Re: Letter “Teachers work hard,” which appeared in the Feb. 26 edition of Northern Life.

It’s really disappointing to hear how all teachers are painted with the same brush. The vast majority of teachers do much more than put in their “hours.”

Despite all of the political issues, I continued to put kids first. I took a chance and resumed extracurricular activities, and as a result, lost the respect of some of my colleagues.

Nevertheless, seeing students happy and engaged was the greatest reward of all. I hear a lot of people making jabs at stat holidays, etc. That has always been an argument brought forth from others.

I, however, chose this profession because I loved making a positive difference in the lives of children. Those stat holidays are perks to the job, just like others who get bonuses at the end of the year or get company trips.

Am I jealous? Not at all. I didn’t like the mention of police officers, firefighters and nurses being used as a comparison when it comes to salary. All of the above mentioned professionals are wonderful and important contributors to society, but they shouldn’t be brought up, as it is irrelevant.

I would like to acknowledge the importance of all those around us, from convenience store clerks to waste disposal employees to miners to bank tellers to staff at our retail stores to garage door installers. I appreciate the fact their contributions help myself and the rest of the community.

I apologize to those who might have had a negative experience with a teacher in the past. I have also had “not so good” teachers. But please, don’t paint us all with the same brush, as we are not all the same.

My students know that they are number one and know that I care about their happiness and their learning. I love teaching my students and enjoy seeing them every day.

I don’t let the negative jabs bother me, as I always keep in mind that there is probably a “bad experience” that has created this negative perspective.

I remain hopeful that those who come into this profession do it for the love of it and for the love of making a difference in the lives of the kids.

I know that despite all the negativity, my focus remains on my students and ensuring that they continue to strive in being the best contributing members of society.

Brenda Carr
Greater Sudbury