An open letter to those who give unsolicited advice and uninformed opinions (man on the light rail this is for you)

Today -minding my own buisness- a man started talking to me on the light rail. "What's your major?" he asked casually pointing at the pack adorned on my back. "English and secondary education" I replied. "You?" I asked. "Oh NICE, an EASY major FUN yeah, I chose a much HARDER major" he pauses "I am a biology major" he said as if trying to impress me. I was immediately disgusted. 

First off, I would like to say that just becuase you went to school or remember your kids going through k-12 doesn't mean you know anything about being a teacher, educational philosophys , school buracracy or how to manage class of 30 hyped up pre-teens all while trying to achieve success that must be measured on a standardize test. 

Oh yeah super easy, try giving individual instruction similtaneously to 30 hormonal teenagers. Try just try dealing with helicopter parents or neglectful parents. Try having a major where you are heald to a higher moral standard than most. A major where you have to do over 300 practice hours on top of full credit hours before you even graduate and get your first job.  A career field that is really recent and where standards for teachers are always changing. A job that depends on the sway of politics and community support. A job where you physically work in a school from 7-3(ish) but most likely spend the time at home until you fall asleep grading papers, tutoring, holding student interventions or creating lesson plans.

I work my butt off in college,I volunteer helping to toutor high schoolers, I work at an international middle school, I am in NCTE and an English Honor Society and still wont have a guraenteed job placement when I graduate and even if I do, I will be required to get more education with out the pay scale other jobs offer. But, I do it because I love it and because I believe that education is the greatest gift you can give someone. My major is not esay, my job will not be easy. I am okay with that because I realize what I do is important. If education was easy they wouldn't require a degree, a license, that you pass a series of tests, continuing your education or background checks.

You wouldn't last one day man on light rail. Those kids would beat you at your own game so fast. 

Sincerly, 

A Proud Hard-Working Secondary Education, English Major