Favorite Photo Friday

Reading is Magical

As a child I was a bookworm.  I loved to read, and when I read I felt as though I went away to a magical place.  In Chloe's room, in the morning, her disco ball reflects the morning sunlight and it looks as though fairies have placed sparkles all over her room (or at least that is what I tell her).  One morning this week, Chloe wanted to read a book underneath the light.  I couldn't have come up with a better place to read myself, and as a teacher I was so proud that she already understands reading is magical, and deserves its own magical spot with fairy sparkles and a fairy crown.

Then later this week I read this harsh reply NC Senator David Curtis wrote in response to a public school teacher's email on teacher compensation.  It truly hit me to the core.  Not only did he have many of his facts wrong, I thought senators were supposed to be working for us, the people of our state - the teachers, the parents of children who are learning that reading is magical.

I was so upset by his dismissive response that I wrote him myself explaining the sacrifices that my family, my husband and I make. While we, public school teachers, don't expect much in return - we do expect more respect than his harsh reply.  I encourage you to write him as well, if you have any strong feelings about the respect teachers deserve.  If nothing else, I want my children to grow up in a loving, nurturing school environment - an environment that teaches my son and daughter that reading is magical.  I fear that if changes within our state are not made we will continue to lose good teachers and lose sight of the good North Carolina public school systems do for our children.