This project on the politics of textbooks was born because I'm about to become a teacher, and have been fascinated by the battles fought over the materials used in schools. I know that teaching is inherently political, and I'm steeling myself for that. I have a personal world view that I've worked hard to cultivate and develop, and I'm not apologetic about that--I think that everyone has the right to their own opinions. As a teacher, my goal is absolutely not to impart my opinions on students. My goal is to help kids nurture their intellect, to learn about the world and society around them in a way that allows them to formulate their own opinions, and develop into citizens making positive contributions to society. Ok, I realize that sounds kind of cheesy and totally lofty. But I'm serious!
My sights are set on becoming a great teacher, and it irritates me that I have to worry about the quality of textbooks that I'll be provided with. There is so much that teachers have to think about....first and foremost, of course, the students: building relationships, classroom time, dealing with student issues. Then, of course, there is parent involvement, lesson planning, grading...the list goes on. It's a lot to balance, and the sheer energy required to deal with all those kids is no small element of the equation. To have to use textbooks or curriculum that have a overtly political agenda....ugh. It's just another sign that as a society our focus is not so much on excellence in education.
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