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  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
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    Anything we can do to help!!! Please don't let us scare you away!

    Unfortunately, I need to vent.

    I have a policy of no talking during tests, or you get a zero. I ahve had this policy for 11 years with no problems. Well, I had a parent question that when the little darling got his zero and swore he wasn't talking.

    I got called into the principal's office today to be told that that is a behavior issue and you cannot punish a student with a zero for misbehaving. Now I have to give him a 100. I am pissed!

    Stupidity truly has no bounds!!!! No wonder my school's testing scores are bottoming out.
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    Okay, I am slightly hyperventilating.

    I just refused my Letter of Intent for next year (because I am hopefully getting married this summer and moving).... I haven't been without a job before! I mean except for when I moved in with my EX-husband and then while I was going to school! Since getting my teaching degree I've always had a position somewhere!

    I have applied to WA state for certification (but they have a killer test I hear).... Anyway, the hiccup... My fiance is a soldier and may be stationed somewhere else in the state then he is now! Which means, I can't even start looking for a new position until he gets home.... in LATE July or even early August! Of course, I still have the whole "What if...." mentality goint on too... He's still has about 5 months left in his tour (give or take)... a lot could happen in 5 months! :sad:

    :frown:

    Now with all the cut backs I am freaking out that I may of just nailed myself to the wall! I mean my areas are kinda borderline anyway (Health and Family Consumer Science). I KNOW I will have to do some kind of work to make ends meet....

    I need a little brown bag to breathe in!
    :sick:
  • Mickie17
    Mickie17 Posts: 559 Member
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    Anything we can do to help!!! Please don't let us scare you away!

    Unfortunately, I need to vent.

    I have a policy of no talking during tests, or you get a zero. I ahve had this policy for 11 years with no problems. Well, I had a parent question that when the little darling got his zero and swore he wasn't talking.

    I got called into the principal's office today to be told that that is a behavior issue and you cannot punish a student with a zero for misbehaving. Now I have to give him a 100. I am pissed!

    Stupidity truly has no bounds!!!! No wonder my school's testing scores are bottoming out.

    AGAIN....since when did the child become the suthority figure???? I am going through a similar thing...and the mom is a teacher. WTHeck???!! I'm sorry...I FEEL your pain...you poor thing. It just aspirates!!!!
  • Mickie17
    Mickie17 Posts: 559 Member
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    Okay, I am slightly hyperventilating.

    I just refused my Letter of Intent for next year (because I am hopefully getting married this summer and moving).... I haven't been without a job before! I mean except for when I moved in with my EX-husband and then while I was going to school! Since getting my teaching degree I've always had a position somewhere!

    I have applied to WA state for certification (but they have a killer test I hear).... Anyway, the hiccup... My fiance is a soldier and may be stationed somewhere else in the state then he is now! Which means, I can't even start looking for a new position until he gets home.... in LATE July or even early August! Of course, I still have the whole "What if...." mentality goint on too... He's still has about 5 months left in his tour (give or take)... a lot could happen in 5 months! :sad:

    :frown:


    Can you rescind it??? Tell them you've had second thoughts...it's beter to count on a job then quit over the summer than to not have one for sure...in fact, I'm walking out the door right now for the DO to submit my request for my Pink Slip hearing. GO GET YOUR INTENT SLIP BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you have an understanding principal, he/she will work with you.
    Now with all the cut backs I am freaking out that I may of just nailed myself to the wall! I mean my areas are kinda borderline anyway (Health and Family Consumer Science). I KNOW I will have to do some kind of work to make ends meet....

    I need a little brown bag to breathe in!
    :sick:
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    No such luck.
    Not only am I intending on leaving....but 5 other home ec teachers in our surrounding area are too! Which means there may be a rush on any teachers graduating.
    My resignation letter goes to the board tonight.... so... it's a done deal.

    I don't do well with "the unknown"... which is kinda the story of my life right now. :grumble:
  • Mickie17
    Mickie17 Posts: 559 Member
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    No such luck.
    Not only am I intending on leaving....but 5 other home ec teachers in our surrounding area are too! Which means there may be a rush on any teachers graduating.
    My resignation letter goes to the board tonight.... so... it's a done deal.

    I don't do well with "the unknown"... which is kinda the story of my life right now. :grumble:
    GO to the Board Meeting and retract it!!!!!! Hurry....get in the car now....!!!!
  • livingandlovinglife
    livingandlovinglife Posts: 361 Member
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    Hi everyone! I've been teaching now for almost 10 years. I began my career in 1988 as an assistant teacher. I have seen teaching change so much throughout the years. I am swamped with paper work....especially data binders! I'm beginning to really hate paperwork. Now, I'm going to start my lesson plans for the week since I've been procrastinating all day..Arrrggh. I just needed to vent a little. I hope everyone will enjoy what is left of their weekend :smile:
  • sportygal
    sportygal Posts: 221 Member
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    :mad: I hate the data driven education society we are becoming. I have to practically document every little step I make. There are SO many markers to a kids progress that cannot be documented on a piece of paper. When I have kids with parents in jail, violence in the streets and no support at home, and I can get them to care about themselves, how can that be documented? Well years down the line, when they are successful, they aren't going to remember taking the state test and feeling good about it. They are going to remember kind words and the motivation they received from me, to go out there and reach your dreams! I am so sick of the educational system, that pushing testing, testing, and more testing! I spend a large amt. of the day documenting things, which takes me away from focusing on the child! There is something wrong here! Then the prez wants merit pay? So if a firefighter doesn't save all the people in the burning house, he should not receive merit pay? If a cop solves all his cases, he should receive extra ca$h? I don't choose my students, nor does firefighters or cops choose their situations. This is appalling! What is wrong with this country!?:explode:
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
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    I totally hear you. We finally finished our testing this week. I had to put EVERYTHING on hold for the past nine weeks and do nothing but test prep because our school was predicted to go down.

