Teachers And Show Biz

Classrooms are places where children go to "get an education". A few decades of being in the profession, taught me something, too. I learned that, as a teacher, you were either a clown or a conveyor of "education".  The clown teacher won the prizes, praise and awards. Putting on a show  got the attention of the students while the teacher who went about things in ordinary ways, also gained their interest but in quieter terms. A number of my colleagues over the decades, were of the clown sort. They could put on a great show either of taking their classes on attention-getting trips that kids loved, or they put on a performance right in the classroom. A number of the teachers I recall who did receive plaques and media fame, were masters at showmanship. They sought this kind of fame and were rewarded for their efforts. All were attractive people which statistics say helps a great deal, and they loved being in the spotlight. All we ordinary teachers loved them too, even though there was rampant secret envy. We were satisfied that we each had our own methods and trusted them while respecting that of other teachers to carry out their own ideas. That is why it's called a "profession". One of these entertaining teachers was  a small person who perched on the corner of her desk like Tinkerbell and put great efforts into charming the children pixie fashion. Her Teddy Bear puppet shows were remarkable. A man, whose mercurial personality and bombastic energy often got him into delicate situations, took his class of youngsters to a poverty district and was lauded and awarded for giving them a special social experience. Other teachers decorated their classrooms to a Disneyland degree with paper products made by the teacher and in part, the pupils. It was truly a delight to watch this kind of bright spot in the school. The enthusiasm of both teachers and students while being fascinated by the glitz of it all, knew it provided a sense of pride for the whole school much like the football, softball and hockey teams did. These days, computers offer a different kind of showmanship in which a student can be exposed to experiences chosen by their schools that enhance with world class education, what  local ones cannot. It all works out evenly, but I continue to believe that it is the interaction of one caring human being with a student, that matters most. The one on one exchange of ideas and facts and understanding, still lies in that relationship. It always has been the teacher who "gets it" with kids, who counts most. There are thousands of teachers out there who are not putting on shows, but enter their classrooms  prepared for the day, a day of seeing dozens of faces looking at them expecting to be inspired and informed: so to open their minds, give life to their dreams and make them each feel uniquely talented.