Changes in Attitude

My brother just posted a hilarious list (only if you grew up in our small town) that makes me realize that I have become my parents.  Growing up meant that we heard my dad remark about how things have just changed so much in the small town he lived in (very true and continues to grow and freak me the hell out when I get back there).  But now I realize that our own little town has done it too.  Ah well, I’m glad I can say that I helped inspire my brother’s entry.  He even acknowledges it in his blog, which is super nice of him.

In other, completely unrelated, news- I have decided to go back to school (again).  What?  Don’t I already go to a school every day?  Yeah, and as if that weren’t enough for me- I want to go educate myself more.  I’ve started to realize that I am not a teacher who will stay in the classroom setting for those 30 years.  It’s not just the difficulties I am having in my classroom this year; it is the person that I am.  It took me a while to figure this out (the past marking period), but I have.  I love education and I do love working with kids.  That is the part that makes me happy.  The part that kills me and makes me hate some aspects of teaching is the political correctness that the world feels we need so much.  Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT saying that we need corporal punishment in the form of hitting children in any way (with rulers or paddling).  It’s the politics of how hard society has made it to remove a child from a classroom if the child is causing problems that affect the entire class.  It’s the parents of *some* kids who seem to think that teachers are glorified babysitters.  It’s the world that seems to think that educators are such fantastic people, but are unwilling to write, call, or visit the state legislature in order to help us get a pay raise.  Yes, I am an educator because I love working with kids and helping them become wonderful citizens and to learn.  I don’t do it for the money, but if I am expected to spend as much money as I do (out of my own pocket) in order to purchase books to read for my students, extra paper, extra pencils, and any other supplies I need beyond some basics…well I think I deserve a wage that reflects the huge excess of time I put in to make sure I am teaching my best, the kids are learning as much as I can bring to them, and the hours I put in.  Call me crazy…

At any rate, I am officially starting my application to pursue my Masters of Science in Library and Information Science.  I searched myself and evaluated the things that I love about teaching the most and I came to this conclusion- books.  I love to read for myself, but I truly love to bring books and words and good stories and deep thinking to kids.  I had this fantastic moment today, as we previewed this week’s edition of Time for Kids, where a student made this great connection.  I had to put away my own personal feeling on the subject and just take it for what it was worth: a child who has taken something we read and applying it to how she is starting to see the whole world.  That is a thrill.  It’s a thrill to be able to introduce books that you know will just floor a kid and then be able to talk to them about the issues and themes it brings up.  I love reading to the little guys, too.  They just drink it in!  Adults don’t do that any more!  So, in retrospect, it makes complete sense to do my masters in something that will allow me to do things like this full time, right?  

Now…anyone want to volunteer to help me finance this? (