School, life, pursuits of happiness.: Squeezed.

Reading this article scared & motivated me at the same time. Please read this article from The Tennessean about Tennessee's new evaluation system and its effect on some teachers.

Now, I'm no eight-year veteran teacher, but I know this new evaluation system is hard. It's a challenge knowing you have to write old school lesson plans every week, sign up for multiple observations, and then be evaluated on a scale from 1 to 5. Trust me, there's nothing like all that to overwhelm a first/second year teacher. You would think the greatest challenge is getting a teaching job (and I still think it is). But now it's wondering whether or not you'll keep your job as a teacher for the next year.

What frustrates me more than anything about this is new evaluation system/formal observations/higher accountability is the lack of positive morale from teachers. Isn't the most meaningful and deepest reason why you become a teacher is to make a difference, no matter how miniscule it may be, in children's lives? If that is your true reason, your driving force, your motivation, your inspiration to teacher, then shouldn't you have the confidence to go about your profession knowing it is your ultimate passion in life?

I'm not saying I haven't been overwhelmed or stressed about the new evaluations. But I know that my passion for teaching surpasses any numbers or statistics about my test scores or observations.

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I love this quote by the late Steve Jobs. He was an innovator and technology genius. Although the only Apple product I have is an iPod Shuffle, I loved his words. His passion for redefining technology exceeded any critics or naysayers. I wish more educators would have his vision, that you have to do what you love everyday.

Yes there is pressure for teachers. Now more so than ever. But I know that my passion is in the children, not in the evaluations or the numbers or the pressure. I have to remind myself of this on a daily basis. I do feel squeezed at times. I am by no means the perfect teacher, and I am still learning every single day with every mistake or blessing why I am a teacher.