Letters

NEA Today, Jan 1999

Generation Gap

As a third-year teacher, your article on teaching's generation gap had my full attention (Cover story, November).

In my first year of teaching, I had an incredible amount of opposition from veteran teachers to two of my ideas. Despite their negativity, I pressed on, and both of my units were a complete success. I didn't appreciate their lack of respect for my ideas or their lack of excitement about our profession.

So listen up rookies: If you want to try something, do it! Don't let anyone try to dampen your enthusiasm. Only you know your students and your teaching style. Stand up for yourself and your kids. I'm glad I did.

LaDonna Ramos

Oxnard, California

Two aspects of your article on the generation gap really rubbed me the wrong way. First, the rookie who says, "There's more to life than teaching" also suggests that planning your curriculum a few months ahead of time is a waste of time. That's ridiculous.

Second, the veteran who says, "Trust us when we say your idea won't work," is equally silly. There are so many variables to a lesson-just because it didn't work for one person doesn't mean it won't work for someone else.

So, veterans, if a rookie wants to do something that didn't work for you, encourage it. Don't put it in a negative light.

Stuart Prince

Tacoma, Washington

Freedom for What?

Your article on academic freedom and the courts (Rights Watch, November) suggests that teachers should be able to say or do anything they please without any consequences.

R-rated movies and obscene language don't belong in the classroom. School districts should have the right to fire teachers who abuse their positions and think they can use any material under the guise of free speech. NEA should back up these school districts and hope that all teachers can be creative without using offensive language or movies.

Robin Bedford

Billings, Montana

NEA's attorney suggests that "a creative educator should seek out ways to teach controversial and challenging ideas without utilizing language that many may find offensive." Tough order.

If we avoid "offensive language," we would eliminate Shakespeare, Richard Wright, Toni Morrison, William Faulkner, George Orwell, John Steinbeck, Willa Cather, and others from our reading lists. There are no parallels for such talent.

"Creative educators" fulfill their duty to the artist as well as to the audience-- and can then only hope for reasonable responses from all parties.

Janis Butler

Bakersfield, California

Kids Deserve Better

Many of the people profiled in your story on the need for school modernization (Cover story, October) work in schools that are 20 or 30 years old. In the rural district where I teach, all the elementary schools are approaching the hundred year mark!

We can't enter the computer age because none of these schools have adequate wiring or telephone equipment, and we have no big businesses to tap for financial support.

Our only hope is to elect government officials willing to go out on a limb to provide the dollars needed to ensure a quality education for all children.

Linda Schulthes

London Mills, Illinois I agree that our students deserve better, and I cringe when I see schools in such deplorable condition. But the situation raises many critical questions: Where are the local school boards, and why aren't they doing something to improve things? Where are the maintenance crews and custodial staff? And which political party has been in control of Georgia's education funds for years?

Carry Reader

Louisville, Kentucky

Lauding Looping

Looping-two years with the same students-has been a great success in our classrooms (Inside Scoop, October). Our first and second graders share morning calendar time and afternoon center time as peer partners.

An unexpected outcome: parent bonding! Teachers can become attached to the "looping families" and vice versa. At the end of two years, we see some withdrawal symptoms, but we'll put up with that. The benefits of looping are worth it.

Barb Topham and Kerry Bell

Portland, Oregon

Volunteer Teachers?

When asked how to assure all students get enough time on the computer, one teacher notes (Students & Strategies, October) that his school has a volunteer teacher teaching keyboarding.

A volunteer teacher? Does his school also rely on volunteers to teach social studies or math? Teaching keyboarding requires training and expertise to coach students in the correct techniques to maximize their skill development.

If a school district is serious in its desire to acclimate students to a technological world, use of certified, paid keyboarding instructors is a must.

Mary Jones

Neenah, Wisconsin

No Good Will

You recently praised "Good Will Hunting" stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (Heroes & Zeroes, October). But anyone who saw their movie knows how many times curse words were used in the script. Is the NEA really proud of this?

How many students are disciplined each day by NEA members for their use of bad language? Is it any wonder that teenagers today are confused by the hypocrisy they see in adults?