8 Comments

Isn’t it just so liberating to speak your truth? How many discussions have we had about our ideal school? Oh the curiosity that each child possesses and the responsibility we have to pave the way for them to blossom! Dismantle the school board and it’s politics! I’ve said it before, Mary, every child that you taught is all the better for it! No other teacher compared!

Expand full comment

The Ideal School...yes, we have, and our discussions came from from a problem identification, and then a myriad of ways to solve. All involved creative, engaging, practical, limitless learning all based in the theory of children. You are a sweetheart for the compliment and I thank you. I LOVED being a teacher.

Expand full comment

Mary, you hit the nail on the head!!!! We are having an issue in Tennessee with the governor trying to undermine public schools by trying to bring in ultra conservative charter schools. An investigative reporter from a local tv station attended and recorded the charter school founder calling current teachers as people who took the stupidest classes in the stupidest colleges. And the governor sitting there and saying nothing!!! Hillsdale is the name of the charter school. Teachers are the most influential people for children, unless they have good parents!!! Pay them, value them and realize how important they are to our country!!!

Expand full comment

Yikes!!! Wow Rick, that is so scary. Truly. How can we raise Global Citizens, caring souls, knowledgable, problem identifiers and solvers, people who believe to their core that we truly are all in this life, on this planet, together! Blame, name calling, shame are killers, not motivators. Isn't it such a partnership between good parents, and good schools? Thank you for speaking up and out.

Expand full comment

There are so many issues with our education system. I don’t understand why teachers, support staff, and others in schools aren’t asked what can we do to make our schools better; instead we continue to ask people with no teaching experience to make the policies. And you’re right when it doesn’t go well we as teachers are blamed. It just doesn’t make sense!

Expand full comment

It makes no sense! The dedication I saw day after day (and we all worked in our evenings and on our weekends to plan, prepare and problem solve for our students) of the teachers and support staff, giving heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, expertise...blame and shame are useless tools of manipulation. Thank you, Sheri for writing here and for your many, many years as a teacher.

Expand full comment

I LOVE that you included the Support Staff in your quest for ideas to help kids learn! These are often the people who have the most one-on-one contact with the students. They know who is struggling and who is cheating; who is heartbroken and whose behavior is different than usual. They have lots of common sense ideas for how to reach kids. Yes, talking to those people who teach and support the students would be more effective than having ponderous curriculum ideas imposed from above.

Expand full comment

Ahhhh....ponderous curriculum ideas. Common Sense Ideas-yes!! You have been in the trenches and you know first hand that when a student is struggling, broken hearted, hungry, tired, over scheduled, over homework (yes, that's not a word) or just having a rough day like all of us have, that it influences their ability to access learning. Scripted curriculum is enough to suck the soul out of any living being. (Hmm..perhaps that shall be Part 2 of my "DANGER DANGER" piece. I think there is some way to invite "guest hosts" on my site (like you) I just haven't figured it out yet. Hey, I know, how about if I receive "Remediation in that difficult skill with no break until it breaks me?!" Hee/hee

Expand full comment