Teachers and Magic

There's an interesting website (and now a book) called Post Secret. PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. Are they all for real? I don't know but many of them seem quite heartfelt and it certainly makes you feel like you aren't alone in the world. They put up a new set every Sunday.

The reason I bring it up is in this week's batch is one with a photo of an empty classroom. The words stuck over it say, "Every day I am asked to be a magician in a world where magic does not exist." Someone wrote in agreeing that much is asked of teachers and yet many or most go back because they believe it is possible.

Do we ask too much of teachers as either individual parents or a society? Is it reasonable to ask anything of them due to principal direction contraints? What is asking too much of a teacher? Teachers, weigh in.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm sorry this didn't get any comments. I've been thinking of things to say for days, but the topic is broad --- my points all seemed incoherent.

Teaching is hard. damn hard. You need patience, empathy, a backbone, sense of humor, stellar organization skills, the ability to perform, think fast on your feet, and yes, you do need those eyes in the back of your head.

Are there any other professional class jobs where one has so little autonomy? When do elementary teachers even get a chance to use the bathroom? OK, so neurosurgeons can't just leave the OR when they want, but their payscale ain't in the same ballpark.

on the other hand:

parents ought to be able to ask for more sometimes, but it is really hard to ask in a helpful and diplomatic manner. How to solve this? How to teach parents, teachers and administrators to work as a team realistically, cooperatively and constructively? I've seen it happen and I've seen it not happen. I'd like to think we could all improve.

However, the bitter (ask me about my son's kindergarten experience) parent in me comes back to this article:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/ALESSI1.html
1/2/07, 11:26 AM
Anonymous said…
Teachers do get asked too much sometimes. With more and more parents working longer and longer hours, teachers are being asked to do things that are traditionally the realm of parents or family: help with homework, provide assistance with after school programs, be a counselor, problem solve behavior problems that really should be solved by parents, provide healthy snacks, provide a wealth of resources on our own dime, etc. I could go on and on. Parents aren't aware they are crossing the line as it is so prevalent now to ask for these things. They forget that teachers (in Seattle, at least)are paid only to work 6.5 hours a day. Any work done beyond that is unpaid. And, all teachers work beyond that. Anything that is not directly related to teaching the whole class is extra, in my opinion. I think parents should look at asking teachers for favors the same way I was taught to share treats: if you can't give one to everyone, don't ask for it and don't bring it to class. When parents are asking the teacher for a special favor, they need to think about the feelings of the other children and parents. If the teacher cannot do the favor for all the kids, because of time or money constraints, then said parent should not be asking for that favor for their child.
1/3/07, 10:13 AM
Saad Amir said…
Teachers play an important role for the progress of the education and describe new method to the student.Because the magic of the teachers student easily reach to his destination and secure his life.
Thanks...
regards, saad fromEducation
12/12/11, 2:16 AM
Anonymous said…
K
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P
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I
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11/14/19, 11:47 PM
Anonymous said…
DUDE NEARLY PUCKED HIS AUNT
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AND SHARED HIS FULL STORY,
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CHECK THE XXX STORY HERE====> TEACHER STORIES
12/27/20, 9:53 PM
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