Public Cancer

I am the product of public school.  I am now working in public school as a computer teacher.  My badge actually says 'proctor'.

proc·tor  (prktr) n. A supervisor especially of an examination or dormitory in a school.

Well, I feel certain, I am more than a proctor, but whatever.  I have always been a fan of public school and think the benefits are much more than academics.  The diversity and the learning of accepting others is a huge lessoned learned in public school.  However, because of cancer, my view of public school is changing.

I understand now that public school is much more than a classroom or a teacher.  Unfortunately, public school is too...in the words of Buddy the Elf, GINORMOUS!   What matters is the person that holds the child's hand, not the policy made.  Each level of the bureaocracy is distanced from the hand of a child.  The classroom teacher hugs and loves the child, the principal and adminstration of the school still love the child for sure, but they have less opportunity to hold the child.  The District is even more removed, they may visit the school, but they hold the child even less.  The State rarely holds the child at all.  The Federal Government-well, that is easy, there is not physical child hand holding.

The truth of the matter, you can not truly teach a child, unless you love and hold the child.  Policy may help or hurt the teachers academic effectiveness, but physically interatcting with the child, understanding the uniqueness of the child, is the only true effectiveness in shaping a child.

It is hard to walk away from such great benefits and I cannot complain financially, it is defintely making a difference in our situation.  So, I am trying to still work while completeing my chemotherapy and most of the students in my elementary school know that I have cancer. Just like public school, the insurance industry is too far removed from the patient.  I am fortunate to have a cancer policy, but the bureaocracy of the process is quite life sucking and depressing.  The company has no physical connection to me, there is no love shown.  Now, there are a rare few of customer service folks that do care and try to help, but the process is so confusing and contrived that their hands are tied much of the time.  It really is amazing to have cancer, but yet have to fight for not only your life, but what you have been promised by insurance companies.

Allstate may be the "Good Hands People", but the children in my elementary school are the ones showing me love and holding my hand and truly improving my cancer experience!