I am just as fed up with the system as everyone else… and I want to do something to change it. The only people who think that the direction we are going in education is okay are the tenured teachers or the massive unions. Yes, every teacher wants to be tenured. Who wouldn’t want job security for the rest of their lives after only 3 years of “proving” you are good at your job. The government regulations, failing schools, college freshmen in abundance having to take non-college level courses to catch up to the college expectations, unions creating ads that beg parents to vote for props that provide money that no schools ever see.
My mom asked me the other day about this meme:
It’s true. The government or the unions do not provide money for an awesome classroom or most of the supplies teachers use. The government will NEVER provide this, but you know who will? Parents. Parents in private schools do this and it’s not only because they have money. It’s because they care about where their kids go to school and who they are with for 7 hours each day. No matter what the government or the unions beg from parents, you know what parents care about most? Their kids’ teachers and their kids’ schools. So let them have the freedom to choose where they go.
IN THE CLASSROOM
As teachers we also have the responsibility to our students to present the facts and teach students how to think, not what our political beliefs are. We have always been a divided nation. There have always been half liberals and half conservatives. Our nation has been effective when the two sides work together and COMPROMISE. But through this severe division, we have demonized the other side and refused to see logic in it. As teachers if we express our political beliefs then we are ostracizing about 50 percent of our population. It’s humiliating and infuriating for a student to sit in a classroom while their teacher demonizes what they and/or their parents believe. I know because I’ve experienced it; however, I am not that person who will sit quiet.
It’s a lost art to present facts without opinions. It’s something that I am passionate about and I create my lessons and units to teach high school age students to identify bias, analyze each side of any issue, and make a case for their opinions based on facts and not emotions. I hope to start a trend.
QUESTIONS
- What do you think about school choice? Why?
- Do you believe that the current school system is effective? Why or why not?
- What should parents and teachers do to effect change?