Some teachers in some schools don’t reflect all
Regarding Deaira Brown’s letter, “Poor teaching hurts classroom performance” (Jan. 28):
While I am disappointed to hear of experiences at three of our local schools by Ms. Brown, I would like to offer my experiences.
As the mother of school-aged children and the wife of a public school teacher, I have had the pleasure of witnessing children thrive and grow emotionally and academically. My children’s teachers, as well as many of my husband’s colleagues, have done far more than the word “teach” suggests. They have been nurses, social workers, stand-in parents and advocates for students. And not just in one classroom with a few children, or at one school. Not just with the “good” kids and not just at the favorably rated schools.
Is every teacher without fault? No, of course not, as is true with any profession.
But I would encourage Ms. Brown and others to consider all experiences and avoid labeling “most teachers” as not caring for students’ successes, especially when it was just three schools she visited. I also hope we all encourage and empower our students to take responsibility for their learning needs and speak up to administrators or other student advocates when those needs aren’t being met.
Marian Eakes Friedman
Greensboro
Comments (5)
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If Toyota turned out as poor a product as our public schools turn out, Toyota would be out of business within three years -
Posted on February 5, 2009 5:14 AM
If Toyota were controlled by federal and state government, the cars they produced would be riddled with problems; and the government officials in charge of the mess would buy their vehicles from private firms, while making it too expensive for most private citizens to afford anything other than the government manufactured cars. Some private citizens might even resort to home production of cars!
Posted on February 5, 2009 8:19 AM
Every "good" teacher is balanced by a horrible teacher. The mix produces mediocrity at best.
And for every good teacher who is also a "nurse", "encourager", "helper" there is one who is "arrogant", "self esteem destroying" and rude.
Posted on February 5, 2009 9:19 AM
As we LTE readers will notice there will be a flood of I am required to write a letter to a newspaper due to that is part of my credit to receive a higher grade in my Sociology teachers class. It matters not that the rantings and ravings of self-esteem laden green behind the ears ideologs barely make deadline, barely make it to class or understand their observations are high schoolish not university level. Social healers do not destroy nor should they be lazy. .Only three or four from this class of writers will stick it out and change the world.the rest are mudslingers, blame everybody and anybody. Never finding solutions. Thankfully, they jump to other careers after they receive their C GPA in Social Science.Christine
Posted on February 5, 2009 2:06 PM
It's so easy to lay blame on teachers. Why not? We're handy, we're available for blame and society, in general, seems to think less of us than they do many others.
Fact is, most of our worst critics have never been where we are or tried to do what we do, every day.
I will be the last to say that we are without fault. Like any other profession, we have our lesser members. But please remember that parents are the first teachers. We can only work with what we get and within the confines of where we are.
Education "reform" (aka testamania) has done more to harm children and education than most anything...anything but parents who need someone else to blame....
Posted on February 8, 2009 5:44 PM