Farewell to Teaching 1989

Mike’s Farewell to Teaching Silver Lake June 1989-
(minus the very important Far Side Cartoons)

Dear Silver Lake Colleague and Friend,

Teaching and healing have always seemed to me the most noble endeavors. During my past six years at Silver Lake I have happily done my best to combine both. With your support and great administrative leadership I/we have been addressing critical adolescent health issues – drinking and driving , drug abuse, suicide, sexuality, AIDS , etc. The many assembly/seminar programs offered to our students complement the excellent Grade 9 health course, other oferings in Science ,Sociology, Psychology, Child Development and the extra efforts of individual teachers and taken together demonstrate a strong commitment to health. So much more needs to be done on these and other issues –domestic and social violence, inter-personal communications,relationships. More later* Over the past year I have been involved in an independent nursing study program. (Yes, as I explained my goal to my students “real men” care, help and become nurses too, and no I am not about to enter that field , as one uncomprehending stud suggested to “pick up chicks”.) I have just recently come to the conclusion that I must combine more structured study with actual clinical/hospital training. I am optimistically looking forward to both in September at Quincy Junior College. This will mean two years of hard study and financial sacrifice /juggling, but the “lifestyle”rewards should be wonderful in many ways. As with teaching I will be fortunate enough to earn a livng helping others. Most important are the benefits for my marriage and home life. So often as teachers we find ourselves in difficulty balancing our energy between our first loves – marriage and family/home and our second,kids/school/profession. You know the scenarios…getting home too late, too tired, with too much left to do or undone for tomorrow or Monday…the frustrations,unintended impatience…My wife Cyndy and I have enjoyed many extended holidays and summer vacations amidst part-time work with our now 19 (!) year old college Sophomore son Joe,but as we grow (change,age) we crave more shared daily living. Nearing twenty years of marriage my wife Cyndy (Nurse Practitioner Extr’ordinaire) and I are looking happily forward to an even happier future, possibly working together , definitely sharing more home and travel time- “the amazing flying RNs”?

Leaving teaching has been a difficult decision for me emotionally. Teaching has been my way of life ages 22-39. I have truly loved the best of being an educator (despite the infrequent student thank-yous…I won’t miss the typical teen rejoinders ,”This is stupid” or the ever popular,”This is boring.” ) or the heads down on the desk because of too much work out of school ,usually for cars and clothes. I welcome constructive criticism to my carefully orchestrated classess and lift those tired heads with a gentle pat on the back and a joke for “kids will be” just like adults. Society must in deed support schools before kids will …more later*. As I wrote to my students in this year’s “diplomento” part diploma and part momento, given as a last lesson to each with a sincere handshake-
“Several very special teachers helped and inspired me about twenty years ago in high school. This is why I have been a(n English) teacher –to help people develop their powers of communication as thinkers,speakers, readers and writers, to increase awareness of the problems ,choices and solutions that we face in our personal lives and the life of our country and our world…Teenagers inherit a world from adults …”The best of times and the worst of times “… a world of goodnessand beauty, a world also in crisis from war, violence,social injustice , pollution,drug abuse, disease, etc. The challenge is to care more about yourself , your family/friends and your world than about mere money,material possessions ,cars, looks or artificial values and highs.Believe in humanitarian values, have hope ,keep your sense of humor, and be courageous enough to choose a postive ,intelligent, peaceful and loving way to live a healthy and happy life.”

Of course, as a student, or teacher- human being it’s a struggle to aspire to such ideals in daily reality ,but this is a the essential and noble struggle. As educators we yearly face increased societal demands and decreased support and involvement. * This is the later part … I do believe that “Education is a race between civilization and catastrophe .” In reality public education desperately needs a fundamental reorganization in response to the radical societal/instutional/environmental /health changes of the past twenty years and the corresponding crises of the present and future. I propose (though no one has asked ) that beyond the basic skills of reading,writing, reasoning of the first three elementary grades we must implement a curriclulum of personl /social survival and growth. How long will it be before we as professionals and as a nation provide an education for the prevention of problems,focusing specifically on positive self-image and growth, inter-personal communications and relationships,personal problem- solving,peaceful conflict resolution ,human (e) sexuality ,marriage, family parenting ,dealing with death and grief - think of all the essential areas of living we leave to the trial and error method which should complete this curriculum/agenda…not to overlook basic first aid,CPR, emergency skills, vocational knowledge for every day life for everybody = basic carpentry,electricity, plumbing ,automotive maintenance and repair,typing, computer usage, etc. Is all of this any more far-fetched or less necessary than the ideal of public education itself? I firmly believe that this is the reformation that education must take or face increasing irrelevancy and failure. As any idealist comes to realize, this realignment is painfully and frustratingly slow. The need is present; we certainly have more ,more needy young people than ever before. The technology and accelerating teaching/learning methods are available ( and working amazingly well for business) and within reach. Will we do what must be done?

I look at Silver Lake as a school which (within the limits of community support) aspires to the best that a public school can be. Thanks especailly to the leadership of John McEwan and Charlie Thibodeau and the daily work of our dedicated faculty SLRHS is evolving as a truly great school emphasizing care,compassion and competence through an array of special offerings,event and activities for our students. It has been a privilege and source of great pride and satisfaction to me to have been a part of it all these past six years. My deepest respect and best wishes to you as you continue the “race.”

I hope that one or several of you will be willing to continue and improve the SADD/Health programs I have been organizing with a great group of kids, health agencies,community groups,police ,etc. If you would like to do this necessary and rewarding extra work , please contact me at home during the summer-471-4663. I can provide a simple guide to the programs ,materials and contacts.

Finally, I hope that some or all of this unusually punctuated,perhaps radical conceptualizing makes an understandable valediction. I am 90% sure I will be attending nursing school and doing clinical work in September. I am used to getting what I want and plan , but if the ideal is postponed a year and I am back in K-216, I’d be happy with a curtain call. Several of the many mottos which deck the doors and walls of “my room” seem the best notes on which to conclude:
“The greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings.”
“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”
“Caution –human beings; handle with care!”
and a “whale” of a commitment- “Save the humans!”
Sincerely,
Mike Cotter …Teacher/Friend