Pedagogy of the Absurd

If a child is repeatedly told that he or she is a failure, eventually that child will give up.  It is my belief that this is what is happening in our schools today.  Public education is being discredited left and right by everyone.  No one seems to trust public schools anymore.  The debate known as the “reading wars” that is mentioned in “Pedagogy of the Absurd” is just a glimpse into the controversial issues of public education.

 In my somewhat limited experience in the field of teaching (7 years), I have met some of the most amazing teachers.  These teachers have made a commitment to being life-long learners and they have shown me what it truly means to be  educated.  They are dedicated not only to their students and their schools, but to the field of education itself.  However, if you’re on the outside of the education bubble looking in, that’s not the image that you are most likely to see.  Teachers are too oftentimes depicted as complacent and not very well-educated.  I feel as though we as teachers are fighting this constant battle against the public.  When is everyone going to wake up and realize that this battle will do little more than negatively impact our students.  These are people’s lives and futures we’re talking about here.  These are the future members of our society.  It is time for teachers to be looked to as professionals that are knowledgeable.  We all want what’s best for children regardless of our standpoints are research and theory.  The lines of communication have to open up.  It’s time for all of us to work together.