Are teachers 'better' than others?

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Forum -> Parenting our children

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amother

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 9:11 am

are the girls / woman who teach better people? on 'a higher plane' than the rest of humanity?
wondering out loud because that's what I overheard two people saying and for some reason it's irking me

amother

Sand

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 9:12 am

How can that make sense? Every person is an individual, it doesn’t really make a difference what your job is.

amother

Nemesia

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 9:16 am

They are put into a position of being a positive influence on young charges so they need to be on some level, yes.

taketwo

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 9:49 am

Teachers are human like the rest of us. What they do (when they do their job well) is definitely praise worthy, but that doesn't elevate them to a superior level.

Chickensoupprof

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 10:00 am

No. Doctors are also not better people, nor are nurses. I tell you, in the student union I had a friend, he is now a doctor but he cheated all the time and was depressed don't know how about now... But I bet people are in awe of him that he is a MD but I knew the girls he crushed... Teachers also can be nasty.

amother

Glitter

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 10:01 am

No, lol. I'm a regular human with many many many flaws. Definitely not on a higher level.

But... I do feel like I'm in a growing environment and I'm in a role model position. A bais hachinuch is focused on growth and the conversations are about how to get students to do better. And I feel like I work with amazing people who are on a higher level and special principal. It does have effect on me.

I'm in a position where I'm conscious of how I behave, eat, or dress. It's also an environment where you know which parsha it is and living with the yomim tovim and jewish calendar. And beautiful bulletins with positive messages.

So no, I'm not on a higher level. But I am a better person than if I would have been in a different environment.

LittleDucky

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 10:04 am

amother Nemesia wrote:

They are put into a position of being a positive influence on young charges so they need to be on some level, yes.

They need to be "better than average" but are not necessarily so.
Read the thread that was here recently about teachers who hurt imamothers.
They are human like everyone else. A job doesn't make someone holier or more special. Sometimes special people take those jobs and sometimes they take the job for ulterior motives. So people think they are holy, for the nice schedule for being a mommy....

zaq

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 12:37 pm

There are superb, average, and deplorable people among teachers just as there are superb, average, and deplorable people in every line of work. EVERY. line. of. work. including not working at all.

BrisketBoss

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 12:46 pm

zaq wrote:

There are superb, average, and deplorable people among teachers just as there are superb, average, and deplorable people in every line of work. EVERY. line. of. work. including not working at all.

Yup. Rabbis too. Having more responsibility doesn't mean living up to it.

Chayalle

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 1:03 pm

what zaq said. I have met teachers who are incredible people. And some are...people.

zaq

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 1:23 pm

I happen to think there's a special place in Heaven reserved for people who care "be'emunah" for the severely disabled of any age. However, it is the quality of their service and the dedication in their hearts that elevates them, not their choice of occupation. Those who slack off and neglect or abuse their charges? There's a special place in Hell reserved for them.

Last edited by zaq on Mon, Aug 15 2022, 1:25 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Dimgray

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 1:24 pm

amother Glitter wrote:

This.
I can tell you, after being in the teachers room for many years, that many (limudei kodesh) teachers are very choshuv people. Of course, lots of exceptions. But I have been inspired over the years by many of the teachers, and I find them to be sincere, ehrlich and truly connected.
But as a broad generality, they are not only placed in a position where they are always expected to model a certain behavior, but they are also learning and teaching Torah on a regular basis, which influences them as well.
For most women, their Jewish education ends after seminary.
Unless you are actively going to shiurim, or listening to shiurim, you don't have the constant inspiration to motivate you to grow in your avodas hashem and shmiras hamitzvos. Teaching those subjects will influence you to some degree.
As many speakers will often say, "I'm speaking to myself, as much as to any of you "
So I think teachers do get that constant inspiration, and it will often leave its mark.

amother

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 1:24 pm

ok
I realize I was feeling less than
I appreciate all replies but especially the teachers
thank you ladies

ShishKabob

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 1:28 pm

They actually should be on a higher level. You can't receive yiras shomayim from a vessel that has none. There is also a harsher consequence for a person in authority that is found guilty of something than a regular person. (almost sure of that)
A talmid chochom as to be extra careful not to do certain things in public that can be seen as questionable, when with a regular person it is acceptable to do.

However, I find teachers are human beings just like the rest of us and most of them do try their very best. We should be understanding of them when they fail and disappoint us and give them a chance to repair whatever it is they need to.

Higher level? every person has the ability to be so, regardless of their occupation

amother

Pearl

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 2:12 pm

I recently became a teacher for chol in a by high school and I dont at all think I’m better but it has motivated me in my personal growth in many ways. I know that the girls are looking at me very closely- what I wear and how I act. It has also made me want to be the person that they think I am more consistently.

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 2:28 pm

amother Glitter wrote:

Totally agree , well put!

amother

Feverfew

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 2:46 pm

BrisketBoss wrote:

Yup. Rabbis too. Having more responsibility doesn't mean living up to it.

Just about the rabbis....if we did smicha the way it should be, then the only people who would become rabbis are the ones who are fit to be rabbis.

We don't do it as we should, so this is the result.

amother

Topaz

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 2:54 pm

amother OP wrote:

ok
I realize I was feeling less than
I appreciate all replies but especially the teachers
thank you ladies

I don't think you should feel less than. Why would you?

I do think it's exceptional that there are some women that not only teach Torah for a few hours of the day, but they learn it at night too to prepare for the next day. I think that immersing yourself in Torah learning always lifts you up.

It isn't to say that their yetzer haras disappear. They get stronger. But I still think it's really wonderful.

I'm also envious of anyone with a job that is a nurturing job, like a therapist or a health care professional.

amother

Lightcyan

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 4:26 pm

zaq wrote:

So I have two daughters in the post hs/college age.

One never bothered to get a degree. She's bright and very efficient, and works a specialized type of job that she was trained for while getting paid, and then her salary doubled as she moved to a supervisory position. She has no student loans whatsoever, and earns a nice respectable salary in her field, which BH keeps growing.

The other DD is passionate about people. Working the type of job as her sister would stifle her. She has student loans as she got her degree, and she works with severely disabled kids. If you figure her salary vs her costs, it's peanuts. She gets paid by the hour, but has to drive from client to client which adds up in car expenses. It's also exhausting. But she's so excited when a child learns to feed herself; or lights up when she recognizes my DD (this is a non-verbal child who doesn't communicate much, so it's big). A child that is beginning to use some words to express himself; each of these is a milestone that pushes her to keep going.

But it's really hard. The pay is low, and she keeps thinking if she ought to go into a more lucrative field (meanwhile, she's single and lives at home). And one that is less exhausting.

amother

Tiffanyblue

Mon, Aug 15 2022, 4:31 pm

If anything my experience is the opposite,tbh...

My kids had a bunch of entitled teachers who were there obviously because it's a respectable profession with summers off.

One of them taught nothing all year because the school didn't care since it was a secular subject and my child was bored to hear her chat about her personal life.

Limudei kodesh teachers on the other hand, were the absolute best!

I feel like most limudei kodesh teachers have that passion, but the others idk..

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