Dear Friends:
Please pray for me, for my coworkers, and for the students at my school. I teach at a school where the student population is nearly 100% economically disadvantaged. My school district is one of the poorest in the area. Teachers face an uphill battle trying to do all that is expected of us with few resources. We only have class sets of textbooks, so students cannot take books home. Last year, I purchased 20-30 reams of my own copier paper. I don't care to add up the money I spent on school supplies for students. So far this year, I've used less of my own paper than at the same point during last school year, but the copiers may not work when you need to make copies.
There's far too little in the way of meaningful consequences for behavior that disrupts the educational process, so we spend too much time dealing with misconduct, and too little time teaching. The student with the desire to learn and grow is frustrated. The student who is easily led down the wrong path, generally is. The student whose joy and desire are to cause trouble takes delight in a mission accompished, virtually on a daily basis.
Some days, the totality of events (some inevitable, and some entirely unnecessary), makes me want to scream until I can scream no more. Please remember us in your prayers.
Sincerely,
Ryan
