Hello, we're trying to teach here!!!

The School District of Philadelphia has kept the news outlets with plenty to report on these past few months. Dr. Ackerman is no longer the superintendent, Counselor Archie is out as head of the SRC, another member has resigned and yet another (if I'm not mistaken) has moved to California but has promised to fly back to Philadelphia for meetings!

The news of the debacle and foolishness with the district seems to overshadow those of us teachers who work hard day in and day out doing what we love to do, teach! My suggestion, focus on the good within the district. Focus on the kindergartners who may be experiencing the very idea of school for the very first time! Focus on the teachers who are giving up preps and lunches to tutor this early in the school year. Focus on the principals who are teachers at heart and are pushing in or taking small groups and providing supplemental instruction---not because of some mandate, but because they are true instructional leaders!

 To the media, let's turn the tide of education coverage! There are teachers, secretaries, aides, principals, students, parents, and organizations doing some wonderful things with shoe-string budgets, let's focus on that! We don't have $905,000 to spend on our classrooms, but we're working wonders with the $95 allotment (actually, $100) that we do get, plus much from our own pockets! Let's focus on that!

I watch and read the news almost daily and I don't plan on stopping now. I have my favorite news entities. But I just wish that sometimes, you wouldn't give all the wrong people their 15 minutes! Ackerman is out....be done with the coverage already! Hello! We're trying to teach here!!