Increasing class size is part of continued assault on teaching

The proposal to eliminate many teaching positions in Horry County Schools, through increasing class sizes by two in our middle and high schools, is misguided, detrimental to the student-teacher relationship, and puts more value on material things than it does on people. Our district does not value teaching and learning any more and has not done so for quite some time. All of us have a responsibility to see this phenomenon reversed, for the sake of both students and teachers.

I retired from teaching in our district in 2014 because of what is now playing out in our schools. My original plan was to teach for four more years, but I refused to become a cog in a wheel. My students were too important to me to be negatively affected by mandatory changes which were going to require the integration of individual computer devices in classroom instruction through what is called blended learning.

I would no longer have been able to decide how best to instruct my students, including my choice of materials and strategies. The art of teaching and creative autonomy that I had were powerful inspirations for me in interacting with my students in meaningful authentic learning. I greatly resented the changes that were coming down.

I do not think it had anything to do with my age and inability to adapt to change. I could have done so but was simply not willing. I knew the damage that would be done to both students and teachers. One does not need to drink acid to know that his insides will be eaten away.

These changes, along with other deleterious national changes to the Advanced Placement United States History program and implementation of Common Core principles and directives, were the writing on the wall for my 41-year career.

Political correctness in valuing computer devices and gimmicky mandatory participation by all teachers in blended learning and other such cookie-cutter strategies to justify the illegitimate denigration of individuals who are creative and talented teachers fall in line with Common Core and its de facto practice in the state of S.C.

The joy and art of teaching are being sacrificed on the altar of big business and big government in our schools for purposes of monetary gain, control, and manipulation, not real teaching and learning. They are not goals any more. As long as hardware, software, and testing profits roll in, many will continue to exploit our young people and puppet teachers.

Money, power, and influence drive the show in our schools. Students are not truly cared for, and teachers are expected to be automatons, mindless manipulators on a high tech assembly line. Of course, there are some wonderful teachers who do marvelous things in our schools, but many have to work with one hand tied behind their backs. They are not given the opportunity now to approach their courses, with respect for their individual professionalism and expertise. The expenditures on computer hardware, software, and related services must be justified. How sad that we would let these material things get in the way of the kinds of teaching and learning that are more productive and meaningful.

Horry County Schools has fallen for a national trend that is killing the joy of teaching and learning.

If Horry County Schools passes the proposed increase of two students per class in our middle and high schools and puts programs, devices, and fancy buildings over the teacher-student relationship and authentic learning, it will be making a huge mistake.

The good citizens of our district should speak out publicly against this proposal. Real teaching and learning are under assault.

The writer lives in Surfside Beach.

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 7:39 AM with the headline "Increasing class size is part of continued assault on teaching."