Day Twenty-Four

A little tip for any would be teachers out there. Don't teach 1984 and steer clear of the teacher's lounge.

The combination is a recipe for disaster.

When you hang out in the teacher's lounge, you end up engaging in Orwellian conversations that go
a-something-like-this...

INT. TEACHER'S LOUNGE - DAY

Two Teachers stand by the COPIER MACHINE, decrying the sad state of today's youth.

Teacher - These kids don't read.

Me - I know it's horrible.

Teacher - It makes you ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" I mean what's the use? There's just going to be more misunderstandings. More war.

Me - Yeah, but that's how it's always been. I mean, I was talking to an older teacher and she said, "Kids didn't read when I was young."

Teacher - Yeah, but studies show that reading comprehension is in a free fall.

Me - I think the real problem is lack of commonality. Back in the old days (Like I even remember! I grew up during the golden era of MTV for crying out loud!) you had like five TV stations so everyone was forced to watch the same thing. Now kids can just switch the channel to a network that'll just validate their ignorance. They don't have to know about anything that they don't want to!"

END SCENE

You falling asleep yet?

Bottom line. There might be some truth scattered amongst all that pomposity, but it's certainly not going to help anyone in my classroom, especially me. Yeah, things are messed up, but as long as I put one foot in front of the other and keep trying, I'll be fine.

And that in a nutshell is why I still like teaching.

Signing off.

Birds-Eye