Building a Better Teacher ... Seriously?!?

Seriously?!? ... Elizabeth Green’s “Building a Better Teacher.” Why not ask if we can build a better country. Oh, wait, that’s happening right now as I type. I may be the wrong person to answer such a question since I started in March, 1998, looking for a full-time teaching position. I do know I do not – and have not – cared for the “No Child Left Behind” act. I have always felt teachers were behind the eight-ball even before this act was initiated several years ago. I do know that the teachers who care about their students go above and beyond to provide the necessary instruction for their learning experience. But their efforts are veiled behind administrators who seek the bigger picture for their school districts.

Having spent more than enough time in high school classrooms, I understand the dilemma many are facing today: crowded classrooms, less time for one-on-one teaching, more time dealing with disciplinary issues, and so on. I also watch from afar as school districts struggle to find money to ease its workload for faculty and staff and improve its school community. Many communities feel their districts are prepared for every-day learning; yet, those same communities never truly see what is happening in the classes on a daily basis. The frustration of the good teachers forces many of them out of the profession, while those considered weak continue on because they may not have other opportunities.

I coached a season of varsity baseball at Lansing-Everett in 2007, and an assistant coach told our team – during a turbulent early-season practice – he had not met someone who cared about them as much as Coach Plum did in such a short period of time. I am one of those individuals who actually cares about the student and cares about the student’s well-being. I want children to succeed and to better themselves. I want to succeed as a teacher, don’t get me wrong, but as someone who wants to help others, the students are more important than my success. I am only one person, but I am one person who gives his all for his students.

I applaud Elizabeth Green for her article, and I applaud Doug Lemov for his classroom efforts. Yet, I see more work is needed to be done. Many of the techniques illustrated in the article, I have utilized before or used similar techniques in a classroom setting. Many of the techniques are common sense. However, common sense is out the window in our country. As long as wars continue to rage overseas and health-care issues highlight the evening news, our schools will continue to suffer and poor teachers will continue to teach our children. Our “No Child Left Behind” may become our “No Good Teachers Left.”