Letter writer says her students are her priority

Charles Davenport's recent column in the News & Record continues to prompt LTTEs.

This one, from local teacher Gail Williams:

After reading Charles Davenport’s column, “Teachers should quit whining about pay” (May 31), I must address some of his points. As an educator who loves my career, I know firsthand how off base he is about what teachers do in the classroom.
We may get paid for only 38 weeks, but we spend evenings, weekends, holidays and summers grading papers, attending workshops, creating lesson plans and calling parents. I don’t recall ever being paid overtime.

I worked in the private sector before entering the classroom and was free to grab coffee with a friend or run errands. I am not complaining about my teaching, but there is never any down time. When I enter the door, I hit the floor running until long after the kids have left at 3:40 p.m.

As for home-schooled students being smarter than public school ones, please. I could perform miracles if I only taught one child. Try close to 100 each semester. Let’s be realistic when making a point. Home schoolers are usually highly motivated, work on a computer and are free to attend outside activities that enhance their education. I teach kids from broken homes and some from no homes at all. I am counselor, policeman, disciplinarian and even parent.

Teachers are not “whining” because of a pay cut. We are now being hit with job losses, meaning more students in classes and lack of educational supply money.

Mr. Davenport stated that NCAE’s priority is not students. All I can do is speak for myself. My students are my priority. That is why I teach.

According to him, anyone could teach effectively. Consider this from “To Kill a Mockingbird”: “You never understand anyone until you walk in his shoes.”

Mr. Davenport, walk in my shoes, and I feel sure you will retract your “whining” comment.

The writer lives in Greensboro and teaches at Southeast High School.

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E.C. :)