O OPINIE PERTINENTA DESPRE EDUCATIE

Hello,


My name is Aneea Botan-Bote. I'm a 7th grade teacher for Sylvan Union School District. I can be reached at Dan Savage Middle School at 209-552-3300. My home phone is 209-571-2487. My home address is 1202 Mt. Vernon Drive Modesto, CA 95350 The attached document is a 250 word letter voicing my personal opinion on the crisis in education.

Thank you
Aneea Botan
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Scrisa de Aneea Botan-Bote

Odata cu evenimentul din viata mea care m-a transformat intr-o mamica, am inceput sa dau atentie sfaturilor pe care inainte de acest eveniment. le-am ignorat crezindu-le "lipsite de aplicabilitate". Desi, obisnuita cu munca grea, am realizat curind ca, PARINTII NU SINT LIBERI NICI IN WEEKEND! In acest context am auzit cel mai bun sfat pentru a devenii un bun parinte. "Nu-ti lasa copilul acolo unde nu ti-ai lasa un milion de dolari - bani lichizi."

Aceasta mantra, isi face inca ecoul in mintea mea in timp ce am ranmas cu ochii pironiti la avalansa titlurilor care anunta distrugerea sistemului nostru public de educatie. "Nu-ti lasa copilul acolo unde n-ai lasa un milion de dolari …". In timp de criza, noi NE LASAM copii acolo unde nu ne-am lasa banii!

Ca sa adaug insulta la loviturile dinainte, politicienii mai si arata cu degetul dojenitor catre educatori. "Faceti pe profesori raspunzatori!" ...pare a fi fraza preferata a zilei. Ca profesoara de scoala medie, ma ingrozesc la gindul celor ce vor urma.

Stiu din proprie experienta, cite ore petrec incercind sa gasesc un unghi nou din care sa predau o lectie mai veche. Si foarte usor as putea face o lista cu alti profesori, colegi de-ai mei care se muncesc sa faca acelasi lucru. Exista si profesori care nu-si fac datoria? Da-mi numele unui profesor care este imun la aceasta obraznicie.

Optam acuma pentru un salariu pentru merite? Suna ca un sfat bun pentru o afacere. Afacerile de succes insa au dreptul de a refuza serviciile lor daca afacerea nu pare avantajoasa. Vor ajunge si profesorii sa isi aleaga clientela? Si din perspectiva scaunului electric ar trebui sa ni se satisfaca inca o cerere. Daca alte institutii merita ajutate sa iasa din criza, n-am putea sa facem acest lucru si pentru copii nostrii?

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With the advent of motherhood, I started paying attention to advice I’d earlier dismissed as “not applicable”. Though no stranger to hard work, I soon realized, PARENTS DON’T GET WEEKENDS OFF! In this context, I heard the best parenting tip, bar-none. “Don’t ever leave your child where you wouldn’t leave a million dollars of cold-hard-cash.”

This mantra echoes in my mind as I stare at the avalanche of foreboding headlines spelling destruction for our public school system. “Don’t ever leave your child where you wouldn’t leave a million dollars ... ” In times of crisis, we ARE leaving our children where we wouldn’t leave our money!

To add insult to injury, politicians shake menacing fingers at educators. “Hold teachers accountable!” seems to be the catch phrase of the day. As a middle school teacher, I cringe at the probable witch-hunts that will likely follow.

I know, first hand, the hours spent trying to find a new angle on an old lesson. I can easily rattle off the names of colleagues who do the same. Are there teachers who don’t pull their weight? Name a profession that is immune from such pestilence.

Do we then opt for merit pay? It sounds like sound business advice. Successful businesses, however, reserve the right to refuse service. Will teachers be able to screen their clientele? From the proverbial “hot seat,” we ought to get one last request. If other institutions are worth bailing out, couldn’t we do the same for our kids?
Aneea Botan-Bote