Economics of Teachers

Dear Sirs,

I think teaching and teachers are much undervalued by those outside the
profession today.  The benefit of their pedagogical and didactic skills
to the life of the country and the strength of the economy is much
under-rated and misunderstood by Joe Public.

It is truly remarkable how teachers, equipped only with a limited number
of resources:  a new box of chalks each term, a blackboard, an eraser, a
few ruled exercise books, a dwindling number of dog-eared outdated text
books, and inside crumbling buildings, can draw upon their experience of
life and work and with their dictating and oratorical skills, and the
force of their own personality, command groups of often recalcitrant,
and inattentive adolescents, pouring into their minds all the essential
facts they need to know, to prepare them for life, and ready them for
the great world that awaits them outside the classroom.

Finally after eleven years the transformation is complete and at the age
of sixteen pupils can, for the last time, turn their backs on learning
and education, and proudly emerge as fully formed, civilized, well
qualified, responsible, balanced, rounded individuals with the practiced
skills and attitudes needed to enter into society, to become partners in
mature, lasting, and caring relationships, eager to enter into full and
profitable employment in the well respected, secure, rewarding and
worthwhile careers that await them, and will endure until their
retirement.

And all this achieved with such economy!  The sooner this country wakes
up to the treasure it has in its teachers the better.