Appreciation for Teachers

[Geneviev]

Teachers are some of the most important people in any society. For instance, I could not write this without my teachers and you could not read it. Teachers also often do more than they are expected to do for their students.

Some examples are:

• Erin Gruwell, whose students wrote the Freedom Writers Diary
• Victoria Leigh Soto, who died protecting her students in the Sandy Hook shooting
• Sonya Romero, who provides her students with food and clothing (which, I'm sorry, I've seen my own teachers do that and they haven't gotten in the news. They should.)

In my own experience, as someone currently in her first year of high school, I have had good and bad teachers. One of my best teachers is the teacher who taught me history and essentially fueled my obsession. I've had teachers who treated me like I was intelligent enough to go to university. Even the teachers that weren't so good (for the most part, we all know that person) genuinely cared about their jobs and did more than was expected of them.

For the most part, my classmates complain about our teachers. They dislike them because of homework (which I must agree can often become excessive and sometimes serves no purpose at all) or they dislike them for the subject they teach. This lack of appreciation can lead to other difficulties. Teachers are often not paid well and have to work in schools that are not receiving sufficient funding. They often have to work with students who despise school. Yet, with all of that, they still continue to teach. In my opinion, teachers are heroes.

So this thread has a fairly simple idea behind it: Take a few moments to appreciate teachers. How can the government improve schools or help teachers? Who was your favourite teacher? What have teachers done for you? This can also be a general school-related thread. Charter schools vs. public or private? Best start times? Should everyone be trained for university instead of life?

As for you teachers, thank you. I can never thank my own teachers enough for what they have done for me, and you all have done that for your own students. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Western-Ukraine]

Topic much appreciated. Teachers are not nearly respected enough. The salaries aren't phenomenal, many students make the work even more stressful, and they still drag themselves through and teach us very important things. We need to help teachers by allowing them easier control in the classroom, via legislation. Surely everyone has seen what it looks like when bureaucracy keeps a teacher from disciplining a class nowadays.

As for my personal experiences and gratitude, I name my last mathematics teacher in high school. She knew how to individually prepare every single student in her class on his or her level to achieve. I'm very grateful for those classes, it motivated me to work harder and all that paid off. Thanks, teachers.

[Geneviev]

Topic much appreciated. Teachers are not nearly respected enough. The salaries aren't phenomenal, many students make the work even more stressful, and they still drag themselves through and teach us very important things. We need to help teachers by allowing them easier control in the classroom, via legislation. Surely everyone has seen what it looks like when bureaucracy keeps a teacher from disciplining a class nowadays.

As for my personal experiences and gratitude, I name my last mathematics teacher in high school. She knew how to individually prepare every single student in her class on his or her level to achieve. I'm very grateful for those classes, it motivated me to work harder and all that paid off. Thanks, teachers.

How can students make the work easier?

Sounds like a wonderful teacher.

[Geneviev]

• 18 teachers who are heroes
• Three reasons that teachers are superheroes
• What students believe makes a good teacher

Add any other links to teacher-related articles.

[Mike the Progressive]

I have a love/hate for teachers, professors, etc.

I think many of them are heros. They work and slave and try to educate young minds and inspire them to change. At the same time they [often] perpetuate a stale system that teaches outdated and useless information. Information that only satisfies curiorities of a certain few with no bearing in reality. They do so arrogantly and viciously attack anybody who truly attempts to challenge them.

[New Emeline]

I think we should be more like Finland when it comes to teachers/education in general.

[Geneviev]

I have a love/hate for teachers, professors, etc.

I think many of them are heros. They work and slave and try to educate young minds and inspire them to change. At the same time they [often] perpetuate a stale system that teaches outdated and useless information. Information that only satisfies curiorities of a certain few with no bearing in reality. They do so arrogantly and viciously attack anybody who truly attempts to challenge them.

I personally believe (and this is guessing) that my teachers have no real choice in what they teach. Depending on the teacher, they do let the students challenge what we are taught (with the exception of maths and sciences, where it is either correct or incorrect).

