Real Captivity is Inside Your Mind

I went to Las Vegas recently, and inside one of the hotels, there were lions on display in a glass enclosure. The enclosure was pretty big, held toys, water, food, and all sorts of artificial habitat items.

From the information that was available about the "attraction," I gathered that the lions in the enclosure were actually not there every single day. They did a short stint, and then were subbed out. I guess they do this so that the lions don't suffer any adverse effects from being gawked at for 24hrs at a time in a city that never sleeps.

Watching them brought back a few memories from a few years back.

While I was doing my teacher-training program there came a day when we had the opportunity to take ourselves on a field trip. We were specifically asked to partner-up and visit a local attraction with the purpose of evaluating what features made it an attractive field trip.

I went to the zoo.

I picked the zoo because although I know that I had been there before (perhaps as a child), I couldn't remember what it was like there, what my impressions had been, or even what animals were on display.

Immediately upon arrival we were greeted by some elephants that were chained up outside the front of the zoo - which happened to be located directly off a busy highway road. Going inside, there wasn't too much more that put me at ease. I saw tethered birds, big cats pacing back and forth at their cage fences for hours, and other animals who seemed rather big for their enclosures.

It was upsetting. I started thinking about how kids are brought here to view these animals outside of their natural habitat. How they probably think it's "cool" that they get to see a zebra, an elephant, a hippo. How they are probably not thinking about some of the larger issues like the effects of captivity on the mental & physical well-being of a wild animal. At the time I swore that I would never bring kids on a field trip like that.

I do think that there is value in talking with kids about the effects of captivity on animals. I don't know that it would be as valuable to younger students, but I believe that older kids would be able to identify some of the stressors on an animal in captivity. And it's relevant; there are animals (wild and otherwise) in captivity all over the place. What about animals born into their situations? What about aquariums, circuses, or other shows? What about animal rescue shelters? Our own homes?

Sometimes it's absolutely better for the animal that they have been taken in. Clearly, sometimes it's worse. What I'd like students to do is to think more about the factors under which we decide that one situation is "good" and another is not. That's all I want - a conversation, a debate, a critical look -- rather than a passive acceptance or spectator sport.

With all of the live web-cam feeds into various animal habitats, I feel that zoos are becoming less of an attraction. People don't need to pay admission to see live animals if they can just turn on a computer. The same kids of conversations can still be had. The kids can still ooh and ahh. Furthermore, they can talk about it at home - and maybe parents can even join in the conversation.

So, is the zoo a good field trip? Maybe. Honestly, I don't think it's likely I would take students there. But I have changed my tune a bit about how useful it could be in terms of education. It's certainly an opportunity for a great conversation. Animals in cages; let's think outside the box!

Intimidating words

Intimidating words I read in my first article assigned for my MEd class:

eulogistic
de jure
despotically
capricious
insuperable
incommensurability
flux
inure
antithetical
obverse

Since I spend my day with teenagers, I barely get to use a word above 2 or 3 syllables... so in a way, this is a refreshing change. Or at least that's what I was thinking by the end of the first page of the article. After a few more pages, when my eyes teared up and I had shaken my head to clear it before reading a paragraph over for the umpteenth time to try and ascertain some vague meaning from it.. I decided that plain language would be better. Hey, who knows, maybe this course will make me smarter?!! :P If not more intelligent, surely a more adept thesaurusizer (is that a real word? who cares, it's 5 syllables!!).

A New Start

School starts in less than a week. Believe it or not, I always look forward to going back to work after 2 months off. I don't know what it is, but by the end of the summer I am ready to get back to it. Usually that feeling wears off quickly after school begins though... ;)

I have been going in to work for a few days to set up my classroom, and it definitely feels like I am back at work. After all, I am working. I wish I could just lead a life of leisure! D'oh...

This year, not only am I taking on a major practicum student-teacher, but I am also going to be working toward my Masters degree in Educational Practice. I have had student teachers before, so I know what I am getting myself into in that regard, but I have no idea how much work I will have to do for the MEd. program... and I am starting to panic. It's easy to contemplate doing all these tasks outside of regular teaching when I am relaxing during the summer, but crunch-time is quickly approaching. Will I be able to handle it? Time will tell.

