AREA SHOULD CELEBRATE TEACHERS' COMMITMENT

Learning goes on every day of our existence, yet some take on society's rugged chore of formalizing the process. No adult reflects on life without being signaled to some contribution made by a teacher. The lessons are not always easy and are sometimes harsh in remembrance, but classroom educators make a positive impact on the lives of us all. During this Teacher Appreciation Week, which ends Saturday, it's a good thing to stop and mull over.

Americans celebrate a muddled perspective on teachers. In the educators' hands are placed the futures of our children, a trust that is admirable if over-exerted. The system was never meant to function this way; parents need to accept more responsibility in their children's educations. On the back end of this arrangement, teachers get too much of the blame when breakdowns occur, as they inevitably will when children are involved in a diverse and complex society.

This does not in any way abdicate accountability in the teaching profession, where there are failings that demand attention. Results are not as they should be and the United States is no longer measuring up to some other nations academically.

Reform was a watchword in education during the 1980s and remains so today; teachers have taken, and should continue to take, a leading role in shaping reforms, making education better meet the needs of today's society and ensure the process for the future. For it must be noted that reform, discussed so often in a political context, boils down not to theory or legislative debate but to what happens between a teacher and a student. With all philosophy set aside, that is the measure of an educator's work; if sparks strike there, reforms need not be more than rhetoric.

The National Education Association reported this week that there are 2.4 million public school teachers in the United States, 1.4 million at the elementary level and the rest at secondary schools. There are hundreds of thousands more teaching at private and parochial schools. The average teacher has a master's degree and more than 15 years of classroom experience. These numbers are impressive as an investment of resources and a show of commitment to what is a vital endeavor. It is a demanding profession, one in which a great deal of pride is apparent and due.

We applaud the teachers of our area and recognize them, with this special week, for the service they provide to our way of life.