Please, please, please, use your empathy and never say these to a teacher!

1. My child never acts like that home.

Sometimes children behave differently on different occasions. Believe me, we tell the truth to parents based on daily observations.

2. Must be nice having all those days off over the summer.

It is time to recover from those busy days during the semester which we even don’t have time to do to bathroom between breaks. Also, it is time to reflect what can we do differently for the next semester.

3. Teachers are just glorified babysitters.

We are not babysitters at all. We are well-trained with professional educational attainment, knowledge, and communication skills.

4. If I was in that classroom I would… (fill in the blank)

If you never ever teach in a classroom for one day, please try when you have an opportunity so that you know what our routines and challenges are. Never say never!

It doesn’t even matter what you fill the blank in with. People, especially those who have never taught before, love to tell us how they would handle certain classroom situations. Sure, in a perfect world you could develop an amazing plan to work with that one struggling student. But when you have 3 ESOL students, 5 with behavior plans, 2 others that forgot to take their medication, a fire drill and an assembly… well let’s just say it gets more complicated.

5. We politicians have decided that… (fill in the blank)

Speaking of complicated…. Politics! Many times educators feel as though we’re at the mercy of legislation that we didn’t have a hand in crafting. So many laws and policies regarding education are being decided by politicians that never taught. Some haven’t been inside a classroom since they were students. Can’t we at least weigh in with our two cents before you pass any more “ground-breaking” legislation?

6. Did you see that thing on Pinterest?

7. Why don’t you work at a job that pays better?

This is my profession and where my passion is! I choose what I like, like what I do.

8. Those who can do, those who can’t teach.

Reference: https://boredteachers.com/post/never-say-to-a-teacher