Rant - During the Teacher's Strike

Well isn't it funny -- today I got called and asked to answer a survey about my post-secondary exploits. And one of the questions they asked me was what I do in my job as a TEACHER.

Like, holy crow, as if anyone can do that in one sentence:
- create and develop curriculum, unit & lesson plans for all subject areas
- teach all subject areas, including: Math, Science, English, French, Social Studies, Drama, Art, CAPP and Physical Education
- integrate learning activities to address tactile, auditory, visual and billion other types of learners
- do a zillion hours of marking every week (one of my my least favourite parts)
- use authentic assessment activities from a variety of sources; provide feedback to students and myself
- run an integrated Advisory program
- address all of my students' academic, social, and behavioural needs
- develop adapted and modified learning plans for students that are: Learning Disabled, ESL, Gifted, Emotionally Challenged, Physically Challenged, Behaviourally Challenged, Special Needs
- deal with conflict, racism, bullying, hormones, drug use, sexual actvity, child abuse & neglect
- communicate effectively with all parents regularly via email, telephone, interviews, formal and informal reports
- evaluate student performance in all academic, social & behavioural areas
- sit on several commitees that promote the academic, behavioural, or social development of students
- attend mandatory workshops on Professional Days to develop and improve my own skills
- give up lunch hours, break times, and after school time to volunteer to coach sports teams throughout the year, and sponsor clubs
- participate in the Intramurals program
- offer extra help and tutorials before and after school, as often as possible
- develop meaningful connections with students (that's my most favourite part actually)
- attend and coordinate school events and other functions that happen outside of regular school time
- act as a parent, counselor, arbitrator, mediator, disciplinarian, judge, jury, confidante, advocate.

I'm going to stop here. Making a list like this is frustrating because putting some of these items in point form, doesn't do justice to their scope. And if you're not a teacher, you might see similarities among points when in fact they don't overlap in the slightest. There's SO much involved with teaching that doing this job for a week wouldn't really give an accurate picture of what the school year is like.

It's the most difficult, challenging, at times demoralizing, frustrating, sad and scary job I have ever done. But it's also meaningful, inspiring, rewarding, joy-filled, pride-filled and the best experience I have ever had. I love going to school. I love working with kids, getting to know them as people and helping them succeed in even the smallest endeavors (which may or may not be academic).

Let's keep in mind though, that I have only been teaching for 5 years. Is it any wonder why teachers have a super high burn-out rate? Is it any wonder why so many new teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years? If you care enough about what you do, you put 200% into everything -- and the responsibilities never end, and there's always more you could be doing.

Yes, teachers are underpaid. I know we aren't the only ones. But nobody gets into teaching for the money. I don't really care that I spent 7 years in university, have worked 5 years in my chosen field, and only make 45 grand a year. I wish it was more, so that I didn't have to carry the huge debtload that I incurred after university. At the moment I am doing coursework to improve my position on the payscale. Yes, MORE education on top of my job. This is my first semester -- we'll see how it goes, hopefully I can avoid dropping out, quitting my job, or having a nervous breakdown.

But my working conditions? The students' learning conditions? That is just going too far. I don't give a flying fig about a pay raise if you put 10 more kids in my class. Having 30 teenagers in one room is more than enough for one person to handle, thankyouverymuch. There's only one of me!! The more students there are, the less I am able to help them. And they all need their own particular brand of help.

Plus, the more kids I get with special needs or learning disabilities, the more time I spend on them. Which would be great if I was TRAINED to help those kids. I'm not. I'm a generalist -- kinda like a jack of all trades. Master of none? I'd like to be Master of some, anyways. Other kids that need a little extra help can't get it if all my time is taken up dealing with a Special Needs student, explaining to an ESL student, or calming down a Severe Behavioural student. All those kids need to have support in order to succeed in the classroom! One teacher can't do it all!

Anyways, there's enough stress in the job of teaching that it's hard not to feel beaten down. Then, throw the media in there and a few ignorant people that make you feel like crap. Then, have the government try to take away everything you've fought for in order to make the best learning environment for kids, and a somewhat pleasant place to work.

And here we are today. A little part of me wants to quit, because this whole thing is such a kick in the teeth. But then I shake my head, and remember what we are fighting for. The best job I've ever had! I'm not settling for less than what we deserve -- we, as in the teachers, and the students.