soap box.

disclaimer: i'm not getting political. i'm just observing and thinking aloud.

most of you know that i'm a teacher. a high school special education teacher, to be more specific. and really, it's a funny gig. there are very few careers that have the spotlight focused on them as often as educators do. for example, when is the last time you saw a movie about the trials and tribulations of those in the waste management field? or read an article in the newspaper about the controversy buzzing around retail account managers? i am in no way getting down on those of you who happen to work in waste management or act as account managers. i think the reason education and teachers are common subjects on tv, movies and in print is because we all have, at some point in our lives, direct experience working with teachers. and because of that experience, we consider ourselves experts. which, quite frankly, is whack.

what would happen if this was the case in all fields of work? i microwaved the hell out of a lean cuisine frozen meal yesterday, but that doesn't entitle me to walk up to bobby flay and give him pointers on how to cook a steak. i treated my own blister this morning with a little neosporin and a band-aid, but that doesn't give me the right to tell dr. oz how to do his job.

i know a lot of great, passionate teachers. you probably know a lot of great, passionate teachers, too. and, yes, there are some duds out there. shame on them. but shame on those who let the weakest members define an entire population of workers. there are days at work when i say to myself, "man, i killed it today. that teacher of the year award has my name written all over it." kind of like michelle pfeiffer in dangerous minds. and there are other days when i feel like cameron diaz in bad teacher. i might have this powerful conversation with a teenager in which i finally get him to open up to me about his abusive home life and struggle with drug use. i might finally convince him to change his violent ways and kick his self-destructive habits to the curb. then i'll see him in the hallway later with a crack pipe in one hand and punching a freshman with the other. well, the crack pipe might be a bit much. but you get the point.

my point is this: teaching is hard. your job is hard, too. so let's support each other instead of tearing into each other. let's offer encouragement rather than criticism.

okay?

stepping down from my soap box now.