Teacher as Toady

Toadies - 1 Teacher as Toady: Shut Up and Follow the Directions Andrew P. Johnson, Ph.D. Minnesota State University www.teaching-reading.com The Science of Reading zealots have succeeded in convincing their toadies in state legislatures around the country to pass laws about reading instruction. These new toady-based laws make certain kinds of reading instruction illegal. Schools are now forced to purchase expensive one-size-fits-all scripted reading programs. Teachers are required to use these programs. They are to open the box, read the directions, and follow the directions with fidelity. But let’s be clear – these scripted programs serve to silence teachers and separate them from their expertise and experience. Teachers are to shut up and follow the directions. Teacher as Toady In this new toady-based world, teacher expertise is seen as direction following. Some toady-ized teachers even proudly announce that they have been LETRS certified, or Orton- Gillingham trained, or Wilson Learning Systems qualified. The only thing they’re really qualified to do is follow directions. They’re qualified direction-followers. In other words, they’ve paid a lot of money to shut up and do what they’re told. Teachers are to shut up and do what they’re told. They are to smile and nod politely when the benevolent educational overlords stuff 30 kids into classrooms that should have 20. And when their students aren’t able to perform like trained seals on standardized tests at the end of the year, teachers are blamed. They are blamed for student output when they have no say in the input. And for this, they are supposed to humbly say, “Thank you. I’m sorry. I’ll do better.” Platitudes Instead of giving teachers professional pay, adequate working conditions, and respect, they are given platitudes and slogans. See if you can get to the end of this list without throwing up. • Great teachers make nations great. • Teaching is a way to lighten the world with knowledge. • Teaching is not a profession. It is a religion. • One teacher can change the whole nation.  Toadies - 2 • Teachers know our capabilities more than we do. • Being a teacher is a lifelong commitment. • A good teacher is the greatest blessing. • We are always motivated to complete challenging tasks by our teachers. • Teachers only deserve the best. • Without our teachers, we would be nothing. • The foundation for tomorrow is laid by teachers. • You gave me a purpose in life, teacher! • Teachers are the pillars of tomorrow. • Teachers are the best guides. • Teachers give the gift of education. • Our teachers spread knowledge. • We would be nothing without our teachers. • Teachers lay the foundation for tomorrow. • Teachers build the future. • Teachers avoid the world of ignorance. • Your teaching is priceless. • It is a noble profession to teach. • My teacher is a rock star. • Life is defined by a teacher. • Teaching today is to impact lives forever. • If you can read this, please thank your teacher. • The dream usually begins with a teacher who believes in you, who pushes and leads you on to the next step. • It is not a teacher who walks the path with you, but they build the path for you. • Teaching is more than a profession. It’s a work of heart. • Stay true to your teachers because they are the ones who know you best. • Teachers may not be present with us forever, but they leave behind their knowledge to accompany us. • The knowledge of teaching enables us to grow the seeds within us into fruitful plants. • Never doubt your teacher; they have given you the most valuable gift, knowledge. Keep all your stink’n appreciation. Your appreciation won’t send their kids to college. Teachers can’t use dreams to pay off their college loans. The dreams that teachers inspire aren’t going to pay the mortgage. A teacher’s impact may be immeasurable, but their paycheck is. And if you appreciate teachers so goddamn much, why do they have 30 kids in their classrooms? Why are you letting policymakers, legislative toadies, and zealots outside their classrooms tell teachers what and how to teach? And if you want teachers to enlighten minds, why are you banning books?  Toadies - 3 A Teacher is an Artist I recently saw the following platitude online: “A teacher is an artist. Their artwork resides in their students’ mind and spirit where it inconspicuously does its work.” Enough with the bullshit. The teacher-as-artist metaphor is really this: A teacher is a very low-paid artist who has state legislators telling them how to paint, what to paint, and what colors to use. Then when the picture doesn't turn out just so, they blame the low-paid artist. Then they wonder why nobody wants to paint. So, they develop Paint for America Programs to get a bunch of low-paid painters into the classroom. This serves only to create a whole bunch of untrained painters and suppress the wages of real painters. Professionalism vs. Toady-ism Don’t thank a teacher. Pay a teacher. Less toady-ism, more professionalism. Better pay. Better working conditions. More teacher empowerment. Podcast: The Reading Instruction Show https://rss.com/podcasts/drandy