The Ripple Effect

So, anything new in Wisconsin lately? I’m kidding, of course. The last few days have been dominated with coverage about Governor Walker’s budget repair bill. I’m sure that all the local news stations are thrilled that the Packers’ season is over and that there is no unusual weather to report; otherwise, I’m sure they’d have quite the dilemma as to what to cover. But it doesn’t just stop there. Wisconsin has found fame in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and even on CNN. And while the nation watches these historic events unfold, I find myself thinking back to…

“I gave her my heart. She gave me a pen.” – Say Anything, 1989 ~~~~~~ Shortly after the November elections, I wrote a blog article addressed to our newly elected governor and Legislature. In it, I described my love of teaching and the German language and my fear that the flawed school funding formula would continue eroding our state’s schools. I’d always intended for that article, or a form of it, to be read by Scott Walker. So, in early December, after a few weeks’ time and the slow decline of the post-election vitriol, I tweaked it a bit and…

“We know too many of these kids.” Earlier this week, I felt like I was living this scene from the 1995 film Mr. Holland’s Opus, in which a football coach gulps back his tears as he gazes at the casket of his former student, a soldier killed in action. I can relate. It’s inevitable. There’s going to be collateral damage when you pour your heart and soul into your work, especially if it’s working with teenagers. Every time I attend a wake for a former student, I say a silent prayer that it’ll be the last time I ever have…

The holidays will soon be upon us, but I’m not quite in Christmas mode just yet. Most discussions with typical teachers in December generally include some reference to students’ increasing energy and decreasing attention spans (no matter what the age) or the effort to time lesson plans in such a way that they land on a good stopping point before break begins. Having considered both of these factors, and subsequently having resigned myself to the reality that one is thoroughly out of my control while the other is not, I’ve decided to stop thinking like a typical teacher for a…

Every once in a while, I actually have an instant of idle time during which my mind wanders in a variety of directions. During one such moment recently, I found myself pondering how teachers are portrayed in the movies. It’s no surprise that the portraits of these educators aren’t the most favorable. A few examples: “The Principal” (1987): Jim Belushi is a high school principal who, in the film’s climax, goes mano a mano with a tough gang leader while the entire student body waits silently outside. Where do I begin? First off, anyone who’s ever participated in a fire…

You don’t know me. But after you read this, I dearly hope that you won’t forget me. Who am I? I am a public school teacher. I’m passionate about teaching and learning, but most of all, I am passionate about working with Wisconsin’s kids. I have spent seventeen years laughing, crying and learning with them. I have rejoiced in their successes and shared their frustration in their defeats. Some days they’ve driven me out of my mind. Other days they remind me what’s really important in life. Through it all, I have loved them and the work that I’ve been…

In a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article dated October 23, 2010, John Schmid writes: “In a world of global trade, a second language can be a surefire ticket to a career.” No big surprise there.  What was a surprise, though, was the news that came down the pike on Friday: due to budget constraints, both French and German are slated for elimination from the course offerings in my district. Even Mequon-Thiensville, one of the most well-off districts in the state, cannot escape the budget crisis. Now, to those of you out there who think it sounds as though I’m whimpering about…

“Hate” is a rather strong word. I use it sparingly, typically reserving it to describe my feelings about mayonnaise, the squirrel that keeps devouring the stash in my bird feeder, and the sitcom “According to Jim.” As a teacher, I believe that one of the most valuable weapons in my arsenal is my ability – most of the time, anyway – to roll with the punches. However, on certain occasions, the “h-word” comes bubbling to the service. One such occasion was last week during our morning of standardized testing. Okay, I don’t quite hate it, but to call my feelings…

Another day, another gloom and doom headline about MPS. Visceral comments on the various local message boards deriding the union, the administration and the parents of the students are sure to follow. As I write this, the playground of the MPS elementary school across the street from my house is full of kids, parents and even a few dogs enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. On the rare day when I’m home and MPS is in session, I love seeing the little guys out there for recess. From the outside, it’s not a pretty building, and unlike the lush setting of…

I have a startling confession:  I am a public school teacher, a member of WEAC and generally lean to the left politically. (Insert expression of shock here.) Okay, maybe that wasn’t such a stunning revelation after all. How about this: Even though we may disagree ideologically, I’ll concede that “conservative” and “evil” are not synonymous. And even though WEAC represents me and thousands of my colleagues statewide, I don’t always agree completely with them either. Extremism in any form is a bad thing. It’s precisely that kind of twisted thinking that makes zealots think it’s okay to murder physicians at…