Posts for Thought

Mei Flower is one of my favorite teacher blogs. Her posts are always entertaining and thoughtful. Recently she articulated why education IS the issue in this election.

"I've watched all the debates, and I've decided that the one thing that will sway me is where the candidates stand on education. That makes sense to me, since everything I have is affected by the American educational system; from my finances to my employment status to my healthcare, nothing I do would be possible if it weren't for public education. So obviously I have a vested interest in the candidates' views on this important issue.
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"McCain’s statement assumes that the only things standing in the way of growth in the teaching profession are exams or certification, and that is simply not the case. Other obstacles include low pay, high stress, increased duties (with no extra pay), governmental pressure, apathetic and/or combative students, unsupportive parents, and–above all–zero respect or status."

Go read that post for more details and then this post for a response and elaboration.
"It's not enough for me to stand over my students and keep them quiet and tell them to read from their textbooks; that doesn't teach them anything except that school is boring and horrible and teachers are lazy and mean. A teacher--a REAL teacher--does so much more than give lectures and worksheets and grades.

"Until politicians society as a whole realizes this, teachers will not be viewed as career professionals, but as low-achieving, unmotivated failures who have no business complaining about how "easy" they have it. And that is, with apologies to my mother, a load of old bullsh*t."

I left rambling comments on both posts. I don't feel like rehashing them here, so go read her excellent writing and take a look at my incoherent thoughts in the comments. :)

Speaking of teachers and workloads, don't you love when tests, homework, and/or projects pile up? Read this, the funniest thing I've read in a long time.