Teacher Criticisms...(rant)

chanstriste13

i just saw on another post the mention of teachers 'snivelling' for more money when they are not getting results. this kind of thing burns just burns me up.

i can't stand it when people who have never stuck a toe in the education field go on about how teachers are lazy, get paid for nothing in the summer, and are only babysitting anyways, so how hard can it really be?

then you have the people who want to run education like a business, and if you don't get the results, you don't get the pay. if education was a business, teachers could fire and hire the students based on their performance. but no. we don't get that option.

we teach *everyone*, no matter what. even if they only show up to school once a week. even if their parents cuss us out on the phone and tell us that *their* child is *our* problem when they are at school. even if a student consistently refuses to lift a finger because they just do not care. and we are still held accountable for a student's testing scores even if they were expelled from school for 150 days out of 180.

there are always going to be teachers who drop the ball and don't do their part, but the majority of us never give up on those students who have already given up on themselves. we keep hoping that one day they might open their book, write something down and learn something.

boo to people that criticize the general educator populace without ever having taught. if you haven't stood in front of a class of 20 to 30 students and taught, you really have no idea. :grumble:

jennajava

boo to people that criticize the general educator populace without ever having taught. if you haven't stood in front of a class of 20 to 30 students and taught, you really have no idea. :grumble:

:drinker:

quigonnjae

<<<<<<< Homeschooling parent... Guess yelling at my wife is out of the question huh? :laugh:

ajbeans

*applause* I'm not a teacher... yet. But all it really takes is 5 minutes of critical thinking to realize that teaching is a HARD job. You think it's difficult to spend all day trying to get your kids to listen to you? Try that with 30 kids in a room, all day every day.

I hate when people criticize teachers. Yeah, some teachers suck at their job, but some parents suck at that job too, and some accountants suck at their job, and some cashiers suck at their job. Doesn't mean that ALL parents and ALL accountants and ALL cashiers suck. It means that most people do the best they can in their given roles, and a few people don't. Don't punish the whole group because of the issues of a few.

_binary_jester_

Anyone wanting to discuss teacher's pay should read this.

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/10/assessing-the-compensation-of-public-school-teachers#_ftn3

BrettPGH

Ah education. The fast track to a life of wealth, success and respect. Just the other day I was yachting with a few pubic school teachers, we dined on a lovely pheasant and caviar fresh from Russia.

Plus there's the easy workdays! I mean who doesn't love being responsible for 30+ children all day? Plenty of internet goof off time to be had there. And it's not like it's stressful work. I mean who's gonna get upset if something bad happens to their children?



:noway:

cessnaholly

<<<<<<< Homeschooling parent... Guess yelling at my wife is out of the question huh? :laugh:

LOL

versuga

I am a teacher...and have been for 10 years. It is by far, the hardest, most stressful job I have ever had!

akkimberly

*applause* I'm not a teacher... yet. But all it really takes is 5 minutes of critical thinking to realize that teaching is a HARD job. You think it's difficult to spend all day trying to get your kids to listen to you? Try that with 30 kids in a room, all day every day.

I hate when people criticize teachers. Yeah, some teachers suck at their job, but some parents suck at that job too, and some accountants suck at their job, and some cashiers suck at their job. Doesn't mean that ALL parents and ALL accountants and ALL cashiers suck. It means that most people do the best they can in their given roles, and a few people don't. Don't punish the whole group because of the issues of a few.

akkimberly

This

FitFi74

I've been a teacher 12 years and I HEAR YA' !

lovetms

I'm with you! I teach science at a low-income high school and it burns me up every time I hear that I'm just an overpaid babysitter.

chanstriste13

Ah education. The fast track to a life of wealth, success and respect. Just the other day I was yachting with a few pubic school teachers, we dined on a lovely pheasant and caviar fresh from Russia.

Plus there's the easy workdays! I mean who doesn't love being responsible for 30+ children all day? Plenty of internet goof off time to be had there. And it's not like it's stressful work. I mean who's gonna get upset if something bad happens to their children?



:noway:

bwah!

MrsCon40

Teachers should be paid in gold bullion and be allowed to retire at age 45. If it was left up to me, just based on my experience with homework with my ONE child, our nation's children would not only be uneducated but I would have murdered them all by the second day of school.

Thank god for teachers!!!

pixiexxgirl

I've taught preschool before, alot of people say that isnt really teaching and is easy work, but I'd to see them try to round up 10-15 3-5 adhd hyperactive kids on their own THEN call it easy work.

iuangina

:happy:

Thank you!

kellicruz1978

Well said!

jennajava

What Do Teachers Make?
by Author Unknown



The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education.

He argued: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: "Those who can...do. Those who can't...teach."

To corroborate, he said to another guest: "You're a teacher, Susan," he said. "Be honest. What do you make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, "You want to know what I make?"



"I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could."

“I make kids believe in themselves when no one else will.”

"I make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best."

"I make parents tremble in fear when I call home"

"You want to know what I make?

"I make kids wonder."

"I make them question."

"I make them criticize."

"I make them apologize and mean it."

"I make them write."

"I make them read, read, read."

"I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and over and over again, until they will never misspell either one of those words again."

"I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English."

"I make them understand that if you have a dream, then follow it...and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make or what you do, you pay them no attention."

