Teacher Criticisms...(rant)
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Here's my opinion...
Some people are born to work and rise over all to become CEOs. Some people don't. And some (a very few) are born teachers...
Teachers are a special group of people that I see in all areas of my professional life. These are the best kind of people to work for; I've always thought that from the time I can remember (around kindergarten) and here's why:
My kindergarten teacher Mrs. Coy placed 5 crayons in the middle of the table so that we could complete our workbook page of circling the correct picture to go with the word and tracing the lines of the letters of the alphabet. I grabbed for the red crayon and so did another boy. We broke the crayon, so I reached for the remaining one. Mrs. Coy made us both use the broken one, telling us that once you made a decision, you should always follow the path. It may not work out for you the way you want, but you will see that it was the best decision for you at the time. I remember that.
In first grade, there were three of us at Mr. Coy's day school. I learned that no matter how many kids are in your class, there will always be one student that doesn't like you. But there will always be at least one that does.
In second grade, I started public school. Also the day my sister was born, my crazy aunt took me. She is a flashy soul and I was very embarrassed. One student that I knew from dancing class called me over to her and her friends. And I saw that Mr. Coy was right. There will always be one student that likes you and makes you feel accepted.
Over the years, I had many teachers in school and at home, as my father taught Government at the local high school. An A- leaves room for improvement (daddy's rule) and an A+ means that you can learn more.
Complete sentences are the best communication (Mrs. Martin-4th grade).
Writing mean comments in someone's yearbook will last a lifetime (Mr. Briggs--6th grade).
Extracurricular activities do not give you a pass from reading The Hobbit (Mrs. Peavler-12th grade) and taking the exam before the band trip.
Typing tests can easily disqualify you by grade point average from performing at half-time (Mrs. Barclay-10th grade).
Being a part of something bigger than you are is the most amazing feeling ever (Mr. Trousdale-10th through 12th grade Band Director) and being a twirler doesn't make you a part of the band, but playing an instrument does.
Just because you don't understand 3 dimensional calculations the way I teach means you learn differently and need a tutor and does not mean you are stupid (Mr. "Physics" -12th grade).
When writing anything, knowing your audience is the first step (Dr. Gall-English Comp 1 Community College Beaver County).
Pushing to learn how other's learn is the first step to an enriched life and they taught me this by example (Mr. Bau/Mrs. Reed/Mrs. Podolak--Accounting Professors Community College Beaver County).
Reading children's books gives you the same lessons in a different way (Robert Morris College-Young Adult Literature).
"I have only had one other student to point out this project and you are the only student to consistently grow in this class." (Organizational Behavior-Robert Morris College).
During college I was the accounting tutor. I had a student that came for help every day. She had a short term memory problem and it took her 4 times reading and noting her chapters to get the knowledge into long term memory. She made me work harder to help her understand and her accomplishments were amazing. Really her grade point average was astonishing!
I am grateful to have been blessed with a teacher's heart. My children have benefited from having someone in their life that will state their problem and offer several paths to follow and to constantly "hold their hands" as they walk.
I've heard the phrase, "Those who can do and those who can't teach". It should read, "There are those learn and go, and then there are those who learn and stay to help the others along the way."
Kudos for teachers...hard job...terrible hours...awful organizational chart with multiple reporting lines...but most of all -- you have to talk to parents..UGH!!!0 -
Kudos for teachers...hard job...terrible hours...awful organizational chart with multiple reporting lines...but most of all -- you have to talk to parents..UGH!!!
God help you if you actually have to talk to parents! After all, they have nothing to do with a child's education!0 -
Yes, I don't doubt that the truth hurts. Did you grow up in a housing project? Have you lived in poverty with an alcoholic parent who spent all his money on booze? Of course children are not all beans in a bag. I was not a bean in the bag, and I did pretty well. Realize it or not, you are on the Titanic, and there are only so many lifeboats. YOU CAN'T SAVE EVERYONE. Put the ones you can save in the lifeboats.
I would never waste my time trying to educate someone who did not want to be educated. Period.
