What Teachers Do

I feel like there is a misconception about what teachers actually do.

It is understandable, of course, as nearly everyone (save those who were home schooled) have seen a teacher in action, in their job, working. Why not assume, then, that after years and years of careful observation of numerous different subjects doing their job in front of the classroom you know what is entailed in the job of a teacher?

What A Teacher's Job Looks Like

Here's what we can determine from our years of observations in classroom after classroom. A teacher:

• lectures,
• questions,
• presents,
• inspires,
• strikes fear,
• instills a love for a subject,
• instills a hate for a subject,
• punishes,
• rewards,
• assesses, 
• likes to give lots of notes,
• communicates,
• demands attention,
• makes up tests,
• grades tests,
• likes to give homework,
• likes calling parents and guardians during free time,
• hangs things up in the classroom,
• will tutor during "free" periods,
• maybe drinks coffee in a teacher's lounge, 
• probably never goes to the bathroom, and
• might sleep in their classroom.

Most of these are right on. Perhaps you observed even more from your teachers over the years, however, what happens IN the classroom, is oftentimes the smallest inkling of the job. (I often thought, "Now comes the easy part," whenever the bell would ring to start my class!)

The piece that is missing from what most people see from teachers is THE REAL WORK. There is no lesson plan fairy. There is no "Teacher's Bible" that scripts out your every waking moment with a captive audience of youths (although I can recommend a ton of awesome teaching books!). There is no "one right way" to do teaching. You see, teaching is an art.

What Teachers Also Do

Whether your teachers inspired you or bored you to tears, they still had to do tons of work before seeing you to bring that lesson to you. Whether they surprised you every single day with a new creative technique, or you could recite their routines to this day, that presentation was not by accident, not off the cuff or on a whim.

Teachers create. That is their job. They create connections between you and the content you must master while with them. (This is easier with some lessons than others!)

Why It's Important To Know What Teachers REALLY Do

You may wonder why I am writing about this. Well, the thing is, I keep reading about, learning about and hearing about how districts keep on "dictating" how teachers should be teaching and I find this ridiculous.

I understand changes need to be made.

I understand some teachers are resistant to change.

I understand that it is the 21st century and technology needs a larger role in our classrooms.

However, rather than dictate how a teacher should implement this technology (which will only limit your results to what you have come up with), instead teach them (think you're up to it?) what the technology can do and you WILL BE AMAZED by what THEY CREATE. 

Would you give Picasso a paint-by-numbers? No. You'd give him paint and a canvas.

Would you dictate to Shakespeare how sonnets should be written? I doubt it. You'd give the man paper, ink and a quill.

Would you sit Beethoven down in front of a piano and have him play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" over and over again? I think you'd sit him down and let him play with the keys.

This is all I ask for our modern day creators. Do not limit teachers by dictating they use what is currently deemed to be cutting-edge techniques, technology and/or tools! Introduce them to the tools, techniques and tech and allow them to find the appropriate places for them in their classroom with their students.

What were some of the things you thought teachers did after your years of observation?

Know a teacher whose creativity impressed you? What did they do?

Are you a teacher? What are some parts of your job that I missed?