One Teacher's Thoughts

     There are many issues that impact public education today, and depending on which politician, teacher or news channel you listened to this morning, there are countless contradicting causes, effects and solutions. I believe budget cuts, achievement gaps and lack of parental support to be among the most pressing concerns. However, the most disturbing issue for me is the lack of legislative support for teachers. It seems that every time I turn on the television or read a newspaper, there is yet another politician degrading the teaching profession. These policy-makers never step into a classroom except to take advantage of an election year photo-op. Nor, do these educated individuals ever hesitate to share a heart-warming story about dear old Mrs. Second-grade Teacher, who made such a difference in his/her life. Yet, these same educated policy-makers seem to have no concept of the compassion and dedication for her profession and students that enabled Mrs. Second-grade Teacher to motivate her students. One cannot help but wonder if these future politicians were absent the days that their dear old teacher taught the Golden Rule.

      I do not know the cause of such narrow-minded thinking from educated individuals. I can only suggest that this current trend of blaming teachers for everything from the national debt to immoral children is due to the fact that so many of the teachers in America are so involved and so focused on their students that they do not have the time or energy left at the end of the day to defend themselves. Maybe we are too stunned by the over-simplified descriptions of our roles and duties to respond. Or, perhaps, it is the disbelief that our collective gifts and talents are so misunderstood and unappreciated that keeps us quiet. Whatever the cause, it is our children who suffer.

     The education system in the United States is often compared to the educational systems found in other countries and seems to comes up lacking. When I see the test scores and other data used by politicians to prove this deficiency, I also look for some mention of the professional status of teachers. Most of these other countries have a reverence for educators that is unheard of here in America. Parents, students and politicians see teachers as crucial partners in their children’s and country’s future. I fear that our policy-makers do not see our children as teachers see them – as fragile, precious and priceless individuals. These children are seen, instead, as a commodity – a something for politicians to use at their discretion to trade and bargain for a more important agenda.

       How do we solve this problem? I offer this solution with both a sense of hope and cynicism. I hope that someone will see the truth in what I write and implement my suggestion. Yet, I feel that my solution is oversimplified and, perhaps, even naive. There is a desperate need to educate our politicians about the teaching profession and our students. I would like to see our policy-makers in the classrooms, engaged in meaningful, time-consuming, heart-lifting and heart-breaking activities – mentoring low socio-economic children, teaching remedial lessons to below-grade level students, assisting with homework in afterschool programs, re-shelving books in our media centers, and serving the only meals that some of our children receive. I challenge these politicians to refrain from cutting another penny from a school budget or offering up another self-serving sound bite about teachers and education until they have taken the opportunity to walk in a teacher’s shoes and allow themselves, instead, to be educated by our nation’s children.

Could You Be a Hero...All by Yourself?

     Parenthood is one of the hardest jobs one could ever have – if not the hardest.  I have been a waitress, a concession stand worker, a food server, a part-time receptionist, a cashier, a teacher, a custodian, a travel agent (of sorts)… and a parent.  None of these jobs have required the same amount of energy, stress and joy as parenthood.   Throughout my “employment” as a parent, I have been blessed to have a strong, sensitive, caring, and intelligent partner by my side.  Together, we have survived stressful and potentially-dangerous pregnancies and deliveries, as well as…dirty diapers, colic, night terrors, well baby visits, sick baby visits, teething, ear infections and tubes, strep throat, scarlet fever (with quarantine), mono (with quarantine) , nail-in-foot, squished-finger-in-door, stitches, broken bones, hurt feelings, broken hearts, teenage hormones, teenage romances, fender benders, emergency appendicitis surgery, shots, cavities, wisdom teeth removals, little league baseball games, tennis matches, cross country matches, academic team matches,  band performances, chorus performances,  SATs, ACTs, college applications, job applications, scholarship applications, award ceremonies, field days, parent-teacher conferences, birthdays, and graduations.  I’m sure there are many more events that I am leaving out and so many more to come!  Through all of these milestones, we have been partners…equals.     

     However, you and I both know of some very strong, loving and tireless parents who have tackled these same milestones and possibly more… by themselves.  Some of these parents are flying solo because of divorce, death of spouse, military deployments, incarceration, personal choice, or the sperm-donor/egg-carrier is just not interested in participating in his/her child’s life – an attitude that continues to elude me. 

      These single parent heroes struggle with all the day-to-day challenges that  two parent families experience - only to be demonized, labeled  and stereotyped by politicians and many other narrow-minded individuals as burdens to society, lazy, immoral, uneducated, and selfish.  I dare say that most of these hate-filled people have spouses and/or nannies to raise their children or support them along the way.   I dare say that most of these shallow-minded people will never have to choose between food or medicine for their children.  I dare say that none of these “concerned Americans” have ever had to set aside their feelings of self-worth and pride to ask for help for their children.   Yet, somehow, they feel that they are in a position to pass judgment on these single parents. They feel that they know what these single parents are going through. They feel that they know what’s best for these single parents and their children.  I dare say that none of these “well-meaning” citizens has ever had to endure the condescending looks and whispers of people like themselves.
   
   I write all of this simply to ask that before you look down your nose at that young parent using the food stamp debit card at the store or presenting the Medicaid card at the doctor's office and start making assumptions about her manicure (courtesy of gift certificate from friend), his children’s clothes and shoes (smart shopping at thrift stores/gifts from friends and family), her hair style (result of bartering/trade of babysitting with hair dresser), his car (loan from family member), or the type of food in the grocery cart (child’s birthday and they can’t stand to disappoint) –  look inside your own heart and find some compassion and empathy. 

Try to put yourself in his/her shoes…would you….could you…do it alone?
Would you...could you be a hero...all by yourself?

 

The girl who silenced the world for 5 minutes