Opinion
Teaching Profession Letter to the Editor

Calling Students ‘Lazy’ Is A Result of Lazy Thinking

February 28, 2017 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

I write regarding the “No Kidding Around” blog post about the use of the word “kids” during job interviews (Career Corner blog, Feb. 7, 2017).

I would also add that teacher-candidates should not use the word “lazy” in reference to students.

Generally, teachers who speak of kids as lazy may not have taken the time or may not have the ability to find out why kids are not being productive.

Lazy is a symptom of not learning, not a state of being. Teachers who use “lazy” as a descriptor need to peel back the layers, find out what is really happening with their students, and make adjustments in the classroom.

David Williams

Math Teacher

Kress Independent School District

Plainview, Texas

A version of this article appeared in the March 01, 2017 edition of Education Week as Calling Students ‘Lazy’ Is A Result of Lazy Thinking

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession Teachers Face New Burdens After Supreme Court LGBTQ+ Opt-Out Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling allowing parents to opt their children out of certain lessons could add new challenges for teachers.
6 min read
Demonstrators are seen outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor on April 22, 2025. The case contends that forcing students to participate in LGBTQ+ learning material violates First Amendment rights to exercise religious beliefs.
Demonstrators are seen outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in the case of <i>Mahmoud</i> v. <i>Taylor</i> on April 22, 2025. The justices ruled that parents can exercise their religious right to have their children excused from LTBTQ-themed lessons, which has prompted new logistical and practical concerns among teachers.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP
Teaching Profession Fewer Teachers Plan to Quit, But Pay and Burnout Are Still Major Issues
Teachers still feel overworked and underpaid, but some signs suggest things may be slowly improving.
4 min read
A second grader shares a story he wrote with a teacher.
A second grader shares a story he wrote with a teacher. This year, 16% of teachers reported an intent to leave the classroom, down from 22% last year.
Allison Shelley for All4Ed
Teaching Profession Q&A 'We’re Not Done Yet': NEA President Becky Pringle on the Union's Next Steps
The leader of the nation's largest teachers' union promises more activism.
4 min read
NEA President Becky Pringle sits for a portrait during the union's annual representative assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 4, 2025.
NEA President Becky Pringle sits for a portrait during the union's annual representative assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 4, 2025. She is entering her final year as the president of the nation's largest teachers' union.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Q&A Planning for a Great Year? The Nation's Top Teacher Has You Covered
Little ways administrators can support teachers can make a big difference, says the 2025 Teacher of the Year.
5 min read
Image of National Teacher of the Year 2025, Ashlie Crosson, a Pennsylvania English teacher.
The 2025 National Teacher of the Year, Ashlie Crosson, teaches English in Pennsylvania.
Courtesy of Brett Sims