A Tribute to Teachers
The teaching profession has come into the limelight as a result of the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The teaching profession is one which has great impact on society and the actions of teachers in their actions to keep their children safe should not be forgotten. The leaders of tomorrow pass through the teachers in our school system and what they learn and how they learn impacts the knowledge they will need to enter the workforce. While not a teacher myself by profession I have taught classes and those who were being taught were learning valuable information. Each subject being taught today have different levels of importance some more than others in relation to the jobs the children of today will have tomorrow.
Many subjects are being taught today which were never thought of in years past and some subjects have been updated to provide the needed talents for the workforce of tomorrow. The needs of society are constantly changing and the efforts of teachers and schools to provide the curriculum to the leaders of tomorrow cannot be ignored. It is also important to ensure that the teachers within our school systems have the resources and training to provide the guidance for the subjects they are teaching their students. Sometimes this can be expensive but the leaders of tomorrow deserve the best.
Our school system within states and on a national level is one of the best if not the best in the world. An example of this is the fact that many individuals from foreign countries come to our schools to get the quality education they need to benefit their individual countries. Does our school system have issues without question the answer is a yes. Individuals have different capacities to learn and some subjects are easier for some individuals and harder for others.
The methods which teachers use today are an important factor in achieving success in preparing their students for the workforce of tomorrow. While class size can be an issue in our public school systems it is less of an issue in a college or university environment. It is important that class size be at a manageable level in our public schools to allow teachers to reach out to those students who need the extra help. Another point to make with regards to the teaching profession is the need for teachers to create their lesson plans for each school day. This cannot be accomplished within the school day itself but must be accomplished during their free time.
I am proud of the overall quality of the teachers within our school systems and there are efforts in many areas to recognize teachers who take the extra mile to be the best for their students. Are there bad or poor teachers, yes but there are also many great ones who have a positive impact on their students and many times it is the students who nominate their teachers for the recognition they deserve. Teachers are individuals and as such have different needs with regards to the resources they need to become good or great teachers. One of the challenges of our school system today is addressing those who are considered to be bad or poor teachers to help them become good or great teachers. The system must address this issue for a system is only as good as its weakest link.
Teachers also exist in private industry as new processes or technology are created and utilized. The needs of society are constantly changing and will be changing for the foreseeable future with the ever changing technology we are experiencing. The capacity to learn is an important trait that can be instilled in students through our public school systems and teachers are on the front line to accomplish it. Another important fact associated with teachers is the need to make their subjects something students enjoy. When students enjoy the subjects they are being taught they tend to learn more and retain more for future use. True some subjects do not lend themselves to create an environment for enjoyment of students but they are necessary to have a well-rounded education. In these subjects it is important to establish the connection of subjects to the needs of society and to point to the fact it is unknown what positions students may fill in the future.
Teachers are a critical element in our education system for without them the needs of society and our country would not be satisfied. There are constant efforts or suggestions to improve our school system but the question who should be the ones who decide what our school systems need. I believe that schools should be under the control of local communities with guidance from their state to address the needs of the businesses within their state and community. If the needs of businesses impacted by local schools are being met it is a key element of a successful school system and one which could bring more jobs to their community. Teachers play a big part in meeting the needs of local businesses through the methods they utilize for the subject they are assigned to teach.