You think you know what teachers do. Right? Wrong.
This wonderfully written article in the Washington Post illustrates many of the misunderstandings about teaching which have turned it into a disrespected profession in the good ole U S of A. The attitude towards teaching and education in America was one of the factors in my decision to teach abroad.
Just because you were a student doesn’t mean you know how to teach. Just because you were prosecuted by the legal system doesn’t mean you know how to be a lawyer. I’ve been to the doctor countless times so I MUST be qualified to treat illnesses right? These are some of the analagies that Sarah Blaine sarcastically makes before one of my favorite lines.
We were students, and therefore we know teachers. We denigrate teachers. We criticize teachers. We can do better than teachers. After all: We do. They teach. tweet
Chances are if you are reading her article you are part of the choir she is preaching too. That doesn’t make it any less of a good read, it simply means you should share it with everyone you know!
If you believe as firmly as I do that “We need to honor teachers. We need to respect teachers. We need to listen to teachers.” than I challenge you to help spark the change which can bring America back to the pinnacle of the teaching world and share this article. Keep the conversation going!
