Apples Aren't Everything

Teacher. This word gets thrown around a lot, especially when it comes to the government budget. Students, parents, fellow employees, everyone has an idea about what it means to be a teacher, what they should teach and how they should act, but what about teachers? Where do they feel that they fit in the grand scheme of life? The answer varies. There is no one correct answer to these questions because they are first and foremost, imperfect, diverse, opinionated humans. 

In the news lately teachers have been a hot topic. Their budget, their skill, their responsibilities, their behavior, everything about them is up for discussion, but those who matter most are not invited to speak. No one asks the teachers how they think we could improve the school system. They ask politicians, the public and 'professionals'. But who could possibly understand school better than those who teach it? 

A recent article from TBO shows just how these teachers feel about the changes being made to their career. They are angry, depressed and lost. Some teachers are being forced into retirement while others are being forced to switch schools, grade levels and even careers due to layoffs and district shuffling. These teachers are fighting these changes because they have grown attached to their schools and to their students. For a teacher, being moved to a new school is like being moved to a new family. Its as if they are a foster child being shipped to another foster parent because there just wasn't room for them at home. And the students don't like it any more than the teachers do. They too grow attached and long for that connection to remain the same. For instance, when I was in kindergarten my teacher got pregnant and had to go on maternity leave half way through the school year. We had another teacher, just as qualified and just as nice, come into our classroom as soon as she was gone, but the students, including myself, were never comfortable with the change. I cried and moped and my friends talked throughout the new lessons and learning took a back seat to discussions of our former teacher. We missed her and there was no replacing her. This same thing happens to students every year when teachers get shuffled from school to school. It may be difficult to understand from the perspective of a parent or governor, but a teacher remaining where they are comfortable really makes a difference in the classroom. They work more with other teachers in the school, which has been shown to aid in student learning, they are more social, which makes them more likable to the students, and they are happier. All of these things come in to play during the school year and when teachers are constantly being uprooted due to budget issues, everyone suffers. 

Teacher is not an easy word to define, because teachers are humans. They have emotions and opinions whether that is convenient or not. They like being rooted in their preferred school and having at least some job security. They may not all deserve it, they aren't perfect, but I think teacher preferences should be taken into account when it comes to transfers. I may not be an expert but having spent time on both sides of the desk, I can safely say that this really matters and will make a difference in the classroom and in education.