Who am I?
I’ve been a teacher for 12 years. There has been many frustrations in this time- some from students, but most from structure. Structure of the day (scheduling), structure of assessment (student achievement, test scores, reporting, benchmark testing), structure of administration (where do I begin?) but most of all the "structure” of ideology. Understanding the purpose of teaching is the biggest obstacle to successful teachers today. “What is our job?” The answer is obvious. Teaching children. But these two words contain True meaning that is not understood by most teachers or administrators today.
I’m also a husband, a brother to 6 siblings, worker of 4 jobs, a father of 2 children, and a believer in 1 God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and Earth, of all things visible and invisible…(if you don’t know the rest, here it is.)
What is teaching? What are children?
It seems that in modern schools we have reduced teaching to measurable outcomes, and skills we impart through activities that we perform rather than what it ought to be. It seems we have come to narrowly view children as a product- clay that is mined, molded, fired, painted and presented to the world in a sequence that will lead to success. These are not only wrong perspectives, they are damnable bastardizations of the original terms. Most teachers, administrators, and others who work in education will undoubtedly agree with me, and yet continue to act in a way that matches what I have just described. Their reasoning is predictable and I won’t hash it out here in this introduction. If you have eyes and ears, maybe you’ll listen to what I have to say.
What to expect?
I hope to explore ideas about education in this Substack as well as thoughts on leadership, masculinity, fatherhood, and other general musings that have been growing in my heart over the past several years.
I also like stories. Books, and movies, and dramas. I like big ideas and applying them to the common man’s life and actions.
I also like to fix and build things. A merging of the mind and hands is how I live and I want to share what I think and do with others who might appreciate it. And I hope to grow by hearing from you as well.
Everything we do, from work to leisure, needs to be grounded in the True, Good, and Beautiful.
It’s going to be varied, but it will always be interesting. Hopefully you think so too.
I’m just easing into this, so expect 1 or 2 posts per month to begin. Let’s see where it goes from there.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
