A few days ago, this tweet made its way to my Twitter timeline:
For some of you, this is just another tweet. For me and for so many other Education majors? It's personal.
First of all, every single major is difficult in its own way. Each has its own requirements, challenges, and expectations. Education is not an exception.
As you can see, this tweet received over 13K retweets and over 72K favorites. It's absolutely horrifying to see how many individuals actually believe that Education majors somehow have it "easy."
We've all heard the following statement: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." In the comment section of this tweet, people suggested that Education majors have lower IQs and intellectual capacities than people who pursue other majors.
Wow. Just wow.
Not only are these people wrong, but they're blindly and ignorantly degrading one of the hardest and most rewarding career paths in the world. They don't understand what it really means to be an Education major, nor do they understand what being an educator entails.
Ten-plus page lesson plans.
Lesson plans that must meet state-wide or nation-wide standards. Lesson plans that must include differentiated learning activities and accommodations that meet the needs, learning styles, and preferences of every single student. Yes, the student who has ADHD. Yes, the student who has autism. Yes, the student who hasn't eaten. Yes, the student who is two reading levels behind. Yes, the student who doesn't speak fluent English.
Education is an ever-changing field. Standards change. Classroom demographics change. Policies change. Data-based practices change. New research surfaces every day and implies there are stronger teaching methods. And guess what? We have to utilize them.
The basic fundamental principles of education will always be intact. However, how we teach and who we teach will change year after year. Hence the data collection and the research. Hence the blood, sweat, and tears.
Learning how to help students who need an extra push, who need guidance, or who just need an advocate.
Not only are Education majors learning how to meet the learning needs of every student in their future classroom through data-based practices and research, they're also being equipped with the skills necessary to create safe havens for every student in every capacity possible.
We're learning how to deal with absentee parents, poverty-stricken neighborhoods and school districts, specials education stigmas, inadequate resources, minimal funding, and so much more.
We're not teachers yet, but we are on our way to changing the landscape of Education. And we're loving every minute of it.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela
So, NO. Education majors aren't just cutting our gingerbread men, pinning DIY classroom decoration Pinterest boards, or complaining about how little time they have to complete assignments. They're facilitating change. They're embarking on their chance to change the world. They're making a difference.
Bottom line? Before you become just another perpetrator of the "Education majors have it easy" stigma, remember that this is one of the toughest, most honorable career paths on the planet. Remember who provided you your education. Those education majors in the library? They'll be providing your child his or her education.
Maybe you will catch Education majors cutting out gingerbread men in the library, but what you won't see are the lesson plans, the differentiated actives, the accommodations, and the heart and soul behind them.
Stop putting down future educators. Stop feeding the negative stigma. Facilitate change alongside our future teachers; embrace and appreciate their work.
You just might make a difference, too.
