Back to work

I've had July off from work - and since it's the end of July, I'll be going back soon. It's a good job by almost every standard. I like the people I work for and with. My office is nice, pay is good, I feel valued, I'm pretty high on the food chain, and I'm in a position to direct my my day so that it's interesting and fun. So why is my resume ready. Well there's overload - too much in too little time - there's weariness with State mandates from politicians who are clueless about the realities of education - there's convoluted attitudes, beliefs & assumptions about what education can and can not accomplish - and worst of all, there's can't wait to go home and there's wondering what else is out there.

I've worked in Education all my life. My job has certainly has changed over the past 25 years - and so have the students we serve. But Education hasn't really changed - still the old agrarian model with summers off, still the sacred cows (don't mess with the sports schedule, don't mess with "neighborhood schools") ; still the "educators are paid too much" moaning, still the philosophy of do more with less, still the dumping ground where all social problems must be solved. So, the computers are ancient, the roofs are leaking and the class sizes are going up, and good teachers (young and old) are leaving the profession in droves. At the same time, the expectations are out of sight. Without a partnership model, schools are responsible for translating content benchmarks into life lessons for all students, no matter the social, economic or biological baggage he or she may bring to the school. - a sows ear into a silk purse - no exceptions so get busy. And of course, if those scores on the ever changing tests don't rise, the politicians need only point fingers toward the smucks at the local level.

Alfie Kohn is one of my favorite writers. (http://www.alfiekohn.org/index.html) He once wrote me that if your tired of dancing to their tune, start making some music of your own. I don't know how to do that without getting smacked down with the attitudes, beliefs, & assumptions part.

So, I'll keep going to work - and doing my best, but my resume is out there. I can contribute A LOT- but I don't think I can do it in education. I'm not worn out, just spinning my wheels. There's got to be more.