Is There A Light At The End…?

Is there a light at the end of this tunnel ? I think so. I admit, there have been brief moments where I feel defeated and quitting surfaces my mind for just a moment. I know better! I am NOT a quitter. People have GOT to start speaking up! ANYONE can watch!

I spoke with a good friend, who has a middle schooler. She’s terrified for her child’s future in education. She described her child and I would have sworn it was my child. We came to the conclusion that our children are not the go-getters in society. They are not the future leaders. They are not the next American Idol. Not saying they can’t be…it’s just not a natural instinct. They are just trying to survive and they adapt to their surroundings. If they are placed in a class where other kids have a don’t give a @$*#, they will do the same. If they are in a class of class clowns, they will do the same. If they are in a class of jocks, and survive the bullying, they just withdraw. When they get behind, they don’t ask for help because they constantly feel like everyone is looking down on them. They can never crawl out of a deep hole once they are there, because those that they must ask for help allowed then to get there to begin with. It’s a battle they never feel they can win. Today’s education system has lost one major component to be successful….personal connection. Teachers cannot 100% identify with a child anymore. They cannot tell you what works and doesn’t work on an individual basis. Face it folks…we all learn differently. It’s not a cookie cutter world. Yes, school is suppose to prepare our kids…but, throwing them in a pool of “normal” is done when they walk across that stage. NOT in middle school where parents are looked at like the enemy or an unwanted resource. School is suppose to help them discover their strengths and identify their weaknesses. Help them gain a foundation to balance a checkbook, fill out job applications, build a resume or sign their name. (SIDE NOTE: Do you know 90% of kids today only know enough cursive to sign their name?) Some kids are visual learners. Some are auditory learners. Some struggle with both and have to find a happy medium. Some have test anxiety. Some have learning challenges. If we have standards based grading to help students…don’t you think it still requires a teacher to connect with a student? Especially the one who is always doing retakes…and retakes of retakes? Why wait until 6 learning targets are failed EVEN after retakes!!!!??? STOP!! Get your head out of your….armpit….and look at the red flags!! If I were a teacher in that situation I would feel it reflected poorly on my abilities as a teacher, I would be pissed that I have to keep making retake versions of the same test AND I would be pissed that I had to put in all those grades every time.

Speaking of putting in grades…
If teachers don’t place importance on grades being up-to-date why would the kids? It floors me to hear, the day grades are due in, that teachers still tell students to wait 2 days!!! Really!?!? Ummmm…can you say much else?

I realize teachers are so under paid and often unappreciated. Aren’t we all???! We have to dig deeper in our soul and decide how to handle the cards we have been dealt. I’ve been at a job over a year now…it’s so below me in my skill set, education and pay; however, I find the end results of my work rewarding. Teachers need to find that rewarding feeling…connect with your students…on a personal level.

I will continue to fight for the student….mine or yours…they all need someone!!!