I remember being in a grocery store line when someone noticed my basket full of snacks and asked if I had a daycare. I smiled and replied, “No, I am a teacher.” The stranger’s smile turned from a friendly smile to a semi-frown, full of what seemed to be concern and pity. She proceeded to touch my arm (which transparently has always made me uncomfortable with strangers) and said sadly, “Oh, wow, a teacher? Thank you for your service.” Service? I felt like I was in the military! But then, I began to think about how people often viewed teachers. Now mind you, this was pre-pandemic, but the perception of teachers pre, during, and post-pandemic has always been a fluctuating relationship of love/hate, praise/punishment, admiration/pity. After all, we have been through in the last two years; I question why anyone in their right mind would want to become a teacher!

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