Mission Possible: + Giveaway
Stagnation, being unable to accomplish one’s job at a high level, is one of the greatest sources of low teacher morale. Why do you think this country treats teaching so differently than it does other professions?
Becoming a teacher is not something to enter into lightly. It is not a good “fall back” career, you are not likely to become a wealthy teacher, there is little fame, since each school likely only has one principal, there is very little room for promotion. Teachers have to have excellent people skills, organizational skills and motivational skills.
However, many of us view those who decide to go into teaching as failures. We act as if they are teaching because it is all they can do.
Of course, these attitudes are wrong! Teaching is an important career, and it can be very rewarding, if you change your view of rewards.
Every year, parents across the country entrust their most precious, beloved family members, their sons and daughters to the care of teachers.
We trust teachers to mold, teach and inspire our children.
We don’t always give teachers the tools that they need.
Teachers need our trust and support. Teachers need parents to back them up. Teachers need us to teach our children to respect their teachers.
Of course, this is a two way street. Teachers also have to respect their jobs, and give their students their all as well. In the end, it really is more about the kids, and what they gain, than recognition for the teacher.
Recently I had the opportunity to read the book, Mission Possible by Eva Moskowitz and Arin Lavinia. What I read was an inspiring fresh look at education and proof that expecting excellence from our students produces positive results!
Mi
ssion Possible was written by former New York City Council Member, Erin Moskowitz, who founded and is the CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools. She founded the first school, in Harlem, with the belief that principals and teachers hold the keys to academic excellence. She demanded that the adults in the schools work harder and improved their performance. She raised the bar for academic excellence, and had the belief that children can and will rise to adult expectations. This book shows how changes were made in the lives of underprivileged students by pushing them towards academic success.
The book is peppered with examples from Arin Lavina’s THINK Literacy, which is a common sense approach to balanced literacy.
I found myself smiling, nodding and agreeing as I read through this idealistic, and yet totally realistic view of education.
I also found myself thankful that even though my children are not enrolled in a Success Academy, they have teachers and principals that truly care and push my children towards excellence!
I have an additional copy of Mission Possible to give away to one of my smart, smart readers! It also includes a DVD with Success Academy teachers in action! This book is perfect for teachers, parents, policy makers, or anyone who cares for children! Simply enter here, on my Rafflecopter form!
disclosure: I was compensated for this post. However, as usual, all opinions are 100% my own!
I love this! I have recently watched a documentary on Netflix about these charter schools too and found it very interesting, yet sad that not all kids can have an education like this at this time!
My favorite teacher when I was growing up was my 4th and 5th grade teacher Mr. Water’s, he was a wonderful teacher that took the time to get to know his students as more then just students and tried to work with each of us as much as possible, he really made a positive impact on my love of learning!
Those kind of teachers really make an impact, don’t they?
Twitter: dakotapam
Miss Smith, my 4th grade teacher, continues to inspire me today. As I begin another school year of teaching (my 9th already), I think of how much she taught me in the classroom. She certainly influenced me to be the teacher that I am today.
Have a great year! Thank you for all that you do!
Twitter: dakotapam
My favorite teacher was my English teacher. I was lucky to have had her from 8th through 12th grade in our little school. She challenged us and still made class fun. She inspired me to go into teaching.
One of my favorites was an English teacher as well, even though I hated writing at the time! Who knew that I would eventually make a living with my words!
Twitter: dakotapam
I loved all my teachers but the teacher that made the most impact might have been Mrs. Rudy. I had her for fourth thru sixth grade. I went to a small school in ND where the teachers all had multiple grades but she was strict but fair. She knew our families and our heritage. She developed habits we needed in college. She read to us everyday and let us work at our own pace if we were ahead of the class. Not an easy thing since many of us scored 98 and 99th percentile in national testing. I moved later in HS and was appalled at the quality of education in a much larger school in a different state.
Strict but fair teachers re the best! My son had one for 4th grade this last year ans she was so good! He grew so much that year! Thanks for sharing!
Twitter: dakotapam
I had a seventh grade English teacher who boosted my confidence–she always knew the right thing to say. She saw me for who I was, and some of the lessons she taught me I still remember to this day.
(Like how to spell restaurant. Ha!)
Twitter: EssieBurns