Why I am #RedforEd

Why I am #RedforEd and my tutoring supplies behind me for extra proof. 

Let me tell you a little bit about myself, my thoughts on education, and what it is like to walk in my shoes as a teacher. You will then have a good idea why I am #RedforEd and hope you will join me too. 

When I was in eighth grade I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I have always been curious, loved children, and loved teaching. Teaching is not for the faint of heart. I have paid for lunches for students who had no lunch money and no free or reduced lunch plan at a charter school. I have bought cupcakes numerous times for children who didn’t have anyone to bring them a birthday surprise. When every other child in the class did and it broke my heart for them to be left out. I have bought tennis shoes for children who’s shoes are falling apart with no sole left on the bottom. I have supplied science, art, and classroom materials that add up anywhere between $200-$1000 EVERY YEAR. I have paid for snacks for classroom parties when parents failed to donate. I have given my own lunch up several times on field trips to children who forgot theirs. I am not alone most of my colleagues do exactly the same. 

I have spent many, too many, sleepless nights worrying about students who have strenuous home lives. I have lost sleep over rudely written emails. I have been told by parents that because they pay taxes and I am a government employee I work for them and therefore have to do what they say. I have children every year with special emotional needs and academic needs. I tutor two mornings a week for free to students who are falling behind. I attend students baptisms, concerts, dance recitals any time I can. The worry that comes with preparing children for standardized testing is insane. I would wake up in a panic not because I didn’t think I had done my job or worked hard or the children had worked hard but….would they be able to perform and show all they knew in that moment? Would they be able to handle the hours and hours of testing before them? I work many hours far beyond forty a week there is NO WAY to keep up with the work load if you don’t. 

I try not to go to the doctor because I can’t afford the co-pays or the medication. I caught a flu virus and ended up with a double ear infection, sinus infection, and upper respiratory infection. I have not been this sick in years I thought I might die. I am not kidding. I missed a week of work. I had to find my own sub and spend over an hour for each day missed writing sub plans. My class lost their minds with me being gone so I felt I HAD to come back, not to mention I could not miss parent teacher conferences because it is so HARD to make those up. So I went to work sick, with a fever, and exhausted. I am not alone, we all do this because it is so much work to miss a day. What other job doesn’t wait for you when you are gone? What other job has twenty four precious littles who NEED YOU? Do you have any idea what that is like? 

My dream for education is for us to be able to build each child. Each child is so different with different struggles, strengths, and needs. Our education system is archaic and designed on an education system model that was used for the industrial revolution. We need tools to teach these children and opportunities to give them hands on experience! Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could teach units on various careers having experts from those fields come and mentor our children? Just think about it we could have a newsroom, and an architecture unit, a unit on marketing, business, it could be so exciting! The possibilities are endless. You know how sad is it that I didn’t list teaching as one of the careers? I love teaching. I teach because I know it is one of the things I am here to do. I care deeply about my profession and am invested in each child that comes through my classroom door.