Public schools are the battlefield; Teachers are the good and bad guys; and Kids are stuck in the middle.

I just watched a documentary called Waiting for "Superman". It's about America's public school system. I knew some of the facts already; some were quite alarming...I mean, even the ones I knew already were alarming. However, the whole time I watched this, I couldn't stop thinking about how that makes me want to do Teach for America even more.

I have so much respect for good, hardworking teachers. You know, when you think back pre-college, those few teachers who pop into your mind because they obviously love what they do and made you love it too? Well for me, a handful of teachers come to mind. Growing up in Louisiana (last time I checked, third worst school system in the country), I was very blessed to attend private school through eighth grade and then one of the best public high schools in the state. But I saw and heard about those schools in inner city New Orleans that were failing...the ungodly dropout rates. The crime rates, the poverty...another story for another day, though.

But in high school, I had several great teachers. The funny thing is that two of them taught my two lesser favorite subjects - English and Social Studies - but they love what they do and actually were able to get me excited about the classes. My other favorites taught math and science, which have always been my favorite subjects, but after my experiences with those teachers, I just knew I wanted to go into the math or science field. They really helped me find my passion for those areas. But the great part is that the other teacher who impacted me the most never actually taught me at all - well "teach" in the formal, in the classroom, setting. She was the advisor for the service organization I was involved in. But what she helped me find was possibly greater than what any of the others did for me...she helped me find my passion for serving others. She located my heart for serving and loving on people. She taught me what "servant leadership" means. And she really cares about my life.

Honestly, other than teaching me coursework, the other reason these teachers left such a huge imprint on me is that they care about my life. And I say care because when I go back to visit, they ask me a slew of questions, everything from classes to boyfriends to family...They know me, and they remember me. They know my brother and ask him how I'm doing. They even remember things about my family they've never met. Really, they care about my well-being and success and happiness.

This is what inspires me to be a teacher...at least for a couple years with Teach for America. I want to get involved in kids lives and consequently in the lives of their families. So many of these children come from broken homes, bad neighborhoods, and rough backgrounds. But I'd love to attempt to show them a glimpse of hope, to give them something to work towards. They need that. They need education because, really, it is the only way out of the lives they're in right now. And I want to just love on these kids - the "unlovable" - and get to know them and their families. And it's an incredible missional opportunity!

I truly believe that education is the way to improve the future of our country. If it keeps spiraling downwards, then the young men and women our schools are spitting out will keep decreasing in quality. They won't qualify for jobs because they won't be capable of learning. And really, if huge percentages of kids are dropping out of high school, they have no hope in America. I want to show them hope. I want to be one of those great teachers who actually help improve the educational system, who actually loves my job and wants to see kids succeed.

Really.

And props to Whitney who is actually doing Teach for America for the next two years. I get so excited for her because she's getting to "live the dream", so to speak.

The most frustrating thing about this whole documentary was the teachers' unions and tenor. We can't fire bad teachers. So really, it's just like socialism where no one has any incentive to work any harder than anyone else because everyone gets paid the same. Yes, there are teachers who will put 110% into their jobs no matter what the pay-off, but we should be able to fire those who don't do their job right. The unions - the teachers who are in this for the kids, supposedly - are what's actually getting in the way of educating out children. We need to get back on track. Being the world's superpower, we really should have a more solid education system to support that.

But really, it's not just that our school system is broken, though it is. Our whole world is broken. And although the man in this documentary laments that Superman isn't real, which means that no one is coming to save us and be the good guy and push all the bad guys away, I know that there really is this hero - Jesus. He's coming back one day and will save us, redeem us, restore us, and fix this broken world. As Michal put it, there will still be learning, but there won't be bad, lazy teachers. It'll be great!

But until then, we wait patiently, seeing where God has put us to live out our Great Commission calling, and seeing the brokenness, crying out "Abba, father" with all of creation.