Part of the Solution, Part of the Problem
Two very important items to read are Michael J. Salmonowicz “Teach For America—Second Things First” and Mamacita’s blog post “Any Teacher Can Tell You Why So Many Of Us Are Leaving The Profession.”
Salmonowicz was in the Teach For America corps from 2001 to 2003 and is now earning his doctorate in educational administration at the University of Virginia. Just one of his experiences from the program:
“When you hear a student tell you she is hungry because she didn’t have breakfast (or dinner the previous night), it’s different. You can’t sigh, lament how bad things are, and change the channel. You see that student in your 7th period class, an hour before you go food shopping. As you leave the grocery store, you realize that you bought everything you wanted, without looking at prices or clipping coupons or scouring the receipt for mistakes. What would your student think if she were there with you?”
Not sure who Mamacita is and why she is coming apart but many teachers seem to also relate to her thought process. Many critics offer that most education blogs are nothing more than rants - unfortunately that seems to be the case for this Mamacita entry. Still, to fully understand where some teachers are coming from her blog post is must reading, especially by future administrators.
On the flip side it is easy to see why Teach for America is having a profound impact. Education needs more people like Salmonowicz if there is to be a bright future for the profession. It seems as if he wants to be part of the solution.
At the same time I hope he gets a chance to read her post so that he will see what he will face when he moves into educational administration.
1 comment
I would hope that when he moves into educational administration, he will strive to remove these peripherals that prevent dedicated loving teachers from doing their job: teaching children, that they might grow up to be productive adults who love and care for their families.
My “rant” was not about hungry children. My “rant” was about students who willfully prevent other students from learning and growing, to the point that there is often violence and blood and fear.
If you read my website carefully, you will see that it is far from a free shrinksite where I rant and rave about things that have no solution.
I do resent your implications. It is true that on occasion, I do rant.
Perhaps, just perhaps, there is a reason so many teachers, GOOD teachers, feel the need to rant?
I think a good administrator would remove the need for such.
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