    I am looking forward to finally being able to TEACH the kids, not just get them ready for a test because some politicians want to look good in the newspapers.
  • Mickie17
    Mickie17 Posts: 559 Member
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    Teach kids???? What's that?? It seems that all we ever do is cram for district and state tests.

    How does that help people learn?????????????
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    Anyone else struggle over spring break?
    It's been horrible for me!
  • soon2bgaudet
    soon2bgaudet Posts: 65
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    I didn't know there was a group for this!!! YEAY! I'm so in. I teach 9th grade world history. It's pretty rockin!
  • July
    July Posts: 239
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    I'd like to join, too!
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
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    I am on Spring Break this week!!! off to a not so spectacular start though. We went to Disney this weekend. Nothing but hamburgers and hotdogs on the affordable menu. I tried to split almost all the meals with my husband, but still did a lot of damage.

    I am sooooo looking forward toa week off. I threw away my project list and decided to take it easy for a change.

    Anybody else having (had) a good spring break?
  • greysweatshirt
    greysweatshirt Posts: 411
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    I am on Spring Break this week!!! off to a not so spectacular start though. We went to Disney this weekend. Nothing but hamburgers and hotdogs on the affordable menu. I tried to split almost all the meals with my husband, but still did a lot of damage.

    I am sooooo looking forward toa week off. I threw away my project list and decided to take it easy for a change.

    Anybody else having (had) a good spring break?

    With all the walking around at Disney, I'm sure that you were able to burn off a lot of those calories..I wouldn't be too worried. I SOOO wish I were on Spring Break, I still have two more weeks until we go. Ugh!! The kids were CRAZY today!
  • jhacker
    jhacker Posts: 301 Member
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    :mad: I hate the data driven education society we are becoming. I have to practically document every little step I make. There are SO many markers to a kids progress that cannot be documented on a piece of paper. When I have kids with parents in jail, violence in the streets and no support at home, and I can get them to care about themselves, how can that be documented? Well years down the line, when they are successful, they aren't going to remember taking the state test and feeling good about it. They are going to remember kind words and the motivation they received from me, to go out there and reach your dreams! I am so sick of the educational system, that pushing testing, testing, and more testing! I spend a large amt. of the day documenting things, which takes me away from focusing on the child! There is something wrong here! Then the prez wants merit pay? So if a firefighter doesn't save all the people in the burning house, he should not receive merit pay? If a cop solves all his cases, he should receive extra ca$h? I don't choose my students, nor does firefighters or cops choose their situations. This is appalling! What is wrong with this country!?:explode:

    I am so with you on this!!:angry: I teach in a Title I school where we pool our students from 4 housing projects! We work our butts off but have to deal with so much more with our type of students.
    I wish the standardized testing would show how far we brought them even though they may not have met a benchmark!:ohwell:
    On another note,I had a really fun Math Madness Monday today. We set up stations and did Math all day in preparation for a benchmark testing tomorrow.Hope it helped!! We have been so strapped for time lately! Our pacing stunk for the 3rd Nine weeks.:grumble:
    Anyway, Spring Break next week!! Can't wait!!!:bigsmile:
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
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    I've always said that the current method of standardized testing is just politicians trying to look good on paper so they can get re-elected by the ignorant masses who don't have to deal with, or understand the difficulties faced by this type of student population.

    By the way, I have always taught at either alternative ed sites(one run by the dept. of juvenile justice) or title I schools.

    I have been hearing rumors that my school district, or the state is going to a test given twice a year, the first time at the beginning of the year, then again at the end of the year to measure what has been gained during the year.

    One can only hope, but I'll believe it when I see it.
  • greysweatshirt
    greysweatshirt Posts: 411
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    So, at my school, they are having a "staywell challenge." We were put into teams of 3 and can earn points for doing healthy things like getting 30 minutes or excersize, eating 4-5 servings for fruits/vegetables each day. Not sure what the prize is, but it's an extra boost of motivation!
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
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    We just finished one of those at my school, it ran for 8 weeks and there were prizes drawn each week. They ranged from gift certificates to sports bags, stress balls, things like that.

    All the participants wear pedometers and are assigned to teams by color and number. Each week we turn in our step counts and see where each individual places on thier team, and which team had the most steps each week.

    At the end of the eight weeks, we have a breakfast together, and draw for final prizes (usually whatever can be donated)

    We do it every year starting with the second semester. It is soooo much fun. I hope you enjoy it with your school.

    Let me know how it is run, we are always looking for ideas to improve our program.
  • soon2bgaudet
    soon2bgaudet Posts: 65
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    TGIF!!!! Only one more week till Spring Break for us here in Mobile! Woot! :glasses:

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