Thoughts on M.A.'s and email.

I am going to discuss an issue which I encounter quite often. I do not enjoy it when the parents of my students tell me that they have a Master's Degree. Now, don't get me wrong, I can appreciate the hard work and dedication it must take to earn a Master's Degree. I have not yet earned mine, but I am craving the day when I can go back to school. I have been married one year, and we have a mortgage to pay. We have bills to pay and going back to school in this economy is not condusive to my current life. I have recently been thinking about going back to school, someday, to get an M.A. in Literature. Sometimes I want to get an M.A. in coaching, because I think it would be both fun and beneficial to my passion for coaching basketball and life. Maybe I could get a Master's in writing. I love being a student. I miss being a student. Back to my point though, I am frustrated with parents who use the fact that they have a Master's to show me that they are "wise" and know how things should be done. I am the teacher. I am the one who is struggling to teach your son or daughter comittment. I am the woman who welcomes your child into my classroom each new day and believes the best of them. I am the one who challenges your child. I am the one who understands what students need in my classroom. I would not be in this position if I was not fully qualified. I do not appreciate being treated as if I am ignorant of how to do things properly. I am willing to welcome anyone into my world to teach and coach at the High School level. I have two full time jobs. If these people don't believe that, I suggest that they try it. I respect parents. I respect their concern for their children. I do not respect their lack of respect for me when trying to convey their feelings. I am a woman. I am a twenty five year old woman. I am good at what I do. I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I want to hear what parents have to say. I care about their children more than they will ever know or see. I appreciate suggestions, but I do not welcome tactless criticism. I am a woman. I have a husband. I have passions. I have beliefs. I have dreams. I have wisdom. I have a life outside of being in your child's life. I have much to learn. I think that there are so many people who have absolutely not learned what it means to be a person of gentleness. When I am a mother, I want to be patient with those who lead my children in school and sports. There is a way that communication can be healthy. This cannot be accomplished through haste and anger. Another thing that I do not understand about people is how they abuse the use of email. I prefer email to the phone when the message is short and not related to a frustration on one end. Whenever I send an email, I make sure to use a greeting. For example, "Hello Sally," or "Good Morning Joe," or "Dear parents." Greetings make sense to me. They show tact. They show recognition that one is sending words and messages to another human being. I despise receiving emails, from people whom I do not know well, that do not possess a greeting. I am even willing to accept a simple, "Sarah," or "Mrs. Clarke," or "Coach Clarke." Since I am on the topic of emails, I will go ahead and share the other elements of emails that give me an uneasy feeling. I am an English teacher, but I do not expect perfect grammar, spelling and sentence structure. However, if you are going to attack me in your email instead of in person, it would probably be helpful if you proof read. That probably shows a huge weakness in myself. That shows my limitations. Crap. I should be gracious to all. Anyways, if you're going to shove your wisdom in my face, why not capitalize and punctuate? I also appreciate a salutation. Maybe I am old fashioned. A simple, "Thanks," or even just your name would be stellar. The reason I feel so strongly about the email situation is because I think it reveals an extreme amount about the writer's intent. Does the person sending the email acknowledge the fact that the person receiving the email is in a world with struggles and thoughts of their own? Or, does the sender of the email solely care about their purpose? I will do my best to always include a greeting, respectful body, and conclusion when using this tampered email process. I have learned to be the bigger person, which seems ironic, because in most cases I am the younger adult. I have been forced to put myself last to achieve peace in so many arenas. It works, and it brings peace, in a way. I do not enjoy being attacked, but it comes with the territory of working with the children of other people. I usually keep my response emails short when I can tell that the parent is just in a fit of rage against me. Don't get me wrong, I think parents have the best of intentions in protecting their children. The problem lies in the process of conveying their emotions and hopes for how I teach and coach their child. Ultimately, I am the woman who is the teacher of your child. Ultimately, I am the woman who is the coach of your daughter. You may not see my passion, and you may not see my compassion. I teach truly and I love genuinely. I believe in what I do. I may not be perfect in your eyes. You are not the one who gets to decide how I teach and coach. If you were the one who was able to make the decisions, then I would need to cease to exist in this specific realm. I choose to stay. I choose to grow. I choose to love. I choose to my best, and I find it amusing how often I am attacked. Apologies for this seemingly bitter session of words.