Are You Someone's Superman?

I just finish watching the documentary, "Waiting for Superman." If you have not seen it, you should make a point to watch it soon. One of its main messages is that any student can learn if they are taught by a "good" teacher. It made me think about how effective I am and how much more effective I could be if I tweak a few things.

The film sheds light on the red tape that prevents us from moving forward in our education system here in the United States and how we are behind in Reading and Mathematics. There is a discussion about public schools versus charter schools and what they call "dropout factories." The differences in them all are teachers that are effective. My question is how can we become effective within our own schools.

I would venture to say that it has a lot to do with our attitudes. Currently and in the past, I have worked with many teachers that are frustrated with the system or comfortable with the minimum. There are teachers that seem to thrive on complaining from the time they enter the building until they leave with some taking it beyond the school house and complaining in any forum they can find. I wonder how so much complaining affects their ability to teach and deal with their students. If they are always mad about something I am sure that it is seeping into their classroom.

The film spoke on teachers’ tenure and how hard it is to fire someone who is not producing. In my opinion, these are teachers that either have a lack of training and accountability or those who have been teaching one way for so long that they are out of touch with today's realities.

The "fixes" discussed did not focus on changing the paradigm of teachers so we need to change it from within and ask ourselves some questions. Why would you want to be mediocre? Why would you not want to give a child hope to go beyond whatever his/her living conditions may be? Why wouldn't you want to be part of the solution? Certainly complaining about and continuing to do what you have always done is not working? Do you believe that one person can bring about change for a community? Are you the one who can do it?

There are parents out there that know that they are not in a great environment and want more for their children. We can be a bridge for those parents and their children right where they are. We should purpose to partner with these parents and teachers that have not given up and make a difference.

For those that would like to strive to go beyond the average teacher there are steps that you can take. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has a program where you can become a nationally certified teacher. It helps teacher become more engaged and a master at their craft. The process forces educators to evaluate and analyzes the “what”, “why”, and “how” they teach in the classroom. It is designed to make educators the best at what they do, building collaborative relationships, videotaping lessons so that the teacher could analyzes what was effective and what was not, as well as examining what could have been done differently to reach every student. This isn’t the only way but the concepts used in the program causes you to really think about what you are doing.

Whatever direction you take purpose to become a “Superman” for some child who needs hope injected into their life. Be the catapult of success for someone who may not see a need to read or do mathematics. Show them that they can make options for themselves.