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…

I am many things. A woman, a Christian, a sister, a daughter, a friend. I am also a teacher.

As opposed to writing about how teachers are undervalued in society during Teacher Appreciation Week, I’m going to write about what I appreciate as a teacher. Here goes:

I appreciate my students. They are brilliant. They challenge me and they allow me to challenge them. They show gratitude. They misbehave. They force me to set clear expectations for excellence and then they expect me to help them get there. They keep me humble, and always force me to examine if my intentions are genuine. Serving them is a pleasure.

I appreciate parents. We say a lot about how parents don’t do enough, and in some ways we are unfair. I always believe that parents want what’s best for their kids. We may disagree on what that is, or what that looks like, or even how to get that for the kids…but it’s extremely difficult for me to believe that parents DON’T want to provide the best opportunities available for their kids. I appreciate the fact that they trust me with their babies. In many cases, I spend more time per week with kids than their parents do. I never want to jeopardize their trust.

I appreciate the unsung heroes of my school: the cafeteria staff, custodial staff, bus drivers; all who do the work that no one wants to do with a smile and a spirit of excellence. Without them, our school community would be so different. They truly embody Colossians 3:23.

My work as a teacher is far from perfect, but it is made easier and more enjoyable by the factors I listed above. And for that, I am grateful and most appreciative.

Until next time…