Teachers don't teach anymore. Well, they don't decide what your child needs to learn and how they will best learn it.
It is what teachers attended universities and paid thousands of dollars to learn to do, it is their field of expertise.
But School district administrators, researchers, curriculum developers and text book companies decided they know better.
What you need to know is all schools are "data driven" and your child's needs are based on that data. It doesn't matter if your child isn't ready to learn a certain developmental task. Your child fails if they aren't ready to learn it. Oh, teachers are to provide "remedial" training to your child, based on the curriculum calendar -for example, if your child doesn't understand the concept of groupings by September of this year in first grade, but gets it in March, your child's report card will reflect the fact they are failing that concept based on the timeline expected for them to learn it.
You see, teachers don't call the shots anymore. District curriculum administrators do that.
Teachers are told what to teach, when to teach it and how to teach it.
Your child's personal needs are not considered.
Teachers are evaluated by the ability of a class to achieve milestones directed by the school district deadlines.
While parents and the public are bashing public teachers as poorly motivated, lazy, even slothful, protected by unions who appear out to protect an archaic system, the public is attacking the messenger.
We would love to teach to each child's needs. We would love to spend a little extra time developing a learning environment which prepares your child for learning new concepts when ready.
We would love to use those tested , tried and true methods to instill a love of learning, an excitement and wonder for learning. It is what we all remember -the teacher who instilled the love of reading, made history and social studies come alive, knew how we learned and placed a full plate of educational wonders at our desk so we felt rich and full.
Last week my group of first grade boys were completing the district mandated calendar activities-
date, month, year, shapes, weather, counting by twos, fives and tens, and seasons when one of them asked me about the seasons. Why was their summer? Winter? How did the weather get cold or hot?
While not in the curriculum calendar for first grade 5 and 6 year olds it was a teachable moment and we used the globe to discuss the rotation and revolutions of the earth.
The astonishment on their faces, the rapt attention, the fast flying questions and the pondering looks on their faces reminded me of why I became a teacher.
It is the love of learning, the amazing connections we make when we learn and the wondrous looks on the 20 faces of the little boys I so love to teach -that is why I teach.
Mostly your children are cheated of these experiences and while it is happening the public is killing the wrong messengers.
The very ones who want , more than anything in this world, to make learning alive, rich in content, applicable and understandable to your children.
The teachers.
