Hi Dr. X... I’m going on 25 years of teaching and am considering similar thoughts. I don’t have any “smart” rebuttals... Teaching is a job where we become “poured out wine” for others. Literally, these students feed off of us, and it is draining--better thought “soul sucking.” As the “family unit” has broken down, parents have checked out, and school admin have lost their will/ability to establish order--the drain is worse. I think all of the philosophies have some relevance.
Fatalism, free will, determinism... they all probably play a role. The fact, however, is that we are doing the hardest job in the world--with the greatest responsibility and need for outcome--raising children and the next generations pretty much by ourselves in a room with 30+ people who have been indoctrinated to hate authority and anything other than “self.” IF you can affect One person’s life in this adverse environment--YOU are a hero. I know it and your fellow teachers know it. But the world ignores you... They got a little glimpse during Covid when the students stayed home and refused to obey their own family. “Who is this creature? And when can he/she go back to school??”Remember? This is when the masses saw what they were creating/ignoring in their own children. “Send them back!” was the chant.
I’m a literature gal and so I tend to wonder which dystopian novel are we waking up to today? “A Clockwork Orange?” “1984?” “Lord of the Flies?”
You my friend on a battle field. This may sound overly dramatic, and I’m judging myself right now for typing the words, but I can’t delete them. We were trained to enlighten, challenge, and inspire; and yet, those ideals mostly take back seat to the petty and purposeful ignorance we face each day.
You’re tired and battle weary--it’s okay. If you’ve got more fight in you, we need you. If you don’t, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
The fight is only going to get worse. I teach in a Christian school, so I can rely on Faith and Truth to have my back--it’s still hard but I’m on the winning side and it helps me daily. I don’t know how you all in the public-vacuum sector are still standing really...
it’s truly heroic--and I’m not being dramatic.
My wrestling coach/history teacher in high school changed my life. I was teetering on destruction, and he came in and called me to a higher standard, refused to let me be vapid. He’s one of my greatest heroes. Maybe most of the class ignored him--but I was listening and I’ve never been the same.
One of my favorite authors, CS Lewis, has a quote: (paraphrase) “in a world where kids face demons and evil, let’s not give up on giving them the examples of knights and heroes.” Super true.
Hi Dr. X... I’m going on 25 years of teaching and am considering similar thoughts. I don’t have any “smart” rebuttals... Teaching is a job where we become “poured out wine” for others. Literally, these students feed off of us, and it is draining--better thought “soul sucking.” As the “family unit” has broken down, parents have checked out, and school admin have lost their will/ability to establish order--the drain is worse. I think all of the philosophies have some relevance.
Fatalism, free will, determinism... they all probably play a role. The fact, however, is that we are doing the hardest job in the world--with the greatest responsibility and need for outcome--raising children and the next generations pretty much by ourselves in a room with 30+ people who have been indoctrinated to hate authority and anything other than “self.” IF you can affect One person’s life in this adverse environment--YOU are a hero. I know it and your fellow teachers know it. But the world ignores you... They got a little glimpse during Covid when the students stayed home and refused to obey their own family. “Who is this creature? And when can he/she go back to school??”Remember? This is when the masses saw what they were creating/ignoring in their own children. “Send them back!” was the chant.
I’m a literature gal and so I tend to wonder which dystopian novel are we waking up to today? “A Clockwork Orange?” “1984?” “Lord of the Flies?”
You my friend on a battle field. This may sound overly dramatic, and I’m judging myself right now for typing the words, but I can’t delete them. We were trained to enlighten, challenge, and inspire; and yet, those ideals mostly take back seat to the petty and purposeful ignorance we face each day.
You’re tired and battle weary--it’s okay. If you’ve got more fight in you, we need you. If you don’t, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
The fight is only going to get worse. I teach in a Christian school, so I can rely on Faith and Truth to have my back--it’s still hard but I’m on the winning side and it helps me daily. I don’t know how you all in the public-vacuum sector are still standing really...
it’s truly heroic--and I’m not being dramatic.
My wrestling coach/history teacher in high school changed my life. I was teetering on destruction, and he came in and called me to a higher standard, refused to let me be vapid. He’s one of my greatest heroes. Maybe most of the class ignored him--but I was listening and I’ve never been the same.
One of my favorite authors, CS Lewis, has a quote: (paraphrase) “in a world where kids face demons and evil, let’s not give up on giving them the examples of knights and heroes.” Super true.
(Kristi-the kitty fan)