Teachers work harder than in 'good old days'

Teachers work harder than in 'good old days'

Victoria Times Colonist
Joan Boyd
March 24, 2012

Some people complain that they are in classes of 40 or more at school, so why are the teachers today so concerned about class size?


I taught classes of 40 to 45 children in the 1950s. It was easy compared to today's setup. Children and teachers were much more regimented 60 years ago. Teachers basically taught only the three R's. Little preparation was involved, with government-supplied readers, and workbooks for reading, arithmetic and writing.


Children with any kind of disabilities were not allowed in the public school system. Physical punishment of many kinds, including the strap, was the norm (but not in my classes).

We rarely saw parents, usually only at infrequent PTA meetings. Trouble at school meant trouble at home for most children.

Scientific discoveries in medicine have saved many more children's lives, and in education we have much more information on how children function.

In talking about the good old days, we are inclined to remember the good and forget the realities. Today's teachers have valid concerns. They certainly work twice as hard as teachers 60 years ago.

Joan Boyd
Sidney



Source: Times Colonist