And Suddenly, Everyone’s A Teacher!

Chanelle Andrews, Hey Mama LPC Owner

Teaching isn’t easy.

But, like, you already know this.

Still, I thought I’d start off with the most obvious statement of all. And it’s even more painfully obvious now that our children are home for who knows how long, and we are charged with making sure they complete and understand every worksheet/Google doc/workbook page, etc… sent home with them.

But also, learning isn’t easy.

Trying to understand something new from someone who has learned these things years ago is frustrating. You ever have a repair person try to explain why the doodad and the whatchamacallit aren’t working together and it’s for this reason you have a bill higher than you estimated. 

What’s going on now is not easy.

For any of us. Especially when you start to pile on all the responsibilities we’ve assumed since the immediate shut down of schools, workplaces, Targets (I really miss my Target. We just got a Starbucks and they make the best caramel crunch frappe.)… There has been a slew of adjustments. 

And adjustments aren’t always easy. But right now they are necessary.

But back to the reason for my coming out of writing retirement: Homeschooling.

Teaching is a multilevel discipline which takes years to perfect both in and out of the classroom A LOT! And there is a crap-ton of work you must do before someone unleashes you into a classroom full of children alone! There’s college and student teaching, ongoing professional developments and in-class observations; the training and learning never ends.

There are some teachers who’ve been at it for YEARS and still haven’t found that “sweet spot” which allows them to coast through smoothly each year. 

After all, students, administrators, and curriculums change daily. 

So after the teachers learn, then it’s time for them to teach. Teaching includes the learning and planning, then the doing and assessing of what you’re teaching. There’s on the spot improvisation, open-ended questioning, balancing, reteaching, more learning… It goes on and on and on. Rarely does a teacher stand up in front of a class without a plan. 

I mean, it does happen, but rarely.

Why am I talking about teachers again?

Oh yea. That’s right. You are probably your child’s “classroom” teacher right now, and not one of the things I’ve mentioned above has ever crossed your mind.

It took me five years of college and 10+ years of working in a classroom to understand that teaching is more than telling someone something and expecting them to understand (Re: Your repair person and the costly thingymabob that needs to be replaced). It’s a complicated profession that only those who can survive off caramel crunch frappes and good evaluations take pleasure in.

It. Is. Hard.

If you’ve found yourself thrust into the world of an impromptu educator, don’t place so much pressure on yourself to get it all right on the first try. Both you and your child. You both have been put in an impossible situation where perfection isn’t expected.

Day by day, take it a little at a time. Instead of winging it, look over what you want to work on the next day to be sure you understand it (you know I’m talking about Common Core math right???). And if you don’t get it, hakuna matata! Contact your child’s teacher. Chances are the first time they saw it they had some questions too!

Homeschoolers make this education thing look easy because they’ve had on the job training day in and day out. This was their routine before it became EVERYONE’S routine. In this, and every situation, we aren’t in the Parenting Olympics. We’re all taking this thing day by day.

In the meantime, take it easy on yourself and know you will truly get an A for effort just for trying.