For me, I believe that one of the biggest strengths that our school systems have is that our teachers have a great passion for instructing and guiding youth. While I know there are always bad apples in the group, the majority of teachers I know absolutely love making an impact on their wards and pushing them to be their best. Even when I was a kid back in first grade, one of my favorite teachers pushed me to strive for more. I remember she would give me extra material to work on when I breezed through the regular material. She made learning challenging yet exciting, and I actually got to work with her when I was older in high school.
My absolute favorite comic series Calvin and Hobbes. Web Source
However, the flip side to this is passionless teachers who are there acting almost like a babysitter. For my school and several other public schools I know of, oftentimes sports coaches are put into certain teaching areas that they have no reason to be in. While I know there are exceptions because I've had several, they care more about coaching than teaching. Personally, I had a very weak background in history and social studies because our school filled in certain history positions with coaches who would be gone or more concerned with the upcoming games. I know this can't be helped because its costs the already broke schools lots of money to have lots of teachers in different areas, but regardless the importance of equipping students with a strong education is great because although it is cliche children really are our future.
Chris, I saw Calvin and Hobbes so I just had to read your essay and comment: that is so cool that you come from a family of teachers. That is true for me, too: when I was little, I was fascinated by my great-aunts who all lived together in a house in Saint Louis - five of them who had never married, who all became teachers, and who all lived in that house together. It sounds like the premise for a TV series or something, doesn't it? Anyway, I love teaching, and you are exactly right that it is one of those professions that attracts people who bring a passion with them... most of the time, ha ha. And I'm all about that passion and NOT about remembering the year of the landing at Plymouth Rock, so thank you for this cartoon: I am going to go share it with all my teacher friends at Google+. It's perfect for almost-Thanksgiving too!!! Happy Friday!!!
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely no connection to teaching from the teaching side, but I can definitely speak to the fact that good teachers make an incredible difference. I was lucky enough to have teachers who cared. They pushed me in the same way it sounds like your teachers pushed you. I've also had teachers who just don't really care, and it is horrible. This is some great insight!
ReplyDelete