Yes i did grow up on a council estate in the low areas of nottingham.there were cars being stolen and set a light outside my house all most everynight growing up. My dad had a gambling habit& left my mum with two kids and thousand in debts so yes i did grow up under privileged. So that points not valid. You say i can't save everyone but we are in the broken world we are in today because of the people like you who just can't be bothered to try. What if the world gave up on anyone who made a mistake? For the record its cheaper to get these kids into school& try& help than it is to pay for the tax payer paying for a place in jail for every troubled young teenager. Who you want to forget.0 -
I taught over 150 teenagers daily for over 11 years. I loved the kids. I loved teaching. I did not love the impossible demands placed upon teachers, nor the lack of support from some parents and the general public- you know the ones who think teachers have it so easy with our “better than bankers’ hours”, holidays, and free summers?
Besides actually teaching, teachers:
-Spend weekends aligning lesson plans to the state's course of study, the school system's curriculum, providing differentiated instructional strategies, forming assessments, providing remedial activities, enrichment activities, relative homework assignments, and analyzing data after grading the previous weeks' assignments to determine if each student has achieved mastery of required objectives so they can pass high-stakes tests.
-Arrive at school an hour before the bell rings to check teacher mailbox, put belongings in classroom, and report to Morning Duty to supervise kids before classes.
-During the brief Homeroom session check for each of the 30 students attendance, dress code, materials, planners, excuses for being absent, announcements, etc.
-Begin switching classes, and in between each class change monitor students in the hall, as well as keeping an eye on students entering the classroom. Repeat 8 times (6 classes + before and after school).
-During planning period attend required data meetings, parent conferences, committee meetings, take care of sponsored extracurricular activities needs, attend required professional development, and on the one lucky day a week that the teacher has a “free” planning period- grade papers.
-After the last class, Afternoon Duty begins and lasts 20-30 minutes as students get to their bus and the car line. -Now it’s time for After School Activities begin, including tutoring that the teacher does for free so struggling students can succeed academically, in addition to the extracurricular activities the teacher sponsors so students have an opportunity to do some things they love (dance, art, sports, etc.). -Leave school with tote bag full of papers that the teacher will spend the evening grading and/or giving feedback so students can see their progress.
Let’s not forget while doing everything listed that teachers are caregivers- bandaging wounds, providing counseling, motivating the unmotivated, and encouraging all to understand and believe that they can do it.
My respect and admiration goes to every single good teacher out there.0 -
Yes, I don't doubt that the truth hurts. Did you grow up in a housing project? Have you lived in poverty with an alcoholic parent who spent all his money on booze? Of course children are not all beans in a bag. I was not a bean in the bag, and I did pretty well. Realize it or not, you are on the Titanic, and there are only so many lifeboats. YOU CAN'T SAVE EVERYONE. Put the ones you can save in the lifeboats.
I would never waste my time trying to educate someone who did not want to be educated. Period.
Yes i did grow up on a council estate in the low areas of nottingham.there were cars being stolen and set a light outside my house all most everynight growing up. My dad had a gambling habit& left my mum with two kids and thousand in debts so yes i did grow up under privileged. So that points not valid. You say i can't save everyone but we are in the broken world we are in today because of the people like you who just can't be bothered to try. What if the world gave up on anyone who made a mistake? For the record its cheaper to get these kids into school& try& help than it is to pay for the tax payer paying for a place in jail for every troubled young teenager. Who you want to forget.
I have a friend in the UK who described the council flats not too far from him. They do not sound pleasant.
However, it is a different country, and the UK is having just as profound monetary crisis as we are, if not worse. Dave Cameron cut some of the expenses recently that the UK can no longer afford, among them free education. The entire Eurozone is reeling after years of Socialism (Thank God you still have the Pound!) and the free spending life of yore is on the way out. I really meant it when I said you were on the Titanic, and there are not enough lifeboats to go around. You can be a Pollyanna about helping everyone, but until you figure out how to pick up the tab, it ain't gonna happen.
Think of things within the new paradigm : you have X amount of money and Y students. To help every student you need 5X of the money. What are you going to do? Please try to be realistic. You may think I am baiting you and the others, but I am not. I am presenting the new reality.0 -
this thread is on fire again! i have to go out of town, but when i come back i'm going to read and catch up on everyone's posts - especially yours, veggie! nothing like two stinkers throwing punches in the cyber realm who both know they are right. (even though i am right on this one)
ciao.0 -
I am a parapro working in a 4th grade classroom of 30 students with at least 10 special education students. The teacher spends as much time answering constant e-mails from parents than she does teaching. The parents expect their kids to get an A on every test even if they miss school, are tardy everyday, and don't pay attention in class. They want a study guide for every test that has the exact questions on the test.....really! I made a choice to NOT become certified, because I could not deal with the state of education anymore. Parents want to be their kids best friends and not be parents. Discipline and consequences are what works. Consistency of expectations is important. Letting your child fail and know that they can learn from their mistakes and life will go on and mom can not always fix things for you will make a healthy child that can function in this tough, life is not always fair world.
