Current discussions lean toward scapegoating educators, which itself is enough to sap their energies, patience and good humor. The stress is mounting and when all of this begins to play out, we stand to lose dedicated individuals to the corporate sector. I don't have a crystal ball and I might be way off the mark, but I have long felt that teachers are underpaid and undervalued in this culture. Perhaps it is because the impact of good teaching is not always immediately apparent. Just as ripples pulse outward when a pebble lands in still water, so does good teaching contribute to the well-being of a child and ultimately to the society in which that child is raised.
Good teachers are everywhere.
The contributions they make are priceless. The challenges they face and the struggles they endure on behalf of children could never be adequately compensated financially. We could not begin to pay them what they are worth. The sum total of their efforts can never really be measured objectively because good teachers practice an art, not a science. Gratitude should be the prevailing sentiment as we seek to forge a partnership for educational excellence.