(no subject)
Epiphany.
Let's call it a "professional realization."
I said on Saturday that seeing Waiting for Superman would do one of two things:
1. I'd show up at work on Monday with a renewed vigor for helping my students.
2. I'd show up at work on Monday with the feeling that helping these students was an impossible task.
Surprisingly, neither of these was the case.
Today I simply realized that I'm in the wrong line of work.
I am a teacher.
I am not a team leader.
I am not a babysitter.
I am not a program facilitator.
I am a classroom teacher.
My goal is to work with students who want to learn. In the classroom, students with behavior problems are the exception rather than the rule.
My goal is to teach material that I am passionate about. One should not teach material they are unfamiliar with or indifferent about.
My goal is to work with high school students. My classroom thrives on intelligent conversation and input.
None of these goals are being met, or even worked toward, in my current position.
Every day I'm faced with a class of 18 students (if they show up.) who are, with the exception of a few, forced to be there.
These are students who are staying an extra three hours later than their peers, and they are already fed up with school.
I know that this is a good program. I know that it gets results.
But I am simply not wired for this type of work.
As a classroom teacher, I would have time to develop my lessons. I would have the freedom and creativity to teach the way I want. I would be focused on a singular goal.
I would not work a 10 hour day where the majority of my time was spent following up with other people to make sure they've done what they've been assigned.
I would not be told what to teach and how to teach it. (At least not at such a micromanaged level.)
I would not have my time split between three major programs.
For years, the only thing I've wanted to do is teach.
Even when I was studying law, teaching was in the back of my head.
In Waiting for Superman, one of the students ended a very heartfelt conversation with "...I just want to go to school." He couldn't understand how there were so many roadblocks to his education. Kids should be able to learn. No questions asked.
I feel similarly. I just want to teach. And yet I'm faced with so many roadblocks, I don't know if I ever will.
Let's call it a "professional realization."
I said on Saturday that seeing Waiting for Superman would do one of two things:
1. I'd show up at work on Monday with a renewed vigor for helping my students.
2. I'd show up at work on Monday with the feeling that helping these students was an impossible task.
Surprisingly, neither of these was the case.
Today I simply realized that I'm in the wrong line of work.
I am a teacher.
I am not a team leader.
I am not a babysitter.
I am not a program facilitator.
I am a classroom teacher.
My goal is to work with students who want to learn. In the classroom, students with behavior problems are the exception rather than the rule.
My goal is to teach material that I am passionate about. One should not teach material they are unfamiliar with or indifferent about.
My goal is to work with high school students. My classroom thrives on intelligent conversation and input.
None of these goals are being met, or even worked toward, in my current position.
Every day I'm faced with a class of 18 students (if they show up.) who are, with the exception of a few, forced to be there.
These are students who are staying an extra three hours later than their peers, and they are already fed up with school.
I know that this is a good program. I know that it gets results.
But I am simply not wired for this type of work.
As a classroom teacher, I would have time to develop my lessons. I would have the freedom and creativity to teach the way I want. I would be focused on a singular goal.
I would not work a 10 hour day where the majority of my time was spent following up with other people to make sure they've done what they've been assigned.
I would not be told what to teach and how to teach it. (At least not at such a micromanaged level.)
I would not have my time split between three major programs.
For years, the only thing I've wanted to do is teach.
Even when I was studying law, teaching was in the back of my head.
In Waiting for Superman, one of the students ended a very heartfelt conversation with "...I just want to go to school." He couldn't understand how there were so many roadblocks to his education. Kids should be able to learn. No questions asked.
I feel similarly. I just want to teach. And yet I'm faced with so many roadblocks, I don't know if I ever will.