[Geneviev]

I think we should be more like Finland when it comes to teachers/education in general.

What does Finland do exactly?

[Mike the Progressive]

I think we should be more like Finland when it comes to teachers/education in general.

And send them to Syria? I wholeheartedly agree.

[New Emeline]

I think we should be more like Finland when it comes to teachers/education in general.

What does Finland do exactly?

Teachers are very respected. At least that's what I've heard.

[Valgora]

I think we should be more like Finland when it comes to teachers/education in general.

What does Finland do exactly?

No standardized tests
No to very little homework

Teachers are paid better

[Geneviev]

What does Finland do exactly?

No standardized tests
No to very little homework

Teachers are paid better

That we should have here.

[New Emeline]

I think we should be more like Finland when it comes to teachers/education in general.

And send them to Syria? I wholeheartedly agree.

What?

[Mike the Progressive]

And send them to Syria? I wholeheartedly agree.

What?

Is this not what they do?

[New Emeline]

What?

Is this not what they do?

Not that I've heard. Could be wrong though.

[Geneviev]

What does Finland do exactly?

Teachers are very respected. At least that's what I've heard.

We should have that everywhere, in my opinion.

[Saint Ryvern]

I personally believe (and this is guessing) that my teachers have no real choice in what they teach. Depending on the teacher, they do let the students challenge what we are taught (with the exception of maths and sciences, where it is either correct or incorrect).

Teachers can decide what they teach...in a way. Oftentimes schools submit to national or another set of standards (we’ll not get into that now), but standards dictate what skills to teach, not what specific content must be used in the classroom. School boards can determine some things too, such as what books may or may not be read, but teachers can choose what and, more importantly, how to teach students the skills mandated by the standards their school expects students to have.

[Geneviev]

I personally believe (and this is guessing) that my teachers have no real choice in what they teach. Depending on the teacher, they do let the students challenge what we are taught (with the exception of maths and sciences, where it is either correct or incorrect).

Teachers can decide what they teach...in a way. Oftentimes schools submit to national or another set of standards (we’ll not get into that now), but standards dictate what skills to teach, not what specific content must be used in the classroom. School boards can determine some things too, such as what books may or may not be read, but teachers can choose what and, more importantly, how to teach students the skills mandated by the standards their school expects students to have.

That sounds familiar enough. My teachers have made some modifications (easier books for the ELLs like me) but they still always teach something similar.

[Mike the Progressive]

Teachers are very respected. At least that's what I've heard.

We should have that everywhere, in my opinion.

I suspect you are. I have two master's degrees. Granted they are in history and CS. But, uh, science!

[Saint Ryvern]

That sounds familiar enough. My teachers have made some modifications (easier books for the ELLs like me) but they still always teach something similar.

Technically, in teacher-speak (an annoying and overly pedantic language), reading an easier book is an accommodation, not a modification. A modification would be changing what you're expected to learn entirely.

No standardized tests
No to very little homework

Teachers are paid better

I like the idea of having less homework for our students, but not having at least one or two standardized tests is impractical for the United States. Finland being a small, homogeneous, universally wealthy nation while the U.S. is gigantic, incredibly diverse, and contains many students who live in poorly funded districts because of the income tax in their area. Not requiring schools to prove they are doing a good job educating the growing population of struggling students, English Language Learners, and students who are disadvantaged socioeconomically is irresponsible. Accountability is key when it comes to running schools, and standardized tests are a good (certainly not great) way to do that. Of course, that doesn't mean No Child Left Behind's idea of shoving so many tests down our students throats that they can't even breathe is a good system; it certainly is not. However, we need to know how all of our students are doing, and that means testing them.

I would enjoy it if teachers were paid more too, but people would have to pay more taxes for that to happen, and most citizens of the United States would rather die than do that. This is all coming from a college student who will one day be a secondary-level educator.

