Those Who Understand, Teach

By MARSHALL WARD

President, Calloway County Retired Teachers Association

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week across the country.

But in Kentucky, teachers have been under attack by our Republican Governor from the minute he set foot in Frankfort. He has called teachers unpatriotic, greedy, ignorant, complicit to drug overdoses and accidental shootings, and lazy.

The legislature has passed failed charter school legislation and tried to reduce teacher’s pensions and healthcare benefits. 

I interviewed local educators to see if they are feeling appreciated. Here are their comments:

“Education reforms seem to be done without considering students or teachers or done without advisement from people who actually work in the field. Show appreciation by having educators involved in writing legislation instead of the lobbyists.”

“Teaching classes online is challenging because there is no way to duplicate the communication that you have in a classroom talking with someone face to face. States are trying to get out of the education business by constantly reducing their support. This has significantly reduced innovation as teachers spend more time trying to get by with fewer teaching materials.”  

“Improve teaching by a) treating all teachers, at all levels, as professionals, as we do doctors and lawyers, instead of as paid baby sitters beholden to helicopter parents and the monied class; b) raise salaries to a true professional level adequate to support a family; c) allow teachers to determine the curriculum, not politicians who have a conflict of interest [beholden to their donors]”.  

“The most challenging experience in my profession of teaching is trying to keep up in the everchanging identity of my subject area – Industrial Arts – Technology Education – Engineering and Technology Education…my subject area has struggled with an identity crisis most of my career.”  

“It has been challenging to teach students in a class with levels ranging from gifted to vocational to Special Education to physical challenges with a 504 plan. That class becomes multiple classes in one.”

“Politicians, business leaders, or even most parents do not know how to best educate a room full of students, many of whom do not want to be there or have extenuating circumstances that contribute to their apathy.”  

“Teachers are on the frontlines every day and we have insight unlike any other entity in a school. It goes without saying that moving forward, if we are to attract the best and the brightest teachers, we need to reward their service by upholding the inviolable contract [pension promise] and offering a salary which is comparable to [others in the private sector with the same job requirements].”

“I didn’t sign up for overly-digitized classrooms, high stakes test scores, burnt-out students and colleagues, micro-managing administrators, mental health counseling, not being considered an expert in my field, active shooter drills, [teachers carrying guns], feeding and clothing needy students, buying supplies out of my meager income, told to be thankful I have a job, and not able to challenge leadership. Teaching has become a soulless industrial education complex where ‘bought and sold’ politicians and education administration care more about test scores than their teachers and students.”

While a pack of pencils, a slice of pizza in the teacher’s lounge, and a free ticket to the movies will not show the appreciation and respect that teachers deserve, teachers do appreciate those gestures.

But do you know what would really show appreciation for teachers/educators?

Teachers need you to vote for candidates who show appreciation and respect for public schools, teachers, and the profession of teaching.

What teachers deserve is a show of respect for their line of work, the miracles they make happen every day. They are the roots, and if they aren’t cared for, the growth of all they touch will suffer.

It reminds me of the Soul classic by Aretha Franklin:

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T…find out what it means to me...I get tired…You’re running out of fools…you come home…and find out I’m gone.”

They are already gone in many areas.

No wonder there is a teacher shortage that is real, large, and growing. Teachers are the pillars of every community, especially rural communities in our region, our state, and across the country.

Let’s reward Teachers who impart their understanding which we all need!

 “Those who know, do; those who understand, teach” Aristotle