Teaching...- Page 4

[singingwendy]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 10:55pm

Sorry Kel, most of the ones I've dealt with are the type who are more easily distracted by the music and loud noises. I do know that there are music programs out there for working specifically with kids with a much more profound state of autism than I'm used to working with.

I know it's extremely frustrating to have a student who so obviously shows signs of needing additional assistance and whose parents won't or can't help. I remember one child who was consistantly drawing extremely violent pictures and writing very disturbing stories, and yet, the parents forbid him to be seen by the guidance counsellors or school psychologists, and so they all had to step back, because at that point he was not really a threat to others, so they really couldn't do anything.

We also have several students at our school right now who would benefit immensely from being in our "learning support" rooms, but the parents refuse the testing, and so the regular classroom teachers are forced to remediate and alter the curriculum. Of course, on the other hand, we also have parents who push for testing just to get their kid assigned a label so that he can have an IEP and recieve special treatment!

Glad to hear things are going well. Establishing a good routine should also help your challenging student to succeed in your classroom. Keep us posted!

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:27pm

We pay tuition this week! Yikes!

This is our tenth year at our school! Some of the teachers are our best friends. Thanks to all that commit their lives to education.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:33pm

yay . . . I am SO proud of you, Kel. I hope you enjoy each and every moment of this.

[Malice]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:35pm

Dollypop, high school in Queens?

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 12:11am

Kel, I am sure you are an AMAZING teacher, it sounds like you are to me! If you need any supplies, please let me know! My mom has taught for 24 years so I see how little she is given by the school!

You picked some great books! I wish my teachers picked books like that! Your classroom looks great I can't wait to see pictures with work up there!

And i understand you frustration a little. My mom taught special ed for 23 years (now she is Title 1) and she saw the students who needed extra help and didn't get it because parents were in denial or have some issues, it is a really difficult situation but I know you of all people will still be able to make a positive influence on that student!

[evadiva]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 1:02am

Dear Kel,

I just left the music teaching profession. It got me. It burned me out. I lasted 4 years.

Someday I may go back. For now I'm going to audition and teach private voice, with my husband's support.

My advice to you is:

Always stay positive

Don't bring the stress of the day home with you. Leave it there. Only bring home your papers to grade.

Somedays you'll want to get your tubes tied. But don't.

Stay away from bitter teachers. Ignore them.

Don't forget to lean on the positive teachers.

Be ready for anything: from administration, from parents, from co-workers, from students. Anything.

Take nothing personally. Think of it - you deal with 4 groups of very different people (see above). All are each demanding in their own ways. Just let everything roll off your shoulders.

Do not give in to the urge to SMACK your envious friends who complain that you are off at 3pm and all summer. They will never understand that school is YOUR LIFE for 10 months out of the year (the other 2 consist of the only time you'll have just for YOU).

Above all, love those kids. I know you already do. You can't fix everything for them, but you can love them. And that will go a long way.

As you enter your first "back-to-school", I am entering my first "non back-to-school." I want to cry when I think about the backpacks and pencils. My kids will be singing with another teacher. What if they miss me? What if they don't? What if she sucks? What if she blows me out of the water? Why do I care so much?

Did I make the right choice? We'll see.

But anyway... I wish you all the luck in the world. You'll be great. But be well. The kids need you happy and healthy. Don't forget to take care of YOU.

Go get 'em.

Fondly,

Jen

[singingwendy]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:07am

"Stay away from bitter teachers. Ignore them"

This is AWESOME advice! Trust me, you'll have days when you step into the faculty room and completly go off on something a student or administrator did...it's OK , we all do that from time to time. Just be careful of the ones who do it daily. Or who just don't seem to care anymore...they ones for whom anything new is just too much work. If you're not carefull, the can, and will infect you.

Also, ascribe to the school of what David Elliot called "subterfuge teaching". Give the administration what it wants....at least on paper, and then teach the kids what they really need to know. With creative thinking, anything you really want to teach in your room can ascribe to the curriculum. That might not be too much of a problem in a "regular classroom" setting, but it's come in handy in my music room!

[KelRel]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:13pm

Oh I am a HUGE subterfuge teacher already. I HATE our curriculum and I am basically getting a feel for it and seeing what works and what doesn't and from there I will do my own thing. Since I am the only 4th grade teacher who is going to know too much about what I'm doing. Well other than the teacher who's child is in my room, but she is fully aware of my plans and is supportive. As long as her child learns and shows progress she'll be happy.

