Break, We don’t Need No Stinkin’ Break; or, Teachers vs. Academics

This week I’m reminded that I am first and foremost an “academic” not a “teacher.” If I were “just” a teacher, I would be vacillating between vegging out on my couch with a book, or watching the TV (when I wasn’t out running around trying to get stuff together in time for the holidays). Instead, I find myself facing a long to-do list with various writing, national organization service, and “other” projects listed (including the need to get the blog up and going again, checking out “new” technologies, and the fact I decided to teach our “how to teach online” course…which is more like a fun dialogue with colleagues rather than a traditional “course”). I also had meetings scheduled with folks, even before the end of the semester, but definitely after grades were due as well.

On the one hand, I can claim that this dichotomy, academic vs. teacher, works and point my finger at various “just teachers” (usually hinting towards the K-12 variety) and make my point. However, over the past couple of years I’ve gotten to know many of these so-called “just teachers” and know that these teachers are just as academic as I. They do lots of work over the break to contribute to the improvement of their classes, departments, campuses, and the profession.

Therefore, the problem is not so much the dichotomy; instead, the problem is the popular misconception that teachers get all these “breaks.” I think close family members of teachers are very aware of this misconception; however, the rest of the world not blessed to have an educator in the family, only seeing students running around willy-nilly over the holidays, think we must be doing “nothing” as well.

I guess I’m not going to propose a solution; heck, I’m fairly confident I’m preaching to the choir! Maybe, instead, I’m sending a virtual nod out to all those other supposedly “slacking” teachers over the holiday break.

December 23 2009 | Posted in