Jaraux Washington is a science teacher at Tampa's Roland Park K-8 Magnet School for International Studies. So it's not surprising she turns to biology for a metaphor to describe teaching.
"Especially in seventh grade you understand that this is a process," she says, "and sometimes you're the planter and sometime you're the waterer and sometime you get to see the harvest."
Today is the start of Teacher Appreciation Week, and Washington is one of many teachers participating in a social media campaign for teachers to clear up misconceptions an tell the public what the job is really about. It's called #TeachingIs.
#TeachingIs 12+ hour days , teaching, coaching, cheering, planning.......no overtime or time and a half. Getting paid in seeds sown
— Jaraux Washington (@JarauxW) May 1, 2014
The North Carolina-based Center for Teaching Quality is leading the campaign. The non-profit helps teachers share good practices and encourages and trains teachers to be leaders without leaving the classroom.
We spoke to three Florida teachers participating, asked them to read and discuss their thoughts.
[audio href="http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wusf/files/201405/5-5_TeachingIs.mp3" title="Three Florida Teachers On What #TeachingIs"]Listen to the story by StateImpact Florida's John O'Connor[/audio]
Lalla Pierce of Brown-Barge Middle School in Pensacola:
#TeachingIs Facilitating, not disseminating; coaching, not preaching; guiding, not forcing. #ccss
— LallaTPierce (@LallaTPierce) April 26, 2014
And Mike Meiczinger, who teaches at Lutz Elementary School:
#TeachingIs meaning you have homework. In service courses, grading, planning, and then planning some more.
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— Mike Meiczinger (@MMeiczinger) April 10, 2014
Check out more thoughts on what #TeachingIs here.
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