My dearest LK is faithful about staying up-to-date on what is happening in the world around us. He faithfully check the Globe and Mail in the mornings to check in with the world. When he reads something that he thinks I would be interested in (usually articles on education - I am not nearly as broad in my interests as he is) he sends me a link.
Yesterday I read the latest article he sent a link to. The article was discussing the EQAO testing and the fact that the Ontario Federation of Teachers is calling for the test to be looked at; is it helpful, effective, cost-effective?
Now, I should know better than to read the comments on education articles. But dialogue is such a key part of examining an idea more deeply for me. So I foolishly clicked on the comments and waded in.
That was a mistake. It seems to me that most Canadians hate teachers. At least most Canadians who comment on education articles in the Globe and Mail hate teachers. I have not read an article in the education section where the comments do not degenerate in a teacher-bashing party. It is very discouraging.
Usually I get all angry and fired up after reading the comments and want to personally email all of them and invite the walk a mile in my shoes before judging me. I want to rant about the unfairness of judging an entire profession based on a small sampling. I don't think all dentists are out to defraud me because I had one bad experience with a dentist. If I did, most people would tell my I am being ridiculous.
Why is it okay to do this with teachers?
Since I can't do that, I am learning not to take all the bashing personally, and am starting to be able to focus on the comments where people actually comment on the news, not the profession. But there were over 400 comments to wade through. Any idea how many were actually commenting on the article? Less than 100. Sad.
Between the difficulty in getting a job and the major hate-on Canadians have for our teacher, it's a miracle that there are still so many young people who want to be teachers out there.
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A journal reflecting on the various aspects of my life - work, relationships, hobbies, errands - while learning to recognize and experience God's presence in this moment.
About Me
- EK
- Ontario, Canada
- No longer thirty-something. Still a wife, mother and teacher. Trying to keep it in that order. Looking to find Waldo and follow His will in daily life.
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1 comment:
Somewhat on topic, somewhat not; I heard on the CBC this summer about how many online news sources are reconsidering how comments are posted on their websites. Annonymity gives cowards the opportunity to be rude and say things they never would if they had to identify their full names and home towns.
People expect the world of their kids' teachers. If more parents saw the value of a parent/teacher cooperation rather than a parent vs. teacher battle, our children would get the best of both worlds. When kiddos realize that their parents don't support their teachers... well... we've both experiences what happens.
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