One of Me: A Teacher’s Poem

I wrote this one day on my walk home from school after being exhausted from behaviours, disappointed at the lack of support, and frustrated with new initiatives.

One of me
But 20 of you
There is only so much
You can expect me to do

I wake each day
I give all of my heart
I try my best
To do my part

I listen, I wait,
I play and engage
To help my kids write
Their life’s next page

I plan and adapt
I run and go slow
I go where the kids
Need me to go

But I’m tired from it all
I’m exhausted at best
When it’s never enough
And there is no time to rest

Yes we have winter and March break
And summer break too
But that time is truly needed
To recover from all that we do

You see society has changed
Demands are at an all time high
There are so many days
When I simply go home and cry

These kids are like my own
I want the best for each one
But I can’t keep on doing this
Something has to be done

Support for learners is limited
Student funding is too low
Prep time’s constantly lost
Violence continues to grow

Teaching is politicized
A job given too little respect
Bashed by our government
Who have escalated this mess

What are we doing
to these kids today?
Back to the basics,
All work and no play?!

Research has shown
Play is for the best
But we put it aside
For standardized tests

And when the test results come
It’s too little too late
We review the data
And add more to the plate

Inclusion is happening
And would be great with support
But it’s simply abandonment
When support is cut short

With limited resources
Teachers are funding a lot
Games, books, materials
Even paper is being bought

We are nurses and physios
Social workers and OTs
Mental health workers
When I just want to teach

Tell me when I get to do
The job that I adore
The one where student learning
Was at the jobs core?

One of me
But 20 of you
There is only so much
You can expect me to do

– ETFO Member