There are some imperfect teachers as there are some imperfect accountants, lawyers, doctors etc. As I see it over my 23 years in education......there are MANY screwed up parents doing a disservice to their children. Unfortunately we as educators are NOT allowed to criticize them. Most teachers put in at least 10 hour days if not more and are NOT compensated for the hours or the abuse they take.
Until you walk in someones shoes.......Oh, and by the way, your child is NOT the only student in the class...........0 -
this thread is on fire again! i have to go out of town, but when i come back i'm going to read and catch up on everyone's posts - especially yours, veggie! nothing like two stinkers throwing punches in the cyber realm who both know they are right. (even though i am right on this one)
ciao.
Ciao, chanstriste. Look forward to seeing you again.0 -
Read most of the pages. Some people are just such know-it-alls....must have had good teachers ; )
My kids have had fantastic teachers and some that should not be teaching. But, I have gone to mechanics, doctors, dentists, hairdressers, etc. and have had good and bad experiences. The reason people complain about teachers is because tax dollars pay their salaries and you cannot change your child's teacher if you do not like her/him.
I volunteered to teach one week of vacation bible school at church. Four hours a day for five days. Sixteen 5 year olds. and two teenage assistants. How hard can that be? (Stop laughing you teachers!) I was given a book with ideas for lesson plans (that took me about 4 hours to figure out how to fill all the time), the crafts and games were run by someone else each for half an hour. I only had to "teach" these kids for 3 hours. EASY!!!!! OMG.....have NEVER done that again!!! I was absolutely exhausted! The parents were the worst part. It cost $8 for the WEEK! They used it for babysitting and came 45 mins. to one hour late to pick up their kids. One child took a pair of scissors and cut another child! When that boy's mom came to pick him up I told her what he had done and she chewed my head off saying everyone always blames her kid when something bad happens!
With that experience, I happen to respect every teacher out there. I support all my kids' teachers and always ask them for a list of supplies they need for the classroom. If I don't understand exactly what they are looking for or if I can't find what they need, I send in a gift card for where ever the teacher shops for supplies.
I volunteer in the classrooms and for field trips but will never do it alone again!!
Thank you teachers!!!0 -
Nashville, on this board I am dissed because I'm a "know-it-all." On another board I post on, I am dissed because I "use big words." In reality, I am not saying anything that, for example, John Taylor Gotto didn't or wouldn't have said. Read his book. He was Teacher of the Year in New York. He was fired for fighting the system and getting results. Same with Jaime Escalante. He was fired under pressure from the teachers union because he had HUGE classes teaching Calculus, so that he got HUNDREDS of poor kids to the point where they could get into UCLA and other great schools. The teacher unions were only concerned with class size, not results. In their mind Escalante was taking jobs from other teachers and that was far more important than actually getting results. I am not making this up. No organization is more evil or backward looking than the teachers' union. They really, really hate success. They only love mediocrity. Therefore, am I a know -it-all? Damn right! I know that whatever the Teacher Unions are for, any sensible person should be against.0
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Nashville, on this board I am dissed because I'm a "know-it-all." On another board I post on, I am dissed because I "use big words." In reality, I am not saying anything that, for example, John Taylor Gotto didn't or wouldn't have said. Read his book. He was Teacher of the Year in New York. He was fired for fighting the system and getting results. Same with Jaime Escalante. He was fired under pressure from the teachers union because he had HUGE classes teaching Calculus, so that he got HUNDREDS of poor kids to the point where they could get into UCLA and other great schools. The teacher unions were only concerned with class size, not results. In their mind Escalante was taking jobs from other teachers and that was far more important than actually getting results. I am not making this up. No organization is more evil or backward looking than the teachers' union. They really, really hate success. They only love mediocrity. Therefore, am I a know -it-all? Damn right! I know that whatever the Teacher Unions are for, any sensible person should be against.
