It’s time to stop ‘major shaming’ your Education friends

Oh you think I color all day? Take a seat and let me explain

Since deciding, one day, I want to educate the youth of tomorrow and make a difference the best way I know how—I have gotten mixed reactions from people close to me, as well as those not so close to me.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to tell you other majors and careers aren’t hard, but it seems like Education majors in particular get a lot of negative comments about their passions.

Here’s why it’s time to cut that shit out.

We know we aren’t going to be rich

This is one of my biggest problems I come across when I tell people I will be a teacher some day. The constant “Oh, why would you be a teacher? You’ll never make any money!” NEWS FLASH: if you’re chasing after a career just for the money you’re not going to be very happy in your life.

Yes, we all know we probably will never see a six figure salary. You know what we will see? Our students acing a test or watching them get into their dream school, being thanked for all of our help in their academic career thus far. And that my friends, is what I call rewarding.

‘Summers off! Think again

The biggest misconception is when your friends tell you “You’re so lucky you’ll have summers off while I’m stuck in the office.” HAHAHA, wait what? Do you even know how much time and money goes into those decorative posters you always saw around your classroom when you were growing up?

That stuff didn’t just appear on the walls. Also, even though we may not technically be “at work” we’re always  keeping up with the latest education news and reforms and trying to make our class curriculum better for your child. Lots of planning for the year happens over this “summer off” people speak of.

‘You’re too smart/not smart enough to be a teacher’

This is the one which gets me the most annoyed. Who are you to say I’m too good or not good enough for a particular career path? We do not just sit around and color pumpkins and Christmas trees like what most people think.

We are actually too busy signing up for Praxis, OAE (Ohio) exams and other by state educator exams… BEFORE we even get our license to teach. Yes, we have to pass other exams beyond and including our finals just to become educators.

So before you start to think your Education friend is coloring in their classes, maybe look up what scores are required to pass these exams as well as how much they cost… out of their own pocket, mind you.

We don’t have an ‘internship’ experience like everyone else

Or one at all, if you want to get into it. Our “internship” is typically a semester spent in a classroom at a surrounding school near our college student teaching. And for the most part, it’s not paid. That’s right, we get up and go to a school all day just for the experience.

When I had my orientation here at Ohio State, one of the things I remember most was the lady leading my group, in a room full of hopeful teachers told us we would “get paid in love.” Now this may seem cheesy and some people might think it’s outrageous someone would do such a thing, but, once again, it’s our passion.

And hey, sometimes seeing a student of yours finally “get it” or have their “lightbulb moment” because of something your Education friend did or said to help them feels almost as good as a paycheck.

We could potentially teach your kids some day

The odds of this happening can actually be pretty realistic depending where you and your education friend end up after graduation. So before you go and say or do some of these things, just remember in 15 years you could be called into a parent teacher conference and you should be thankful you have such an awesome person helping your kid through school.

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