James D. Hogan

Dear Teacher: Why I Quit

On August 1, 2012

EDUCATION

Or, how I went from Teacher of the Year to suspended with pay in less than 24 hours.

It’s August, and for some of you that means the final countdown to work is now with us. Summer’s freedom is evaporating like heat shimmers from a blacktop highway.

This isn’t always a bad thing. I know plenty of teachers who, though they love having time off, are excited to break into their classrooms and face the blank walls, eager to unpack the posters they picked up in July, ready to set into motion the lessons that have been hiding in the corners, anxious for students to try them. August is a thrilling month for these teachers. It was thrilling for me. There was nothing more satisfying for my head and my heart than to hold, fresh off the printer, my syllabus for American Literature, or English Language and Composition, or Creative Writing.

But August is a different month for me now. I quit teaching almost five years ago. If you’ve never known why, it’s best if I start at the beginning of the story.

Evening Prayer

By James D. Hogan

On March 11, 2012

In writing

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name.
Amos 5:8

Faith

Over the past several years I’ve kind of fallen in love with the tradition of Evening Prayer. It’s somewhat rare–when I was in Chicago two weeks ago, for instance, none of the downtown Episcopal churches nearby offered it–but Trinity Episcopal here in Statesville, where I am a member, has taken it up as a Lenten offering and schedules prayer service throughout the weeks leading up to Easter. The services are all led by laypeople, and I usually sign up to lead once a week or so.

It’s quickly become one of the greatest sanctuaries I’ve ever had in my spiritual life.

The church is purposefully darkened for this end of day service. I usually turn on only a few lights. I keep a candle on the podium by which to read and light a candle on either side of the altar. There’s no music, only scripture and prayer.

Dear Teacher | I’m Sorry

By James D. Hogan

On February 1, 2012

In writing

EDUCATION

Dear Teacher,

Sometimes I wonder if the words “I’m sorry” are what people want you to say. By people, I mean the ardent critics complaining that tax-payers should stop wasting money or–my favorite expression–throwing money at problems in the classroom, and instead ask educators to live within the means of a shrunken state budget. The ones who suggest that you’re not working hard enough, that you need to prove your worth as teachers before you earn more money. Meanwhile, it’s just you, the thirty-four kids assigned to your classroom every block, and an email from your principal reminding you that at the rate it’s going, your school will be devoid of copy paper within five weeks.

I’m writing you today to ask you to never apologize.