More Denver

One Reply to “More Denver”

1. Let’s see… I got a 1410 on my SAT’s (690 verbal and 720 math). I have two undergraduate degrees from a UC where I aced classes like genetics and organic chemistry. I work incredibly hard and seek professional development whenever I can. I became a teacher because I wanted to work with low income kids, and my students consistently make tremendous growth on their standardized tests. Above and beyond that, every year students call me after school gets out and tell me that summer vacation is boring compared to being in my class.
   The money is pretty much meaningless to me. I turned down a higher paying job in another district because I wanted to work with a lower income socienomic population. It’s the lack of respect and inability to do my job as I see fit that is about to make me leave teaching. All of the policy wonks, politicians, and reporters fail to recognize the human and emotional aspect of teaching in low income schools. You really can’t know what it feels like to work in and become a part of these communities if you haven’t done it. In order to do the job well you must put your heart and soul into your work. Every time an administrator keeps you from doing your job to the best of your ability, or the public insinuates that the people in your profession are worthless, it becomes just a little bit harder to keep on giving. The absolute lack of respect shown in the idea that people should be paid according to their test scores is enough to tip the scales for me from considering leaving the profession to walking out the door and never coming back. I don’t care if I personally would benefit from my students’ high test scores. It was never about the money.

   (I posted this comment at that website too)