From AMERICAN IDOL, to THE VOICE, to sometimes in the CHURCH, many people judge a singer by how LOUD they can sing.
Too many times, no matter how soft and beautiful the performance, people don’t stand to their feet until the singer makes a vein pop out of his or her forehead.
I love a beautiful, clear controlled voice. Sometimes I just want to sit back and listen to someone sing to me, rather than shout at me. Volume and runs have their place, but they don’t DEFINE singing.
Above are three (3) THREE of my favorite female artists known for the beauty of their voice and not just the volume…
Sade.
Mechelle Johnson.
Anita Baker.
There are many others. Who would you add to the list?
Advocating for teachers doesn’t mean you don’t love students.
Education in America has changed tremendously through the years.
Of course there have been many improvements however, the overall culture, and level of respect for the profession has devolved from the perspective of one 20-year veteran teacher.
Even though her perspective is anecdotal rather than empirical , it’s not exclusive and can’t be ignored.
One of the greatest laments of her career is how she feels she was ‘expected to neglect’ her own children for her students. And, her lament doesn’tdiminish her dedication or discipline passion for her students.
This expectation in education isn’t explicitly stated, but inferred through the work load and expectations.
Many of the expectations states and school boards set for administrators and teachers are unrealistic. It is impossible to meet an ever-growing list of tasks and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Of course, many people feel the expectations are justified because of summer vacation.
America must step back and examine the accepted culture and levels of toxicity in its education system…
The workload…
The legal responsibilities…
The unrealistic expectations…
And of course, the compensation…
When referencing the workload and expectations, many educators say, “It’s a lot” as if they’re afraid to say ‘ “It’s too much!”.
Freedom of speech to express their legitimate concerns is forfeited for fear of retribution. The fact that some teachers would be afraid to share this article is an example of the problem.
One teacher expressed that her district treats the teachers like children or chattel.
Many enter the profession enter it with the will to do it, only to have their will broken just like Ethan Hawk’s character in the movie “Training Day”…bearing the blame for not being dedicated enough.
Doing what’s best for students should never mean doing what’s not best for a teacher’s own children.
BE BLESSTIFIED! 