Everybody has made the mistake at least once or twice of raising their hand in class meaning to say “Miss (teacher’s name)” but instead “Mom” comes out. While this could be chalked up to a Freudian slip, it’s not hard to imagine that when you are looked after, taught life skills, and cared for by someone for hours at a time, the title of mom doesn’t seem far-fetched. Being a field ¾ dominated by women it is safe to assume that a lot of overlap consists between those who are teachers and also mothers. Mrs. Osburn, mother to a 27 and 25-year-old and grandmother to a 16-month-old, Mrs. Hoyle, with a 3-year-old, and Mrs. Pittinaro, mother to a 17 and 21-year old all fit that demographic here at the Park and gave insight to their lives with the Hoofprint Staff
All three teachers described their favorite aspect of teaching as some variation of seeing and helping their students grow and succeed. Pittinaro explains growing relationships is her favorite, saying “It’s all about learning about them… boosting them up when they struggle and celebrating with them when they succeed.” On a similar note, Osburn admits part of it is also growing with your students, “I am continually shaping and refining them and in the process, they change me”. Hoyle relates it to her classroom, saying “I’m a history teacher and we don’t learn, in my class, about the United States at all. We instead learn about rights and protests around the world and then we can draw comparisons or parallels to our society. Now, in my 18th year of teaching, learning with my students is never boring because they help make meaning of not only the past but their current lives and our current lives together… that journey of learning together is so powerful.”
Referring to her students, Osburn admits they’re less work than real kids, saying “They are like kind of extensions of children but without the financial responsibilities… I can send them home at night, and I’m not responsible for their decisions.” Speaking of her actual children, Osburn said “My children are my greatest achievements…the most satisfying aspect of being a mother is seeing how they’ve turned into interesting, wonderful, enjoyable people to be around.” Similarly, Pittinaro says “…what makes me happiest is seeing my children succeed. Even if that is just having the courage to stand up in front of a class and give a presentation, being an active part of a club or sport, or learning how to order their own Chick-fil-a for the first time, I love to see them make those milestones.” With a younger child, Hoyle says her favorite aspect of motherhood so far is seeing the world through an entirely new lens. She professes “I’m seeing it [the world] from the lens of being a mother but I also get to see it almost through her eyes. It’s almost like reliving the parts of a childhood that I have no memory of.”
While all three educators maintained that both teaching and motherhood are extremely rewarding, Hoyle is not shy in admitting it comes with its drawbacks. She confesses “There is so much that we do, that we’re expected to do, that is not compensated…I don’t know if it’s mostly because it’s women who are teachers that it is this way but regardless, there is something there in the toil of a mother and that of a teacher that a lot gets unseen, unrecognized, and uncompensated.” On that note, use Mother’s Day as a time to show your mom that you appreciate her hard work. For future reference, Osburn and Pittinaro said their favorite Mother’s Day gifts have been handmade and from the heart, whether family members made of clay or DIY spa days, just recognize what she does for you in a thoughtful way.