Veg - I fight for my students every day and have a bit of a reputation for bucking the system. I've always been this way and will continue to do everything I need to do to reach my students. I'm lucky to have an administrator that says "lock your classroom door and do what you have to do.". Most of my coworkers feel the same way. I will tell anyone who asks including the supervisors what I believe and what needs to happen for my students. The number of students that I've seen turn around is amazing. I just think your attitude about children is not fair to anyone. Yes, I agree there are some who don't want learn. It's that way every where including college. I know plenty of people who went to college to party. We can't write everyone off who comes from a bad environment. I have always said that people deserve a chance to make the right decision, but continuously making the wrong one should not mean you are doomed forever. I've grown up in circumstances that are not so great. My husband is the first in his family to graduate and earn an advanced degree. I'm glad no one wrote us off.0 -
Nashville, on this board I am dissed because I'm a "know-it-all." On another board I post on, I am dissed because I "use big words." In reality, I am not saying anything that, for example, John Taylor Gotto didn't or wouldn't have said. Read his book. He was Teacher of the Year in New York. He was fired for fighting the system and getting results. Same with Jaime Escalante. He was fired under pressure from the teachers union because he had HUGE classes teaching Calculus, so that he got HUNDREDS of poor kids to the point where they could get into UCLA and other great schools. The teacher unions were only concerned with class size, not results. In their mind Escalante was taking jobs from other teachers and that was far more important than actually getting results. I am not making this up. No organization is more evil or backward looking than the teachers' union. They really, really hate success. They only love mediocrity. Therefore, am I a know -it-all? Damn right! I know that whatever the Teacher Unions are for, any sensible person should be against.
Veg - I fight for my students every day and have a bit of a reputation for bucking the system. I've always been this way and will continue to do everything I need to do to reach my students. I'm lucky to have an administrator that says "lock your classroom door and do what you have to do.". Most of my coworkers feel the same way. I will tell anyone who asks including the supervisors what I believe and what needs to happen for my students. The number of students that I've seen turn around is amazing. I just think your attitude about children is not fair to anyone. Yes, I agree there are some who don't want learn. It's that way every where including college. I know plenty of people who went to college to party. We can't write everyone off who comes from a bad environment. I have always said that people deserve a chance to make the right decision, but continuously making the wrong one should not mean you are doomed forever. I've grown up in circumstances that are not so great. My husband is the first in his family to graduate and earn an advanced degree. I'm glad no one wrote us off.
Continuously making the wrong decison makes me think that whatever was being tried just isn't working. I am all for giving people a chance, such as I was given, but I had one shot. If I had screwed up, I would be out of college working in a factory. I believe in one chance, maybe two if maturity can be demonstrated. But after that you are beating a dead horse.0 -
Amen this is so true! Teachers have so many different hats to wear, it can be so overwhelming!!0
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Kudos for teachers...hard job...terrible hours...awful organizational chart with multiple reporting lines...but most of all -- you have to talk to parents..UGH!!!
God help you if you actually have to talk to parents! After all, they have nothing to do with a child's education!
come on, veggie - have a sense of humor! they are most likely referring to the parents that insist that their child can do no wrong and have a tendency to bully you during the conversation to give said student a passing grade when you have contacted them on multiple occasions to let them know their dear heart is in danger of failing because they refuse to do anything. ever.
then these parents insists that you are a liar when you present your communication log detailing every phone message, hangup, email and letter you have sent to make them aware of their child's struggles (aka laziness, in most cases), not to mention the progress reports sent out 4 times per quarter, in addition to parent's ability to have internet access to every teacher's gradebook. but once grades have been posted, these parents (and there are many) swarm out of the woodwork to get in your face about how their little darling should have an A++ in your class by default, and you have obviously not done your job adequately, and they are going straight to the principal to tell them what a "*kitten*" you are (i actually had a parent say this to me).
scary, but true.
it's great talking to parents who actually care that their children put in the effort and develop responsibility, but they are few and far between. and when a teacher and parent come together to create an action plan for a student that motivates them or makes something click, or sets up tutoring sessions that they actually show up to and it makes a difference, that is so worthwhile!
but a parent jumping on you because they've known the story for the last 9 weeks, but they only care about it when the grades post and then they belittle you and say things to you that you could never in a million years speak back to them in the same manner, that is not a conference or a meeting. and i can't think of any other professions that people are required to smile and nod through some of these rants. sure, we can hang up the phone, or have them escorted out the door, but if we actually stood up for ourselves, we would be the ones sued. and in my environment, both the very rich and the very poor felt *very* entitled and had a tendency to do this.
