Schools are funny places. They are regulated by bells, and separated by subject areas. Cubicles of varying sizes house 24 children and at least one adult, sometimes more of each. If you're lucky there is a narrow window in each cubicle to let in some sunlight; we don't want children to be distracted by the outdoors, now do we? If you're a child, you can't eat, drink, or go to the washroom without asking for permission. If you are a teacher you may as well forget it. And, yet we stay with it. Keep at it. Try again. Take a deep breath and hope for the best. Love the children. Take extra classes. Attend workshops, especially if they're free; we would have to pay out of our own pocket if they weren't. What other profession does that? And, what other profession prepares everyone else to excel at theirs? And, we do. Excel I mean. It's time to shout it in the world. I...
This blog is a place to ruminate on the problems of teaching. If I am thinking thoughtfully, my posts will hopefully raise more questions than answers. By problematizing teaching we reflect on those questions that are constantly behind, in front, and at center of everything we do in the classroom. Feel free to comment. I'd love to hear what other teachers are thinking about on these and other issues. Cheers! Elisa