The Wayfarer - News & Thoughts

One thing that I've discovered as I build and let people know about this website:  There are a lot of zealous, unkind people out there.  As I let people know about the site - I post on English Teacher Groups across the Internet.  

Most of the response to what I've been trying to do has shown gratitude, and appreciation.  But I've also seen the darker side of people as well.  The other day someone had posted on a teacher group about what a horrible book To Kill a Mockingbird is.  Though it is not directly related to this site - I had to respond as that novel had a profound and lasting effect on me.  I said why - to me - the book still mattered, and that while it may not be perfect - in the racist area that I grew up in - it seemed like a light in the darkness.

I was immediately attacked for my views and told that I didn't have an understanding of the bigger issues.  Furthermore, I was told that the book is racist and irredeemable. 

I have always remembered the horrible encourage of justice that occurred to Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird - and it not only gave me hope that it is ok to not hate people different from you - it also helped push me toward becoming a teacher so that I could help - in what little way possible - with righting those wrongs.

As the title of this website implies - there are many ways to teach, and it is my fondest hope that teachers are trusted to teach the material they care about and that they see as best giving a different perspective to their students.