I am a teacher.
I am a teacher because I choose to do so, not because I didn’t have the skills necessary to do anything else.
I am a teacher because I believe that unequal access to a good education is a MAJOR civil rights issue.
I am a teacher because I believe that the best way to propel my country and my world forward is to positively impact and educate a child.
I know that EVERY teacher doesn’t teach for those reasons. But I get sick and tired of adult agendas hampering the future of our children. If you’re interested in protecting the status quo, you need not be in education, nor should you be a public official who has the power to negatively affect the education of children.
If you’re an educator and you are more considered with your pay, your benefits, your job, yourself- please write and sign a resignation letter and submit it to your principal ASAP. Does your pay and benefits matter? ABSOLUTELY. However if you are MORE concerned with those things than making sure that your classroom is a safe space where children are learning and mastering new material every day, you need to go ahead and be done with it.
If you’re an educator and you only care about your kids (not THOSE kids, or THAT child) or kids who look like you, come from a similar background as yours- you ought to be ashamed of yourself (first) AND then you need to go and submit a resignation letter stating that you are unable to protect the best interests of every student; therefore you are unfit to be a teacher. Make sure you handle that ASAP. Please and thank you.
This shouldn’t have to be said, but it seems that people are confused about who education is about. It’s about the CHILDREN. It’s ALWAYS about the children. Every time adults manipulate conversations about education and make them about adult interests, I cringe inside.
There is no magic formula to fix the education system that is so clearly broken. However, if we continue to make the conversation about what’s best for adults, we will never arrive at the solution of what is best for children. And if it’s not about them, we need to leave this system behind and create one that IS about them.
I want ALL children to have access to an excellent education. I believe it is possible. And because I believe it’s possible, I work to make it a reality.
Whew! Glad I got that off my chest…
Until next time…
September 8, 2011 at 8:13 pm
It appears that you’ve witnessed many things which have left you somewhat disappointed in the manner in which teachers and educators and adults alike treat education.
I read your post twice and could actually feel the passion and conviction in your words and beliefs which, undoubtedly, are followed and preceded by actions which hold the same descriptions.
As usual, I commend you and your commitment towards teaching and believing that the youth can be taught.
Stimulating read.
September 10, 2011 at 1:24 am
Hi, this is kind of crazy but I came across your blog today when I googled a quote I was writing about in my own blog, “If you knew you could not fail…”and I couldn’t sleep so I decided to come back and read what you had to say. I’m also a teacher and thank you for writing this. I might send it on to some teacher friends (if that is ok with you). I hope your year is starting out well!