Bill
very interesting subject for a dicussion
Maria
-----Mensagem Original-----
De: "Bill Barowy" <wbarowy@attbi.com>
Para: <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
Enviada em: Quinta-feira, 22 de Agosto de 2002 15:15
Assunto: 21st CENTURY TEACHER APPLICANT
> A former student of mine who teaches kindergarten sent this along. It
> beautifully captures the contexts and tensions of teaching.
>
> bb
>
> > Thought you might like this...
> >
> > Subject: Teachers Application
> >
> >
> >
> > 21st CENTURY TEACHER APPLICANT
> >
> >
> > Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with
> > all those kids and fill their every waking moment with a love for
> > learning. Not only that, I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in
> > their ethnicity, behaviorally modify disruptive behavior, observe them
> > for signs of abuse and T-shirt messages.
> >
> > I am to fight the war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check
> > their backpacks for guns and raise their self-esteem. I'm to teach them
> > patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, how and where
> > to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook and how to apply for a
> job.
> >
> > I am to check their heads occasionally for lice, maintain a safe
> > environment, recognize signs of potential antisocial behavior, offer
> > advice, write letters of recommendation for student employment and
> > scholarships, encourage respect for the cultural diversity of others,
> > and, oh yeah, always make sure that I give the girls in my class 50
> > percent of my attention.
> >
> > I'm required by my contract to be working on my own time summer and
> > evenings at my own expense toward advance certification and a master's
> > degree; and after school, I am to attend committee and faculty meetings
> > and participate in staff development training to maintain my employment
> > status.
> >
> > I am to be a paragon of virtue larger than life, such that my very
> > presence will awe my students into being obedient and respectful of
> > authority. I am to pledge allegiance to supporting family values, a
> > return to the basics, and to my current administration. I am to
> > incorporate technology into the learning, and monitor all Web sites
> > while providing a personal relationship with each student. I am to
> > decide who might be potentially dangerous and/or liable to commit crimes
> > in school or who is possibly being abused, and I can be sent to jail for
> > not mentioning these suspicions.
> >
> > I am to make sure all students pass the state and federally mandated
> > testing and all classes, whether or not they attend school on a regular
> > basis or complete any of the work assigned. Plus, I am expected to make
> > sure that all of the students with handicaps are guaranteed a free and
> > equal education, regardless of their mental or physical handicap. I am
> > to communicate frequently with each student's parent by letter, phone,
> > newsletter and grade card.
> >
> > I'm to do all of this with just a piece of
> > chalk, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a 45 minute
> > more-or-less plan time and a big smile, all on a starting salary that
> > qualifies my family for food stamps in many states. Is that all? And you
> > want me to do all of this and expect me
> >
> > NOT TO PRAY?
> >
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Sep 01 2002 - 01:00:06 PDT