August 3, 2011

In Defense of Teachers

When I first went to college I wanted to be a teacher. I would have been 4th generation on my dad's side of the family and 5th generation on my mom's side. Plus I have 4 aunts who are teachers, and a cousin who just graduated with a degree in education, and my older brother who will probably eventually teach.

The #1 reason I decided NOT to be a teacher, honestly, was the money. Followed closely by a horrible experience substituting for 7th graders where I realized there was no way I wanted to spend every week day watching other people's kids. I didn't have the patience to teach them things they didn't know. It's harder when it's other people's kids than your own!

However, my life was shaped by many great teachers, first and foremost, my parents who were both public school teachers. They were the people who, despite me not wanting to learn anything on family vacations, or in everyday lessons, taught me. And then my favorite teachers growing up: Miss Coughlin (for the 4th grade), Mrs. Cailler (7th grade English), Dr. Lyombe Eko at UMaine and Dr. Paul Grossweiler at UMaine (two Communications professors who shaped what would be my career after graduation.) Thank you Matt Damon for putting this out there...

http://www.newser.com/story/124954/matt-damon-defends-teachers-wins-internet-love-video.html

1 comment:

Kirsten said...

Excellent post, Kate! But I have to ask: How could you not love the little sevies (7th graders)? They were my faces when I student taught this spring! Hehe ;-)