Why does every slob with a billion dollars to his name think he knows more about education than a teacher? Just because the teacher spent all those years studying the art and practice of teaching, just because that teacher was willing to sacrifice that billion dollars to roll up his/her sleeves and labor in a classroom day after day after day and bring the beauty of knowledge and understanding to his/her students?
Here’s my challenge: you got some extra time on your hands, “Bill”ionaire Gates? Why don’t you give up your inane crusade to decree what should be taught in the classroom and join us, the working teacher, in the classroom, say, for a month? Spend a month writing lesson plans, explaining and correcting students, correcting papers, attending meetings, making phone calls, encouraging students and explaining yourself to parents and administrators and billionaires who make crappo software.
Spend a month working for the most menial of wages, and then taking a second and third job so you’ll have something saved to send your kid to college (or tutoring, if he/she isn’t getting it for free at the Lakeside School.) Spend a month eating brown bag lunches or cafeteria food, cleaning up vomit from the sick child, showing the same child day after day after day how to put his/her coat on.
Spend a month wondering why the poor child comes to school hungry, why he comes to school with torn clothing, why he just doesn’t come to school at all. Spend a month contacting the parents, then the principal, then the social worker to find out where the child has gone. Spend a month helping a sixteen year old decide whether to stay in school or drop out so he/she can earn some money to support the family.
Really, what is your time worth?
