Some of the finest people I know are teachers. They work hard everyday trying to educate those that need to be educated, want to be educated or are forced to be educated. Let’s face it, there are those who want to learn, those that have to be forced to learn and those who just seem to learn no matter what the subject matter is.
Most of us think of the old school spinster who put others education beyond their own happiness. Having spent 23 years working with teachers, in some cases that is true… but it has been changing over the that are vital, young and filled with life. It is the system that fails them, not the other way around.
The teacher comes into class expecting to teach young minds and open doors for them. The system shuts those same doors by making teachers deal with administrators, parents and societies short-comings. In this ME-Me world, a teacher who generally is there for others gets caught between what is right and what they have to do because we all know, everybody’s child is perfect.
Today was created by some of those worst offenders, UNESCO. Director-General Frederick Mayor suggested the day in 1993, at a conference in Geneva. In theory, it’s a great day, a day to celebrate those who do what we cannot… teach. But in all honesty, a teacher today spends 70% of their time doing what society forces them to do instead of teaching.
As a result things like the arts, history and anything but science and math. I do agree, we need science and math but not every child will become a scientist. The world still needs great auto mechanics, dramatist and historians. Let teachers teach what they know… not what society tells us they have to know. As much as we are in danger of losing the next great scientist, we are equally in danger of losing our what makes us unique.
How to celebrate – Thak your local teachers for all they do. Let the school system teach. Pay close attention to what those running for school boards are actually saying.