The smile quota

In support of teachers

I am a person of rare privilege;

I work in classrooms created by other teachers.

These precious environments 

shape the lives of the students in them.

Children, some whose lives are in turmoil,

some who are loved and cared for.

The smiles,

no one wants to know about the smiles.

No one checks to see if the smile quota is being met.

The hugs

the hugs that a generation lost 

this generation dishes hugs out with ease

boys, girls, both... to the adults...

who will count that, assess that?

"Room 7; 13 hugs today, well done".

"Room 2 only 1 hug this morning, not enough, please improve".

I work in one class 

where the growth in education is exponential.

That teacher has made huge gains

recognised but not measured.

The hardest work I have done

is done there daily.

Another room has writers who changed their writing

crafting, polishing, improving.

In one room learners learn to learn and leap like fledglings

into a world of APPs and books, words and numbers. 

Another room has readers starting down the rocky road of literacy

nervous, hesitant but well supported and loving the challenge.

In a room not far away students are exposed to that addictive elixir- thought.

This teacher over here is thinking Vygotsky

and his Zone of Proximal Development.

I churn through all this and think

who can still say "measure these students against each other"

who is telling teachers to "teach the way we tell you" 

The 'suits' don't know and could not discuss Vygotsky.

They would not force a builder to build a 30 metre deck extension

 on the 10th story because they want it that way.

Rise up, teach, teachers

continue to teach, love, sing, play, be passionate, creative, sensitive, emotional,

caring, nurturing, literate, numerate, sporty, scientific, artistic people

your children need you even though

you have been 

cast out

by the current political

beast.

The beast is only as real as the wild things.

When politicians behave badly we can choose...to ignore them.