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For years after I quit teaching (it tapered off--worst the first few years
after I quit)
I could not watch a news item about the state of the schools, or an
investigative report on ANYTHING school-related, or read an article in a
magazine about what would make the schools better. Had to TURN IT OFF and
breathe through the irritation.

So years passed and I was neutral.

And last night I accidently saw enough of Boston Public (Marty was watching
it, and I came to spray carpet cleaner on some spots in that room) that I sat
and watched the whole thing with him.

And I was thinking, "I could *so* do that."

And now that I've slept and it's morning I remind myself that the last time
there was a spate of TV shows about school was during a teacher shortage.
And maybe that's happening again. So it's propaganda to make people want to
teach, and to make taxpayers want to pay more. (Maybe.)

And then I remind myself that on TV shows the principal has a good script
writer. And classes have sixteen to twenty students, not 30 to 40. And it
only lasts an hour. And you can change the channel!


I'm better now. <g>
Sandra

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On Tue, 26 Feb 2002 13:58:43 EST SandraDodd@... writes:

> And last night I accidently saw enough of Boston Public...

I have seen only snippets of that program and I thought it was preachy.
Maybe it's the anti school me, but the few minutes I've watched were
irritating.

I had never thought about what it would be like for a teacher watching.
That you've completely stepped away from a chosen field is fascinating to
me. The reason you chose it in the first place, the reason you left and
all the social and political stuff in between must always be with you.

I appreciate what you've given all of us since you left all of that.

Deb L

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In a message dated 2/26/02 12:27:06 PM, ddzimlew@... writes:

<< That you've completely stepped away from a chosen field is fascinating to
me. >>

I've stepped off the getting paid and earning seniority path, for sure.

But I didn't step away from fascination with learning and information, with
helping kids come from bad situations into better ones, or with helping
people learn who want to learn. It's fascinating to me too, that I could
move so quickly toward what I thought was my goal, and so fairly-soon away,
but not so far away after all.

Sandra