Just to be clear from the outset, the only time I read Newsweek is when I go to the gym. And I don't have much time for the gym these days...hooray for fall break!
But there was interesting article in the October 20 issue that I read while trying to make my elliptical machine routine go by faster. In the article, entitled "I am Not a Babysitter", a teacher (high school? middle school? public? private school? the article curiously doesn't say) in Dallas writes in order to dismantle stereotypes about the profession. My interest was immediately piqued, but I put the article down (ok, I ripped it out of the magazine and took it home, actually) with a tinge of dissatisfaction.
Three-quarters of the article is devoted to combating common stereotypes (all negative) about teachers: you couldn't find a better job, it's just a stop-gap to a higher-tier position, it's cushy day job with summers off, all teachers are just whining for more money...
I appreciate the author's realistic outlook and honest admissions about what it takes to be a teacher, but the way I see it, her "I wouldn't trade my career for any other" claim is ultimately unsupported. I don't agree with all of her reasons, actually:
-"Teaching isn't simply perching at a lectern and pontificating to hungry minds; it's being an educator, a mentor, a parent, a nurse, a social worker, a friend, a diplomat, and an expert on the curriculum. In short, we are professionals."
No. Sorry - I don't accept all of those roles. I am most definitely NOT a parent, nurse, friend, or social worker in the classroom. I can (and will) be an educator, mentor, diplomat and expert and still be a professional AND still care about the students and their learning. And I won't complain about doing those things. Why would teaching appeal to anyone if they were presented with a list of roles like the one above?
-"After all of the long hours, grueling days, mountains of paperwork, emotional exhaustion and misperceptions about the profession that I dearly love and would trade for no other, we continue to pour ourselves into the work because it's too important not to. How can we not give all of ourselves, our intellect and our talents to this work?"
In the English world, we call this telling instead of showing. Sorry Ms. Robinson, but I don't really believe you. Not that I don't believe teaching is important work or that you are devoted to your craft. What does it mean that the work is too important to avoid? How is this statement meant to inspire or encourage me, a fellow teacher? Sounds like complaining to me. (some of the comments in response to this article at the Newsweek site are vicious! check them out...)
So in short, I wish this essay were less defensive and more appetite-whetting. If the goal is to encourage respect for teachers, I think this essay could have been a whole lot better. Maybe I'll write one myself.
Whiny Babysitters?
|
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Posts Relacionados
This entry was posted on
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
at and is filed under
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Yes, write one yourself!
While I firmly believe that teaching/educating is a noble profession, I think that too many teachers (perhaps this one included?) have reinforced the perception that educating is babysitting, due to a lack of focus on the intellectual aspect of the profession. So I can also understand a lot of the negative stereotypes towards teachers.
haha, in my spare time!
I know what you mean about this teacher possibly reinforcing the very stereotypes she sets out to dismantle. It makes me think, though, about the way I talk about my student teaching experience to people outside the School of Ed. It's usually tinged with a bit of complaining...and the last thing I want to do is be a lackluster or uninspiring professional.
Two things I learned from your post besides that there's a teacher that wrote a whiny essay in Newsweek:
1. My interested cannot be peaked. It must be piqued.
2. Nothing can wet my appetite, it can only be whet.
I seriously didn't know either of those.
Thanks Katie! You're teaching even when you don't mean to!
I saw that article too, but grew weary of it and gave up. So, I too was less than moved by her argument.
And Sean, your an ass! Stop correcting people's grammar on their own blog.
I wasn't correcting, I really didn't know those words!
Sean, you're welcome! and thanks for defending my blog, Meghan!
Ok - I love your analysis of this article! I think one of the greatest problems with education today is that schools do almost everything EXCEPT teach!! Schools ARE hospitals, social work offices, therapy centers, social circles, and babysitters. As teachers, we are expected to care for every societal ill and totally invest ourselves (mentally, physically, and emotionally) in the everyday lives of our students. When do we make time to teach?
Your discussion is especially apt at this time when some people are actually pushing to make schools more responsible for community issues (provide free health care, etc.).
You should! You are an excellent writer!
Hey Katie! Thanks for posting the link to this article and your comments. I've actually been meaning to respond for quite a while. Isn't it rather ridiculous how many polarizing stereotypes there are for teachers? Being a teacher, for all appearances, should be job with easily definable borders and roles. Instead, it's become sort of this muddled mess. Some people think we really should be all those roles Ms. Robinson listed (even though many of us may not be qualified to be any of our students' social workers or nurses). While others have this extremely narrow definition of teaching as being simply lecture, give tests, go home. Maybe it comes down to personal teaching philosophy and legal issues? Also, someone was throwing around the idea of creating a SMAC book of teaching advice. Wouldn't that be fun? It would give you an opportunity to write your own article!
Post a Comment