[Geneviev]

That sounds familiar enough. My teachers have made some modifications (easier books for the ELLs like me) but they still always teach something similar.

Technically, in teacher-speak (an annoying and overly pedantic language), reading an easier book is an accommodation, not a modification. A modification would be changing what you're expected to learn entirely.

No standardized tests
No to very little homework

Teachers are paid better

I like the idea of having less homework for our students, but not having at least one or two standardized tests is impractical for the United States. Finland being a small, homogeneous, universally wealthy nation while the U.S. is gigantic, incredibly diverse, and contains many students who live in poorly funded districts because of the income tax in their area. Not requiring schools to prove they are doing a good job educating the growing population of struggling students, English Language Learners, and students who are disadvantaged socioeconomically is irresponsible. Accountability is key when it comes to running schools, and standardized tests are a good (certainly not great) way to do that. Of course, that doesn't mean No Child Left Behind's idea of shoving so many tests down our students throats that they can't even breathe is a good system; it certainly is not. However, we need to know how all of our students are doing, and that means testing them.

I would enjoy it if teachers were paid more too, but people would have to pay more taxes for that to happen, and most citizens of the United States would rather die than do that. This is all coming from a college student who will one day be a secondary-level educator.

Ah, I don't speak Teacher fluently yet. Give me another seventy years and I may. I have to learn English first.

[Saint Ryvern]

Ah, I don't speak Teacher fluently yet. Give me another seventy years and I may. I have to learn English first.

It'll be completely different lingo in 70 years. Everything in teaching is a mile a minute. What was cool and apparently the most effective in the '90s has been put by the wayside almost entirely. I expect the same in 10 years. It's a good thing though. There's a lot of studies and meta-data in important fields, specifically writing and reading instruction. One thing most people don't realize about teachers is that besides grading and lesson planning keeping up on educational literature is one of the things that keeps them the busiest. My girlfriend's mother is an intervention teacher and she reads new studies/books on her craft for at least 8-10 hours a week to keep up on new ideas and best practices.

[Geneviev]

Ah, I don't speak Teacher fluently yet. Give me another seventy years and I may. I have to learn English first.

It'll be completely different lingo in 70 years. Everything in teaching is a mile a minute. What was cool and apparently the most effective in the '90s has been put by the wayside almost entirely. I expect the same in 10 years. It's a good thing though. There's a lot of studies and meta-data in important fields, specifically writing and reading instruction. One thing most people don't realize about teachers is that besides grading and lesson planning keeping up on educational literature is one of the things that keeps them the busiest. My girlfriend's mother is an intervention teacher and she reads new studies/books on her craft for at least 8-10 hours a week to keep up on new ideas and best practices.

That is absolutely - for lack of a better word - insane. I don't even know how teachers can keep up with that.

[Saint Ryvern]

That is absolutely - for lack of a better word - insane. I don't even know how teachers can keep up with that.

Most teachers, to be completely honest, don't do a very good job of it. Seminars and conferences are big things too. Trying to hear speakers talk about their research is huge; being able to see a workshop is an even bigger jackpot. However, those things cost a lot of money, and some districts can't afford to send their teachers all over the state/country to hear about the newest "best practices" from researchers. Another reason students in poorer districts often fall behind: their teachers can't keep up with the most effective ways to teach them.

[Geneviev]

That is absolutely - for lack of a better word - insane. I don't even know how teachers can keep up with that.

Most teachers, to be completely honest, don't do a very good job of it. Seminars and conferences are big things too. Trying to hear speakers talk about their research is huge; being able to see a workshop is an even bigger jackpot. However, those things cost a lot of money, and some districts can't afford to send their teachers all over the state/country to hear about the newest "best practices" from researchers. Another reason students in poorer districts often fall behind: their teachers can't keep up with the most effective ways to teach them.

Teachers are amazing, the district my school is in isn't. Something in my school is always broken. But my teachers (mostly) really do try. I have a teacher who told me and the person who sits next to me that she buys nearly everything that we use with her own money. And it's a lot of things.