The mass exodus of teachers from the profession concerns many in the profession including me. I know it has been said before, but everyone I talk to who has left, none of them have left because of the kids. Not a single one. /2
If I had to use one word to describe this past school year, it would be "validation". After the awfulness of the 24-25 SY & having some words someone said to me in anger stuck in my head, I needed the 25-26 SY to make me feel whole again, & it surely did that in spades 💜💜
Much of professional development in education is built on the illusion that teaching is more complicated than it truly is.
Instead of simply asking students to read, write, think, and discuss, we bury ourselves in jargon, acronyms, data charts, and endless protocols.
Somewhere in America right now, a middle school is promoting a student to high school who cannot read. An elementary school passed them first. Everyone was nice about it. Nobody helped.
Somewhere in America right now, a middle school is promoting a student to high school who cannot read. An elementary school passed them first. Everyone was nice about it. Nobody helped.
Nobody talks about the parent who never once asked their kid if they had homework. Not once in a semester. Not once in the school year. The teacher emailed. The teacher called. The teacher sent the progress reports home. Nobody on the other end was paying attention. We talk about teacher accountability every single day, but we don't hold parents to the same standard.
If a student is failing, has 25 absences and 58 tardies, and the administrator’s first question is, “What could the teacher be doing differently?” then we’re asking the wrong questions.