perhaps we can add some evening courses on proper parenting to our list of duties! although the only parents that would show up are the ones that are already doing the right thing, so it would kind of be like preaching to the choir...0 -
Nashville, on this board I am dissed because I'm a "know-it-all." On another board I post on, I am dissed because I "use big words." In reality, I am not saying anything that, for example, John Taylor Gotto didn't or wouldn't have said. Read his book. He was Teacher of the Year in New York. He was fired for fighting the system and getting results. Same with Jaime Escalante. He was fired under pressure from the teachers union because he had HUGE classes teaching Calculus, so that he got HUNDREDS of poor kids to the point where they could get into UCLA and other great schools. The teacher unions were only concerned with class size, not results. In their mind Escalante was taking jobs from other teachers and that was far more important than actually getting results. I am not making this up. No organization is more evil or backward looking than the teachers' union. They really, really hate success. They only love mediocrity. Therefore, am I a know -it-all? Damn right! I know that whatever the Teacher Unions are for, any sensible person should be against.
Veg - I fight for my students every day and have a bit of a reputation for bucking the system. I've always been this way and will continue to do everything I need to do to reach my students. I'm lucky to have an administrator that says "lock your classroom door and do what you have to do.". Most of my coworkers feel the same way. I will tell anyone who asks including the supervisors what I believe and what needs to happen for my students. The number of students that I've seen turn around is amazing. I just think your attitude about children is not fair to anyone. Yes, I agree there are some who don't want learn. It's that way every where including college. I know plenty of people who went to college to party. We can't write everyone off who comes from a bad environment. I have always said that people deserve a chance to make the right decision, but continuously making the wrong one should not mean you are doomed forever. I've grown up in circumstances that are not so great. My husband is the first in his family to graduate and earn an advanced degree. I'm glad no one wrote us off.
Continuously making the wrong decison makes me think that whatever was being tried just isn't working. I am all for giving people a chance, such as I was given, but I had one shot. If I had screwed up, I would be out of college working in a factory. I believe in one chance, maybe two if maturity can be demonstrated. But after that you are beating a dead horse.
I'm glad you are not my parent. I made my share of mistakes and if someone had written me off I would probably be on the streets right now. Part of being a kid is making mistakes and learning from them. You don't just grow up knowing everything that's right and wrong.0 -
Nashville, on this board I am dissed because I'm a "know-it-all." On another board I post on, I am dissed because I "use big words." In reality, I am not saying anything that, for example, John Taylor Gotto didn't or wouldn't have said. Read his book. He was Teacher of the Year in New York. He was fired for fighting the system and getting results. Same with Jaime Escalante. He was fired under pressure from the teachers union because he had HUGE classes teaching Calculus, so that he got HUNDREDS of poor kids to the point where they could get into UCLA and other great schools. The teacher unions were only concerned with class size, not results. In their mind Escalante was taking jobs from other teachers and that was far more important than actually getting results. I am not making this up. No organization is more evil or backward looking than the teachers' union. They really, really hate success. They only love mediocrity. Therefore, am I a know -it-all? Damn right! I know that whatever the Teacher Unions are for, any sensible person should be against.
Veg - I fight for my students every day and have a bit of a reputation for bucking the system. I've always been this way and will continue to do everything I need to do to reach my students. I'm lucky to have an administrator that says "lock your classroom door and do what you have to do.". Most of my coworkers feel the same way. I will tell anyone who asks including the supervisors what I believe and what needs to happen for my students. The number of students that I've seen turn around is amazing. I just think your attitude about children is not fair to anyone. Yes, I agree there are some who don't want learn. It's that way every where including college. I know plenty of people who went to college to party. We can't write everyone off who comes from a bad environment. I have always said that people deserve a chance to make the right decision, but continuously making the wrong one should not mean you are doomed forever. I've grown up in circumstances that are not so great. My husband is the first in his family to graduate and earn an advanced degree. I'm glad no one wrote us off.
Continuously making the wrong decison makes me think that whatever was being tried just isn't working. I am all for giving people a chance, such as I was given, but I had one shot. If I had screwed up, I would be out of college working in a factory. I believe in one chance, maybe two if maturity can be demonstrated. But after that you are beating a dead horse.
