My favourite part was when she said "Teaching is an artform, not a science, these are not widgets, they are children"
or when she described her husband as having "squishyheart" (putting light on a tense situation), but I guess that's not relevant to the discussion here
This isn't something I personally have never given much thought to, so my comments are just going to be brief and kind of first-impressiony.
I think it is interesting to note at the very outset the extensive relief this teacher has to finally be able "To speak out loud" about what the issues are facing the present-day educational system. It makes me wonder; are teachers not permitted to freely express their criticisms or suggestions for improvements, because they are afraid of being punished by their superiors? If so, that is disheartening. You would think teachers, of all people, would be able to gather together and have productive conversations concerning the direction of the children's future.
at a certain point she expresses her disdain over the bureaucratization of the educational institution, where a school is rated based on grading systems and there is a high level of pressure for job-performativity. This seems to be a condition which effects many modern institutions, but the difference here is that when the children are being turned into statistics it can overwhelm a teacher who has a lot of expectations on her, and being around overwhelmed people can't be good for a child.
Can anyone tell my why it is just generally accepted that teachers should have low wages? They always resignedly point this out.
Are they purposefully not funding public schools because they don't want too many people rising above working-class conditions?
another side; Is it teachers that form great students?
Should teachers view themselves as being anything more than the caretaker of the children, the ones who watch over the children while the parents go to work, and teach them the basics of the system to help them grow up and become one with the system?
Do great teachers leave because they realize that their ideal will never be achieved, that they are not in fact there to help children learn, but rather to get children through to the next, class, semester, grade, etc?
I personally cannot recall a single one of my teachers. None of them stood out to me.
Mediocrity would exist with or without teachers, the only thing greater educational systems does is teach mediocrity how to blend in better.
With all that said, I still would strongly support the idea of smaller class-sizes. I don't get why its so hard for somebody to make this happen. What the fuck are we all paying taxes for anyways?!
But I suppose many smart and able people have been fighting for educational reforms for a long time and are getting nowhere, so it seems like things are looking bleak.