America, Stop Destroying the Art of Teaching

Much of my family are teachers. My mom teaches computers to elementary school children. My uncle used to teach kindergarten. My grandmother taught a variety of different subjects in her day. I have tremendous respect and reverence for teachers.

And American public schools are killing the art of teaching.

As a teacher, my mom had two phases of teaching. The first, which happened before I was born, was free-form. She taught kindergarten and did anything she wanted with her kids. She hatched baby chicks from eggs in an incubator, she baked and brought in treats for her kids. To this day her students from decades ago come up to her when they see her around Baltimore. She was memorable.

The second phase which began when I was in middle school, now involves her teaching computers in a much more rigid curriculum. The teachers who strictly teach grade levels are bound by ever-evolving government standards to teach for tests that determine how much state and federal funding the county and individual schools should get. My mom, luckily, still has wiggle room in her craft. She can still be memorable.

What the hell are we doing to students by binding their education to government-approved curricula?

I believe two things about education:

  1. Schools should be palaces.
  2. Teachers should be paid very, very well.

We’re taking the art out of teaching by demanding teachers teach for the end of the year standardized tests. We’re killing memorable teachers by confining them to cells rather than giving them frameworks to operate.

A few days ago I got an email from a French teacher I had for eight of my 11 years of French class. She was and has always been a great friend, a great teacher, a mentor and an advisor. When I think back to my K-12 days, there are few teachers I remember, few teachers that made me think or grow.

She told me that she just celebrated 25 years with McDonogh (where I went to school) and that she was glad to hear I was doing well. Of the dozens of classes that have come through her room, she remembered me and remembered me well. As well as I remember her.

These kind of teachers are endangered. Inspired teaching is being ruined.

America needs to triple down on public education. Push schools to succeed but let teachers teach. Let them be memorable. Let them live. 

  1. zackshapiro posted this