Teacher rantings thoughts...

Before even viewing my DVR's of Oprah's shows for this past week, I had planned to do a blog post highlighting my Monday - Friday 8:30-3:00 home: aka my classroom. Ever since I was a little girl I had always wanted to be a teacher. It was a no brainer for me. There is nothing better than being in a room full of pubescent teens and young adults making a fool of yourself for the sake of their learning. What can I say? I'm one of those teachers.

Sadly, though, my profession has gone under attack this week more so than ever. And it was for this very reason that I hesitated all week with coming forth with my profession. Not because I'm ashamed in anyway, because I'm DEFINITELY not, but because I didn't want to have to defend my profession on my own blog. I feel that I defend it enough at work, at social gatherings, everywhere, especially teaching at the school I teach at, that I didn't want to have to do it on my blog. A bit selfish? Maybe, but you do realize what this post is about, right?

I'm not going to say that I'm 100% against what Oprah and the legislative leaders are proposing for education, but I AM saying that being a teacher is already hard work. I was a bit outraged when one of the guests on Oprah's show suggested teachers simply give one more hour each day. What about the hours I spend at home preparing materials and grading papers? My Sunday is typically devoted to my lesson planning for the week and trying to stay on top my graduate class workload. I'm not lying when I say it takes at LEAST 2 1/2 hours on Sunday just to prepare my lesson plans for the week. This is already time that I do not get paid for. I do it and take the extra time because I care about my students' education. I knew about the extra unpaid hours before I entered the profession, and it didn't stop me then. What's five more hours a week taken from my family? Really, who needs a good stable family these days anyways?

I'm not denying that there are bad teachers out there and schools that could benefit from having an extra hour each day. Of course it would nice to rid the education world of the bad teachers and have countless hours dedicated to children learning, but shouldn't we be focusing on teaching the children how to be a person too?? All the focus on academic education has somehow pushed aside the education of the person. Everyday I see children that have no concept of reality, no concept of empathy or sympathy. Aren't we doing a disservice not only to them but to our country by not attending to the matters of human nature? Sure we can all be rocket science smart, but will be able to communicate effectively? I suppose the rate we are going the future will be filled with little red button pushing children who think not of the people affected by their push but rather of the technical awe of process.

I'm not going to lie either. It is for this very reason that I have always thought I would home school Bug (should we be able to afford it). I feel that our education system and this new reform isn't addressing the personal being. What's the answer? I don't know. I do know that things need to change, but I don't think that the changes coming forth will be any help...I only think they will bring added stress upon the teachers.We need to put the individual back in education.

Without further ado and rantings I bring you my beloved 305:

 View from my desk. My desk is clean on the morning of this shoot. Usually it is more of a mess of papers of the day and to-do's. Not to mention the million post its that take up habitation throughout the day.

 See these beauties? I fought for them tooth and nail last year..the kicker? They were free and I still had to fight for them! Oh and my boards are NEVER that clean... a student cleaned them for me at the end of the day the day before.

 View from the front of the room. The desk on the left side is an LTA's that I don't mind sharing my space with :)

 

The view from my window. The playground is for the childcare students that are in charge of the school's preschool program ages. I think Bug will be down there playing in a couple years. They do take 3 year olds, but I think that is too young for full day preschool.

There you have it! My humble daytime abode. I truly do love my job; it is all the requirements and ever increasing changes that make  me wonder if it worth the hassle? Then I see our senior class of 17 students, who are sent to our school because they were at risk of dropping out, graduating with Regents diplomas and all set to attend college that I remember why it is all worth it.