Teaching Updated

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future."
-John F. Kennedy

A while back, myself and others engaged in the idea or definition of, "what is a professional?" It's funny the issues that were raised especially in light of our American culture, what we value, and how unlikely we are to step into another's shoes. Now, while I say that hear me say that I have people whom I interact with that are the furthest from what you're about to read as can possibly be. On the other hand here's a story from last week.

My friend MK just quit her job. While we discussed her future she said her desire was to go back to school and become a kindergarten teacher. In response another girl said, "Oh that's awesome. It's a perfect job, you color, you play, you basically baby sit all day long." The immediate scowl and white knuckles could be seen through a wall of bricks yet I kept my mouth closed. Here's my thought, whatever it is you're talking about - Take off your damn shoes, set them fully aside, so they're not even in sight, so you can get a right perspective, then, walk over, put on the the other person's shoes and walk around for two full months in them and all those like it before you ever open your mouth or let your tongue hang out.

It's been too long that we walk on the lives and rights of others. We value ourselves far too much and we have illusions far from reality because few of us have ever even talked with others about their life let alone understood the meaning of walking in his or her shoes.

Here's a funny perspective on the lives of many whom I interact with daily. Could only imagine if I got paid for all that "silly planning time" I spend on Saturday morning and Sunday evening so my students enjoy coming to classroom and can grow up becoming emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually healthy people living for more than their own sake.

I, for one, am sick and tired of those high paid teachers. Their hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work nine or ten months a year! It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do... baby-sit! We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right...I would give them $3.00 an hour and only for the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time. That would be $15 a day. Each parent should pay $15 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now, how many do they teach in a day.... maybe 25? Then that's $15 X 25=$375 a day. But remember they only work 180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for any vacations. Let's see... that's 375x180=$67,500. (Hold on, my calculator must need batteries!) What about those special teachers or the ones with master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage just to be fair. Let's round it off to $6.00 an hour. That would be $6 X 5 hours X 25 children X 180 days =$135,000.00 per year. Wait a minute, there is something wrong here!!! (There sure is!)