"You want to know what I make?!"

"I make a difference."

"What about you?"

Becky1971

It's not so black and white. There is so much wrong on so many levels. SO many parents don't do their part, and So many teachers don't do there's. I'm in and out of different classrooms every day, I see many excellent teachers, and I see many horrible teachers.
To me, it's not really a matter of who's to blame. The fact is that as a nation, we are failing our students. And something different needs to be done.

I have two graduated, one graduates this year and one next year. If I had to do it again, no way in hell would my kids be in this school system.

loopybec2002

I am a Teaching Assistant and I work in a school for boys with behavioural problems(Most with ADHD and Special Educational needs) - The ones who parents don't care who have been kicked out from everysingle school they have attended. I get up every morning to show the children that they matter that some one cares and they CAN get grades. I think it's amusing when parents moan about the lazy teachers because I know that the kids I teach are mostly their becuase of their parents. They see us as babysitter and when we strike or have holidays it drives them mad because THEY have to look after THIER children. How unfair is that??

These people wouldn't last a morning in the job I love and do everyday.

brookef81

Thank you, thak you and thank you for posting that. I am a teacher and I have been having this discussion a lot especially this year. I am NOT expecting more money, I just want to be recognized for all the work that I am trying to do with the students instead of being told that my students are not good enough.

My job does not end at the end of the day, I am up until 11:00 at night planning and grading papers. I spent this past weekend on Saturday grading papers for 4 hours instead of relaxing and then another 4 hours planning a lesson for today...JUST today which means that I still have to plan for the rest of the week.

So, again, thank you for posting that.

kseltzer

I've been a teacher for 8 years now. I won't say I'm overworked, I won't say I'm underpaid, but I will say that I am under appreciated by many. That is what really irks me!

mrpurdy

Amen!

_binary_jester_

My only criticism is the teacher's union preventing the poor performing teachers from being fired. An accountant that screws up enough gets fired. Cashiers that are constantly short in the totals are fired. Unfortunately the union protects bad teachers.

Mind you, I work in an union environment and it works very hard at protecting sh!tty employees. Three suspensions, numerous warnings and poor performance is still not reason enough to let someone go. It hurts the product we provide.

jennajava

It's not so black and white. There is so much wrong on so many levels. SO many parents don't do their part, and So many teachers don't do there's. I'm in and out of different classrooms every day, I see many excellent teachers, and I see many horrible teachers.
To me, it's not really a matter of who's to blame. The fact is that as a nation, we are failing our students. And something different needs to be done.

I have two graduated, one graduates this year and one next year. If I had to do it again, no way in hell would my kids be in this school system.

This is very true. That's why I, as a teacher, support merit-based pay.

johnsonrails

As a teacher, I couldn't agree more!!!!!! For someone who has never taught they have NO idea what a brutal job teaching is. Not only am I responsible for the students education but what about all the other "stuff" that I see everyday? I am more parent some days then I am anything else. From eating disorders, depression, boyfriend/girlfriend issues, abuse, home life issues, financial problems etc etc. And that was just this week.

I don't understand how people can be critical of me and my chosen profession (which I LOVE). I would never be critical of a doctor or lawyer or machinist or whatever, because I have never done that job. For those who think I am over paid, come do my job for ONE week and then let's talk!

UsedToBeHusky

This is a difficult topic for me.

I'm the mother of a gifted child. Her giftedness, among other things, has caused her to struggle emotionally which interferes with her education. I don't condemn teachers. I know that my child is a behavioral nightmare. But at the same time, she is walking around with 135 IQ so if you don't find a way to put something in her head, then you are wasting one of the most brilliant minds you will ever get the opportunity to put your hands on.

What does that say about a teacher that would give up on her???

datguy2011

I have tons of friends that are teachers... it's a 50/50 job... teacher isn't as easy as everyone claims it to be... however the time off somewhat makes up for that. At least they get paid year round now...

jennajava

My only criticism is the teacher's union preventing the poor performing teachers from being fired. An accountant that screws up enough gets fired. Cashiers that are constantly short in the totals are fired. Unfortunately the union protects bad teachers.

Mind you, I work in an union environment and it works very hard at protecting sh!tty employees. Three suspensions, numerous warnings and poor performance is still not reason enough to let someone go. It hurts the product we provide.

Agreed!

drog2323

I think most teachers work hard - very hard.and deal with a ton of crap - students, parents, extra stuff outside of school.

but.....I have heard some teachers talk - and they don't always get "it" in the corporate world too. man, there are lots busting their humps there, in early, out late, working weekends etc. and they aren't getting the holidays the teachers are getting.

having said that...all the more power to the teachers. they chose that profession - and I'm jealous of summers off! lol.

my only beef with some teachers - they are paid for "seniority" not results. so I have seen some teachers get very, very complacent and get into cruise control mode for their careers. that... IMO, shouldn't get the raises or bonuses for having *kitten* attitude and mailing it in.

overall, the majority of teachers I have interacted with, seem to work very hard.

now, I can hardly wait to see a teacher slam this post for grammar and spelling :laugh:

jennajava

It also blows my mind that people say, "Must be nice to get off at 3:30."

I also am already at work before you're even awake, genius. It evens out.