What I See with Peter Fiorenza: A system that has lost direction is behind my decision to quit teaching

In December this year, my life is going to go through a dramatic change. I’ve decided I am going to retire from full-time teaching. Yes, after 25 years, I’m going to stop, pull the pin so to speak. Why? Well, to be quite honest, I’ve had enough. There’s probably nothing specific that has brought this on. Simply, I’m just tired of the merry-go-round that is the education system. It is, certainly, not my place of employment — it is only one of the many institutions that is suffering from being pushed around by a system that I reckon doesn’t have a real purpose anymore. What I mean is that education has been through the wringer so often — and that’s just during my period of involvement — it has lost direction. To me, it seems like the education system exists because it is a pillar in society, an expectation that continually endeavours to reinvent itself to stay relevant. It has become a real case-in-point of “the tail wagging the dog”. When I was offered a job back in 2000, I thought it was like winning Lotto. And it was. Getting a secure job in something you spent years studying for in your hometown, surrounded by friends and family is pretty hard to beat. Of course, there were ups and downs in the job, but, generally working with the staff and kids, at the time, offered its fair share of challenges and rewards. I will always remember something that an experienced teacher said to me at the time. “Peter, teaching is a privilege,” she said. “Parents have entrusted you with their children. Remember what you say and do in the classroom has a huge impact — remember that.” And I always have. They say children, or students, are different today. And that is true, but I still enjoy being in the classroom because every day is different. There are times when they test your patience and can make you angry and frustrated, however, there are other times when they can touch your heart and make you laugh out loud. They are kids — if they were perfect, they wouldn’t have to go to school. What I won’t miss is the system’s growing intent of thinking it needs to continually rebrand itself — a fascination with reimagining that is no more than an attempt to just continually reinvent the wheel. And this has resulted in quality senior or veteran teachers going by the wayside, often due to a lack of respect from the very system they have helped to hold together. Experience is totally undervalued, and the dwindling teaching ranks is testament to that. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved my time in the teaching game, but today it’s not the job I signed up for. It’s time to go. Peter Fiorenza hosts Sports Shed Saturday (9am to noon) and Fiorenza on Sunday (10am to noon) on Radio MAMA. He’s also on Radio Geraldton (radiogeraldton.com.au).