Education has one most common misconception that is slowly killing teachers. This wrong belief kills the passion and, if not addressed properly, can affect the physical well-being of educators as well.
That most common misconception that kills teachers is the work-addicted culture of teaching. This is the belief that a teacher enjoying a few moments of rest away from the classroom is a bad thing. This kind of mindset often drives teachers to guilt and overwork.
Why rest in the staffroom when you can use the the spare time you have checking exams? Why go to bed early when you can make another engaging lesson plan?
Based on this misguided mindset, teachers think that if they can show their love for their students and passion for teaching if they work longer hours. If they work harder, the more they cared. And when students, parents, and fellow teachers see this hard work, they cannot argue with that teacher that she doesn't care.
The reality, however, is that working hard means nothing when students don't reach their potential. On the contrary, if a teacher is able to help his or her students achieve the progress they need, it doesn't really matter whether she is putting more hours or not.
Sure there are stories of inspiring teachers, like Rafe Esquith and Erin Gruwell, who managed to beat all odds to help their students overcome difficulties even in the midst of poverty, crime, drugs, and the lack of funding. However, this is not and must not be the only way to do it right.
The beauty of teaching lies in the details - in simplifying things to achieve the maximum results. This removes the most common misconception that kills teachers but instead, simplifying things prevents teachers from burnout while students learn without wasting time. Perhaps, if education veers away from this work-addicted belief, teachers can be more productive and will have more fun teaching.