I'm glad you are not my parent. I made my share of mistakes and if someone had written me off I would probably be on the streets right now. Part of being a kid is making mistakes and learning from them. You don't just grow up knowing everything that's right and wrong.
I am not talking about a parent allowing a kid only one mistake in his lifetime! I am talking about society. Above, a case was given of a 15 year old who had a history of unacceptable behavior, who stole his grandma's car wrecked it and almost killed a passenger. That is the kind of mistake I am talking about. Any 15 year old I ever met could tell the difference between right an wrong, and if he continually gets it wrong, he needs to suffer the consequences.0 -
Kudos for teachers...hard job...terrible hours...awful organizational chart with multiple reporting lines...but most of all -- you have to talk to parents..UGH!!!
God help you if you actually have to talk to parents! After all, they have nothing to do with a child's education!
come on, veggie - have a sense of humor! they are most likely referring to the parents that insist that their child can do no wrong and have a tendency to bully you during the conversation to give said student a passing grade when you have contacted them on multiple occasions to let them know their dear heart is in danger of failing because they refuse to do anything. ever.
then these parents insists that you are a liar when you present your communication log detailing every phone message, hangup, email and letter you have sent to make them aware of their child's struggles (aka laziness, in most cases), not to mention the progress reports sent out 4 times per quarter, in addition to parent's ability to have internet access to every teacher's gradebook. but once grades have been posted, these parents (and there are many) swarm out of the woodwork to get in your face about how their little darling should have an A++ in your class by default, and you have obviously not done your job adequately, and they are going straight to the principal to tell them what a "*kitten*" you are (i actually had a parent say this to me).
scary, but true.
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I have the same problem occassionally with some of my clients, e.g., recently one claimed he had no idea that something he signed was going to be used for a certain purpose. I presented the document to him, and right above his signature was a statement of what this was going to be used for. Creating a perfect paper trail is often the way to handle idiots.
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it's great talking to parents who actually care that their children put in the effort and develop responsibility, but they are few and far between. and when a teacher and parent come together to create an action plan for a student that motivates them or makes something click, or sets up tutoring sessions that they actually show up to and it makes a difference, that is so worthwhile!
but a parent jumping on you because they've known the story for the last 9 weeks, but they only care about it when the grades post and then they belittle you and say things to you that you could never in a million years speak back to them in the same manner, that is not a conference or a meeting. and i can't think of any other professions that people are required to smile and nod through some of these rants. sure, we can hang up the phone, or have them escorted out the door, but if we actually stood up for ourselves, we would be the ones sued. and in my environment, both the very rich and the very poor felt *very* entitled and had a tendency to do this.
perhaps we can add some evening courses on proper parenting to our list of duties! although the only parents that would show up are the ones that are already doing the right thing, so it would kind of be like preaching to the choir...
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Oh, I definitely speak back when I am challenged. Particularly when I have a paper trail showing I am right. Fortunately, in my case anyway, this happens only occasionally.0 -
Nashville, on this board I am dissed because I'm a "know-it-all." On another board I post on, I am dissed because I "use big words." In reality, I am not saying anything that, for example, John Taylor Gotto didn't or wouldn't have said. Read his book. He was Teacher of the Year in New York. He was fired for fighting the system and getting results. Same with Jaime Escalante. He was fired under pressure from the teachers union because he had HUGE classes teaching Calculus, so that he got HUNDREDS of poor kids to the point where they could get into UCLA and other great schools. The teacher unions were only concerned with class size, not results. In their mind Escalante was taking jobs from other teachers and that was far more important than actually getting results. I am not making this up. No organization is more evil or backward looking than the teachers' union. They really, really hate success. They only love mediocrity. Therefore, am I a know -it-all? Damn right! I know that whatever the Teacher Unions are for, any sensible person should be against.
Veg - I fight for my students every day and have a bit of a reputation for bucking the system. I've always been this way and will continue to do everything I need to do to reach my students. I'm lucky to have an administrator that says "lock your classroom door and do what you have to do.". Most of my coworkers feel the same way. I will tell anyone who asks including the supervisors what I believe and what needs to happen for my students. The number of students that I've seen turn around is amazing. I just think your attitude about children is not fair to anyone. Yes, I agree there are some who don't want learn. It's that way every where including college. I know plenty of people who went to college to party. We can't write everyone off who comes from a bad environment. I have always said that people deserve a chance to make the right decision, but continuously making the wrong one should not mean you are doomed forever. I've grown up in circumstances that are not so great. My husband is the first in his family to graduate and earn an advanced degree. I'm glad no one wrote us off.
