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First, mahalo to our teachers, most of who started today in preparation for our keiki (kids) to return to their education this coming week.
Please drive safely, watch for these kids walking to school, waiting for the bus, etc.
Please forgive some parents who don't get the importance of education, and guiding their children in the right direction in life.
Please thank our teachers for fulfilling the role not only as a teacher, but as a "substitute parent", and a mentor.
Personally, thank you God (and Akua) for giving our keiki food, health, and some wisdom, and thank you God (and Akua) for giving us parents and grandparents a break!
OMG, summer is near it's wonderful end.
Enjoy! [
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Posts: 10,163
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Have to agree, opihikao, teachers are universally so under-respected and underpaid yet are given the responsibility to create our future by educating the next generation. And there's so much more to it than just turning up at work and giving a lesson or two, which so many seem to think.
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On behalf of all teacher everywhere, thank you Tom and Opihikao. Your words will go a long way in this coming year.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
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Carol,
Way back in 89/90 I was in my final year as an undergraduate and had my heart set on becoming a teacher (physics and maths). I was so keen I actually managed to get the university to set up an arrangement that for a few months every Thursday afternoon I could attend a local state school and help the teachers out while learning what it was like to be a teacher. No pay or anything like that, but I didn't have lectures or labs on Thursday afternoon, so thought this would work out.
I really enjoyed the experience and learned an awful lot, but really started to understand the frustrations most teachers had. At the time the UK government were introducing a new core-curriculum to be taught in all state schools and the teachers were so overwhelmed by all the requirements moral was plummeting. There was no place for allowing teachers to use their own initiative in what was best for their pupils and the amount of administrative work they had to do increased twofold. These were people who worked ridiculous hours already and were not paid well.
Although I found the experience of teaching kids hugely enjoyable and at times really rewarding (I can't tell you how good it felt to get some kid to suddenly "click" and understand a concept they hadn't understood before), every teacher I spoke to told me not to make this my career. They all cared deeply about their job and for the children they taught, but told me this is the hardest job in the world and will only get harder.
That was the UK of course, but I suspect similar things happen here. All I can say is that I have the utmost respect and admiration for all teachers and their commitment.
Thank you for what you do.
