Let us Teach!

     Teaching is a frustrating profession. Many times you want to hit your head against the wall. Is it the kids that make you want to do that? Well, sometimes. We all have our interesting children. Is it the parents? Again, sometimes. I have found though that if you are a quality teacher parents are not a major issue. You know what is the most frustrating? Its all of the extra's that we have to do. 

     Its time we let teachers do the jobs they are trained for. Don't pile on teachers because you have to meet the political status quo. Really, the problem starts from the top down, and the problems top is always some politician. Politicans get laws passed that effect school funding, the superintendt passes those edicts on to the leadership in the district, and eventually those edicts are passed on to teachers. A perfect example is our evaluation system. In Georgia, it keeps getting more complicated and has more steps. It's time for a change?

     Why does education have to be this way? I think there are really to major issues here. The first is politicians passing unacheivable standards that push the pressure to meet them down hill. This is a problem to tackle another day. The second major issue is administrators who try to raise the standards of their schools by making everyone the same. I guess the thought is that if you push everyone to have common plans and assessements then the bad teachers will raise to the level of the good. How is this fair?

     If we have effective evaluation systems, why do we have to force good teachers to sit through bad meetings and PD sessions that they will never use. Why not let the good teachers just teach? It would take a great deal of the work off of them, and give them more time to do what they do best. It would also not put the bad teachers in their hands. For the poor teachers, get rid of the ones who are not even trying. If they are trying though, put them together in PD learning communities and let them help bring each other up. It would also give administrators a group they could focus on.

     If the craziness of the teaching profession does not stop, good teachers will leave. The extras that teachers are being asked to do are driving people away. Between all the lesson planning and grading, teachers work as hard as anyone. If you drive the good ones awa

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