Mrs. Moore's Musings

Like almost everything that gets a lot of media attention, nearly everything you’ve heard about teaching is somewhat true.  Kids are tested into oblivion, and these results are all that matter to administration and the government when determining teacher success. Teachers are being stripped of their autonomy and ability to create their own lessons and assessments.  Teacher dissatisfaction is at an all-time high. Retention rates for teachers is deplorable. There are many failing students in poverty. Teach for America and similar programs inform us that anyone who has a good intention can be a teacher.  No one wants any children left behind, and all of us wish to “Race for the Top.”  The devil is in the details-as always. I teach kids of all sorts: poor, rich, white, brown, black, and green (not really-but that would be fine with me).  I teach kids whose parents love and support them and kids whose home lives have brought me to tears. Despite all of these things, the fact that people b

This week is teacher appreciation week.   I am a teacher (if you have read this blog AT ALL, you know that).   Teachers have had a huge impact on my life, as a student, as a teacher, as a mother, as a human being.   I can’t imagine what I would be like without the amazing professionals who have shaped me.   So, before I write anything else-THANK YOU TEACHER PEEPS-you have made a difference for me. Over Spring Break, I received an e-mail from the National Council of Teachers of English, informing me that I was the recipient of the “Reclaiming the Joy of Teaching” award for 2015. I was overwhelmed.   I didn’t even know I was nominated, and I wasn’t even sure what the award was about.   Upon investigation, I learned the following, “The Reclaiming the Joy of Teaching Award is presented to a teacher at any level that inspires authentic progressive literacy learning.”   Again, I was humbled.   Some of my family members do not even know about this. I’ve been thinking a lot about joy as