Why does it feel like on a year to year basis there isn’t consistency?  “Everyone” has a genius idea that is suppose to revolutionize education, but instead it has teachers jumping through various hoops; at time it feels like we should all be in the circus instead of educating young people.  I find that this happens everywhere too.  Whether it is the day to day job, for a class you may be taking, maybe something “mandated” by the government, it seems like no one from the outside actually knows what the job entails and just likes to pile on extra tasks, “just because.”  Quite honestly, i don’t feel any of them are making me a better teacher.  Sure I can reflect all day long on my practices, but where does that leave me for planning when the kids walk in the door?  Can we just get back to the basics instead of having to complete a million tasks that prove we are teaching?  I can write things on paper, but that doesn’t mean its getting done, and some of the best lessons I’ve ever taught were out of the blue when I was just going with the flow.  I wonder if anyone will ever realize that they are driving good, qualified teachers away with all of the absurd requirements they ask of us.  Just some food for thought, and a little vent of course haha…