavailable to students and parents.

My banket, doctor, etc isn't available whenever I want. My hairdresser doesn't respond outside of salon hours. Why should a teacher work when oarents decide they should?

Exactly, we are expecting teachers to work from 8-5pm. With the exception of buying extra crap for our kids (which I would be happy to do if asked to do), above teacher can teach and respond to emails during a normal 8 hour work day. Even staying "after-school" would fit into a normal 8 hour work day. School ends around 3:30 right? There are virtually full-time professional jobs that have a 100% protected hour for lunch everyday. Most professional jobs expect WAY more than 8 hours a day. Teachers have no understanding of what is expected of MOST full-time professional jobs, which is WHY, when you come back with your petty complaints, you get NO sympathy from 90% of the adult work-force.

Did you see where I said "visibly"? As in, in the school and available unless she had a meeting. Those weren't the only hours she worked.

My SIL works in a bank. She whines because she has to work a pancake breakfast once/year on customer appreciation day. She sure as hell isn't doing anything work related after the bank closes. She misses time every day to drop off and pick up her kids.

I know quite a few professionals who leave work at work.

I think teachers need to take back their jobs. Don't let parents dictate what you do or how you do it. (IE: The thread about tests.)
Teachers ARE the professionals... stand up and do it. Leave the extras to others. Do your jobs the way you know how to do them, not how untrained parents think you should.

PTA's first priority should be filling in gaps in classroom supplies and necessities, nevermind cookies and coffee for the staff room. Stock a cupboard with food for kids who go without.

There is so much wrong with all of it. I wish education would go back to education. Not snack time, social work, and whatever else goes into it.

If they want to do extra then guess what? Those hours should be acknowledged, not scoffed at because other professionals do it too. A lot DON'T.

Yes, there are whiny teachers. Ds's Kindergarten teacher was one of the worst I have ever come across. However, they are not all whiny.

Then also act like a professional! Being a "professional" also means doing what's in the best interest of your clients/customers. This can mean putting their interest ahead of your own. Just narrowly focusing on "what's the safest/most convenient thing for me" without regard for your students is therefore not really professional.

??? It is in my best interest as a patient if I get to see my doctor face-to-face. Guess what? That professional is only conducting face-to-face visits as an emergency. My newly diagnosed case of bronchitis? On Friday he saw me via some sort of zoom equivalent and used his phone to send in a few scripts.

You just made my point. Sounds like in your example the doctor was doing a version of hybrid. But nothing short of 100% DL was acceptable for teachers, was it?!

Are you drunk or just a bad reader? She didn't see the doctor except on her computer screen. Since when is that 'hybrid'? Lay off the booze and set a better example for your kids.