I know…assumptions are dangerous, right? Since there are a gazillion blogs out there about teachers, so this is where this one is coming from..

Focus:

As a female profession, powerful and historical forces continue to be intensified against teacher professional autonomy and women who seek the stereotypical treatment of those in caregiving roles of any kind should look elsewhere for career fulfillment. The respect and professional authority necessary for the teacher/student relationship is no longer available. Education is no longer focused on any human development issues beyond the marketplace. It is impossible for an individual teacher to provide a viable counterforce to cultural pressures against her work and the welfare of students. To believe so is to live in the fairy tale.

Background:

• primarily 6-12 public education (but some issues run the gamut into community college and college teaching and shares some issues with private school teaching)
• 1960s on
• author has over 30 years of experience in rural, urban, and suburban settings
• author has experience in four subject areas and both administrative and classroom
• author has been faculty leader and staff developer
• author is a woman and has worked under both men and women administrators