Why I Left

A Simple Answer

The simple answer is that 32 years is a long time in the teaching business. But the complete answer is much more complex than that. I know that if things had been otherwise I would have stayed at least another 4 years. Now, as to what that "otherwise" is - well that's the complicated part.

The Pasta Story

When I got married, man, many years ago - my wife and I received a Pasta Maker as one of our wedding gifts. After putting it off, one day I decided to give it a go and make some fresh pasta. I put the ingredients in the maker, extracted the pasta and put it in a pot to boil. Not knowing any better, I cooked it the same amount of time that I would have boiled dried pasta. Needlesstosay, what came out was way over-cooked and soft. And then (I am a terrible cook btw) I thought - well hey, the more you cook something, the more "done" it becomes - so I gave it a few more minutes. It became a horrible gooey mess. I think what is happening in education right now is that we are "overboiling the pasta" - hoping our actions will fix something, when in fact we are making it worse. Much worse.

NOT the Reasons that I Left

I did not leave because of the Pandemic. I did not leave because of the students. I did not leave because of the parents. I did not leave because of the public. I did not leave because of the administration. I did not leave because of the building conditions. I did not leave because of media. I did not leave because of the pressure.

Links in the Media

These links are, I believe, indicative of what is happening to education. One thing most of them miss, I again believe, is that the Pandemic did not define or create what was happening - it may have accelerated it though.

At N.Y.U., Students Were Failing Organic Chemistry. Who Was to Blame?