Thursday, September 29, 2005

If you're riding a dead horse, get off

On the 15th, I bitched about the amount of out-of-class work (not homework, but mandatory activities that must be done outside the classroom) Mr. A expects of us in American Public School. Now it turns out we have to find the time to sit in on a school district board meeting. A school district board meeting?! I don't even know what that is. What goes on? When do they have those? Who runs them? Can anyone go? We're expected to take notes by hand on a copy of the minutes. The minutes? They're going to give me a copy? Look, I work full-time. Yet another thing I have to fit into my busy schedule.

In class, we talked about formulating teaching philosophies. I think I already have one based on my Pre-K experience, which isn't to say that it won't change. I believe in the essentials, I believe in pragmatism, I believe that all children are born with a thirst for knowledge, I believe children learn best when they feel safe and loved (or, if they're older, respected). Mr. A tossed out a good one that I took note of: "I believe that part of my job is finding a way to help students succeed."

I like that.

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