I have a teacher who is "curriculum director" who needs to retire. She refuses to try anything new, if its not rote teaching its not good teaching in her book. Manipulatives are a waste of time and technology isn't really that useful. I just want to scream. I have an overhead projector in my room and that's it for technology. I feel handicapped, but I'm adapting. Its what we have to do, right?

[singingwendy]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:30pm

Yeah for you Kel! We need all the "secret mission" teachers we can get!

You know, in graduate school we read an educational philsopher (whose name escapes me right now...maybe Elliot Eisner?) who talked about "the art of teaching". How over time, teachers learn what needs to be taught and how to teach it, and when to draw from teachable moments. In other words, teachers having the freedom to know what their kids need and give it to them. And that not every teacher will do that the same way, and that's OK!

Unfortunately, we are now in an era that preaches individuality of instruction but demands standardization for testing purposes. If you aren't all teaching the same thing on the same day in the same way, you are reprimanded. I am fortunate that most of the time, as long as no one complains, I am left alone to do my job, unlike our classroom teachers who are constantly under the gun with changing curricula and standardized tests. I praise everyone of them whenever possible, because I personally know that if I was given so little freedom and creativity in my classroom, I'd have given up teaching a long time ago!

So......you've made it to your first Friday! Hope you've planned something relaxing for the weekend!

[KelRel]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 10:52pm

I won free tickets to a comedy club for tomorrow night and also tomorrow is "jeans day" aka pay day. I just finished a lot of grading and tomorrow I will come home and relax early with only some "reviewing" of journal entries.

Mamie, I also need to thank you again. Today we talked about how sweet you were to help us by buying those books for us. We are working on letter writing so we wrote you thank you letters. I'll shoot them into the mail to you asap. You are their hero right now.

I also got major cool points because I know one of my kids' favorite authors. She was my librarian when I was in first grade. I shot her an e-mail last night and lo and behold this morning as the kids were working on their journals I got a reply. It doesn't seem to get much cooler than having a teacher who gets personal e-mails back from a popular children's author. She is sending us some autographed books. (Which will be read a loud books only ) Not bad for my first week of teaching, right?

[DG]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 12:45am

I am so loving this, Kel. This thread is going to pop up from now on. I want to see how you progress and what you experience.

What a wonderful thing to watch unfold.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 12:52am

I couldn't agree more, DG.

Go Kel, and wendy and Mamie!... and evadiva, I loved your post.

[KelRel]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 5:29pm

So I almost broke down in tears today...


I have a student who tries really hard and still barely makes Cs, but she wants to do better. Today we took a spelling test and she didn't do so well. So we talked about it and I could see that she had cried through the test. She had jut psyched herself out too much. So I let her retake it. As she was taking the test I wrote a note to her mom saying what a hard worker the student was and how lucky I was to have her in class and I wrote one to the student saying "I believe in you". We graded the test together and she passed. Then I handed her the notes. When she read them she started smiling, gave me a hug and said "You're like my second mom!" How amazing was that? I will never forget that moment with that student.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 6:09pm

Aw, Kel. That's so sweet!

I haven't congratulated you yet or wished you luck this year, it seems you're going to one fantastic teacher.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 6:44pm

>>>"I will never forget that moment with that student."<<<

Oh please! Remember you're in a classroom, not Sunnybrook Farm!

You've got a job, KelRel, not a Love-In!!!

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 6:54pm

Kel, that was a great story.

You're already making a wonderful teacher! They're lucky to have you.

[Jess1483]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 7:30pm

Hello all-I've been MIA for awhile (okay, a really long while) as well because I'm getting ready for my first year of teaching on the West Side of Chicago--I meet my kids tomorrow (eek!). Second grade in one of the city's poorest areas. Anyway, I just logged on to post what I think is an amazingly inspiring testament to what teachers do. Congrats on getting through your first days teaching, Kel!

What Teachers Make, or
Objection Overruled, or
If things don't work out, you can always go to law school

By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.

Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.

"I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says.
"Be honest. What do you make?"

And I wish he hadn't done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.

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, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, 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 on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 8:23pm

How idealistic!

Now let's get realistic!

You're not there to be their surrogate mothers. You're there to be their TEACHER.

Do not get emotionally involved with your students. They'll wind up stabbing you in the back or stealing your wallet anyhow!

Updated On: 8/18/07 at 08:23 PM

[Jess1483]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 8:30pm

Thanks for those kind words of encouragement, Dolly...

I'm going to follow the "stay away from bitter teachers" advice...

