"Many parents think their child is gifted, even though it is not"? A teacher tells
The most exhausting are not the children, I enjoy working with them. They are what fulfills my job. Annoying about my job is the trappings: I also have a boss, a college, but above all, I have the parents? and everyone always wants something from you! I have to get along with everyone, I have to work, I must not allow mistakes. Otherwise it will be really exhausting. This raises the question of whether you can do everything right in my job. I have 23 different children sitting in front of me every day, all with different needs, backgrounds and abilities. I do not have time to deal with every single child, as a single person I can not cover that. The range of skills is already in the first class wide: one can read perfectly Harry Potter when he comes to school, the next does not hear that at the beginning of the word "apple" is an "A".
As a teacher one is often the enemy
Many parents not only consider their child gifted, but gifted, even though it is not. Of course, there are also these "real" gifted children, but many are made. In some cases, the parents have their children test the IQ before they start school. Then I'm told on the first parents evening already, that XY is highly gifted in math and definitely needs extra work, because otherwise bored. If at some point there are problems because the child is bothering, it is my responsibility. As a teacher one is often the enemy, the parents form a front against the teacher, especially on parents' evenings. There are few who express themselves benevolently, a smile or a well-intentioned one.
Some colleagues take tranquilizers before the Parents' Day
At the beginning I was on parental evenings shortly before the panic attack, I was sweating and was really scared. Meanwhile I'm more experienced and not so excited anymore. But I know colleagues who have not been able to sleep nights before, have gastrointestinal problems or would like to take some rescue drops before sitting opposite their parents. I even know those who take sedatives, and I can understand that very well. At parents' parental leave, 23 parents sit next to me and think that their child is the best of all children, without any mistakes and, as I said, of course, highly gifted ?. Once there is a problem, there is also stress, which can be very uncomfortable. In fact, I have been insulted by a father as an "incompetent person". In such cases, I really do not find it easy to remain calm, friendly and polite, because that is always expected of one.
It frustrates me that nobody sees how I try
Once I made a spelling mistake on a worksheet, a mother spoke directly to the director. In such cases, one wonders why this must be. The simplest communication rules are no longer respected. I was also accused by parents, my main focus is not with the children. It made me really frustrated and sad that nobody sees what I do for the kids. I really try hard every day, I want them to have fun learning that they are happy. Sometimes my voice is gone because I talk and sing so much. But sometimes I have to get pretty loud because some of my students are really badly educated and have zero respect for adults.
The parents spend much more, but trust less
But some parents do not realize that their child may not behave correctly, they are looking for the mistake with the teacher and just can not trust. On the one hand, parents today give their children a lot more, they expect us to not only teach but also educate at school. On the other hand, they also do not let us do anything but criticize a lot. For example, everyone gets upset with lice, but when I say that the head needs to be examined properly at home, some do not. As a teacher I should always get everything under control alone? thats not OK. The role of teacher has simply changed in recent years. In the past, people put themselves forward and provided knowledge, today we have to do much more educational work. All in all, we are always accused that we have so much vacations anyway. Of course, I have more weeks off than others, but when I go on vacation, I take my notebooks and correct them. I do not have any lessons, so I do not have the time off all the time.
It is a gift to spend the whole day with children
All this in lamentation at a high level: Despite everything, I love my job very much. I like it and it makes me happy to spend all day with kids, it's a gift.Even better and easier would it be if some parents could relax a bit ...
* Name changed by the editor
