Teachers: Lesson Plan Forms- Page 2
Teachers: Lesson Plan Forms
#25Teachers!
Posted: 12/3/08 at 11:09pm
I find it best not to even waste energy on ignorant, idiotic people like Joe, who wouldn't last 5 minutes in a classroom.
Also, the program requires desks to be grouped in "clusters" rather than "rows". This is supposed to foster group learning, but to me that means one kid does the work
My current classroom has these annoying trapezoidal tables that were brought up for the same purpose you just described. They're big and bulky and hard to make any kind of a workable arrangement with, particularly when the most important thing about my seating arrangement is me being able to move around quickly.
I was at a large book sale with two public school teachers and they couldn't understand why there were other teachers there buying 30 copies of a book for their classroom. I had to say that it was probably for a private, charter, or severely underfunded school and the only way the students would have books is if they teacher buys them.
I work in a charter school as well, and can tell you from experience that you never come between a charter school teacher and the opportunity to get free or discounted books! LOL.
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#26Teachers!
Posted: 12/3/08 at 11:15pm
I'm too tired to write anything of substance but...
AMEN to Caitie's post!!!
A teacher's job is not from 7-4. It's all day, most of the evening and often at night...
And, yes, we CHOOSE this profession. We CHOOSE to want to help students and create a better society by educating them. We ENJOY sharing knowledge in an effective, educational, fun way with the students. That DOES NOT MEAN we love every aspect we have to go through in teaching-- with parents, administration, unnecessary paperwork, etc...
Of course a teachers job would be easier with more benefits, higher pay, parent/administration support. But, at this point, we have the right to complain. We ARE doing what we need to do to the standards that are expected...and MANY of us go ABOVE AND BEYOND. There is no reason we shouldn't be allowed to vent and complain about the things that we wish were different.
//sorry, sleeping pill kicking in. I apologize if that wasn't all that articulate.
#27Teachers!
Posted: 12/3/08 at 11:29pm
Joe--and all others who've said that teachers who hate it should quit---I completely agree with you. If you are completely unhappy and do nothing but complain, then yes, get out now and find a career that doesn't drive you crazy.
However, what I see here (and what I personally experience) is that we hate the things that get in the way of our actually being able to teach. We hate having to fill out useless paperwork, we hate seeing students reduced to a test score or statistic, we hate being micromanaged by people who no longer see students on a regular basis, we hate not having funds or supplies to actually do our job. The actual teaching part.....seeing children learn and grow and share....that's what keeps us in this profession.
nmartin
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/3/05
StockardFan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/19/08
nmartin
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/3/05
#32Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 5:53pmDespite all of the ridiculous paper work, I was reminded today why I love my career. I teach 11th grade in a ghetto school. At the end of the day, one of my boys lingered behind until every one else was out of the room. I said, "See you tomorrow." On the way out the door he called my name and said very sincerely, "I love you."
StockardFan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/19/08
#34Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 7:32pm
That is sweet -- a little creepy under the wrong context...
I had a great moment today too, though it was more on the humorous side. We were reviewing our list of vocabulary words by playing around the world. It was one of my honor classes, so these are the bright kids. I had two of my top boys going against each other and I asked "Which word on our list, other than yen and wane, is only one syllable." Without hesitating, so sure of himself, one of the boys yelled out "CANNY!" The look on his face when he realized what he said, and his subsequent throwing his hands in the air and just walking out of the room shaking his head, had the entire class (including me) just cracking up. He came back in and said, "Well, obviously the answer was Sh-Uhn" (it was shun). For the rest of the day every time I passed him he said to me "Sh-uhn, sh-uhn" like a chant - it was VERY funny.
Juliash
Broadway Star Joined: 3/6/07
nmartin
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/3/05
#37Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 8:34pmI knew what you meant - just saying that if it was in the wrong context it would be creepy. I once had a kid, out of nowhere, just hug me goodbye. It was very unusual, but undeniably sweet (that doesn't happen much in 7th and 8th grade)
nmartin
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/3/05
kate2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/6/05
#39Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 8:51pmTeachers definitely don't have it as easy as everyone thinks! I admire dedicated teachers and really look to them as my role models. I'm currently in my sophomore year of college studying to be a high school biology teacher and I just can't wait to finish school and get out and teach a class of my own! I'm going to get my substitute teacher certification and sub on breaks. I know it's not going to be easy, but the inspiration that my teachers have provided me with really motivates me to be a great educator. To all of you great teachers, thank you and don't even read what this Joe guy writes... it's all a load of crap!
#41Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 9:00pm
One of the things a lot of local districts have here are "building subs"...one person who is a day to day sub, but they come to the same school everyday. They are the first person you contact if you know you're going to be out.
