As we all know, this past year has been rather rough for teachers because of Bill 115 and the views of the teacher's unions, the provincial government, and the general population. As a result, one of the things we sometimes talked about in my classes at teacher's college was the way in which other countries view their teachers, as well the education systems those countries have. One country that came up over and over again was Finland. In Finland, teachers are held in very high esteem, much like doctors and other professionals. They have a very rigorous training program, and you have to have a master's degree. Finland also has some of the best test scores in the world. For those of you unfamiliar with Finland, you can see a couple of short videos here and here.
It just got me wondering why it is that, here in Canada (or maybe it's just Windsor?), many people view teachers in a very negative light. Lately, I've been finding people's reactions on finding out that I just graduated from teacher's college to be a bit disheartening. I guess I just don't understand why so many people look down on us, when a lot of us are who we are today because of teachers we've had in the past (myself included!!).
Any thoughts?
Some people will always look down on us. It may be that they had a negative experience with a teacher when they were in school, or maybe they resent that we get summers off. It was tough hearing teachers continually getting bashed in the media this year and I'm a little more sensitive and ready to jump down anyone's throat who has anything negative to say about us. If only they knew the hours we put in or just how much we care about their children...I always have the same comeback ready - why don't you follow me for a day and see if you feel the same. That usually shuts them up.
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