So lately, I've been thinking long and hard and deep about what it really means to be a teacher. I've been thinking about what sort of teacher I'd like to be. I've been thinking about why on earth there are so many teachers who claim to love their jobs, but spend most waking moments complaining about that very thing. Here are the top complaints I hear from teachers: 1. administration 2. the students not "doing enough" or "trying hard enough" 3. parents who are uninvolved 4. the "cycle of curriculum" or "pendulum of thought" that we, as educators, apparently go through all of the freaking time because no one can figure out what the magical teaching cure is. Except that there are several methods that have proven to be true over the last 5 decades, but that's probably all just hogwash, so why bother trying it, because it's kind of hard, and I have a "certain way of doing things."
If there is one thing that GETS MY GOAT it is teachers that don't care. Or don't try. Or give up. Or lack the knowledge. Or lack the training. The greatest goat-getter is teachers who have given up hope. Let me say this again. If you are a teacher who has stopped hoping - get out now. Yesterday, in response to the fact that some schools have stopped teaching how to write in cursive (literally, who cares?!), I heard a teacher say "our society is doomed." Really - because kids no longer can write in cursive? I won't remark too much more on that topic, but her statement really got to me. Why is she still teaching if our society is apparently doomed? After a days and a half worth of thought I have this declaration of commitment: If education is a sinking ship, I am NOT going down with it. I will keep fighting. When all other teachers gossip, I won't give in. When other teachers nag, criticize, and blame the students, I will spend my energy seeking solutions. (While teachers talk through trainings, I will probably be in the back making snarky remarks, because that is just who I am and I'll probably still understand the information because God made my brain good. #truth) Anyway, save for that final digression, I really do. I want to be one of the good ones.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
December 2022
I'm guessing I'll have it all figured out by the time I turn 30.
|