Lazy Teachers? This is what we have to do.

Teachers have to...

- stay enthusiastic in front of 30 tired, bored teenagers for 4 hours 5 days a week for 10 months

- give constant, meaningful feedback

- accommodate many types of learning disabilities

- accommodate many types of behavioural disorders

- create an inviting, safe environment in the class

- teacher to visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc type learners

- check dozens of student records for any past problems

- try to spot undiagnosed learning disabilities

- teach students to think critically, and become responsible, socially aware, productive citizens

- to foster a love of learning

- to contact parents in case of problems (some of whom will blame you)

- monitor absences and lates

- discipline students and teach them consequences

- to identify and report suspected abuse

- to let students know that you care about their well-being

- be there for the students who need someone to talk to

- to not forget the quiet, easy-to-skip-over students

- be sensitive to racism, sexism, homophobia, etc

- help students after school or at lunch

- to help out with extra-curricular activities

- to be able to explain the exact same thing in 6 different, enthusiastic ways

- to inspire and motivate kids who come from homes where education has no value

- to inspire and motivate kids who feel like failures

- to make them show each other respect

- to be a good role model

- to teach kids who have never read a book for fun or who have never left their home town to understand the wider world

- to teach kids who have been conditioned to fear or distrust authority figures

- to deal with students who don't speak English, can barely read, can't sit still, had no breakfast, wear the same clothes every day, were beaten up yesterday, are afraid of being bullied and discriminated, were kicked out of their house, have to work 6 hour shifts after school every day, have to take care of their siblings after school every day, have to worry about how their parents are gong to pay the rent, or are new immigrants from a war-torn country

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Cram 31 fourteen year olds into a small, overheated room. Out of the 31 kids...

- 8 of them have writing or reading disabilities
- 6 of them are still learning how to speak English
- 1 of them is gifted and is utterly bored and so starts acting up
- 2 have anger management problems
- 25 of them did not get enough sleep last night
- 1 has drugs in their pocket
- 4 are worried about being bullied later in the day
- 1 watched his mother get beat up the previous night
- 12 of them had no breakfast and their stomachs are grumbling
- 1 girl is worried about her period being late
- 6 are worrying about their family problems
- 2 are in rival gangs
- 1 needs glasses and can't read the board
- 1 has been wearing the same clothes for 3 days

And you get to try to make them interested in Shakespeare for the next 70 minutes.