Disappointed

I must say that today was the first time I was disappointed in Oprah. Today, she highlighted the new movie "Waiting for Superman: the Movement that Could Revolutionize Waiting for Superman."

I hate when movies like this are published. Are these people who did it even educators? At one point someone on the show said that if children are tracked based on performance, low performing students are placed with bad teachers.

Really?

Have you been in my classroom. I have low performing students, and I am NOT a bad teacher. A child from the show was quoted as saying, "I don't test well, so I would have been put in low classes with teachers who are safe because they have tenure, but don't really care about their job."

Yes, that may be true in THAT school, but not in mine. But because they picked this school, everyone will then have the worst perception of American schools. Do you really have any idea what we go through on a daily basis? We have kids who are homeless, parents are divorced and fighting over the kid, abused children, the list could go on and on. And despite ALL of this I TEACH, and I expect that EVERY child can learn. Bill Gates said on the program that outside of 'special' schools, there is no achievement. Bulls***. Give me a break. Are there things we could all work on? OF COURSE, just like every other occupation out there.

Why don't they ever go to a school where things are going right, or find teachers who love their jobs? Instead they pick one school where only 32 out of 100 graduating seniors are prepared for college. Are there schools like this? YES, of course! I'm sure they don't mention the poverty level, or the gang activity or anything else American schools are dealing with OUTSIDE of the school.

Teachers have the hardest job in the world, and I challenge anyone to try my job for one week. Then you can stand outside and complain about public schools. We are the only occupation I know of that stay late, take work home at night and on weekends and don't get extra payment. Any other job would be billed for overtime. I'm not complaining about the amount of paperwork or the other crap I deal with because I LOVE my job. I just wish people actually realized what we did instead of just jumping on the bandwagon and bashing American education.