There is something magical about my profession.
Each day I walk into a room surrounded by 24 wriggling little bodies full of ideas, hopes and wonder.
Not one of my 8 year old students start the day by remembering they live in poverty.
The boy whose mother stabbed her boyfriend last Christmas and ended in jail and now lives in child haven, the girl whose father was just deported to Mexico, the girl whose mother's boyfriend spends his time telling her how much he hates her father, the girl who tells me her family never has enough food in the house-all these children in my classroom-and I feel so incredibly honored to open the doors of their minds-
Watching them learn-working together to figure out the universe, how things work, what makes an equation-why a number works just so-
is an amazing amazing process....
this morning I read the editorial of the Las Vegas Review Journal-
once again trashing the National Education Association's platform from the annual convention.
With disgust and patronize the NEA is accused of trying to take over the world via your child's mind.
Accusations of "poisoning minds with a gay-liberal-diversity-sex education agenda--
for lines and lines it went on about how teachers are poisoning the minds of school children.
Ironically it is these writers who have benefitted from us ultra liberal lefty teachers who opened the world of critical thinking and analysis in their educational endeavors throughout the years.
Anyone who tells you teachers taught them nothing fool themselves-if only because they learned to use that mind in an organized manner-something the random little child learns to do in a structured setting such as school.
I asked myself about all the accusations as I read them-how does this fit into my classroom?
Do I teach diversity?
Let's see-90% of my kids family's are from Mexico-I have Native American, African-American, Asian and two Caucasian children in the classroom.
Each child contributes a set of family values, religious beliefs and rich cultural heritages. Bias, prejudice, sexism, and racism contribute- to the mix as well. I can hear grown-ups at times in these little voices.
Do I teach tolerance? Yes, I do
I teach tolerance and acceptance for the two students in my class who are autistic and need extra guidance, I teach acceptance for the little boy with the odd behaviors who doesn't seem to quite get the meaning of "acceptable behavior: I teach tolerance for the boy who comes to school dirty every day and needs to wash up in the restroom-
I teach acceptance for the slow readers and the struggling mathematicians. I encourage those whose academic minds quickly grasp the algorithms of formal education to help those who can't quite figure out the system.
We work together to meet the crazy mandates of formal education according to the state. My job is to open the windows of those little minds to see how it makes any sense in the real word.
Only if it makes sense will it be remembered and used in the future. Learning has to fit something in life- If it doesn't a child's mind will easily surrender it-as it should- as meaningless and useless.
Do I teach some liberal acceptance of relationships outside the male-female?
Maybe I do because I still encourage my kids to respect the fact that the little boy in my class with two dads is a human being as is his parents-and we respect all humans whether we like - approve -of them or not.
Do I believe learning should be started early in life?
Of yes, it is a proven statistic that those children who attend pre-school are prepared for education and those who do not fare poorer in the classroom, always playing catch-up.
It is especially critical for those children who come to school as English language learners-if in any way possible to attend early learning centers-otherwise the child needs 3-5 years to learn the language, making elementary school emphasis all about the English language-a huge task for a child.
Over half the teachers in our school district leave teaching by the fifth year. We have a turnover rate which leads to the hiring of over 2,000 teachers a year.
The district has lots of excuses as to why so many teachers leave.
The union does as well. Low pay, high cost of housing-a huge population of second language learners-a city with a constant turnover-leading to feelings of isolation and estrangement.
But anyone who has ever worked in a profession they love knows that people don't leave a job they love unless something happens to change that love-
The newspaper in our town seems to have a strong aversion to the teachers union-and I still remember Ron Brown's accusation of the NEA as a terrorist organization.
When did teachers become the "enemy??"
When did academics become such a threat that the government needs to control the content and the community rallies or rallies not at all-to encompass all teachers in such a negative context??
I really do feel afraid of the direction our collective society moves toward when teachers unions -thus-teachers are attacked and the feeling that public education is a demeaned institution-one not worthy of our children.
These are our schools. Are we so estranged from them we see the institution as the enemy?
Recent studies indicate private and public schools provide the same level of success. Isn't that interesting?
If you check into private schools you will find that most teachers make less money than public school teachers-and ironically, we are all trained in the same academic institutions-no big surprise.
Successful education is a collaboration. We, the teachers know this-and successful education is dependent on us working together with specialists, other grade level teachers-resource and other educators to provide the best educational opportunities possible.
We also know that a major piece of this collaboration is the parent-and the community. School districts reflect the values of the community.
As poor and disenfranchised as my school neighborhood is, it is a walking community-and each day I see parents bring their children to the blacktop to line up for school. I see baby sisters and brothers in strollers-mothers and fathers on bikes-parents who don't speak English but have the desire for their children to learn.
On Open house night 90% of my students parents show up-if a parent can't make it-an aunt or an uncle or an older sister from high school will visit.
By the end of the year I have met with most of them many times, on the playground, on the phone, in meetings, in the classroom.
It has taken effort on my part to reach parents. It is worth every minute I have taken to get to know parents. The benefits for the students are tremendous-with parent support-kids come to school with faith in the teachers-for some parents-it is one of the few positive experiences they have had with a school community.
I am sharing what it is like in one of the poorest school communities in our district.
Have I had problems? Sure-In the five years I have taught school, one child brought his older brother's gun to school unloaded-another made up a hit list with my name on it- another child who has special needs-tried to tear up the classroom one day-
It has not always been easy-I am old enough to understand how complicated the minds and lives of children can be-
What I am mystified by is the community attitude.
If we do not have the support of the political system, our media, the economic base of our community
who suffers?
For what purpose would attacking teachers serve?
Perhaps the editor who is so intent on attacking the public school system, as well as the NEA had such a bad experience in school he continues his attack to obtain some sort of power or satisfaction?
Those who criticize have been taught by those of us who believe critical thinking is essential in a progressive , thoughtful and intelligent society.
We also teach taking responsibility for those criticisms as well.
Learn more.
Get involved.
Find the truth before attacking
Consider all facets of an issue before making decisions
As we tell our students,
make responsible decisions
and then do something about it.
