I am just fooling myself if I think that my job doesn’t have anything to do with my state of mind. Yeah, there are some good days, and days when I see the value of my being there. Today, one of my 15 year old boys was in a state of panic because his 14 year old girlfriend is pregnant and he has to tell him dad. He knows his dad may kick him out and he’s scared. So at least I was someone he could talk to instead of his coming to school and being told, shut up, sit down, blah blah.
Still, there are such mixed messages. My principal is wanting me to do the same novels as one of the high schools we serve, and well, my kids aren’t there for long, they are in different grades, and they don’t usually read all that well, so I come up with a curriculum that serves them all. Yet, in spite of this sudden enthusiasm for reading the novels with the kids, she wants me to just put down that others have finished whatever courses they needed so they can just get out and graduate. Really, it’s all one big game, and doesn’t have jack to do with a real education.
Anyway, gripe, gripe, complain complain.
During meetings, we sit around and pontificate over literacy theory and restructuring our curriculum. But during the day, I spend so much time just trying to get through each period. And so much of the problem happens outside of the school building, in broken families and our broken society. God bless all of us hard-working and caring teachers!
I know what you mean. It does seem like we’re supposed to just get them through and out–without worrying too much about the details. It’s hard to justify or deal with. I hope you’re feeling better, Michelle. Yucky flu.