The Paradox of Consistency

If there is one profession that is definitely underappreciated in the United States, it is teaching, especially teaching in inner city schools. Besides the financial stresses inner city schools must face and the typical behavior problems most Americans hear about, inner city school teachers also have to deal with a plethora of other obstacles on a day to day basis. Every day these teachers enter a hostile environment where they are underappreciated, harassed, and overworked. These teachers are expected to yield the same results as teachers in other areas who have infinitely more support and time. Inner city school teachers are constantly reinforcing routines and procedures throughout the day (no matter what time of year). These teachers do not have a free moment in their day because they are either constantly monitoring their students to prevent severe conflicts from occurring in their classrooms or they are preparing for lessons because they are not given planning periods.

It is easy for an outside observer to simply believe that a teacher who is successful at classroom management will have the time and resources necessary to make the same gains as teachers in more affluent areas. Those individuals, however, do not consider inconsistent school policies that many inner school teachers must face. When students physically and sexually assault their teachers without serious repercussions, other students believe that they can act in the same manner and receive the same consequences. Many of these inner city schools have lowered their behavioral expectations to the point where students are allowed to physically assault their teachers on a daily basis. Expulsion is a rare, if not nonexistent, thing in many inner city schools. Teachers in this environment are constantly trying to provide their students with some form of consistency while facing inconsistencies all around. This paradox is their downfall, if anything.

-DC Public Charter School Teacher