It’s easy to give advice from a place of safety

I posted the image below to my Instagram stories.

To give some context – this child was brought to the office by our Deputy because he was refusing to cooperate with the other teachers in his Grade, while his own teacher was busy with the Departmental Head. He was purposely upsetting himself with his hysterics and at risk of making himself physically ill because of his tantrum. We eventually managed to calm him, and his teacher got the story out of him after.

If you work in education, you’ll know that teachers are expected to deliver the curriculum, make sure children excel academically, facilitate extra and co curricular programs and activities, manage a mountain of admin and fundraise because parents just don’t pay tuition fees and the government doesn’t give us enough money to run the school with the barest of necessities.

On top of all of that they must maintain discipline and prevent forty plus learners from killing each other… but also tip toe around children’s feelings, they must figure out what needs are not being met and then compensate for what is lacking at home.

It’s the end of the year. Teachers are burnt out twice over and literally hanging on by a thread of sanity, trying to make it through the last few weeks. So when I got the following lengthy response to the above story, I was triggered.

Now, I appreciate that this response most likely came from a “helpful” place. But all of the suggestions made, are actual expectations that not only parents have, but the Department of Education as well.

Teachers today are expected to counsel and parent, over and above their actual jobs, which is to teach. I even heard one obnoxious comment made about an educator over the weekend because she doesn’t smile or talk enough to this parent (yes, teachers must now coddle parents too).

If you’ve made it this far, I would like to ask… Next time you feel the urge to give advice to an educator, don’t. Please don’t. Do them that kindness. They get enough unsolicited advice from unqualified people.

More often than not, they just need a safe space and five minutes to voice their frustrations…and they’ll pick themselves up again and continue fighting the good fight.