blogger profile

Pamela

Professional Human Being

I am approximately 35....ok, for sure 35 years old, with two beautiful spawn, ages 3 (drama daughter) and 5 (little tank), and a magnificant husband. I teach high school English, and have supposedly maintained my sanity in the process. I enjoy reading, lots of music, traveling and wine. That sounde...

READ MORE

I'm Leaving

please don't judge me....

I just put the last box in my car and I will not be returning.  I have quit my job in the public school system. Not ballsy quit, like I don’t have another job waiting, I do. Not quit like I don’t feel bad, and wish that I could put all my friends in my pocket and take them with me. That’s a given. Just quit like I can no longer work for “the man” when he doesn’t give a damn about our kids. Quit like I don’t want to continue to be a bitch to my own children when I return from work, frustrated and desperate for a solution that makes sense. Quit like I am no longer willing to be an underpaid babysitter to a room of 30 young adults between the ages of 14 and 20. I teach freshman English. Yes, there are 20 year olds in that class. No Child Left Behind means that no matter how often they fail, these students will not be held accountable, and will continue to be allowed to come into an English 9 class to disrupt and taint an otherwise moderately harmless atmosphere. I have been known to be a tad dangerous at times....

Half of me feels like I am abandoning my students that give a damn and that I should stick it out and hope that things get better. Then my other half  slaps me in the eyeball and tells me to wake up. My own children need a mother who is happy and content in what she does. That they need a mother who goes with her gut, believing that it is okay to be idealistic, believing that education CAN make a difference in your life, for the rest of your life. Because of this vision, I have taken a position in a private school. I will have smaller classes and will actually be able to TEACH them rather than test them. I will have the opportunity to travel (sponsored by the school and accompanied by “Leonidas”, “Freddy”, and “Dora”) to other countries to build schools and houses.  Did I sell out? I don’t know yet. Am I looking through rose colored glasses? Maybe. But I’m not taking them off.....