We *heart* teachers!
Did you ever suppose a significant yet unlikely economic driver could be school teachers? I hadn’t considered it until recently.
During a Starbucks visit, I overheard a young couple with a newborn meeting with a realtor. “New Parents 101: Time to move to the ‘burbs.”
Mom and Dad were doing their due diligence as parents as they plan their growing family’s life around the needs of their child.
The realtor laid a huge map of the entire metroplex on the table and they were pointing and talking, bouncing baby boy all the while. But then, I heard Dad, in his most stern voice, remind the realtor, “We need consistently Recognized Schools. Not just Recognized, but schools that have been Recognized for several consecutive years.”
So I’d conclude that it’s fair to say that a large part of our entire economy depends on teachers. We are emerging from testing season here in Texas and when all is said and done, the teachers bear the responsibility of getting those test scores up. If they are successful in getting them high enough, the school earns “Recognized” Status.
If a school becomes “Recognized”, families who value education gravitate to the neighborhood. I know very little about the economy, but I do know that the desirability of such neighborhoods will only escalate. Homes will be sought after and the housing market will become competitive, and resale values will rise.
It really is that simple. Isn’t it in everyone’s best interest to support our educators? Unfortunately, they feel so much pressure about testing that they spend a disproportionate amount of what should be instructional time to “teach the test.” It’s sad, but true. Whether districts are aware that the economy relies on these scores or not, the reality is that the burden is on the classroom teachers day in and day out. It’s no wonder these hard workers are exhausted.
This isn’t meant to be a post to bash the testing system or echo teacher frustrations. I just think that we all need to be more aware of what really affects our economy, and teachers are at the heart of it.
What can you do? A teacher friend reminds me, “ A teacher’s success depends on the readiness of the learners in front of them.” Ask any teacher and they will agree–learning starts at home. If you’re a Kindermusik parent, you already know you are your child’s first and most important teacher. You always will be, so never assume that your job is done or passed off to the school teacher. That will be the best thing you can ever do to support your child’s learning.
Beyond that, ask the teachers you know (surely you know plenty). They can tell you what they would like to see in terms of support. Maybe it’s as simple as a hug or call of concern. Maybe they have some input about local policymakers who can make a difference. Most of all, our school teachers need to be appreciated and their work should be recognized because the results they produce are significant and affect ALL of us.
This post brought to you by Miss Lisa