I ran into a woman in the bathroom yesterday who was a first year teacher retiree. We followed one another into the ladies room after touring the Confederate White House in the same six person group. I, of course, asked questions whenever the tour guide asked if anyone had any, so she said, "You're a teacher, right?" "What was your first clue," I laughed. I'm retired", I said. That's when she said, "This is my first year to be retired. It feel so strange not to be at school." Teachers bond over stuff. More so, I think, than people who work in a 'normal' atmosphere.
When the first day of school rolls around and you're a new retiree, you feel like you're pulling a fast one. It's hard to explain 'first day of school'. It's not just kids who are nervous, excited, and wondering what they should wear. The first glimpse of the kids you will see every day for 185 days is exhilarating, and, when you teach the alternative population, sometimes a little scary. The initial interaction sometimes sets the tone for the entire year with a class. The assessments start the first day about how you are going to help the kids that file into the room.
Teachers spend time, money and effort working 'off the clock'. In August of this year USA Today wrote an article about how much of their own money teachers wind up spending. It's not bad enough that teachers buy their own office supplies - imagine telling any other professional they need to buy copy paper, pens, pencils, oh, a stapler, staples and whatever else they think they might need to do their job! No, they don't just buy office supplies. They buy books, learning aids, enrichment materials, laboratory equipment, experiment materials, and other stuff that should be covered by their school district. Well, it isn't. Here's the USA article if you don't believe me. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/08/18/teachers-budget-money/2660077/
There's a relatively new phenomena - a website devoted to helping teachers raise money for their projects. This isn't about office supplies. This is about developing a project, a lesson plan, or enrichment program to help kids. These projects are 'vetted' and if they pass the scrutiny, then the project is offered to the public with the opportunity to help the teacher FUND the project. The website is called "Donor's Choose". I like to help teachers I KNOW. I specifically like to help a teacher I know who teaches in those places where the kids need the most help. That usually means 'poor'. My current teacher friend who falls into this category has a project on Donor's Choose.
She's bitten off a big chunk designing a great program to help her low income, rural, elementary school children improve their reading skills. She's hoping to challenge each child in her entire school to read 100 books this school year. Well, you have to have books kids WANT TO READ. That's what she needs. This project costs $1000.00 to fund. So far, she's raised $578 out of the $1000 to fund her idea.
Basically, I need you to go to this project, and give. It's real simple. We'll take $5.00. That's a cup of coffee. Of course, we'll also take $50. It's up to you. Read her idea. Look at the books she needs to buy. She needs THIS project funded NOW. There are only 40 days to raise $422 dollars. I'd like for you to join me and reduce that amount. Ready? Start? Click! This is so easy; do your part.
http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=1018066
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