Continuously making the wrong decison makes me think that whatever was being tried just isn't working. I am all for giving people a chance, such as I was given, but I had one shot. If I had screwed up, I would be out of college working in a factory. I believe in one chance, maybe two if maturity can be demonstrated. But after that you are beating a dead horse.
I'm glad you are not my parent. I made my share of mistakes and if someone had written me off I would probably be on the streets right now. Part of being a kid is making mistakes and learning from them. You don't just grow up knowing everything that's right and wrong.
I am not talking about a parent allowing a kid only one mistake in his lifetime! I am talking about society. Above, a case was given of a 15 year old who had a history of unacceptable behavior, who stole his grandma's car wrecked it and almost killed a passenger. That is the kind of mistake I am talking about. Any 15 year old I ever met could tell the difference between right an wrong, and if he continually gets it wrong, he needs to suffer the consequences.
Consequences - yes, but completely writing them off to be a career criminal...I don't think so.0 -
I agree I teach in North Carolina one of the lowest paid states for teachers. Not only are we one of the lowest paid our copay and deductibles on insurance are very high. I have friends that work in the private sector and when I tell them my copay they are in shock. I have not had any kind of pay raise in three years and our bonuses for meeting expected growth have not been given to use in three years either.
We are losing a lot of teachers due to low pay I will probably be one of the next ones to go. I can't put my kids through college with what I make.0 -
Nashville, on this board I am dissed because I'm a "know-it-all." On another board I post on, I am dissed because I "use big words." In reality, I am not saying anything that, for example, John Taylor Gotto didn't or wouldn't have said. Read his book. He was Teacher of the Year in New York. He was fired for fighting the system and getting results. Same with Jaime Escalante. He was fired under pressure from the teachers union because he had HUGE classes teaching Calculus, so that he got HUNDREDS of poor kids to the point where they could get into UCLA and other great schools. The teacher unions were only concerned with class size, not results. In their mind Escalante was taking jobs from other teachers and that was far more important than actually getting results. I am not making this up. No organization is more evil or backward looking than the teachers' union. They really, really hate success. They only love mediocrity. Therefore, am I a know -it-all? Damn right! I know that whatever the Teacher Unions are for, any sensible person should be against.
Veg - I fight for my students every day and have a bit of a reputation for bucking the system. I've always been this way and will continue to do everything I need to do to reach my students. I'm lucky to have an administrator that says "lock your classroom door and do what you have to do.". Most of my coworkers feel the same way. I will tell anyone who asks including the supervisors what I believe and what needs to happen for my students. The number of students that I've seen turn around is amazing. I just think your attitude about children is not fair to anyone. Yes, I agree there are some who don't want learn. It's that way every where including college. I know plenty of people who went to college to party. We can't write everyone off who comes from a bad environment. I have always said that people deserve a chance to make the right decision, but continuously making the wrong one should not mean you are doomed forever. I've grown up in circumstances that are not so great. My husband is the first in his family to graduate and earn an advanced degree. I'm glad no one wrote us off.
Continuously making the wrong decison makes me think that whatever was being tried just isn't working. I am all for giving people a chance, such as I was given, but I had one shot. If I had screwed up, I would be out of college working in a factory. I believe in one chance, maybe two if maturity can be demonstrated. But after that you are beating a dead horse.
I'm glad you are not my parent. I made my share of mistakes and if someone had written me off I would probably be on the streets right now. Part of being a kid is making mistakes and learning from them. You don't just grow up knowing everything that's right and wrong.
I am not talking about a parent allowing a kid only one mistake in his lifetime! I am talking about society. Above, a case was given of a 15 year old who had a history of unacceptable behavior, who stole his grandma's car wrecked it and almost killed a passenger. That is the kind of mistake I am talking about. Any 15 year old I ever met could tell the difference between right an wrong, and if he continually gets it wrong, he needs to suffer the consequences.
Consequences - yes, but completely writing them off to be a career criminal...I don't think so.
The kid in question is going to be tried as an adult, and likely do time, since his history does not appear sterling. That is quite appropriate in my opinion.0
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