Let Me Teach

CC, RTI, PLC, NCLB, NGSS…know what these acronyms mean? You do if you are an “educator”. Do you know why I say, “educator”? Because we aren’t allowed to teach any more. We are required to educate based on the newest set of letters to hit the academic spectrum. Don’t know what the newest letters are? Better figure it out because your administration does and they want you to follow it. Haven’t been to any meetings or trainings about it? Be prepared because it’s coming. Then, ask your school system…Let me teach.

Why is the failure of the American system of education always blamed on the teachers? Yet, successes are given to a set of letters if the school system follows it? “This is the newest and greatest thing we’ve ever seen!” Until the next one comes around… The only thing ALL of these programs are doing is causing teachers to have to take MORE time away from actual teaching to spend on learning about education and how to fix it. I’ll tell you how to “fix it”. Let me teach.

Why are we comparing ourselves to the Chinese? They are more successful. They have higher graduation rates. Their kids have higher scores. Would you like to know why? It starts at home. When a student “isn’t getting it”, the parents help out. They don’t go asking the teacher why the teacher failed. They EXPECT their student to do the work. They don’t wait until parent conferences to find out what’s going on. They talk to their kids. They set high expectations. They allow their teachers to be professionals and trust the teachers’ judgments. They let their teachers teach.

Our students are throwing around words like depression, bipolar, and even migraine like they are badges or, better yet, excuses.  “I didn’t do my homework last night because I was too depressed.” (Yes, that is an ACTUAL excuse I’ve heard) “I tried, but I didn’t understand it Can you help me?” This is a thing of the past. Parents are not holding their students responsible the way ours did, the way I try to with my own. We are expected to know every problem the students have and try to find a way to work around their issues within the classroom and their assignments. Some teachers are so scared of parents; they have become willing to do work for students. I have a better idea. Let me teach.

Post a Photo With No Makeup? Are You Nuts??!!

The no-makeup-selfie has hit the Internet. It’s in support of breast cancer awareness. I have to say, when it hit, I thought it was the best one, yet. Let’s face it, the whole bra color and where your purse is at the moment were really just a tease to men. That’s the reason I chose not to participate in either of those. It didn’t raise awareness; it just piqued curiosity and made men wonder what women were up to.

I recently read something posted by a breast cancer survivor. She states that it isn’t brave for women to go without makeup and post it for everyone to see. She sees it as a slap in the face of those who’ve survived cancer. I respectfully choose to disagree with her statements. I do see it as a form of support. By my way of thinking, most women who are going through chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation treatments probably don’t feel much like using their energy reserves to don their face covering on a daily basis. At least, that’s been my experience. Short of shaving our heads, going without makeup for something that can be seen over and over is a pretty solid way of saying we support you, Ladies.

While there are many women who go without makeup every day, there are those who cannot and will not go without. I am in love with my makeup. In my purse are seven different shades of lipstick, two shades of liner, and extra mascara. I do NOT like to be seen without my makeup. I have many friends who feel the same way. Southern women are even more likely to struggle with this form of support, which makes it so strong to me. We are taught to not even go to the store without lipstick and mascara at a minimum. It’s just a thing. A thing we do.

Most of us do not have first-hand experience going through cancer. We don’t know the pain felt and haven’t experienced the sickness women feel from all the chemicals being forced into their bodies. We can’t know the horror, fear, worry, stress, and despair women feel when they get that unwanted diagnosis. But, we do what we can. We support our friends through it. We hold their hands. We fix meals. We call, write, text, drop in, and cry with our sick sisters. We love, we show support, we raise funds, and, we post selfies with no makeup. You go, Ladies. Be brave and be bare.

#mcm and #wcw Can your relationship survive?

#mcm and #wcw are getting to be a pretty big deal. Why? I suppose I could understand if a person were single and wanted to post a picture of a celebrity. Or, a single person might actually want to get the attention of his or her TRUE crush and doesn’t know another way. That’s fine. That’s cool. But, WHY would a married or committed person feel the need to do it?

Ok. I get it. We all have our favorite actors and actresses. But, when does being a “fan” turn into “fanatic” (yes, I know that’s what “fan stands for, but, I feel that the connotation is different) or “fantasy”? When does it turn into disrespect? That’s the issue I have with it. If my husband posted a picture of a celebrity as his “woman crush”, I would be ticked. I’m pretty sure a lot of women would be. It has nothing to do with whether or not the person is attainable. It’s because, may women would say,  “I know what HE’S thinking about her when he posts that picture!” Really? Exactly what are YOU thinking when you do it?

I feel like it would be very disrespectful to my husband if I were to post a picture of another man as my “man crush”.  Am I going to cross paths with a celebrity one day who will confess his undying love? Heck no. That’s not the issue. The issue is, posting that picture would tell others I am not 100% satisfied in my relationship.  I think it would make couples feel like they are not each other’s ideal mate and that they have yet another thing to live up to, that they can’t, because, let’s face it, so few of us get to post airbrushed, touched up, professional pictures for everyone to drool over. THAT is wherein lies the biggest problem.

These “crushes” are usually fake. Not that they aren’t real people. They certainly are real people. However, the photos that make their way to us are NOT what the people actually look like. They are what professionals WANT you to see, want you to want, want you to want to be., and, dare I say, want you to want your partner to be. Sorry. Give me real any day.

Here’s another item to think about. It may start innocently enough. But, what if, just, what IF, some guy sees that “crush” post and doesn’t think a gal is happy? What if he decides to “be her friend” because she’s obviously looking for more? What if she’s flattered and starts thinking she is looking for more because he thinks she is because she posted a picture of a celebrity as her “crush”. What if the friend slightly resembles the celebrity? Yeah. Sure. It’s a lot of speculation. But, many a thing starts out innocently enough. So, my question is this, #mcm and #wcw, can your relationship survive it?