It's good because the kids start to see this person as a "teacher" rather than a sub. Plus, the building sub is in the school every day, so she or he knows which classes are most challenging and who might give them the most trouble.
And Jason, I just have to laugh at your hugging story because it's so different in elementary. I can't walk out the door to go home without being hugged by 3 different kids from day care! 
#42Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 9:03pm
I teach 7th and 8th grade in an inner-city school, and I get lots of hugs and high fives every day. These kids don't get much (if any) attention at home, and they're desperate for someone to care about them.
I do, however, have to be very careful with the female's hugs. I have to do the "turn to the side, use only one arm" bit with them, because in this day and age, you can't be too careful.
Updated On: 12/4/08 at 09:03 PM
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#43Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 9:13pm
singingwendy- we have that too, but we call them "pool subs." It's great but that only takes care of 1 class.
Usually, if several teachers are out, the pool sub receives the worst class. When a class is bad when there is a sub, a trick that usually works (for elem at least), is simply when another same grade teacher walks in and says something to the effect of: "Would you be acting like this if *name of real teacher* was here?"
adam, my friend works in a "C" school. The kids are not treated well at home and often do not have a real home life. My friend was doing her practicum hours there and she was doing something called Junior Achievement. In the JA kit, there are magnets that say "Thank you for participating in Junior Achievement." These kids were on cloud 9 when they received the magnet. It's like you just gave them $1000.
#44Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 9:17pm
Absolutely -- I teach 7th and 8th also - I know exactly what you mean. I had a girl hug me the other day when I put her in charge of a huge project - but it was a very "safe" hug on purpose.
The story I was telling was about a girl who literally just came and threw her arms around me - totally caught me off guard. She was a kid who really needed attention, and apparently the praise I had given her that day meant a lot to her. It's hard to forget something like that.
#45Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 9:41pmToday I had a girl call me Mom. Her mom is MIA most of the time out "shopping" aka strung out most of the time and looking for her next fix. She has stolen Christmas numerous times to support her habit and she has left her daughter to raise herself and her younger sister. Their grandmother is "raising" them, but she just provides a roof over their heads. She is a sweet little girl who really has no one in her life to depend on and the fact that she "slipped up" and called me mom about broke my heart. Its times like this that I wish that I could adopt some of my kids and take them home.
#46Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 9:55pmJoe - I'm not going to argue with you or put you down; it's not worth it. You couldn't possibly understand what these people do daily unless you lived it. Maybe you had a bad school experience. Maybe you're just a **** stirrer having fun, but I'll tell you something. These people don't hate their jobs, they're just blowing off steam over the nonsensical demands put upon them daily. They are complaning because they care and look at students as more than just a statistic or test score. I am a teacher. I go to work daily and get my heart broken looking at students who didn't even see their parents the night before. I would rather deal with them as human beings than worry about how well they probably won't do on a test because they couldn't give a ****. Yet, that it was we're forced to worry about. Maybe you're right. Perhaps we should get another job, maybe we should be social workers instead of teachers. However, we chose to be teachers, and like anyone else in any other job, we have the right to bitch and complain about what makes us unhappy. So to you Joe, I say, "How about some support, instead of demeaning remarks?" We're not here downing you or your job - but discussing something on an off-topic board. I'm not asking for your sympathy; I'm just asking for you not to attack us for posting and discussing something we care deeply about. If you're just stirring the pot, I get it. If not, it's upsetting that you would view all teachers that way.
george95
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
#47Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 9:57pm
The comment about it being possibly "creepy" for the 11th grade boy to say "I love you!" to his teacher on the way out of the room is a big reason why I am aggressively looking for a new job come next fall after 8 years of teaching.
Another poster said how they get lots of hugs and high-fives all day, with teaching in an inner-city school where the kids don't get affection at home.
I talked all about my specific inner-school school environment in the teachers unite thread, but its a similar thing.
So it seems like the minute we teachers get personal in any way with the kids, then we should be treated like a possible sex offender.
I know I'll probably get a lot of flaming for this, considering the amount of teachers who do cross the line, but there are plenty of us who can deal with a hug or a high-five throughout the day (or an "i love you") and not have anything come of it.
And there's something really special about having a tough-as-nails, from-the-ghetto, let their surviving-the-hood machismo down for a minute and actually connect with a teacher.
#48Teachers!
Posted: 12/4/08 at 10:04pmPlease let me make it clear - I was just saying that under some circumstances it could be creepy (as in the fact that we last year had a student in the highschool who slept with a gym teacher). I think it's GREAT that a student could say that honestly and mean it. I think there's nothing wrong with hugging a student - and I think it's HORRIBLE that we've gotten to that point in our society where it's looked on as something "terrible".
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