Invites writer to classroom

This is in regards to Ken Grow's letter in the Nov. 23 Acorn. I would like to extend a personal invitation to Ken Grow (and/or anyone else who is as sadly misinformed about my profession) to come and spend a day in my elementary school classroom.

Unlike parents who home school their own children, I teach 20 or more children at a time. These children have a wide variety of educational needs--gifted, autistic, dyslexic, non-English speaking and more. I am responsible for meeting all of them. In order to do so, I have two degrees and much training. For although I am a card-carrying member of Mensa, meeting the needs of such a diverse group of children requires much more than just being an "intelligent adult."

Of course if you are going to spend a day with an elementary school teacher, you will need to come home with me that evening, too. While my contractual hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., it is impossible for me to "get back in the classroom and make the taxpayers proud" within this limited time frame. You will see that on a typical evening, I grade papers while preparing dinner for my own family. The majority of my lesson planning is done after hours because I must give my full attention to my 8- and 9-year-old students during the school day.

During all those "ridiculous holidays" (which are unpaid), you will find me still grading papers, planning lessons and more. In fact, I am spending my Thanksgiving holiday this year averaging grades and preparing report cards for our parent conferences that begin on Monday. This is not going to be easy on me either, for I have had little sleep this past week while worrying about two of my students who never got a "foundation" for learning from their parents.

Teaching is not a part-time job. Teaching is not a full-time job either. Teaching is a lifestyle. Lorna Maxell Newbury Park