Spoiled, bratty teachers are not good for kids.

Are you a big teacher baby?

For most of my teaching and facilitator/training career, I was an at will employee. At will meaning, I could be let go tomorrow, without notice.  Out of my 9 years of experience, and in my current position, my livelihood was and is  dependent SOLELY on my ability to secure acceptable evaluations and to be good at the art of delivering information. When I did have the "benefit" of being in a union, I was upset that I was voluntold to pay dues because I didn't even know what unions were good for anyway.  Now as an administrator, I'm, sadly, starting to wonder the same thing. 

Let me make this point: I'm not ANTI-UNION, I'm anti-spoiled teachers who aren't good for kids.  I think some adults waste so much time complaining about the changing parameters of Education that they are missing the point of why they got into teaching in the first place: to educate children.  Yes, children, remember them?

In my earlier teaching days, I heard stories of older teachers who were using antiquated methods to reach children.  I heard these elderly dinosaurs EXPECTED children to be well-behaved instead of establishing a clear set of expectations. I heard they did nothing more than direct instruction through lectures.  I heard they gave pop quizzes just because and believed if they taught it, and a child didn't like it, oh well.  I used to think surely age doesn't make you a teacher who defaults to counter-intuitive methods of maximizing success in the classroom, does it?  Uhhhhh, yes, it does.  I've seen it.  

While I can't disclose the direct inspiration over my frustration, I can say this.  I do, to some extent, understand the fear of change in teachers over new methods that they are told to implement.  What I DON'T and CAN'T understand is why teachers would want their practice to grow stagnant. The old adage of "if you don't use it, you lose it" is so very true when it comes to refining your craft. 

You know how top athletes get to the Olympics?  How the Lakers seem to ALWAYS get to the finals... or here's my favorite "HOW DO YOU GET TO CARNEGIE HALL"... PRACTICE!

See, I don't believe in the term "master teacher."  In fact, I hate it.  It implies that there is a destination in the field of Education.  There isn't.  There is only practice and refinement. You learn something new to keep up with modern times, you implement it, you practice it and you refine it.  Why do teachers say "the kids aren't like they used to be."  WOW...really?  What exactly do you mean by that?  I mean, our economy, our technology, architecture and yes, children are different.  You have to adapt.  If not, you can join the other loser, whiner teachers who aren't good for kids.  And you wonder why the kids don't like you. 

Have you seen adults protected by unions that stunt growth in practice?  If so, leave a comment to share your perspective below.