Friday, July 8, 2011

An Ordinary Teacher....

....Talks to Teach for America
 
Thanks to (now former) NYC teacher James Boutin for this:
Interesting take on TFA from a former NYC school teacher.
The piece not only drills deep, but the comments/debate goes even deeper.


Here is one of the latter side-bar comments that nail what teachers do and the skills they acquire:
I agree with this entire article save one point: teachers have very marketable skills if they decide to leave teaching. I know: I did it and I was hired because of those skills. I have the ability to manage 20 – 30 unwilling people; I can motivate them and explain tasks to them in a timely manner. I can preplan and be flexible when things (a fire drill, a last-minute assembly) go wrong. I can shift my communication style instantly to match the situation, from slang with the students, to authoritarian, to placating a frantic parent. I can present my ideas clearly and succinctly, able to get to the crux of the message. I am a great record-keeper and my attention to detail is spot on (I started teaching in the days before electronic grade books and had to tally all scores by hand!). I understand how people think and respond. I can get along with all types of people, even those (parents and students alike) who openly dislike me. I can maintain my professional calm in the face of irrational anger. My time management skills are superb, because with only 50 minutes to complete my day’s lesson, I am aware of the value of every second. Finally, I am compassionate and caring and want to see those around me succeed, so I will be a fantastic team player in an environment. In return, all I ask is for a little recognition–one thing that many teachers have to go without, as their students often only realize the value of a great teacher many years later.
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Lots of goodies here today: Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on right for news bits.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did this writer once pitch for the Yankees back in the early 1960's??

OTE admin said...

If you're over 50, you are NOT marketable if you were a teacher. I for one have not been able to get back on my feet three years after being wrongfully terminated.