I actually dream about teaching metacognition...

[throwingpearls]

One week after becoming a high school teacher, I realized that one of my ninth grade chemistry students cannot read.  When he just copied down material from the text to answer my question about his life (which was meant to relate his personal experiences to the text), I was perplexed.  I went through the list of possibilities:  He looks a little

Comments

[shinanign]

I do want to thank you for being so passionate about teaching. Unfortunately, the government treats it's educators like garbage, and this alienates many teachers. I have been blessed with amazing teachers throughout highschool, yet I know many who have had English teachers who give out crosswords and busywork while my 9th grade teacher pushed me and made me read Charles Dickens.

Teachers are not awarded enough, and thus, many teachers do not put all of their energies into their work, or they become jaded and tired as poor teaching can snowball. The more difficult it is to teach the children due to poor parenting and other teachers, the more it burns other teachers out.

So thank you. You, ma'am are, in my eyes, one of the most important type of people that exist in society. Carry on the good fight!

[drewdontmosh]

my mother is a second grade teacher and based on conversations about school i have had with her, i can somewhat understand your situation. i also find it amazing that the teaching profession is incredibly misunderstood by those who are not teachers themselves.

our meritocracy, among countless other aspects of our society, is flawed and unjust. to keep from ranting about everything wrong with our country and our society, i will just say that i love the fact that you are taking steps to do what is in your power to bring people out of their educational ghettos.

[throwingpearls]

Thanks, guys. It can get pretty intense around here (I'm in Houston with about 700 other teachers-in-training), so it's nice to know that we have some support in the outside world. I've only been here a few weeks and I know that this experience will change the course of my life. It makes me look at everything (and everyone) in a different way. I find it terrifying and refreshing.