School has begun and I am a total mess. A basket case extraordinaire! I've gone from not working at all to three straight weeks of 9-12 hour days. Why. Because! That's what teachers do!
We work super hard to get the room ready. Checking and rechecking files and CRs. Taking inventory of our classroom materials. Dusting and cleaning. Organizing, labeling, creating rules and procedures. Enduring long "helpful" inservice meetings that will make us "better" teachers. We spend three to four hundred dollars buying supplies for our children. (These replace the ones they lose or don't bring at all.) Slaving over the strict demands of our curriculum. Striving to create a lesson plan that anyone could understand and follow. Checking and double checking, "did I hit all the state standards?" Asking ourselves, "Did I create a lesson that teaches to all facets of learning?" "What will I do to reteach those that did not learn it?" Just typing this is making my heart pump faster and my eyes go wide.
And do the kids notice? NO! Do the parents notice? NO! All they care about is, did the teacher get the room looking pretty? As long as the room looks nice...she must be a good teacher!
Seriously. If I took a poll and asked parents: "was your child's teacher 'ready' for the first day of school?" Most would say yes. If I asked them why, they would probably give an answer that had something to do with the aesthetics of the room. If I asked: "Have you ever looked at your child's curriculum?" I bet most would say no. I bet they don't even know there is a curriculum! I wonder if they think we make it up as we go along?
Can you imagine what would happen to our culture if all parents took an interest in their child's learning? Hmmm....I know, I know. Wishful thinking from a frustrated, "I can't believe it's August again" teacher.
2 comments:
4 1/2 weeks, no post....is that the PB&J with no crust, the full meal with dessert, or the burnt toast? =)
Sorry friend - I don't have the time or energy to think right now.
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