What happened to teaching?

I remember going through college knowing that I loved to teach. I still love to teach, even knowing that I could be making double or even triple the money in other fields that interest me, I love to teach. I remember thinking about the students I would be able to reach, to help. I would spend hours of my own time, preparing lesson plans while I prayed for my students I was student-teaching. Adjusting lessons to apply to my student's lives. I loved it.

So what happened?

I still love to teach, when I get to do it. I once had a college professor tell me that anyone out on the street can read a lesson plan and in fact in some states they do, they are called substitutes, but it takes a professional to teach. To teach is to know your students, to care about them, then to teach the curriculum to those students. Teach to their needs and do whatever it takes to help that student see their potential.

So what has happened?

Tonight I sat down to read through the lessons I will teach tomorrow. These are lessons taken directly out the curriculum. I am to read the script, "with fidelity" I am told. Creative lessons are not to be taught, even those proven effective, if they vary from that script.

I "teach" reading, writing, and math. Science, art, social studies, even life skills are pushed to the side. Why? Because they are not tested as much in those areas.

I still love to teach, I hope that someday we will go back to a day when that is what happens in our schools.

Your help please

I am currently working with a web design company on a web application for teachers and parents. They are working on developing an online software to help communication between parents and teachers, as well as offer tools to teachers to improve communication with school districts.

Please help out by taking the survey below (the teacher survey is only 9 questions and the parent survey is only 6).

Please, ask your friends to fill out the survey too. Thanks for your help.

Teacher Survey

Parent Survey

Thanks again!

That was YOU!

Just a quick story today. While sitting around a small reading group today, I had one of those sneak-up-on-you burps. It wasn't loud, and I think only one student heard it.

I said, "Excuse me!"

The girl sitting closest to me said, "That was YOU?!?"

"Yeah"

To which she replied, "I thought it was ME!"