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I can understand both the
frustrations of teachers at home and in the classroom. Having
worked for a school system and having homeschooled, both
occupations have an element of frustration. While working in the
school system, I found many good teachers hampered by bureaucracy
on one side and parents on the other. As a parent with a child
within the school system, I was very concerned with the level of
education my child was going to receive within this system. I
became disappointed and angry with the failure of this system to
adequately educate my child. I became angry with the teacher who
didn't have the time to insure that my child grasped the
fundamental concepts. However, as an employee, you would not
believe how many times I heard these two famous statements: (1) my
child would never do that, and (2) I pay your wages and if you
don't do what I want you to do, I will have your job. In my honest
opinion, until we both, homeschoolers and public school teachers,
admit that there are problems on both side of the fence, the open
hostility between paid and non-paid teachers is going to exist. Of
course, I am talking about self evaluation, it is too easy to
point fingers. Of course, ideally all us concerned parents should
unite and fight the system and back the really good teachers, but
as a parent, I didn't want to take that time away from my child.
Now, as to the matter of pay!!! It is my feeling that when my
sanitation engineer makes more than a teacher, we are placing the
education of our children far below where it should be placed. My
child is my most prized possession. I don't have all the money
that I would like to have to educate her. I can tell you this, I
don't have a car worth more than her education. I don't have a
credit card to take away from her education. My feeling is that a
good teacher, a dedicated teacher is worth more than their weight
in gold, because my child deserves the best. With conditions as
they exist in the classroom, it is going to take lots of money to
entice good teachers to the job. These are people that with
advanced math, English, science degrees that can go elsewhere
without the headaches and make more money. I have noticed that
when parents start to feel the economic pinch, the first things
they cut back on is their child's daycare and their child's
schooling. What makes a person think just because you take care of
children or educate children that that job is reward in its
self??? So let us both be tolerant of each other and respect the
job that we are both doing. If teachers want our support, then we
should be willing to give and help. To tell you the truth, I could
teach within the public school system, but the money is not good
enough to be placed in a room of kids that act like animals and
not be able to discipline (see my above statements no. 1 and no.
2). I don't really expect sympathy from a ps teacher. Teaching is
hard work. It is time to get off my soap box and take a nap!!!
Barefootn |
