Washington, Lansing, and other governments organizations: We need to change teaching.

We need to change teaching. We need to change our methods of instruction. We need to change.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Teaching needs to change. I am a teacher, and I look at these other teachers around me. Sad, mad, discouraged but generally great teachers who could be better. They could be awesome! They were awesome! What has happened to awesome, amazing teachers? They are crumbling under the pressure of the crap from Washington, from the state legislatures and from the district head offices. They crumbling from being unable to really shine and share their light. Many of these teachers have had the art of teaching sucked out them through standardized tests, no child left behind legislation, common rote assessments and standards that need to be taught by this date, at this time, and assessed in this way. These amazing teachers that have so much to give, have lost themselves and lost their way. 

I hate hearing the teachers near me and around me state that they can't wait for retirement. That they will be happiest Walmart greeter there ever has been because they will be away from classroom. They will finally be happy because they will be away from the hoops sent to us by Washington and by Lansing and by the district head offices. They will be happy to finally just be. I hate hearing this because I love coming to work, I love teaching. I am really lucky, I have the best job in the world. As an art teacher, I get to influence children's minds, open them up and let them see that there is infinite possibilities to every question. I get to show them that life does not fit into a multiple choice tests. That even though there is requirements and expectations that there is always room for change. I get to show them that they can make a mistake and that mistakes can be beautiful. I get to see the students at their best and at their worst and it is amazing. I feel like every teacher should have this opportunity and that every teacher should want this opportunity.

 I recently watched the YouTube viral video "FULL: Jeff Bliss, High School student gives a lesson to his teacher." You definitely should jump on YouTube and check it out. Unfortunately linking it  

I recognize that there are many other teachers who feel the way I do some teachers just need to let off some steam from time to time.There are already so many wonderful teachers, doing wonderful things, we just need to be given the opportunity to do more we should not settle to be like the teacher in the viral video. 

Kelly