Today was the first discouraging day of the teaching/learning year. I guess that's pretty good since we're a month into the year and it's the first tough day.
What made it tough?
I think one of the most difficult aspects of teaching well is the number of people advising you and directing your work--there's a lot of voices when it comes to schools today. I've written about this before and will probably write about it again, but the classroom teacher spends most of the day all day with large numbers of students with very little time on task for planning and preparation. Yet that same classroom teacher answers to a very large number of leaders, coaches, and therapists as to how and when to do the work, the same work that he/she has very limited time to do.
What's a teacher to do?
First, you can reach out for help, but sometimes it's not worth the effort, particularly if the help is not available or open to supporting your work.
Next, you can do what you can do, and that's what I'll do. I'll do the best I can do with all the directives, advice, suggestions, and critique I receive to teach every child well, and when I do that work I'll pay close attention to the most important clients--the children and their families as that's the job I'm hired and desire to do.
Onward.
