Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Soap Box

Finally, you would probably think teachers have it pretty easy. We get three months out of the year off, right? We know exactly what to do and say, without any preparation. If I hear this coming from one more person....

In fact, teachers spend hours of their own time working on lesson and unit plans. We accommodate learners. We do everything from carrying in students who have hurt themselves falling off the slide to breaking up fights and make-out sessions in the corridors, depending on the age of the students. We deal with everything the students bring in with them, from the student bawling their eyes out because this is the first time away from their parents to the teenage angst and the "I'm going to drop out/ not even going to college, so why should I care?" attitudes. We try to stop bullying before it can seriously hurt a child. We spend our summers in conferences or taking classes to stay up to speed. My third point, then, is this: Please, please do not assume that we have an easy job.

If nothing else, at least thank a teacher that you've made it this far.

Jennifer O. Smith is an elementary education major with a life science focus, who will be student teaching in the fall and then teaching middle school science. If you think she's crazy, join the club.

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