eaching is arguably one of the most underappreciated professions on the planet. Most people know that an educator's salary is a punchline, at least when it's compared to the value of the work that they do.
Add to this the fact that many of them go out of pocket on basic expenses for their classroom or work many more hours than their pay provides for, and a clearer picture emerges. Teachers are not paycheck players. They do their work out of love.
Nevertheless, even in this landscape, there are certain teaching jobs that get particularly little attention.
In this article, we take a look at important roles in education that do not get the respect they deserve. Spoilers: It’s pretty much all of them.
They Deserve Paraprofessionals
Paraprofessionals are basically classroom assistants. They help the teacher facilitate lesson plans, sometimes by working in small groups or even one-on-one, other times by grading, leading small lessons, or handling paperwork.
Paraprofessionals are unrecognized on several levels. For one thing, in most states, they make something approximating minimum wage.
The actual pay scale will vary based on their location and the type of placement they are working in. But regardless, for a job that requires what often equates to an associate's degree, the compensation is comparable to the money people working at a Burger King can bring in.
Paraprofessionals do not contribute to schools at the strategic level. They aren't involved in designing lesson plans or charting student progress and modifying educational strategies accordingly.
But they do play a key role in classroom management and simply ensuring that teachers and their students have all the resources they need to be successful.
Content Matter Teachers
Then there are Teaching Specialists. These are fully licensed educators who focus specifically on certain content areas.
For example, most schools today will employ Reading Specialists, STEM Specialists, and possibly Math Specialists.
These professionals will usually work with all students in the school for set periods throughout the week. They don't manage their own classroom, but they have lots of student interactions and will also sometimes provide push-in support when they aren't teaching a class on their own.
There are also Adjunct Teaching Positions, which are similar in nature, but a little more specialized. Most adjunct teachers in the context of K-12 learning environments are actually not always licensed teachers, but content experts.
For example, a musician teaching a high school music class, an engineer teaching a mathematics course, a retired photographer teaching a photography course.
Adjunct Teaching Positions provide opportunities for experts to share their knowledge with students.
Most of the time, adjunct teachers will only work a few hours a week. Nevertheless, it's a great way for students to learn high-level concepts from people who really understand them.
Support Staff
Modern school districts also employ a wide range of support professionals. This can range from school psychologists and social workers to speech-language pathologists.
Depending on the funding arrangement, many districts will have one or two of these professionals spread out through multiple locations. The support staff does not necessarily educate in a traditional sense, but they do connect students with necessary services that contribute to their education.
Special Educators
Admittedly, most people don't think about special educators unless they are in some way coming into contact with them. Special ed teachers do work with only a select portion of the student body. In most cases, nevertheless, they play an important role in school ecosystems.
Sometimes they will teach their own classes, modified for the needs of their students. Other times, they'll push into gen ed classrooms, providing targeted, specialized support.
Often, they will interact with wide segments of the student population in certain, albeit limited, capacities.
For example, some students might need a little extra help with reading or mathematics, or with managing accommodations for attention deficit disorder. In this case, they are not necessarily full-time special ed, but they do benefit from the services of a special educator.
Substitute Teachers
Substitute teachers can play several roles in the school system. Many large schools employ what is called a full-time sub. Full-time subs are actually licensed educators who, as their title suggests, work full-time within a school system.
Many big schools do have a need for substitute teachers at least a few days out of the week. When no sub is required, the full-time sub will push in or support classrooms as needed.
Then there are general substitute teachers. These are people who submit to be contacted by school districts when they need a temporary placement. In most states, you do not need to be a licensed teacher to work as a sub, though you may need a bachelor's degree.
Depending on the state, substitute teachers provide instruction and even continuity in fluctuating classrooms and environments.
While it's ideal for students to have the same teacher day in and day out, it's through a good sub that learning continues to happen, even when the best-case scenario isn't possible.
Conclusion
The truth is that all educators are heroes, and none of them are adequately appreciated. Education touches the lives of literally every single person in the United States. It's how we improve as individuals, it's how our kids learn and grow, and it's how communities have the qualified, competent professionals that they rely on.
Teachers are very literally the bedrock of society. Show your appreciation with a sign of thanks to the next educator you come across.
