I love teaching and I enjoy everything but of it. I enjoy being around children, helping them learn new things and watching them improve. There is a certain happiness I get when a child finally understands something I have been explaining for a while. Those little moments make me happy, and they remind me why I chose this profession.
But honestly, I won't pretend that everything is fine.
One thing that has been discouraging me lately is the poor salary that comes with the job. Teaching requires a lot of patience, energy and commitment. Sometimes, I spend so much time explaining the same thing to pupils because I want them to understand. I stand for hours, talk almost throughout the day and attend to different needs in the classroom. By the time I get home, I am already exhausted.
The frustrating part is that after putting in all this effort, the salary I receive is not encouraging.
There are days I look at my responsibilities and wonder how I am supposed to manage everything with what I earn. Transportation, food, personal needs and other expenses don't wait for anyone. The prices of things keep increasing, but my salary doesn't seem to reflect the reality of the economy.
Sometimes, I go to school with the intention of doing my best, but the thought of how little I earn keeps coming to mind. I begin to ask myself if all this stress is really worth it financially.
I don't think it is wrong to expect better payment for the work I do. Loving a profession doesn't mean I should ignore my financial needs. Passion is important, but we also have responsibilities outside the classroom.
I still love teaching, and I don't want to lose that part of myself. However, I am beginning to understand how poor payment can affect someone's willingness to go the extra mile.
I sometimes wish employers understands that teachers are human beings too. We get tired, we have bills to pay, have families and personal goals we are trying to achieve. We also want to enjoy the money we work hard for.
I don't want to get to a point where I only go to school because I have to earn a living, without finding any joy in what I do.
But I also don't want to keep sacrificing my comfort and personal needs in the name of passion.
Image is mine