"School is the marketplace of possibility, not efficiency" - Susan Ohanian
Denise couldn't believe she was involved in this kind of conversation once again. Outsiders have no clue as to why schools make the decisions they make, she thought. Although an insider herself, Denise frequently didn't know why they made the decisions they made. Regardless of that fact, it was time once again to defend the public school system to her friends.
"What I don't understand is why they use a math program that clearly doesn't reach that many children."
"I want to know why there aren't enough textbooks so my daughter can bring one home to do her homework."
The problem was that Denise had no answers for these questions. She knew that districts made decisions that sometimes made no sense to her or to any other teacher. She also knew that she and many others like her had dedicated their lives to public education because they believed they could make a difference in their students' lives.
She answered with confidence. "It's true that there are plenty of problems with the system, but let me tell you why I think the time I give to public education is important." Denise then shared with her friends her passion for teaching and some experiences from her classroom which kept her believing that she was touching lives and that learning was happening, even with the system's imperfections.
The best asset of any school is its dedicated teachers. When people complain to you about what your school doesn't have or isn't doing, gently remind them of what, and who, is does have to offer.
Prompt: Some of the most important assets I believe I offer my school are. . .
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