Week 3 Noticing Blog-Montague

Week 3 Noticing Blog

            Over the past week and a half, I have had the opportunity to see just how deceiving the media can be and just how gullible those are who watch (&believe) it! The media covering of the strike seems so biased it is ridiculous and it seems like they are having a decent impact on convincing their viewers that teachers are wrong in doing what they have done. I cannot even go shopping without overhearing how teachers are so “careless”, “have no interest in their students” and are just “money hungry” and most annoying of all..“Lazy”. I’ve pretty much heard or read every bad thing you could possibly say to a teacher and at times it is kind of discouraging. However, I realize that they are either very misinformed (no surprise there after seeing the poor media coverage the past couple of weeks) or simply do not value education, both of which are very sad.

            Last night while watching TV I recently saw the new commercial funded by CPS telling viewers that this was a strike of choice and that the CTU is using their children as pawns. To see this was a little upsetting. Parents and families are viewing these and being misinformed. It is my opinion that teachers are striking in order to help provide their children with a better education now and in their future. I try to picture myself with students in Chicago Public schools to try to understand how some parents feel. I understand that it may be difficult now especially for parents with lower income but if they can understand how teachers are actually trying to help their children then I think they would be more supportive, despite the difficulties they are currently facing, as it will help their children in the long run.

            After finding out that the strike was not over on Sunday, I got into a little debate about the strike and the CTU. My friend was saying how teachers are just lazy and want higher pay and that if they truly cared about their students they wouldn’t be striking. Well to say something like that to me really got under my skin. I have tried to be very neutral throughout the whole thing because I will be first to admit that I am confused and don’t know all of the details and points of both sides. However, to say that these teachers are lazy and don’t care about their students was, quite honestly, the most ignorant thing I have ever heard. Apparently he (like others saying similar things) has never spent a day inside a classroom to see the work that teachers do. Apparently they were never related to or worked with a teacher who spent countless hours of their afternoons, weekends, summer and even holidays lesson planning. It even more apparent, they don’t realize how much money a teacher spends on his/her students because they CARE not because they have to. I recently worked with a teacher in Detroit who brought in snack 2 times a day for her summer school students who were only there a half a day, paper towel and even toilet paper on occasion; All out of her own pocket. Why? Because she cared about her students! Although this was in Detroit, I know there are teachers like this EVERYWHERE!! In addition, I think viewers are forgetting that they are not just striking over pay but instead there are several other things. For example, one that really hits home for me this year is class size. I am currently placed in a kindergarten class with 34 students. The question I am sure I will be asking myself all year is “How can we provide a quality education to so many students with very limited resources?” As a future urban educator, I am positive this will continue to be something that I will encounter. For me, even though it is not an ideal situation, I will do my absolute best to provide a quality education despite the numbers because I believe that all children deserve this opportunity.

 It frustrates me to hear such comments from people. Teachers are so underappreciated it is really sad. Although the strike has taken away from my time in the classroom and my students, I am happy that there are teachers brave enough to stand up in what they believe. It has also been encouraging to hear the support that my aunt (a teacher in Michigan) and schools all around her have. They have been rooting for Chicago teachers from day 1. So even though there are many that are against the strike, there are supporters all around the nation and that has been very encouraging!

Overall, this strike has been encouraging at times, discouraging at other times, confusing, and exciting. Sounds crazy but I have had very mixed emotions throughout the entire thing. I do feel for the parents and children that have been missing out on an education and a safe place to go to during the day however, I feel for those teachers! I also think that the CPS and mayor have not been fair or serious in their negotiations and that if this strike never took place they would have never gotten as far as they have. In general, what I have learned is the importance of being careful about what you read/see on the news and on TV before you jump to conclusions. It has definitely been an interesting week and a half but I hope that this can be settled soon so that we can all get back to our students!