Advocate for Your Students

Something that I have always valued very much is teaching as a profession. I'll never forget my interview with Chapin Middle. Someone asked me where I saw myself in 10 years. I said, "teaching." That's because I do not recognize a higher calling than teaching; I do not believe that there is a profession above it or even a position above it. I've never viewed teachers as "grunt workers" or the "bottom level' of the education profession. Rather, I see teachers as the backbone of education--where the rubber meets the road. I believe that it doesn't matter what mandates come down from district or school level--in my classroom, I am responsible for the education of my students. I am free to determine how that is best achieved.

As a new teacher, my eyes were full of ideals and Utopian school systems. Recently, however, I have become discouraged with how it appears teachers are viewed in our district and in our state. I see teaching as the epitome of the educational system; others appear to view it as a demotion. That's way I was overjoyed to read this section by Routman: "Renowned educational researcher Richard Allington advocates that we examine our state's code of ethics for teachers...and use that code to disavow unprofessional practices. He goes so far as to recommend that we say, "Please put in writing that you want me to violate the state code of professional ethics." To me, this implies that it is our duty as teachers to stop bad methods and practices before they become common place. It says that we don't have to "roll with the punches." I believe Routman expressed this as taking ourselves, as teachers, OUT of the role of the victim and into a role of empowerment, for ourselves and for our students.

This all goes back to what Routman was saying about common sense. Since when aren't teachers the experts? We need to believe in ourselves as professionals, and not be afraid to say, "NO. That is not in the best interest of students." This is not to say that I don't believe in change or experimenting with new practices; I do. But let's face it: we all know that doing one thing--one initiative, one strategy--well would far better benefit our students than adopting several initiatives poorly.

Routman gave a personal experience in this chapter that I also feel is important for administrators to understand about teachers. Routman described a situation in which a teacher asked her opinion of her word wall. At the time, that particular teacher was not looking for criticism, and Routman restrained herself from providing it--constructive or otherwise. Later, when the teacher came back and asked for constructive criticism, she was receptive when Routman provided it. This is huge: we can only handle what we are ready to handle. Good teachers want to master one thing before we jump into something else; sometimes we know something can be revised for the better but we have to experiment first to figure out what works for us and what works for kids. Those two things work hand in hand: no method, no matter how proven, will work for a teacher who does not believe in it. That's why all our classrooms can look so different and yet all be productive--traditional, edgy or otherwise. Good teaching comes from the teacher--the methods may vary.