those were the days

I see so many new school buildings with air conditioning, nice floors, pretty exteriors, and I have to wonder if the kids and teachers will ever know the joy I found in teaching those first years.  Refereeing pick up ball games, patching up skint knees, learning the Indian rain dance and then seeing the look of excitement on the faces the next day when it was actually raining.  No push for passing those mindless tests.  Just pushing them to learn to read, memorize times tables, learn some fun songs, do some riddles, play indoor games with blown up balloons on rainy days.  Oh, I ache for today’s teachers who have that inner child in them, but someone is keeping that side of the teacher tucked neatly away.  I wonder how many of them will be able to stick with it until retirement.  Musn’t let school be fun.  Musn’t ask kids to be accountable and responsible, musn’t ask parents to leave the teachers alone and let them do their jobs.

One of ,my favorite (and I think most effective) principals stayed in his office with his feet propped up, but we all knew he’d be there right beside us to defend us, right behind us to urge us on, and right in front of us to take the heat.  They just don’t make ’em like that anymore.  What a shame it all has to be about test scores and self esteem.  Your can’t make them care about their test scores. That has to come from within.  You can’t give them self esteem.  That has to be earned.  We’ve forgotten those two simple things.  If we would remember those, we’d be a lot better off.

And now I’ll climb down from my soapbox, and just say I hope all the kids and the teachers have an outstanding year  with memories that will go with them for a lifetime.

2 thoughts on “those were the days

  1. Debbie Parker

    Carol, I remember school being exactly as you described when I was a child. Teachers were allowed to teach and kids were respectful and knew that if they got in trouble at school, it would be 10 times worse when they got home. Those really were the good old days. I do hope for an exciting and safe school year for all!

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