Op-ed: Teachers — the unappreciated professionals
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In America, our K-12 classroom teachers are essentially treated as second class professionals. To make matters even worse for these educators, student discipline has become a very serious problem in public schools for various reasons. Consider the following:
Contemporary
Discipline Practices are Inadequate
Today's public school teachers are forced to educate children in an environment where there are no student discipline policies that truly protect them or their students who want to learn. They have very little authority to reprimand student misbehavior in their classrooms. In fact, they have had to put up with students "cussing" them and sometimes they have been physically accosted. The following example will make you cringe.
A few years ago, I was informed about one school incident where a female student physically attacked a female educator. A female teacher's aide, who tried to break up the attack, was also injured. Watching was a male educator who did nothing. Why? Well, it was the school district's policy that male teachers could not touch a female student.
That's appalling.
So, what are today's most common discipline practices?
First, there is usually "in-school suspension." It doesn't work. Next, some school districts have "after school and Saturday morning detention." They, too, have failed miserably. And finally, the most incorrigible students are suspended. To such malicious students, the suspension is considered to be a vacation or holiday.
In my opinion, based on decades of teaching experience, a student should be "expelled" if there is another serious offense that occurs after three suspensions. Their continued disruption in the classroom is depriving serious students of an education.
Lack of Respect for Teachers with Advance Degrees
Even the American news media treats teachers as second class professionals. They refuse to afford K-12 classroom teachers with doctorate degrees the title of "Dr." in front of their names. Only medical doctors deserve that privilege in their belief system.
Ironically, the original definition of doctor had nothing to do with the medical profession. The word "doctor" originally meant "teacher" or "learned person," with no connection to medicine. It was derived from the Latin term docere, meaning "to teach" or "to cause to know."
Unlike America, European countries treat educational doctorates with the same esteem as medical degrees.
Teachers vs. Medical Doctors
Since the American establishment considers medical doctors to be much more respected than teachers, let us now compare the workload and accessibility of these professionals in both fields.
First, consider the mindset of most Americans regarding medical doctor appointments as compared to parent-teacher conferences.
A person who has a morning doctor's appointment will most likely have a co-pay. Then he or she will sit in the office, often waiting 30 minutes (sometimes even longer), to see the medical professional, but doesn't complain.
On the contrary, that same individual then has a parent-teacher conference after school at 4 p.m. Keep in mind, the teacher is not compensated and doesn't charge a co-pay. But if that parent has to wait until 4:15 p.m. to meet with the teacher, he or she is upset.
Of course, the usual excuse is that the medical doctor has many patients. So does the teacher. In fact, the teacher has at least 15 to 20 students (patients) each period of the regular school day.
In reference to the workload and accessibility, many teachers are involved with extracurricular activities (e.g., coaches, band directors, cheerleading sponsors, etc.).
They often spend 12 hours a day with their students. Added to that, they sometimes receive phone calls from concerned parents at night during the week and even on weekends.
Try calling your family doctor on a Wednesday evening or a Saturday morning. Most likely, you can't because very few doctors will give you their private cell phone numbers.
I wonder who's truly more dedicated. But still, physicians are perceived as much more valuable by the general public.
Go figure.
Concluding Remarks
It is important to understand that our K-12 classroom educators are the ones who initially prepare and inspire their students to become medical doctors as well as productive citizens in other fields of endeavor. Unfortunately, people take for granted the vital role these public servants play regarding their children.
One final point. I implore you to ask any successful person, "Who influenced you the most to achieve in life other than your parents?" I doubt the response would be: "Oh, it was my family doctor." On the contrary, more likely the reply would be:
"My fifth grade science teacher" or "My high school volleyball coach."
Please correct me if I'm wrong. I would love to hear your rebuttal.
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Bill Welker, EdD, was a recipient of the Jasper N. Deahl alumni award from West Virginia University for his contributions to education. He is a freelance columnist who enjoys writing on sports, education, and any other topic that piques his interest. He can be contacted at mattalkwv@hotmail.com.