Summers Off and Other Myths

It happened again. Yesterday a student said something about how lucky teachers are to get summers off. Also, he noted, I don't have a class on Friday afternoon.

Teachers everywhere are tired of hearing about how little they work. Six hour school days, summers off, a few weeks at Christmas . . .  And, yes, thank you, I do presume to speak for teachers everywhere.

College professors are rumored to have it even easier. They have fewer students, fewer classes, and the Christmas break is longer.

Here's my reality - and I have a much lighter teaching load than I did back in my for-profit education days. And certainly much lighter than the average adjunct.

This semester, I'm teaching five courses, although our typical load is four courses per semester. Of those five courses, only two are separate sections of the same course, which means I prepare for four different classes every week.

I serve on three committees (all of which are meeting this week). I am the secretary for one of them.

I am required to hold office hours 10 hours per week.

Because I teach writing, I read and comment on a lot of papers. A lot. I usually take them home over the weekend.

I'm directing the student play - six hours in auditions this week, and weeks of rehearsal coming up.

I'm going to emcee the open mike poetry reading next Wednesday.

I'm required to perform community service. Last summer, I spent 20 hours reading with elementary school children.

I wrote two conference proposals this week, and am working on an article to submit for publication. I still struggle to find time for my own personal research and creative writing - which, technically, is what we're supposed to be doing over the summer.

I go to college events - football games, art gallery openings, concerts.

I am not complaining about any of this. It's my job. It's my career. I chose it, and I came in with my eyes wide open. I love every minute. Well, almost every minute. Sometimes on the 53rd paper out of 60 on a Sunday afternoon I get a little bit cranky (Students: that might explain some of my comments.)

But the idea that teachers only work when they're in the class is absurd. No one believes that lawyers only work when they're in court or surgeons only work when they're in the operating room.

So, please - let us stop attacking the profession of teaching. In fact, let us begin to honor and respect it once again.

Please?