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Saturday, April 7, 2018

My News

I've told my family, my boss, my students, my colleagues and anyone who asks. Now it's time to tell you.

I've submitted my letter to the school district; this will be my last year as a classroom teacher.

There is no raging letter railing against the advance of reform in my district. It's true that reform stuff has made its way into my building, that I work with a for some Kool-Aid drinkers, and that some days I step back and realize that the goldfish has barely enough water left. But I read too much from too many corners of the country to imagine that my school is as bad as things can get-- it's not even close. And if it were just that, I'd be inclined to stay and continue making a nuisance of myself (though I will admit that over the years I have underestimated how easily a district can say, "Just ignore him-- he's old and he'll be gone soon.")

Anyway, my work situation doesn't justify one of those blistering "why I'm quitting" letters. It has been a good place to work for most of my career.

Most of it comes down to this:

These guys















My reasons for stepping down are largely personal and financial. There are children and grandchildren and other family scattered about; I'd like to be able to visit and skype more often. There are things that I promised myself I would get around to doing "some day," and I've been reminded lately that at 60, my some days are not an infinite supply. I have writing to do and community work to do and there's a banjo upstairs I've been meaning to restring when I get the time.

I have all the feelings about this. I've always been first and foremost a teacher, one of those guys who everyone figured would teach until he was ancient and crusty, and really, for a large part of my life, I couldn't envision anything else. I didn't talk or think about retirement because I could not imagine what it would look like. Over the past few years that has changed; I was indulging in some romantic fantasizing to imagine I could do this work forever. Plus, I don't want to spend my family's future just because I'm afraid to change my present. But I still feel some guilt about retiring, about leaving the work while there is still work to be done. Intellectually, I know that this was always going to be true, that every teacher leaves the field while the work is still being done. But still, I think of the people who will still be carrying the load that I will no longer be helping to heft. And I'm sorry that there will be one less voice of an actual working teacher in the Conversation About Education, though I suspect some more will emerge soon enough.

I am by no means done with the education world. My wife's career is still mostly ahead of her, and the two guys in the picture have their whole education ahead of them (except for drooling, crawling and pooping-- on those, we have mastery)-- so I will remain fully invested. Running for school board? That sounds like fun. Do you need a speaker? I believe I'll be available. Need someone for a writing gig? I'm all up for that. And it's time to get serious about seeing if I really have a book or two in me. Then I can start fielding the offers from think tanks while I start my consulting firm. Or I can just get that banjo restrung. And this blog will keep right on churning away.

I am the most fortunate, blessed, privileged guy I know. I have had second and third chances I never deserved. I have worked at the best job in the world in a great community, managed to put two kids through college, have never been very wealthy but have never lived in want, and now that job, backed up by the state, gives me options that some people (including teachers in other locales) only dream of. As I have said many times, it does not suck to be me, and not a day goes by that I'm not grateful for my privileges and thoughtful about how to try to pay the universe back.

I'm sure I'll have other things to say as the reality of change sinks in, because as we know, every thought that passes through my brain falls onto this space. In the meantime, I just wanted to pass on the news.


18 comments:

  1. Best of luck on your future endeavors! Keep fighting for kids!

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  2. I retired at 62 (8 years ago this June) and it was incredibly hard, for the reasons you have listed.

    Immediately after retiring I volunteered for nearly six years, giving that up only when health issues made it impossible. I still miss it, but it gets easier with time.

    Having something to do is essential. For me it's kids and grandkids (and a great-grandkid even) and working with a public advocacy group in our city. The latter (along with a bit of blogging) gives me the satisfaction that I'm doing something to keep the reformist vultures at bay, though not very successfully. I also try to help open the eyes of former colleagues...

    It takes time to adjust.

    Hope to see you at NPE in Indianapolis this October if your little ones allow it...

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  3. I'm so glad Curmudgucation is not retiring! I read you every day when I get home from school (my decompression time; nobody is allowed to talk until I've read my ed blogs). My mom says you need three things in life: Something to do, something to look forward to, and someone to love. Looks like you have all three. Best of luck to you and keep up the good work!

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  4. Translation - At 60, Greene now has a sufficient number of vested years to live off his pension that his union has pilfered from the tax payer with the help of politicians only too happy to take the union payoff ... sorry, political contributions. How will he ever adjust from having summers and a plethora of holidays off ... to everyday off ? I'm sure the task will be daunting.

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    1. This doesn't require a response, because the writer is a dope. But I put it up to remind everyone that this is why teachers sometimes have to strike, and this is why teacher pay is such a contentious issue-- because there are people out there who believe that actually paying teachers for the work they do is some kind of scam or theft, and that teachers don't really do any work at all. These people exist, and they are always going to be a blight on public education in this country. They're not just misguided, and a few moments of rational fact-based conversation won't convert them. In short, teachers need to remember that there are plenty of people out there who don't respect the work we do, don't think we should get paid for it, and resent it if we're living above the poverty line.

