Friday, October 23, 2009

It's All About The Kids


The title of this post is a quote from a good friend of mine at school. When things get her down and don't go as they should, she says over and over and over "It's all about the kids." This is not just something she says, it is something she lives by. She puts up with lots of crap because she knows that her putting up with it is helping them.

I know how she feels about being crapped on. As teachers, we are helpless when it comes to fighting the system both for ourselves and for our students. The frustrations we feel are overwhelming. I know, I started this blog as a place to vent my frustrations. The writing gave me an outlet to say things I could not say at work. I invented characters like Suit and Mr. AP to have people to attack and blame for the things happening in school. I sometimes exaggerated their flaws and in doing so made myself feel better. None of this was harmful to anyone else. The support I have gotten from fellow bloggers and commenters has been more than I could ever have hoped for and that has helped me push on, to continue doing a job I love to do.

No one should take the words of a blog like mine serious. Words written do not always convey the meaning they were meant to have. Very often they are misconstrued and interpreted in a manner far different than the writer intended. Blogs are just diaries, places where people can share anonymously (for the most part) their innermost and often darkest thoughts.

Before judging the blogger, look at the entire picture, try to understand what caused the words of anger to be put down. Don't throw away the blogger and all the good because of some meaningless words.

Be careful when reading a blog and think of the material as an interesting work of fiction meant to do no harm.

When it is all about the kids, and the kids are being hurt, sometimes words are all we have to do battle with.

3 comments:

Ricochet said...

Thanks, I needed this.

I woke up this morning thinking that the funsucker is outgunned in a battle of wits and can't process quickly and is probably intimidated when I ask her anything - so she goes running to tattle to the admins about whatever slight she imagines.

But it is all about the kids.

I will need to figure out how to implement some of the things I am trying to when 1) I can't plan 2) can't suggest anything to her except face to face (and I don't see her except during class)and 3) her reaction is always no.

I think you may have had your hand slapped about the blog. Remember, you do a good service, both to yourself and to others. And Illegitimi non carborundum!

mathman42 said...

I think you are getting too esoteric in your blogging. Noone expects this to be fiction, but perhaps reality fictionalized. If your characters are not actual people but composites of actual people that is OK. But if everything is made up or is just wishful thinking on your part based on your unfulfilled hopes, then I have much better fiction and fantasies to read.

Maybe I am misreading or it is a change in life ( metaphorical ). Don't worry, guys go through it too.

Humor is necessary but like most things, it should be used in moderation. Everyone doesn't get everything, and that's OK.

Shalom

Liz said...

I only just stumbled across your blog today, and I can't tell how much I appreciate the fact that I have.

I am a high school teacher in the NYC public schools and over the past two months alone have become incredibly frustrated and disillusioned with my job and with all of the ridiculous things my administration does on a daily basis. I struggle to find any inspiration at all in the life I lead every day, and the only thing it ever boils down to is the same thing: It's all about the students.

It's nice to know that there are other people out there who understand what I am going through. I only wish there was something that we as teachers, who are so often under-appreciated for the commitments we make, could do to improve our situations and make our jobs easier.