I am so very excited to invite you to come join the just-launched memoir workshop I’m doing on the fabulous — as well as enormously-popular — website cafemom, where (with a little prodding from yours truly) it will be all-memoir-all-the-time. Why cafemom? Because I believe that writing what you know is the single greatest portal to self discovery and that moms, whose lives are rich and full, have unique and genuine insight into how the world spins. Come take a peek as we gear up, or register to join the free group class.
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Andrea Heitzman says
I am five weeks into the school year, and yet I feel as if a truck has hit me. I absolutely love teaching…I am very passionate when it comes to inspiring young minds to “go for it”. I have no idea what has hit our school system. Our children are a bunch of numbers “data”. Teachers are being evaluated on how their room looks. Each work station has to be set up with a bazillion “I can” statements. Creativity is non existent. I can only post “excellent” work. This is supposed to inspire my other students to do better? My students come to me with concerns. I have to tell them, “Sorry, it is not on my schedule”.
I started reading books by Ron Clark. I watched two of his videos on YouTube. I cried. I used to be that type of teacher. I desperately want to bring back the “fire” in my students. How can our agency be so blind?
Beverly Hayes says
Hi Andrea,
You are not alone in your feelings. Many of us in the field are feeling the same way. Remember why you became a teacher and hang on to that. Your school is blessed to have you. Keep your head up and remember why you became a teacher!!
Judy Lee Dunn says
Wow, Andrea. I’ve been away from education for some time, although I was an educational consultant as recently as three years ago. (Taught 1st grade, then bilingual, them gifted, then was a principal the last year.) Your comment is so meaningful to me because I am writing a memoir of my teaching years right now. I know exactly what you mean. When I began, I could talk my principal in to new, creative projects if I could prove that the “State learning objectives” were still being met. Now, with high stakes testing, I truly believe that kids are suffering and we are losing some of our best teachers. Part of the reason for writing my book is tom encourage teachers not to give up. (An alarming number leave the profession after the first year.) You sound like just the kind of creative teacher the system risks losing. My heart goes out to you.