Well-Supported Teachers

The state of public education in the U.S. has been a constant topic around our house for the past two months caused by two events: the dramatic cuts to Lakeville teaching staffing and Gov. Walker's actions in Wisconsin.

I continue to feel guilty regarding our situation here at the American School of Bombay. We go to school and feel completely supported in our work there. The level of respect for teachers is higher than I've ever witnessed. Our superintendent knows the first name of every staff member and interacts with ALL of them, including the local Indian staff, equally. The leadership team at our school is committed to providing the staff with the tools they require to do their job to the best of their abilities. In short, we are all treated as professionals.

When you compare this perspective with those coming out of Wisconsin, amplified and distorted by the far-right media, the difference is striking. Where teachers are being blamed for increasing the deficit and dragging down the economy back in the U.S., teachers are celebrated here for their work and questioned how it could possibly done better. Where teachers are looked down at for their short work days and summers off, here in Bombay there is a program to increase our awareness of a proper life balance because many teachers here feel overworked.

When we decided to come overseas a little over a year ago, we understood that we would be teaching a significantly different population than back in the Twin Cities and we worked our way around this by reminding ourselves that "kids are kids" and that every student needs a personal connection to a a teacher in order to optimize their learning -- regardless of their economic status.

Now, with all of the craziness back in the U.S. I continue to feel a bit guilty. I hope that, just like "kids are kids," "parents are parents" and that no matter where they send their children to school that they support and celebrate the efforts of the teachers that care and nurture them. I know that back in Lakeville the parents were just as grateful for our teaching efforts as the parents are here at the American School of Bombay. I hope that parents everywhere continue to fight for what is best for kids and that means treating teachers as professionals.