Back in 1903, in Man and Superman, Irish playwright and political activist George Bernard Shaw wrote, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.”
And it stuck.
Fast forward to 1977 when Haywood Allen, better known as director, writer, and actor Woody Allen, wrote, in Annie Hall: “Those who can’t, teach; those who can’t teach, teach gym.”
If they’d only walked in a teacher’s shoes before opining…
Teaching is a remarkably gratifying career; it is also a challenging one, particularly since the Bush and Obama administrations. The former brought us the 2001 Now Child Left Behind, and the latter doubled down with the $435 billion Race to the Top and the Common Core Standards back in 2009/2010.
America’s social ills have piled on, too.
The result: Teaching and the public’s perception of the job have changed, as outlined by Madeline Will’s “Teaching in 2020 vs. 2010: A Look Back at the Decade.”
She begins by saying, A broad look at the last 10 years shows that the policy pendulum has swung back and forth. Teachers say they feel as if their jobs have gotten harder, as they grapple with both constantly changing education reforms—including those that affect their pay and job security—and with societal problems that have made their way into the classroom…
Most states toughened the way they grade their teachers thanks to federal incentives—then walked back at least some of those teacher-evaluation reforms. The Common Core State Standards were released in 2010, the adoption of which has led to new textbooks and new teaching methods. Several states and districts implemented pay-for-performance policies, which have since largely fallen out of favor…
There are also societal pressures that have influenced the day-to-day work of teachers. Teen suicide rates have increased dramatically. Social media and new technology have given new tools for teachers to transform learning, but that’s also led to an increase in cyberbullying and more competition for students’ attention. The opioid epidemic has ravaged school communities…
The two deadliest school shootings—Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.—happened over the past decade, leading to intense debates on how to make schools safer. Active-shooter drills have become ubiquitous in schools, and some states have passed controversial laws that allow teachers to carry guns at work…
Some polls indicate that the public perception of the teaching profession has taken a hit as well. In 2009, 70 percent of Americans said they would like their child to become a public school teacher. By 2018, just 46% said they wanted their child to go into teaching, citing inadequate pay and benefits, student behavior, and a lack of discipline, and a perception that teaching is a thankless job….”
In other words: Those who can’t, do; those who can, teach.
With thanks to Ms. Will and teachers everywhere, Carol
So sad, but so true!
Great commentary Carol!