I hear you, Aretha. Sorry for the delay. For those of you who missed yesterday’s post, I was discussing the teacher shortage and how it all boils down to respect. I had expressed how I used to broach the subject with my students, and listed my tenets. Today, I want to continue my discussion further elaborating on student engagement and interest while also discussing other enclaves of misunderstanding and disrespect.
The Students
Last blog, I had shared some of the stock answers from my students when discussing this issue. Their answers clearly show a detached, transactional view of learning, and a disconnect from the fundamental definitions of respect.
I have read The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet at least 30 times, so even if I was an ineffective educator, sheer repetition puts me in a position to provide something worthwhile unless what can be gleaned is no longer pragmatic or compelling. Yes, this is where I feel that how we teach and what we teach, needs to be tempered by who we are teaching, and the world they will have to navigate.
Students want to know how their time is being spent. They want to know how their learning and skill development is applicable. I do not blame them. We need to revise curriculum and learning expectations in a more expedient manner and foster curiosity and engagement.
I believe everyone should be a confident reader and a competent writer, but my students don’t necessarily see its value. I have had candid, unsettling comments in support of this, yet most schools still require four years of English courses. Love the notion, but its implementation needs to be reviewed. As does scheduling, routines, and even architecture.
I am confident that students do not mean to be disrespectful, but there is a growing indifference to school, and disillusionment coupled with more focus on socialization, social media and extra-curricular activities leaving them edgy, tired and more likely to lash out at the teacher and balk at their assignments.
Administration
Disclaimer: I do not think that administrators overtly disrespect teachers.
The above is true. I have always been supported by our department and school leaders as well as the educators in our central office. That said, the major issue here is the blurred definition of the teacher’s role, and the overall perception of the job.
In her April 2015 article, “Disrespected and Dissatisfied,” in Education Week, author Madeline Will discusses the takeaways from a survey of teachers “conducted by EdWeek Research Center and commissioned by the Winston School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack College (Will).”
Please seek out the article and read it in its entirety.
Everyone deserves equitable pay for their work. I am not touching this one.
I am going to mention time. Like most people, teachers do not like wasting time, and often the rigid structures and traditions of school, do just that.
Once again, I am not blaming school leaders. They have responsibilities and mandates that they need to follow and address; however, if teachers are professionals (and their license, education, and ongoing required development attest to that), then they should be key contributors in determining the best use of their time.
I had no issue with most of my duties. I supervised study halls, reviewed essays and assignments in the Reading and Writing Center, and I didn’t even mind policing the halls. What I never understood was cafeteria duty.
In a large high school, up to six teachers would be on duty literally watching students eat. We had five full lunch waves of 45 minutes apiece. We were not supposed to bring any grading, or any other distraction. I once asked if I could bring a lifecycle in to get in my workout, and my request was denied. So, as I said, we spent 45 minutes of our time, watching students eat. That, and experimenting with food. I have seen kids send pasta boats down their rivers of chocolate milk, create fruit satellites by stabbing them with pencils, and systematically throwing butter packets against the ceiling. Simple physics lesson. If you throw something warm and soft with velocity against something cold and hard, it probably will stick. At least for a little bit. Yes, a little bit. Unfortunately, the butter would dry and the packets would fall to the ground, leaving elliptical grease stains on the ceiling.
The solution. No more butter packets in the cafeteria. You can join the coffee and the soft served. Dismissed.
I would be remiss if I did not mention that, in my last few years, many of our duty concerns were addressed as long as they adhered to our contract, and in my last year, lunch had been shortened to 30 minutes.
My only other comment on time, is that most teachers work well beyond the hours stipulated in their contract and their normal teaching day. Therefore, give teachers the gift of self-directed time when they are not required to be in the classroom.
Sadly, this is turning into a book, and I would like to launch my other segment. Remember work in progress. With that in mind, I will close up this diatribe tomorrow by addressing how teachers feel they are perceived by the general public.
Stay tuned.
Hump-Day Happenings
Another day, another snappy title. Soon I will learn how to create menus and categorize, so all y’all (Thank you to Kacey Howard, a colleague, friend and SC native who explained the usage of that phrase to me) can go right to the sections that most pique your interest.
For now, Wednesday will be called Hump-Day Happenings. My goal is to review and reflect on some of the biggest news stories and events of the week. I know your question. Why don’t you just do it on Friday, Saturday or Sunday? Easy. I already have plans for those days; plus, there is still a debate on when the week officially begins or ends. Logically, if I do it every Wednesday, I am still looking at a range of seven days. Kooky.
Near midnight. Just got back from team trivia. My “team” was Red Solo Cup, as I played by myself. Not casting aspersions. Eileen is learning how to be the host.
Quick trivia question
Place these teams in chronological order from when the moved to their current city. Earliest to latest. NJ Devils, Milwaukee Brewers, KC Chiefs and the Los Angeles Lakers. Remember Viper in Top Gun. “There are no points for second place.”
Back to the business at hand.
I am not a journalist, so feel free to explore, in more depth, this week’s stories I found intriguing.
THE HEAT
Phoenix just recorded their first temperature under 110 in a month.
I told you it was hot. So much for those who are trying to debunk global warming. When the Northeast feels like the Southeast and you can bake bread in your mailbox, something is awry with the ecosystem. The world is also flat, return all your model globes.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
I have already addressed this from an American perspective, but I will elaborate more during Saturday’s Sports Shorts. The United States plays Sweden Saturday morning in the knockout stage. The Swedish National Team has a lot of blondes and score a lot of goals. The U.S. better find their switch and flip it.
TRUMP INDICTMENT
One topic I will not be addressing on my Blog is politics. It is far too polarizing, and I do not follow it with enough interest to comment cogently.
What I can tell you is this:
- We need more than two viable political parties to foster debate and more creative thinking.
- We have to set term limits on Congressmen, and remind them they are true representatives of their constituents.
- I have seen political differences divide even the best of friends and the closest of family.
VIOLENCE
I cannot be flip here.
Robert Bowers was sentenced to death today for shooting up a synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018.
War still rages in Ukraine.
As long as we accept violence as a way to resolve differences. As long as we accept violence as an expected norm, the further we stray from our own humanity.
PEE-WEE
This week, Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) passed away after a six-year battle with cancer.
I understand that his personal life and arrest tainted many people’s view of him, but I grew up watching his talent. I saw him for the first time on a young comics special series on HBO with the likes of other comedians Tim Thomerson, Mark Weiner and Bob Nelson. The character of Pee Wee Herman allowed him to be silly, but in a smart, calculated way. Before his movies, I saw him on television in a live version of Pee- Wee’s Playhouse (probably again on HBO) where he introduced memorable characters and memorable bits. Shoe mirrors, Big Ball of Foil and Pen Pals from Around the World. He also promoted the talents and careers of John Paragon, Laurence Fishburne and Phil Hartman. I do not condone what he did, but we cannot judge people solely by their darkest moments and egregious missteps. RIP. Oooola.
MEGA MILLIONS
The Mega Millions jackpot is over a billion dollars. I can be cynical and discuss the bread and circus and how the lottery is just a way to distract people from their daily problems. I could also analyze Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” to show the problems of blind conformity and outdated tradition, but I will default to the notion that the lottery offers hope. A true way to change lives and lend credence to Horatio Alger’s “rags to riches,” possibility.
Let me know what you think about this segment, and please share your uplifting stories of “Good News.” I will keep my ears, eyes, and mind open for them as well.
Love and laughter,
P.