Education Frustration....

On most days...I just love my job. There is so much joy each day. I love seeing my little friends as they soak up new information. I love to watch their hearts be kind to each other. I enjoy watching them make good choices. There are so many wonderful sights I get to see as a teacher! I often wonder as I teach cursive....am I teaching a doctor to sign their name (illegible of course! haha)? Am I teaching a president to sign their name? Endless potential in this class of thirty!

But...there are some days my heart just breaks. There are children you just can't reach. These children who come from horrible homes. Homes that stunt who they are....homes that quench their fires. And there isn't ONE thing I can do about it! It continues to frustrate me year after year!

I often want to write a book to let the general public know what our young people have to deal with these days. I really don't think society understands what children are exposed to...NO, not through the media, or from the music they listen to...it is from their very OWN homes.

Children whose parents are locked up in jail: these children throw around words like, "time served" and "parole officer"

Children whose parents are drug addicts: these children throw around words like, "rehab" and "clean"

Children whose parents have lost custody: these children throw around words like, "my case worker" and "my visitation time"

Some days it is just all too much. How am I to make a 9 year old excited to learn their multiplication facts when they are going home to a grandmother who is doing her best to support her three grandchildren while her daughter is in jail for drugs???????

There are so many I want to take home with me. I want to show them a loving mother and father. A 'present' parent who is excited when they walk through the door. A parent who takes care of their basic needs so they can focus on "kids stuff". A parent who ensures warm water in the shower each morning. A parent who sacrifices sleeping in Saturday morning so they can learn the sport of soccer or baseball!

But you and I both know my home isn't that big...nor would the state allow me to take each of these children. So....for now...I will wake up tomorrow....say a prayer...use my gift of teaching...and make the 6 hours they are with me a time of security, fun, and learning.

Welcome 2009...

It has been quite some time since I have done any blogging. It seems the move, then the holidays, and then my middle daughter's birthday have kept me too busy! But I am hoping to get back into a normal routine.

I am home today...in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and thought today is a good day to start!

A fellow teacher and I are excited about tomorrow's events. I teach third grade and I teach very basic intro to our gov't. We did an election unit to discuss voting and the candidates. It was very exciting. However, as an educator, we must be very careful. I am always fair to both political parties and NEVER have an agenda when I teach.

But....I was a bit irritated when a discussion was had about our students watching the inauguration live in our classrooms. I was told that I need to get parent permission slips in order to do so. WHAT IS THAT ABOUT???

Now...isn't this our country? Isn't this history? Isn't this teaching how democracy works??
ISN'T THIS MY JOB TO TEACH????????????

I don't care who you voted for.....that to me is irrelevant.

I don't feel I need to send home permission slips in order to show my students a historical event that only happens every four years (No matter your polictical thoughts) !!!!