[KelRel]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 8:45pm

Wow, ok I am taking the "stay away from bitter teachers" advice to heart both in my school and on here. Dolly, you have just been given the honor of being the very first person I have ever blocked on BWW. You're negativism and cynicism is just too much for me to take. I know that I am not a mother to my students, but I also know that some of my students will look to me as a female role model because their mother either isn't in the picture or the child would be better off without her in the picture. I know that the things that I say and the way that I behave are not only seen by my students, but also emulated by them. I am a teacher, not a mother, not a friend, but a teacher. In my book that means I have signed on to make a difference. Not phone it in. My goodness if an actor ever performed the way you teach you would tear them a new one in your reviews you write for this site. You are a shame to the teaching profession and a disgrace to anyone who has ever wanted to me in a position of influence over children. Get over yourself and your bitterness or stop teaching. I would be willing to bet that a large part of your behavior problems are only exasperated by your negativity and lack of faith in the "good" of your students.

Good bye DP, I will not be missing your posts.

ETA- Jess, good luck! Its is exhausting, but you'll love it. Don't listen to the people who say "don't smile til Christmas". It won't work and you'll all be miserable. Just be extra firm about the rules and relax. It will all fall into place.

Updated On: 8/17/07 at 08:45 PM

[wink]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 9:13pm

My daughter in fourth grade likes her teacher this year. She and my sixth grade son just started a new school. I'm glad to say they both love their school and more importantly, feel like their teachers like them. My son repeatedly said last year that he didn't think his teacher liked him and since she's now retired from teaching while only in her thirties, I have to wonder if she didn't take some of her resentment out on him.

Hope you have a wonderful school year. Teachers can make or break a kids' confidence. I'm sure you'll be an inspiration to all your students.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 9:42pm

Kel--Your post about what transpired today with that student literally brought tears to my eyes.

In such a short span of time, you have already affected her for life. And she's affect you for life.

It doesn't get any better than that.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 10:02pm

I have to marvel at how an idealistic person completely ignores the advice of someone who has survived 36 years in the classroom! The next thing you'll know, KelRell's students will be hugging and kissing her because she's like "a second mother to them".

IRON CLAD RULE: NO PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE STUDENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will not allow a student to shake hands with me, hug me or even pat me on the back. It's unprofessional and it can lead to big trouble later on.

And, Miss KelRel, I have received many notes of commendation from parents and students and former students (several of whom post here). I have read the notes but then I discarded them because I never wanted to overstep the boundaries of teacher and student. You may even recall that when Yenta posted a thread about the positive influence I had on her life, I had the moderators delete it. I even burned the yearbook that was dedicated to me in 1976. If you gloat over your accomplishments then you lose sight of the goal which is ahead of you: to teach and not to be a buddy, a parent of a chum.

Do not allow cheap sentiment to be part of your teaching strategies. You are there to teach, not to chum around with your students.

Updated On: 8/18/07 at 10:02 PM

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 11:30pm

Dolly, where do you get off telling others how to do their job, just because they happen to be in the same profession as you? Your self-described dislike for your students, is nothing to be proud of. You are exactly what's wrong with a good many educators today. They think they know it all, and have done it all and therefore think their way is the only way and that they have nothing more to learn. Which is quite simply, bull****. I don't care if you you've had 36 years or 6 months of teaching experience, you're jaded, unkind, belligerent and nasty. It's no wonder that your students treat you with such disrespect, how can you respect someone who openly dislikes you? I think you're lucky that the worst thing that's happened to you is having your car stolen.

A handshake is unprofessional? Please, a handshake is something that we're all taught as a form of greeting. As a student, if I offered my hand to you and you refused it, I'd think, what an ass or worse. Although, from what you've posted here, I seriously doubt that anyone would even offer their hand to you.

So, you burned a year book that was dedicated to you over 30 years ago. Lovely, what a nice tribute to those who thought enough of you to dedicate it to you. I'm sure that slap in the face would please them to no end. Ugh.

I have two older brothers (one retired) who have been teaching since the late 60's and neither of them ever talks about their students the way that you've talked about yours. Yes, they've had problems with individual students, what teacher hasn't? But, most of their conversations are about what their students have accomplished and about the gratification they get from teaching and seeing their students achieve. Your conversations seem to be only about their failures and how put upon you are by having to teach at all.

I agree with Kel, it's time for you to hang it up...go plant your daylilies and let the teachers that want to teach, teach.

Updated On: 8/18/07 at 11:30 PM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 11:37pm

Dolly, what is the purpose of you posting in this thread? So you can spread negativity because you're frustrated as a teacher? Really, this thread was positive and actually pretty uplifting at parts, and you have to be negative.


Really, go spread your negativity somewhere else.