Being a teacher is like...

I hear day-in and day-out how a teacher's job is only as hard as he/she makes it.

Which...is true...to a point.  But I am a firm believer in you reap what you sow.

To those of you who doubt what a teacher is worth, imagine the following...

Imagine being the boss of a company with 5-6 departments.  Each department holds 20-35 employees.

Then imagine having a 45-50 minute department meeting per day per department.  Each department is different, and you use those meetings to train your employees on new systems that are constantly evolving.  On top of 4 1/2-5 hours worth of meetings per day, you must prepare each daily meeting in the few hours you have left per day.  You must make training materials.  You must evaluate each of your roughly 100 employees individually.  You must make sure you're not training them too quickly or too slowly.

Don't forget those employees who need special help.  At each meeting you have to give them that extra help all the while training the rest of the employees to do their jobs well.  You also must go to two 2-hour meetings per year, per employee in regards to the extra ways you must help them.

Oh, and you are required to spend a half hour per day (of your work day) doing something janitorial or making your employees lunch during their lunch hour.  You could also direct traffic in the parking lot as they come in or leave for a half hour each day if that suits you better.

Let's not forget you must gather and submit proof that you, as well as your employees do their jobs well.  This proof must be submitted regularly.

Oh and one more thing... Your pay either already is or is in danger of being affected by your employees' performances in your department. Because OF COURSE you are the only factor in their ability to do their job.  If they don't succeed, you MUST be doing something wrong....

Try and get a half hour lunch in there too.  After all, you deserve it, right?