Well my oldest is going into 7th grade at Clayton Middle and I am all for stopping school violence. As for the person that posted a page or so back about the schools not being as bad as some areas....I am sure this is true....but those bad schools were not always bad. If left unchecked any schools can become the "really bad" schools. I spent a couple of my high school years in CA and there was many teen pregnancies, two murders (student to student) and we had a fence with razor wire and a police officer as well as two military recruiters that were there everyday. The school was on lock down and you could not leave during the day. But this same school, my aunt went to many years before me and it was a nice school then...so schools change. You need action now before it is too late. I am right there with you guys. I have a middle schooler now but I also have a child that will be entering Kindergarten in 2008.
There you go. Just like another "former teacher" on here, you immediately jump to an assumption of the child based on your opinion of the parent. Y'all aren't related, are you? I would accept that it was a misspelling if you had typed "poen" or even "peeon", but the fact that you hyphenated it proves that you, indeed, do not know how to spell it. You have heard the word before and probably thought that it meant someone who was so low as to be "peed upon" and, of course, it followed that it must be "pee-on". Shame for not knowing the proper use of the word, and for not knowing how to spell it. But even more shame on you for not simply admitting it and trying to make me believe that you know more than you do.
No its not an assumption, 9 times out of 10 its the truth. The way that a parent acts or treats others is usually how the kid will act and treat others. And nothing proves that I dont know how to spell, there YOU go assuming that I dont know how to spell when I do.
My child goes to an upscale and EXPENSIVE preschool and YES parents are the blame to many issues with children! So many children run over their parents and at age 4 you hear them tell a teacher they are going to kill them and things like that. If I ever said that as a child my mama would of put the Fear of God into my rear!!! Where do 4 year olds hear about killing others? Where do 4 year olds learn how to curse? and where do 4 year olds learn to talk back and get away with it?? They learn it some where and then bring it to school.... TV is a major cause of issues also, but parents pay the light bill so therefor they can control what a child watches! MY 4 year old can NOT watch power rangers and things with a lot of violence... she watches Hannah Montanna, Suite life of Zack and Cody, Dora, Diego, Jo Jo and things like this.
OH...pick me...Pick me! (Hand raised!):-D I know...I know.... pe·on Pronunciation: 'pE-"än, Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural peons or pe·o·nes /pA-'O-nEz/ 1 [Spanish peón, from Latin pedon-, pedo] : a member of the landless laboring class in Spanish America 2 plural peons a : a person held in compulsory servitude to a master for the working out of an indebtedness b : DRUDGE, MENIAL :lol: :lol: :lol: Oh and I have always been a smart mouth...(as my mama used to say...better to be a smart A** then a Dumb A**)
Whew! My don't we have a lot of people in here who will be banned from the forums today, don't we? :lol: Anyway, I know that someone is bound to get hot headed over this post, but I'd like to point something out. If you notice the ones who actually are teachers or were teachers are the ones who are telling the world how bad our schools actually are and telling you parents what they would love to tell you to your face if your child were one of the troublemakers in their room. Many of the rest of you are putting us down, etc. just like you do in front of your children at home; then they bring that attitude into the classroom. I am a mother of 2. My children haven't always had the best teacher in the world, so I know what goes on at home.
Just a little clarification. Teaching is not the only job that requires 10 plus hours a day and more work is taken home. Please don't get me wrong, I have the highest respect for teachers but there are pressures of all aspects of any type of work. I sometimes get really tired of hearing about all the work and stress teachers have, not to say they don't. I have a very stressful job and so do many others in the community, walk a mile in my shoes. I don't claim to understand the day to day pressure teachers have, nor would I trade places with them, just get a little tired of hearing the whining. I have 25 yrs. of working in the medical field, hospitals don't close down, emergency rooms can go crazy, try managing 4 traumas coming your way, not to mention you don't know what diseases you'll be dealing with and how about working 16hrs. on, 8 off, 16hrs. on to cover for inclimate weather and your not allowed to go home. Facts are facts, I knew the downfalls to my profession before choosing it. I do feel that as a community that we share the responsibility to make corrections regarding the school situations, starts at home and finishes at school.
Shine, I do believe that the people on this forum, for the most part respect the teaching profession. I have the highest regard for those that have earned my respect, but with any profession there are bad apples that spoil it for others. My kids have had their share of bad as well as good teachers, not everyone of you are great/kind teachers. There were those that I just couldn't believe had the nerve to call themselves a teacher, they were rude, had nasty habits and just needed to be in some other job and not teaching my child. My children do not deserve to spend the day with a bad tempered, yelling maniac that complains to 7 yr. olds that she can't stand to listen to them today because her own kids at home are driving her crazy. I've dealt with the school system for 14 yrs. and have seen great teachers and others that I wouldn't let teach my dog. This is true for any profession. The point I'm attempting to make is that some of us know that it's not always the child's or parent's fault, but that of the teacher/school.
It is very hard as a human being in any profession that deals with children not to make assumptions based on an opinion of the parent. But I will tell you this, several times throughout the school year, no matter what I think of the parent, I have to remember that the child can't help how his parent/guardian is. And I know that I've made the comment to other teachers and the principal...."we are doing this for the children, not for the adults."
