This morning, I decided to treat myself to a spring time manicure. 2 weeks of SBAC testing have been completed successfully, (just the math performance task left, YAHOO!) without a glitch in Room 16. My kids have been taking it seriously, needing some extra sessions and really making me proud. So I thought, go ahead Courtney, you deserve a manicure. I walked into my usual nail salon, took a seat and was preparing myself to zone out for a half hour or so.
There were a few older ladies having pedicures, and I couldn't help but listen to their conversation. It went something like this...
Lady 1: "Can you believe what a joke being a teacher is today? They just get the standards given to them, teach like robots, and have entire summers off!"
Lady 2: "I know, and all of this new testing- what are the teachers doing while these poor kids are sitting in front of a computer typing their hearts out? It must be nice to go to work and just watch kids do everything."
I politely smiled at them, and tried to zone out. Wasn't going to happen. My blood was boiling, and I could not believe that these women were just sitting there bashing the profession that I love, the work that I do every day. I knew I should say something, but there was no graceful way to do so. So on I went.
And then BAM. The perfect opportunity arose for me to give the two women my two sense.
Lady 1 just LOVED the color polish I was getting, and couldn't help but tell me. I gave her a big smile and replied, "I teach 5th grade and I know that the girls in my class are going to LOVE it too."
Lady 2: "You are a teacher? Wow, it looks like you are in college."
Me: "I am. I attend USJ and am currently getting my masters degree in Educational Technology. I do that at night, after work."
Lady 1: "It's a good thing you are a teacher. You have plenty of time after the kids leave to take classes, and you can take them all summer too."
We continued to chat, and I explained to them all of the things that go on during a school day that people outside of the profession have no clue about. PPTs, IEPs, SSTs, SBAC, CSIs, CCSS, ELA, PLCs, 504s, etc. Lady 1 sat there with her mouth wide open, and Lady 2 seemed to be shocked as well.
As their toes were drying, and their coffees were getting down to the last sip, I was paying and ready to leave...
Lady1: "I am so sorry about what we were saying earlier. To see such a young person giving her whole heart to the profession really made us re-consider. I hope you will let us pay for your manicure."
I politely declined, saying that it was alright, I was a teacher and that I worked hard for every penny in my wallet, and was happy to pay for myself.
I can only imagine what went on as I walked out of the door, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is that today I (maybe, hopefully) changed 2 ladies opinions about the work that teachers do every single day. If there were more opportunities like this one, maybe more people outside of the profession would realize what it is we do, and just how important it truly is.
WOW! You are fantastic! What are the odds that in all places you had to be sitting next to two completely ignorant people. I am so happy you stood up for yourself and for ALL teachers. Excellent job explaining yourself and all that teachers do on a day to day basis. No one understands what a teacher really does on a day to day basis unless they are close to someone in the field. You did an amazing job letting those ladies know what we do and why we are passionate about what we do daily!
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