Labor and English Language Teaching
The state of English Language Teaching (ELT) (and teaching content, electives overall) is going through a serious, almost radical, transformation. Long gone are the days where union chapters, building reps and others who represent a teaching staff have the backing of their affiliate or parent union for support. No more do we see teachers of all areas praised for working miracles with society’s problem students/children. Forever gone are the school days filled with bright eyes, smiling faces, recess, and an obvious love of learning. What we see are bubble tests, exhausted and anxiety ridden students and teachers, and administrators and policy makers with little or no teaching experience making life changing decisions over the lives of people in a profession they know so little about.
The plight of the American worker (teacher) and student has epitomized the exploitation of labor. Whether one works at a Wal Mart, McDonalds, GM plant or PS 234, the work force is no longer viewed as a crucial element in the growth or strength of the industry. Unfortunately, we now need to refer to education as an industry. We are all expendable cogs in which one’s labor is viewed as a means to enhance the profit margin of the few who do so little of the work yet reap the profits and accolades of ‘high society’ (government, media, etc.)
ESL teachers are unique in the work force of education. The motivation level of many of the students is often far higher than the general population. Their backgrounds almost dictate they be placed in an educational survival mode. Either their families were well educated before coming to the US, they see that education actually is a key to further independence, or even the judge says stay in school or be deported, all contribute to a greater degree of determination amongst the ELL population to advance.
As teachers one is surrounded by colleagues who really love their job (not that others don’t!) and it shows everywhere, from the classroom to the department meetings. The motivational level of ELL teachers is readily viewed at the state conferences and international conventions. It’s very difficult for many Labor and English Language Teaching | Dissident Voice: