Alternate Status

These were the words I read in an email that I received today: Although we cannot offer you a place at this time, the selection committee found your application impressive, and you have been designated as an alternate.

Today is the day that teachers are notified of their application status for summer seminars through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). I am officially an alternate for both of the seminars that I applied to. I don't know why this upsets me so much, but it does. One of the girls I met last summer posted on her Facebook that she was accepted to both of the seminars she applied to and I am jealous.

Each of the last three summers, I have been fortunate enough to attend an NEH seminar. In fact, I feel that my summers are incomplete if I don't spend at least one week at a seminar, learning something new to bring to my classroom for the following year. Fortunately there are other organizations that allow anyone who signs up - first come first serve - to attend, so I will now be looking at those.

So for those people who complain that teachers have time off during the summer, consider that many of us spend those weeks traveling and attending seminars to make us better teachers, improve our content knowledge and network with other teachers.

One of the saddest parts of this economic crisis is the loss in funding for many of the organizations and programs that are funded by the federal government. I have learned so much and am saddened by the fact that future teachers won't have these same wonderful opportunities that I have had. If cries continue to make teacher better, please realize that these programs, like the Teaching American History grant which I am currently participating in, are what makes teachers better. Find some other programs to cut, not teacher education and professional development. It is vital that these programs continue if we want better teachers in this country!