Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

To Online-Chat Guests: ‘Get Real’ With Answers

May 22, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

After finishing reading the transcript of your May 3, 2007, online chat “Careers in Teaching,” I’m not sure why I bothered. I am a middle school teacher with 11 years under my belt, and I love teaching and working with kids. But many administrators have become untouchable or unapproachable, to the point that I begin to wonder if they are puppets or really concerned with what’s best for kids.

It seems that every time teachers turn around, there’s a new program, idea, or practice on our plates, and the number of parents who micromanage our instruction grows each year. The incessant assessments we develop, give, and grade to justify the standards only increase—plus, we often have to reinvent them year to year. And don’t forget the constant barrage of do-more-with-less mandates. None of these daily, real-world situations was dealt with in the chat.

Sometimes I am so perplexed as to where the Pollyannas of education work. It isn’t where any of my colleagues are employed. I’m sure that wonderful schools and even districts exist—and readers who work in one should count their lucky stars—but I believe far more of us are in the complete opposite situation, and in straits more dire than the chat seemed to portray.

Overall, I’m disappointed in two things about the two chats I’ve wanted to be online for, but have had to go back and read. One, I happen to be teaching during the afternoon, which is when you tend to schedule them. And two, I’d like to say to the guests, “Get real with your answers.” Having a career in education gets harder and more disappointing by the day, and if we can’t get real answers from sources like those brought in by Education Week, then we’re going to become more and more frustrated with the state of this profession.

Dawn Harbert

Denver, Colo.

A version of this article appeared in the May 23, 2007 edition of Education Week as Pursuit of Excellence Is No Longer a Priority

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2025 Survey Results: The Outlook for Recruitment and Retention
See exclusive findings from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of K-12 job seekers and district HR professionals on recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. 
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: January 15, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Jan. 10, 2025
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington, Jan. 20, 1977.
President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington, Jan. 20, 1977.
Suzanne Vlamis/AP
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Dec. 19, 2024
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
TIghtly cropped photograph showing a cafeteria worker helping elementary students select food in lunch line. Food shown include pizza, apples, and broccoli.
iStock/Getty
Education The Education Word of 2024 Is ...
Educators, policymakers, and parents all zeroed in on students' tech use in 2024, which prompted this year's winner.
5 min read
Image of a cellphone ban, disruption, and symbol of AI.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva