In catching up on a few rather neglected e-mails through the week, the following article was included in today's NEA Morning Update -
http://ideas.time.com/2011/10/20/blame-game-lets-talk-honestly-about-bad-teachers/
As I finished reading the blurb from the article within the NEA Morning Update, I was curious where this article led, so I continued on to the Time website to read the article, in it's entirety. Within the article, the author brings up a valid point - when one brings up the issue of teacher ineffectiveness they open the door to criticism, and "invite the charge of 'teacher-bashing.'"
I will be the first to say, you can't blame teachers for everything. I am not far removed from the classroom, and to say that the only driving force behind a quality education for a child is the teacher, is very narrow and limited point of view. There are lots of different reasons why a child fails to perform in the classroom - home/family issues, psychological issues, medical issues, etc... and the effectiveness of the teacher is only one of many reasons that can be used to explain the underlying reasons why a child does not learn at the same rate of his/her peers.
However, while good, effective, quality teaching may not be the only driving force, it is inarguably the most important. But the question remains, why are bad teachers not called into question?
If teachers worked in the corporate world, and they were ineffective in their job function, you had better believe that they would be called out, even if by no one other than their peers. Their pay would be adversely affected based on their yearly performance evaluation, and they would run the risk of losing their job, regardless of how many years of experience they had. There is a huge push to view the teaching field as a profession, and while I do not argue with this movement, I do think that it brings to light an old "rule of thumb" that has been neglected by many for some time - you must think, speak, and overtly portray the way in which you wish to be perceived and treated. Hence, the view of teachers as professionals means teachers must now behave and practice in that manner, professionally, and they should be held accountable for higher, more rigorous standards within the workplace!
"With great power, there must also come great responsibility" (Stan Lee, The first Spider-Man story). Teachers are some of the most powerful people in the life of a child (or even an adult student). They are the driving force behind the development of tomorrow's leaders! With that power, there is a HUGE responsibility to be assumed by any one filling the role of "teacher" - a responsibility that should never be taken lightly, nor should the lack of acceptance be overlooked.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Let's All Be Sponges!
It is a personal belief of mine that knowledge is power. And, my brief stint in corporate America, prior to establishing my career in education, further solidified this belief - the more you can do and the more you know, the more valuable you are to the company, and, thus, the less indispensable your are as an employee. As a result of my personal ethos, I love to learn, and not just about one thing in particular, but about anything, really. I am like a sponge... constantly growing... absorbing... and just when I think I am reaching the point of information overload and complete saturation, something else comes along that leaves me feeling dehydrated, and I find myself, again, immersed in a pool of attainment. Because of this, I find it hard to accept that there really are people out there who do not share in my love of learning, and it saddens me.
As an educator, I tried diligently to instill my passion for learning in my students. I would often allow for students to teach me about things that they were truly passionate about, regardless of whether or not I agreed with their choice, and I would often share stories related to the pursuit of my master's degree. I have always prided myself in being a life-long learner... if there is something that I want to have done, I first investigate whether or not I can figure it out for myself (hence, my newly-found hobby - cake decorating). However, I have always fully acknowledged along the way, that there is a vast world of information out there, and that my area(s) of expertise is but a small drop in the bucket of worldly wisdom! But, nonetheless, I seek information... knowledge... solely for the benefit of knowing. I can accept that others probably don't just sit and look for information that is unrelated to them, but I want to believe that, in the very least, we all look for learning opportunities related to our interests and/or career fields. You can imagine my dismay when the contrary smacked me in the face!
I believe that it is our responsibility, as educators, to instill, in the very least, a desire to know, especially in matters directly related to us in the moment. As educators, we have an opportunity to grow continuously throughout our careers. We have the unique benefit of never having to be complacent in our jobs, but to seek, avidly, opportunities for continued professional growth and development. As the old adage goes, "in education, everything changes," so why not embrace the changes as they come, and treat each one as an opportunity to become better at what we do, with the end goal being to become great educators?
Regardless of the ebbs and flows in education, and the cyclical pattern typically associated with education initiatives, there is always something to be gained from the newest research study or professional development program. Therefore, let's all take a good look at what it is we think we know about education and the learning needs of our students, and seek to answer the question, is it possible that there is yet, still, more to be learned? Is it possible that I don't know everything there is to know? Is it possible that this old dog can really be taught new tricks? As everything within the realm of education is changing... as the district, state, and country seek to implement education reform initiatives... as we are continually asked to do more with less, and raise the bar for students who are struggling to meet the bar at it's current level, it is easy to lose sight of what's important - learning for all. In that, may we all strive to be those insatiable seekers of knowledge that we all so desperately desire in our students... in other words, let's all be sponges!
As an educator, I tried diligently to instill my passion for learning in my students. I would often allow for students to teach me about things that they were truly passionate about, regardless of whether or not I agreed with their choice, and I would often share stories related to the pursuit of my master's degree. I have always prided myself in being a life-long learner... if there is something that I want to have done, I first investigate whether or not I can figure it out for myself (hence, my newly-found hobby - cake decorating). However, I have always fully acknowledged along the way, that there is a vast world of information out there, and that my area(s) of expertise is but a small drop in the bucket of worldly wisdom! But, nonetheless, I seek information... knowledge... solely for the benefit of knowing. I can accept that others probably don't just sit and look for information that is unrelated to them, but I want to believe that, in the very least, we all look for learning opportunities related to our interests and/or career fields. You can imagine my dismay when the contrary smacked me in the face!
I believe that it is our responsibility, as educators, to instill, in the very least, a desire to know, especially in matters directly related to us in the moment. As educators, we have an opportunity to grow continuously throughout our careers. We have the unique benefit of never having to be complacent in our jobs, but to seek, avidly, opportunities for continued professional growth and development. As the old adage goes, "in education, everything changes," so why not embrace the changes as they come, and treat each one as an opportunity to become better at what we do, with the end goal being to become great educators?
Regardless of the ebbs and flows in education, and the cyclical pattern typically associated with education initiatives, there is always something to be gained from the newest research study or professional development program. Therefore, let's all take a good look at what it is we think we know about education and the learning needs of our students, and seek to answer the question, is it possible that there is yet, still, more to be learned? Is it possible that I don't know everything there is to know? Is it possible that this old dog can really be taught new tricks? As everything within the realm of education is changing... as the district, state, and country seek to implement education reform initiatives... as we are continually asked to do more with less, and raise the bar for students who are struggling to meet the bar at it's current level, it is easy to lose sight of what's important - learning for all. In that, may we all strive to be those insatiable seekers of knowledge that we all so desperately desire in our students... in other words, let's all be sponges!
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