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| Did you hear they want to get rid of Bill Floore? They took away his MAI class and gave him a leveling class; then they took away his leveling class and gave him math boosters; then the kids did not have to show up for math boosters. |
To Teach or Not To Teach
My son has a very successful business career. He is successful in the fact that he has earned several promotions and he is in a very high income bracket. He has all the expensive toys that go with it. But his daily management routine and meeting his job description are not intrinsically satisfying. He is not happy and he doesn’t look forward to going to work. I do!
“Why not teach?” I suggested.
Several times during my son’s career he was in charge of training managers and he always seemed to enjoy that responsibility. A career change into education might make sense. He was, at one time, going to be a P.E. teacher.
His response amused me.
“Let me see if I’ve got this right. You want me to go into a classroom and fill the student’s every waking moment with a love of learning; a love of math; a love of reading; and a love for all the other subjects. I am to prepare them to pass the AIMS test (now it's Core Standards) and teach them all the state standards that seem to be changing every year. But I am to do this without books or materials and the shrinking academic time in the classroom.
Not only that, but I am to instill them with pride in their ethnicity, modify disruptive behavior, accommodate every kind of learning disability and motivational deficiency, and observe them for signs of abuse. I need to be skilled enough that I can just look at them and know if they are sick enough or injured enough to be sent to the nurse. But don't call them boys or girls. One of them might be unsure of their sex that day.
I am to fight the war on drugs and smoking, and make sure they are not bringing weapons to school. I am stop bullying and teasing, plus raise their self-esteem. I am to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to be a leader, metacognition, how to be successful in a cooperative group and teach them all the content areas using Bloom’s Taxonomy of higher level thinking.
I am to watch for pink eye and head lice; recognize signs of antisocial behavior; offer advice, be friendly, but not be their friend; hold them accountable for their actions, but be sensitive to their feelings; encourage respect for cultural diversity and changing attitudes about sex and marriage; and oh, yes, give equal attention to boys and girls and make sure I take the same amount of photographs of every student.
I would be required to get re-certification hours even though I have two degrees and the re-certification classes really wouldn’t improve my teaching in any significant way, in fact they take time away from planning and grading. I would be required to attend committee meetings, faculty meetings, participate in staff development such as Curriculum Mapping and articulation, and be careful that I don’t share my ideas because I would be considered a complainer if I made suggestions that focused on the barriers to learning that actually exist.
To prepare for my daily lessons I must be willing to work evenings and weekends and vacations. I must be willing to come in early or stay late or both. I must be prepared to withstand criticism from students, parents, colleagues, office clerks, custodians, and administrators and yet remain positive myself.
I would need to be a paragon of virtue such that my very presence will awe my students into being obedient, respectful, and motivated. I am to do all of this with just a piece of chalk, a bulletin board, a few out-of-date books (some of which and my student’s parents and I may have purchased) and supplies (again, some that my student’s parents and I may have paid for) and a Smart Board that a parent paid for.
And for doing this I am to be paid a salary that might force me to work until I am seventy, teach summer school every year, or might qualify me for food stamps or necessitate bankruptcy.
Dad, no thanks! I'd rather sell insurance, or office supplies, or sports apparel ”
My son asked if he could ask a poignant question. “Why would anyone choose this career once these realities sink in?”
I guess the answer is different for every teacher. Most people who go into teaching either want to make a difference, they like kids, they like the subjects they are teaching, or some combination.
I actually enjoy teaching. I hate the long summers off. Two weeks is enough for me. I look forward to coming to school every day.
We keep hearing we are here for the kids, yet we’re criticized for coming in on our days off.
I like managing the class, setting goals, and revising expectations. I enjoy measuring progress. If my students are prepared for middle school – the effort and sacrifice is worth it. The only thing I don’t enjoy is the last day of school, knowing it is the last day with the fifth graders. Forever.
I’ve thought about the things I enjoy the most: time with family, my dog Einstein, eating out; a good movie or book; a football game, lunch with the first grade teachers, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or fishing for walleye. Sometimes when I’m fishing with my son – the lake is calm and loons are calling; eagles are circling, overhead looking for an easy catch; and a soft breeze brings the fragrant smell of the pine trees – I think there is no better place I would rather be.
But I have had that same thought sitting watching my students hard at work, but enjoying themselves. I know them better than my own grandkids. They have become my extended family. I enjoy the company of these kids. I love watching them get tickled when they are reading a good book. I enjoy watching them laugh and have fun. I enjoy each of their achievements and successes. I enjoy watching them grow as students and as individuals. I enjoy watching them meet challenges. I enjoy their personalities and their senses of humor and their view of the world. Each of them are innocent and untainted by the adult world and I hope they can keep their innocence and enjoy their childhood for as long as is possible. This is really a very special group of students.
That’s why teachers spend all summer looking for high interest books to read. That’s why teachers work days off and get here by 5:30 A.M. on school days. That’s why we have a Candlelight Dinner and we perform a play every year; to make the year as special as the kids.
