OT: US Education (BEWARE--long!)

[selah_1977]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C7208
From: selah_1977
Subject: Re: OT: US Education (BEWARE--long!)
Reply To: [Yahoo! #7201] OT: US Education, was Wizard education
Date: 8/18/00 5:15 pm  (ET)

By: brooksindy
Date: 8/18/00 4:13 pm

<<<<Both Vicki's and my perceptions are colored by having grown up in
states with some of the lowest per-student expenditures and scores on
standardized tests (Indiana and Kentucky). Maybe that is an example of
adults' expectations being too high, instead of too low - as if we expect
the kids to be capable of overcoming the difficulties regardless.>>>>

On behalf of all of those who represent the worst of my profession,
I apologize. I like the fact that the public is demanding more from
schools. As one who teaches three sections of fifth grade (among other
things), reading Alicia's post about her experience with parts of
speech drills made me ashamed of what we as educators have passed off
as professionalism.

U.S. teacher education is going through its most drastic transformation
since the 1800s right now. 70% of the current teaching force will either
retire or leave within the next 5-10 years.

Those of us who have come into education within the last 5-10 years seem
to be an entirely different breed. We have had to undergo some of the
most grueling teacher licensing exams in decades... the Florida exam
was THE hardest test I've ever taken--GRE, LSAT, and all 5 AP courses
included. Many of us came from other fields.

The emphasis now is on peer training. Remember the one teacher you had
that you never forgot? These "master teachers", instead of clueless ed
professors, are doing an increasing amount of training.

I long for the day when teaching is regarded as a respectable profession,
when young teachers like myself aren't regardless as idealistic idiots
by classmates and friends who choose different life paths.

Before I began student teaching, I thought that teaching was the easiest
profession in the world. Seven hours or less a day--summers off--all you
have to do is deal with a bunch of kids, give some homework, and you're
done. I'd have plenty of time left to write. Piece of cake, right? Wrong.

They don't tell you that the average American teacher is either on
the job or doing job related functions 60+ hours a week. We've earned
those summers off--and more than half of all teachers teach through
their vacation. The children in our public schools are some of the most
troubled in our nation's history.

We are counselors, friends, mentors, mediators, advocates, nurses,
secretaries, and managers all wrapped into one. Counting class time,
before school tutoring, after school rehearsals, and extension field
trips, I spend more time with my 170 students than most of their
parents do.

I have never had such a draining experience emotionally, intellectually,
and physically. I've also never been more rewarded. Or more humbled. Some
of the notes that my children gave me on the last day of school and some
of the things they said made me cry stormy tears.

The work that I do isn't glamorous. I am constantly reminded of all the
many reasons why anyone in their right mind would do anything else.

Our test scores show that my students know their parts of speech. (No,
I didn't cheat. <g>) But none of them felt much like drawing on their
notebooks last school year. I daresay you'll find a lot more teachers
like me than the "drones". After all, we're all educated enough to post
in this forum, right? For every Snape (and I have my Snapish days!),
remember this: there is a Lupin. ;)

That alone is enough to make me feel proud to be an American teacher.

Ebony AKA AngieJ