Education and Politics in Wisconsin

For years, I gave up pay raises and benefits to keep great insurance as a teacher. I willingly traded cash for the best health care for my family. In his first 45 days, our governor announced a bill for public employees to pay more toward their health care in order to balance the budget. Not OUR problem to solve, of course, but an equal opportunity for all Wisconsinites to help balance the budget was not an option. Unfortunately, we understood the dilemma.

Our unions conceded, knowing our public school funding is at an all-time low. Then came the catastrophic decision to end collective bargaining. As of June, I will have no contract, no consideration for 20 years of teaching in the same district, and no reason for my district NOT to cut me and hire a first-year teacher to save $20,000. All this including a file of wonderful evaluations and praise from students and parents that I hold dear.

Every person has an opinion. Wisconsin has successfully recalled their governor and will force another election. Not a proud moment in Wisconsin history. Many shake their heads and wonder what happened. Unions across the state are similarly impacted, except the police and fire unions. Hmmm.

Public supporters of the law say that THOSE teachers deserve it. THEY get paid too much anyway. THOSE teachers are awful, and then they identify one bad apple. THOSE teachers should have to pay like the rest of us. (Meaning those who did AND did not go to college.)

I am a professional. I have a bachelor's degree in my field. I have a master's degree in my field. I have 20 years experience in my field. I have to renew my license with college courses or a PDP every five years to stay current. I have to stay abreast of every change and new method in order to best meet my students' needs. Yet, I chose a low-paying job because I love what I do. I really do.

Yet, this whole situation makes me feel ashamed to admit I'm an educator because (now) some people who pay taxes think they own a piece of the school system. It's not OK to be treated as any other worker. The teaching profession is a licensed profession for a reason. Not many could (or would) do what I do. Trust me, parent volunteers rarely come back.

I implore the public to understand what it's like to tackle today's tasks. I am a parent and caregiver, as well as a teacher, most days. Honestly, I am. Some kids have so much baggage that my lesson on adjectives is unattainable. Students are in school eight hours a day. Some of my students don't get eight hours with a parent throughout the whole work week. It's sad, but completely true. A school is a multi-million dollar institution that holds our children's future and skills in its hands.

Every person went to school, so they think they understand what it takes. Believe me, I went to college in the 80's and 90's for education and the world of education today is hardly the same I was trained for - good and bad.

Ways to Achieve Educational and Professional Success

Some institutions aim at promoting excellence at every level of graduate education. They have a dynamic community of students, teachers and researchers who strive to achieve both, educational and professional success.

The focus is on developing interpersonal skills to equip pupils to attain competence in their chosen field and achieve professional excellence as they move ahead in life. Some students are trained to understand the value of building relationships.

Such institutions have played an important role in shaping the character of the nation's pool of talent for a long time. It has, right from its inception, had the largest enrollment of doctoral students in the United States. This is an achievement in itself, and many students are proud being part of such a prestigious institution.

The graduate schools offers programs in specific disciplines in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. You can opt either for a Masters or a PhD program. If you opt for the Masters degree you have an array of programs to choose from. These programs generally take two years to complete if you study full-time.

The PhD program could take anywhere from four to seven years and prepares you to become a professional in your chosen field. They are more in demand than usual these days, as individuals are using the state of the economy as an opportunity to continue their education. Even the New York Times reported over a year ago that this would likely be a trend.

There are many programs a university can offer their pupils that some other schools may not. The Office of Global Programs provides them the ability to study abroad in almost 50 different countries from Argentina, to Botswana, to Ghana, to even a semester at sea! The University has paired up with countless other programs across the globe to bring these great opportunities to their pupils. The office even offers an exchange student program at 9 different universities.

These world-class programs help students meet their educational goals and objectives. This is done with support from a staff that is devoted to effective teaching. They seek to prepare pupils for lifelong success in whichever career they choose. Skills such as problem solving ability and critical ability are instilled in them and ensure that they are able to pursue their graduate studies.

Being in this school is a challenging and intellectually exhilarating task, and students will vouch for this.