Demeaning the Noble Profession

“What? You’re going to India again? When? Why? How?” exclaim people around me when I mention my plans for the summer. “Well, three months is a long time to be cooped up at home with the brat,” I venture in an apologetic tone by way of justification. “Ah! I forgot. You have three months off. No wonder,” they muse with a now-that-explains-everything nod. “You’re so lucky. Wish we all had jobs like yours,” they sigh.

At this point, I’m always tempted to make a “Well, you could if you really wanted!” retort. I’m really fed-up of trying to explain and justify my “easy job hours.” Everywhere I go all I hear is “Oh, Maggi, you’re a teacher. How lucky! All those days off.” That's all you see? The days I don't have to work? What about when I do work? Do you really think it is a piece of cake having to hold my own against 125 [5 X 25] opinionated self-righteous teenagers who're hot-wired to hate you simply because you make them do "hard work."

If I didn't get summers off, I would be stark staring mad. Think about it. Most of you can’t bear to be around the one, two or at the most three kids you have sired [or mothered]. The joy of parenthood vanishes the moment the cute smiling babies become little people with personal opinions. “How troublesome! He [or she] doesn’t let me do anything…gets in my way no matter what. I can’t deal with him [or her],” you say before bundling your child off to day-care, pre-school or all day kindergarten.

For the next 18 odd years of their lives, these kids are officially off your hands. However, can you imagine the plight of the poor teacher who has to shoulder the responsibility of 25 to 30 “headaches” for seven long hours five days of the week?

Maybe all parents should have a few mandatory “teaching years” before they become parents just like some countries require a few years’ worth of mandatory military service. Only then will these people realize that teaching is not all about “working half days and getting summers off.”