Last year Mrs. Walker asked all the students and staff to take a moment for a positive “thought.” She said students all over Arizona were doing this at this very moment. My positive thought was about what a wonderful class I have. Yes, there is no place I would rather be.
“Why not teach?” I suggested.
Several times during my son’s career he was in charge of training managers and he always seemed to enjoy that responsibility. A career change into education might make sense. He was, at one time, going to be a P.E. teacher.
His response amused me.
“Let me see if I’ve got this right. You want me to go into a classroom and fill the student’s every waking moment with a love of learning; a love of math; a love of reading; and a love for all the other subjects. I am to prepare them to pass the AIMS test (now it's Core Standards) and teach them all the state standards that seem to be changing every year. But I am to do this without books or materials and the shrinking academic time in the classroom.
Not only that, but I am to instill them with pride in their ethnicity, modify disruptive behavior, accommodate every kind of learning disability and motivational deficiency, and observe them for signs of abuse. I need to be skilled enough that I can just look at them and know if they are sick enough or injured enough to be sent to the nurse. But don't call them boys or girls. One of them might be unsure of their sex that day.
I am to fight the war on drugs and smoking, and make sure they are not bringing weapons to school. I am stop bullying and teasing, plus raise their self-esteem. I am to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to be a leader, metacognition, how to be successful in a cooperative group and teach them all the content areas using Bloom’s Taxonomy of higher level thinking.
I am to watch for pink eye and head lice; recognize signs of antisocial behavior; offer advice, be friendly, but not be their friend; hold them accountable for their actions, but be sensitive to their feelings; encourage respect for cultural diversity and changing attitudes about sex and marriage; and oh, yes, give equal attention to boys and girls and make sure I take the same amount of photographs of every student.
I would be required to get re-certification hours even though I have two degrees and the re-certification classes really wouldn’t improve my teaching in any significant way, in fact they take time away from planning and grading. I would be required to attend committee meetings, faculty meetings, participate in staff development such as Curriculum Mapping and articulation, and be careful that I don’t share my ideas because I would be considered a complainer if I made suggestions that focused on the barriers to learning that actually exist.
To prepare for my daily lessons I must be willing to work evenings and weekends and vacations. I must be willing to come in early or stay late or both. I must be prepared to withstand criticism from students, parents, colleagues, office clerks, custodians, and administrators and yet remain positive myself.
I would need to be a paragon of virtue such that my very presence will awe my students into being obedient, respectful, and motivated. I am to do all of this with just a piece of chalk, a bulletin board, a few out-of-date books (some of which and my student’s parents and I may have purchased) and supplies (again, some that my student’s parents and I may have paid for) and a Smart Board that a parent paid for.
And for doing this I am to be paid a salary that might force me to work until I am seventy, teach summer school every year, or might qualify me for food stamps or necessitate bankruptcy.
Dad, no thanks! I'd rather sell insurance, or office supplies, or sports apparel ”
My son asked if he could ask a poignant question. “Why would anyone choose this career once these realities sink in?”
I guess the answer is different for every teacher. Most people who go into teaching either want to make a difference, they like kids, they like the subjects they are teaching, or some combination.
I actually enjoy teaching. I hate the long summers off. Two weeks is enough for me. I look forward to coming to school every day.
We keep hearing we are here for the kids, yet we’re criticized for coming in on our days off.
I like managing the class, setting goals, and revising expectations. I enjoy measuring progress. If my students are prepared for middle school – the effort and sacrifice is worth it. The only thing I don’t enjoy is the last day of school, knowing it is the last day with the fifth graders. Forever.
I’ve thought about the things I enjoy the most: time with family, my dog Einstein, eating out; a good movie or book; a football game, lunch with the first grade teachers, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or fishing for walleye. Sometimes when I’m fishing with my son – the lake is calm and loons are calling; eagles are circling, overhead looking for an easy catch; and a soft breeze brings the fragrant smell of the pine trees – I think there is no better place I would rather be.
But I have had that same thought sitting watching my students hard at work, but enjoying themselves. I know them better than my own grandkids. They have become my extended family. I enjoy the company of these kids. I love watching them get tickled when they are reading a good book. I enjoy watching them laugh and have fun. I enjoy each of their achievements and successes. I enjoy watching them grow as students and as individuals. I enjoy watching them meet challenges. I enjoy their personalities and their senses of humor and their view of the world. Each of them are innocent and untainted by the adult world and I hope they can keep their innocence and enjoy their childhood for as long as is possible. This is really a very special group of students.
That’s why teachers spend all summer looking for high interest books to read. That’s why teachers work days off and get here by 5:30 A.M. on school days. That’s why we have a Candlelight Dinner and we perform a play every year; to make the year as special as the kids.
Last year Mrs. Walker asked all the students and staff to take a moment for a positive “thought.” She said students all over Arizona were doing this at this very moment. My positive thought was about what a wonderful class I have. Yes, there is no place I would rather be.
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