Confessions

I've been thinking about this post all the way home. It started when Raise 'Em Up came on (Keith Urban and Eric Church). Take a listen if you have time, or skip it for now, cause I'll cite the part that I love below...

Here's the verses that got me thinking today:

Raise 'em up

You got a voice, you got a choice

Go make some noise

Don't ever let 'em tell you

who you are

Raise 'em up

Fist black and blue

Fight for the truth

It's what you do

Hand on your heart

for the stripes and stars

See, recently I've become almost obsessed with the state of education policy/reform in our country. If you've been following me for the last few weeks at least, you've heard me mention Diane Ravitch - and I've started her book, and it's testing season...and yeah. The more I read, the more agitated I get!


And then there's Twitter. The thing they don't tell you about Twitter are all the people you're going to begin following once you start with it. (Expect to spend the first week sucked in reading post after post after post!) Twitter has connected me to so many people that have a similar set of beliefs, including the BATs. I give you their acronym first, because the A of the acronym is an inappropriate word. For a long time I felt like I couldn't talk about this kind of thing here on my blog - because of this word first, and also, I have a lot of strong opinions about what I'm reading, but I don't know everything, so I don't want to start debates without having all my facts straight. But the thing is...the state of education in our country is bothering me so much because of how much I love my career.

The things that I love - (here are the confessions) - all the things I love....I love them to the nth degree. Like crazy fierce.

My family.

My friends,

who may as well be my family.

My boyfriend.

My profession.

Teaching kids.

Literacy,

everything and anything involved.

People,

talking, laughing, collaborating.

Writing.

Reading.

These things - I love them so deeply and with such conviction. This is why today, after hearing about how I have a voice and it's okay to use it - I decided to let you in on the (confession) Badass Teachers Association (BATs). Here's a few videos that tells you who they are and what they believe in:

My big issue is that so many decisions are being made about education and teachers aren't being asked. I don't know why billionaires think they know best! It bothers me immensely that corporations want to profit off our our kids and our profession. Additionally, it makes me so angry that some people think that they could walk into a class of fifth graders, eighth graders, or kinders (hardest working people *ever*) and teach all day! It is an art and a science, this job we do!

So, I just had to get that off my chest. Maybe you already follow the BATs? Maybe you've organized something with them? I'm very interested in the work they are doing, and for the first time in my life, I feel compelled to raise my voice for education....which I care about with a 'freakish intensity.' (Thank you Curmudgucation for that one!)

Ahhhh....now that feels good.

Your thoughts?

Happy Tuesday!