I became a teacher because I didn’t like the way in which I was usually taught.  Most of high school life was fun, but several of the classes were a complete waste of my time.  Ironically, my junior high years were not.  I went to a school at a junior high that had been the local high school.  I don’t know if some of the teachers just stayed with the school, but they taught it like high school.  It was great!  I was challenged, and I learned so much.  Then I went to high school.  The classes were easier, and the only challenge came from my music and honors English classes.  I could do most of my classes during another class because the teachers/coaches just left us to read while they went and watched tape of whatever team our team would play that day. 

   College wasn’t much better.  I only learned two things about teaching in college:  1) never put a spoon in a person’s mouth when he’s having an epileptic seizure, and 2)  horses got rights before children did.  What I learned about teaching, I learned from working at Flower Mound under my mother’s tutelage.

   It became my goal to change education for the better.  Learning is fun.  Why can’t school be as well? 

   Making quality classes is really not as hard as some make it.  The keys are to know the information (including the procedures and answers) you are teacher, read everything the kids turn in, and evaluate it honestly and for good quality.

    Not many teachers are willing to read every assignment, though.  They do have a lot of students.  When I have writing assignments from every 1st – 11th grader in my school, I grade writing assignments for four or five days!  I learn so much about the kids, though.  It is worth every minute!

   Kids are not stupid.  They know when they are being offered high-quality classes and when they are being “endured.”  Many times students new to my high school will comment to their parents that they’ve never been in a school where the kids actually listen to the teachers and where the teachers actually care if they learn.  What?!!  How sad is that?

    I don’t blame the teachers.  I blame the system.  Our nation will pay for the lack of quality in so many of its schools.  It won’t be because we have less intelligent workers.  We have kids who are truly angry at the quality of the education they are receiving.  I meet kids every day who just want to be taught.  They just want to learn.  They desire a quality education that can lead to a quality life.  They are angry.

   It is your job as a parent to make sure your child gets a quality education.  A nice-looking school is not a guarantee of that.  Parents checking out my school ask me many questions.  I expect that.  Know what your child is learning; seek quality.  Make sure your child feels valued and heard by his teacher. If you cannot find quality education where you are, get it from other sources, including yourself!  Your child is worth it!

-        Michelle