Dedication means it's from the heart, not for the money. Any job that is taken on which deals with children has its frustrations, excessive hours and low pay. However you do it because you care about the children. You chose to be a teacher. Teachers have been complaining for years about low salaries, you should have known that before you accepted the position. We who choose to homeschool are not paid to do it at all! We do it out of true love and concern for our children.

I didn't choose to become a teacher, I chose to become a mother. Being a mother puts more responsibility on my shoulders for the education of my children. I've chosen to take on that responsibility because the public school failed my family. My son was exposed to a teacher in 3rd grade who did not follow the rules and showed the movie Jurassic Park to a class of 7 and 8 year olds. I will add she did this without parental consent or knowledge. Then when I contacted the principal, he removed the movie the following day and my son was ridiculed in front of the class. The teacher stated it was his fault the class did not get to finish the movie. I came to find out later that this teacher regularly showed movies that were inappropriate and unacceptable, but she could not be stopped. The woman to this day is still teaching!

Now, you might say this was only one. Well there is not room for even one bad teacher in our system, and unfortunately there are many others. Because nothing could be done to remove this woman from her position, as far as I'm concerned the public school system failed my family. I pay for this person to teach and yet I'm told I do not have the right to expect her to be disciplined when she does not do her job properly. That is just plain wrong! She is teaching the children that breaking the rules is acceptable. How dare she?!? Yes, I believe teachers carry the responsibility to uphold the highest standards and if they are not doing that they don't deserve to be teaching! They are the first line that our children see every day. If a teacher does not follow the rules, how can anyone expect the children to follow rules (and laws when they are adults). Does that tell us why our society is the way it is now? I think so.

Everyone has the right to complain occasionally. There is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with saying you know what I'm feeling very overwhelmed by my regular duties; those things that don't usually get to me are really getting to me today. I'm feeling over worked and under appreciated. It's okay to say that and it's okay to seek the solace of others who do the same thing you do.

Contrary to what it may sound like, I do not hate the public school system. I believe it is necessary. There are many families that are not able to have a parent stay home with the children and school. There are many families that need the public school system. There are many families who believe the public schools are their mission field. Praise God for that!

Perhaps more sympathetic and dare I say dedicated is exactly what you should be.

Debbie

Dawn

What would you say to this writer? this would be the only dignified response I could come up with how about others?

Thanks

I do sympathize with teachers to a degree. The great ones love their subjects. I think my best teachers taught me that there are things to love in life - to be passionate about. I might never have shared their unique passions - but learned that I could find areas of study that would be fulfilling and meaningful to me. As I have discovered those things I have felt a kinship with my great teachers. Not all teachers get beaten down by the system - but most do in the long run. I think the most fortunate teachers are those who teach elective courses. They seem to have more freedom and more cooperative students.

I'd also say that I do respect the work I do at home and I do hire help when possible. My husbands salary affords me this "luxury."

When the time comes that I can see my way clear to earning money again, I'll do it and continue to hire and delegate out menial tasks. I don't consider the work I do with the children menial - but housekeeping and other chores are not tasks I find more satisfying and enriching than what I can do professionally. I've struggled with this because it seems indulgent. But it also seems indulgent to pretend I have less earning capacity and fewer professional interests than I do in order to appear down to earth and economically marginal.

What will it take to improve public schools? I think constructive dialogues with educators of all stripes is a great first step. As more and more teachers engage homeschoolers on pedagogy and philosophy, our insights and perspectives gain surer footing.
Laura Forest