I feel horrible that I haven't blogged in so very long! I don't even want to look at the last date I posted. It's kind of like that friend you haven't contacted for so long. The longer you wait, the worse it gets. Some day, you just have to break the chain of "it's been so long's" and just DO it. So, here I am.
It's been a dry spell for a number of reasons. Like everyone else, the holiday season knocks me off my schedule in all sorts of ways. Plus, book marketing is turning out to be a very tricky thing for me. The great thing, when you don't have an agent, is that you can do whatever you want to do. The sky's the limit! However, that's also one of the worst things. Discipline is a tool that is crucial to the success of any item you're trying to market. My other big hangup is my complete lack of desire to self-promote. I've never liked asking for money, sponsors, or donors. Similarly, I really don't like asking people to buy and read my book. That's where my thinking has been skewed.
In the middle of a luncheon with a dear teacher friend this past week, it hit me that it is SO not about me. I began this whole process to be a voice for TEACHERS. That, my reader friend, is STILL NEEDED, thus the title for this belated blog. It was like looking in a mirror, at myself, three short years ago. My dear teacher friend is frantic, losing sleep over the amount of testing she is forced to administer. Her team is dysfunctional, and the curriculum dry and bland. Her marriage is floundering due to the overabundance of hours grading those tests and preparing lengthy lesson plans that do not make her one bit more of a better teacher. Her children are having a rough year, largely due to the fallout of having both parents as educators and all the stress that entails. She is sick of being sick, going to doctor after doctor on her "vacation" days. The threat of a true nervous breakdown looms over her like a big black cloud. Her hair is falling out. Her life is falling apart. She is trying to figure out how to make it through to the end of her contract. She declares there is one thing she does know in all of this chaos. She looked me straight in the eye and said, "I will NOT be signing another teaching contract!"
My heart is broken. This is not just any teacher, my friends. This is someone you would trust with your kids and grand-kids. This is a solid, Christian, God-fearing woman. This is a professional who has not only taken hundreds of hours of professional development, she has also taught many as well. She has been a crucial part in the success of many students over her many years of teaching. These students love her and stay in touch with her long after the summer vacations begin. She is an integral part of her school community. Any school would be very lucky to have her on their staff.
Like I said in my book, my story is not the only one. This sad story is being played out all over our nation. It's going on in rural and urban schools; on the west and the east coast; in Title 1 schools and in wealthy ones alike; in A++ schools and in failing ones; in ones with healthy, thriving PTA's and in ones without any parent involvement. It is sickening. How many lives will have to be ruined (both teachers and students alike) for people to take notice?
Though completely saddened to hear her pour her heart out, I walked out of the restaurant feeling bound and determined to continue to spread the message. The message is that the system is breaking our teachers --- good-willed, excellent, veteran, well-loved, professional educators. This is not good. This is not right.
So, what advice did I give her? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. I did encourage her to take care of herself, because if her health fails any more, she will not be able to give anything to anybody else. I suggested that she do the things asked of her to the best of her ability to maintain her integrity. Although she's been given advice to just "screw it", she feels so uncomfortable with that, and so would I. I assured her that there is light at the end of the tunnel, just four months away. I told her I hoped she could take a few months off in between jumping from teaching to whatever company will be blessed to have her next. I'm so hoping she can regroup, gather her sense, and regain her health and sense of well-being. Both being women of faith, we agreed that the most powerful thing she could do was pray for strength, wisdom, and peace. If you believe in the power of prayer, we would both appreciate it if you would keep her in yours this week. Thank you.