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    2. And, at one time, he/she was quite likely some dedicated teacher's most trying student, but was invariably met with a smile every morning. Good luck Peter, welcome to the club. Know you did something of no little importance with your life.

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    3. The chicken who couldn't even give himself a moniker should spend a day in our shoes. We are not just educating a whole child, we are with scary increasing instances RAISING that child, feeding and clothing him/her.

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    4. Just another jealous guy. My answer to this type of hater is simple: why didn't you all jump on the same gravy train that Peter and I did back in 1980? Afraid that $12 a year salary would put you in a higher tax bracket? And this same knucklehead is the first to make sure he lives in a good school district and his kids get the best teachers. Teaching has few perks, but job security and a good pension are well deserved by those of us who made it a career.

      CONGRATS Peter! Nearly 40 years in the trenches is no small accomplishment. Keep on keepin' on my friend.

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  5. 1st, your obligation is to your wife & twins and that lasts until the babies are 18. It's your responsibility to remain alive & as healthy as possible until then.

    2nd, I retired from a teaching job that I loved at the age of 64 basically because my wife, in effect, fired me. Family comes first, which leads to the next point:

    3rd, This is why teachers absolutely need solid, stable middle-class pay with the requisite bennies. That means appropriate compensation for whatever location that teachers teach. Because in the end, every teacher's first obligation is to his/her family.

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  6. These kind of people are not just a blight on public education.....they are a blight on society as a whole. They will complain about Medicare & SS for the elderly, health insurance as a right for everyone and every social service to help the poor. These kind of people disgust me.

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    1. This in response to "Unknown" above ^^^^^^^

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  7. Dear Mr. Greene:

    I retired five years ago when I was over 62 had 10 years of teaching Grade Level and Art. Before that I did five years of being a Stay-at-Home Mom and ten years of Substitute Teaching while my two sons grew up. I lucked out completely. I was hired to teach Art two days a week for four hours in the mornings at a small public school district in the middle of nowhere (pop. >100, the school attracts some children from a city 10 miles away across the county border.) It’s an hour commute, but they know they have to pay enough to make qualified people want to come and work there, so those eight hours I work I am making twice what I used to make per hour. The school only has K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 teachers, it is that small. Two mornings a week teaching three classes of, so far, not more than 14 kids each class? Isn’t that pretty much perfect? My point is to not let your Certificate lapse. As your beautiful boys grow up and get ready to go off to K, take a look around in the tulies. Don’t rule out teaching something other than English, either! Maybe a School Band gig! Or Drama! With the teacher shortage as it is, they might be very glad to see someone with so much experience come through the door for a part-time position out there in East Chapeepee!

    I’m very happy that you are going to have all the fun of being a Stay -at- Home Parent like I was! I’m also glad you will continue to write this Blog. You do a great job of translating “reform-speak” into plain English so we can see what these weasel-folks are up to. Thanks!

    Leila

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  8. I knew it. I just knew it the first time I saw the twin pictures. Good for you and tragic for the kids at school, though, as you say, you will be active in the education world. Congratulations. I know it was not an easy decision. I made mine nine years ago this spring and used the time to write, "Naked Teaching: A Love Story." It's, you guessed it, about my experience with coming out of retirement and teaching two additional years in Arizona after teaching 32 in Maine. I would love it if you would check it out on Amazon and write a review. Actually, you would be my dream "blurbber." (Blurbber. Is that a word?)

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  9. Mr. Greene was my teacher many years ago (80s), and he was the best one, the one who inspired and motivated me to do things I dreamed of doing. Teachers make the lasting difference in kids' lives. Congratulations on all your years of service and enjoy your time with family and friends!

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    1. Aww, the best words, the most meaningful ones any teacher can hear or read.

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  10. Peter, congratulations on this big decision. I'm in my seventh year of retirement, after 36 years in a classroom. I didn't go out with my maximum possible pension (80%), but it's fine. (Despite Anonymous' biases, 94% of my pension is paid by me, with contributions of 11% of my salary and no Social Security, like teachers in 15 states.) I cannot remember any time when I've been bored or lacked something to do.

    The chance to be with your boys is irreplaceable, and you and they are so lucky you'll be able to spend the time with them. (And also to go screaming from the house now and then when the relief shift arrives - though my twins are 26, I remember vividly.)

    So glad you'll continue to be curmudgerly - we all need your voice.

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  11. I learned from Jose Vilson about your retirement. Glad to know the blog will continue!

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  12. A huge loss for your school, but a huge win for the education community. Your voice and insights are SO IMPORTANT right now. Best wishes for the remainder of the school year.

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