I admit to a not-so-secret vice of reading People magazine and watching TMZ, but I don't pay much attention to celebrities' opinions. My eye did catch an article about an interview in which the actor Matt Damon was being asked about teacher tenure. The interviewer wanted to know whether he thought teachers who have tenure lack the incentive to be hard workers. Apparently, Matt Damon has to work hard as an actor because he doesn't have job security.
"You think job insecurity makes me work hard?" the actor asked in disbelief. "A teacher wants to teach. Why else would you take a sh*tty salary and really long hours and do that job unless you really love to do it?"
Not that I have tenure in my "right to work" state, but amen, Mr. Damon, amen.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/actor-matt-damon-defends-teacher-tenure-testy-exchange-211042801.htmlld
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
And so it begins . . .
This summer as I was reflecting back over the past school year, I realized that I don't really take time to do that during the school year. I decided that starting a blog would be a way that I could encourage myself to take time to reflect on my practice on a more regular basis. I hope to use my blog to write about things that excite me, perplex me, and maybe even occasionally annoy me - kind of like a virtual diary. I don't really know how it will end up, but that's where I'm starting.
I'm good working on a deadline, so I set August 1st as the date to start. I know a lot about teaching, but I'm not the greatest, technologically speaking. I tell my children that I am just an immigrant in their virtual world - in fact I asked one of my children to help me set this up and she ended up doing it for me and then I couldn't remember how to access the blog and I almost missed my self-imposed deadline. Grr. I actually think it's a good thing that I struggle a bit with all the technology; it reminds me to be more perceptive of those students I have who need some time to master concepts.
Well, today was the first day the teachers at my school were allowed to go in, so of course I was up at 5:30 this morning. I figure if after 28 years I'm still excited to set up the classroom, I must have chosen the right profession. We have a new principal and if the atmosphere in the building isn't quite electric, it is way pumped up over the past couple of years. It's great to have a leader who's enthusiastic and energetic. Change is good.
I'm good working on a deadline, so I set August 1st as the date to start. I know a lot about teaching, but I'm not the greatest, technologically speaking. I tell my children that I am just an immigrant in their virtual world - in fact I asked one of my children to help me set this up and she ended up doing it for me and then I couldn't remember how to access the blog and I almost missed my self-imposed deadline. Grr. I actually think it's a good thing that I struggle a bit with all the technology; it reminds me to be more perceptive of those students I have who need some time to master concepts.
Well, today was the first day the teachers at my school were allowed to go in, so of course I was up at 5:30 this morning. I figure if after 28 years I'm still excited to set up the classroom, I must have chosen the right profession. We have a new principal and if the atmosphere in the building isn't quite electric, it is way pumped up over the past couple of years. It's great to have a leader who's enthusiastic and energetic. Change is good.
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