Except that they are all wrong, according to your earlier statement that you simply did not proof read your own post. I do not put anyone down in front of my kids. What the problem is, is not bad parents or bad student, it's teachers who refuse to accept responsibility. No, you were never a bad teacher, you never ignored a student, or gave a bad grade because you had a hang-over from the night before. No, you were perfect. It was the students who are bad and it's all because of the parents. Grow up and take a little responsibility for yourselves. I hear you all say that all teachers are competent and devoted to teaching, and then I hear all this whining about low pay and long hours. If you're so good, get a job in the private sector. If you are all that good, there should be no problem landing a good paying job as a teacher in a private school (I see recruiting ads all the time in the N&O). No, the teachers who whine so much about the bad kids, low pay, and long hours are not good teachers. They fight against biannual reviews of their competence. They strive to keep tenure so they can continue to screw up without fear of being fired. And they are against school vouchers because they know that their incompetence would be accepted in the real world.
I read these post and the ones that bothered me the most were the ones that "use to be" teachers. My son suffered from a bully almost the entire school year. I went to everyone in the school for help and got NOTHING. His teacher had the same poor **** *** attitudes you guys have. Teachers have to CARE if they want to enjoy their jobs. You chose that profession and made that choice yourself. We as parents choose to let you teach our children by sending them to school. Just do your jobs and teach these children. If you actually show compassion to a child they will show compassion back. If you have the I don't care attitude, so will the child. A school setting should be like a job. You can't just walk up to a co-worker and slap him in the head no matter how bad you think they deserve it. You get the cops called on you for assault and you go to jail. Same thing should be done in schools. This would stop A LOT of the violence we face in our schools.Parents would get tired of picking their kids up from jail.
Let me set you straight. Yes, I've ignored plenty of students...haven't you ignored your own child when they are being completely impossible? Of course they are just being children, but it doesn't mean that we have to acknowledge their tantrums. Read the books that the professionals have out. Next, no teacher "gives" grades. Students earn their grades for the performance they do. I've NEVER had a hang over, because I am a Christian, and I don't believe in drinking alcholic beverages. But I can think of PLENTY of students that I've had show up at school with hang overs or high. I have taught in the public school system and for the last 4 years in a private school. I am not whining with what I'm about to say...just giving you some facts, since you obviously don't have any....Private schools pay way less than the state pays, and most of them do not offer ANY benefits (health, etc.). In the private school setting you don't have to worry about biannual reviews of your competence. Their is no such thing as tenure in the private school setting. And I have been extremely successful in what you call the "real world." Teaching is not the only job I've ever had. You have hateful people, like yourself, that you have to deal with in any work situation....and you have to be nice to those people. Luckily my husband has such a wonderful paying job that I am now fortunate enough not to have to work and not to have to let people like many of you run all over me. Are you just mad because you're fat? :lol: Don't worry about what you reply back, because I don't intend on checking this loop anymore. It's just not worth my time.
Are you just mad because you're fat? :lol: That's real Christian of ya!! Glad you have everything figured out!!
Most private schools actually pays less than public school because you don't have to be certified. Many teachers came to teaching FROM private industry. Not many of those make it past their first year. I was one who did very well at my private sector job but I wanted to be more involved in my community, make a difference in science literacy and have a schedule that allowed me to spend time with my own children. I don't whine much about my job - I like it. But don't you even imply that teachers are teaching because they can't hack it in industry. WRONG Don't imply that we are afraid of evaluations. If I got a raise based upon my evaluations, the way you do, then I'd be raking it in....you couldn't afford me. Teachers who get bad evaluations don't stay in the job. They never make it to having tenure. Everyone I have worked with that stank is gone. Is that to say they didn't do a pretty cruddy job with the kids they had that year? Some did, some didn't. The only thing I don't like about vouchers is that non-accredited, incompetent folks will be educating a bigger slice of our population. Teachers ARE professionals. Just because you were a student once doesn't mean you know or understand what we do. The people who stay in it are the good ones, but they DO leave for private industry jobs because of pay and working conditions and that is why we have a revolving door of folks who don't know squat...because we are continually replacing burn-outs. Keeping people in the field is one of the keys to improving education as a whole. New teachers don't always know where to draw the line with students. They get yelled at by parents for writing an office referral when Joey and Bill are shoving each other playfully; but then if she/he does nothing and Bill pops Joey and gives him a black eye, then she/he is even more wrong. You can't win for losing and it takes and experienced teacher to put his/her foot down and not allow it - forget how the kids whine that they are "just playing" and how the parents gripe that "boys will be boys." An experienced teacher will say, I am so sorry, but I do NOT allow that kind of behavior in MY classroom. I bet that the teacher someone heard that from had heard it from parents who excused unruly behavior in their offspring so many times that she finally began to believe it. I whole-heartedly agree that children who harass, frighten, shun, intimidate or physically lay hurtful hands on another child should be removed and disciplined and prevented from ever doing that to another child again. And I agree that if a teacher allows that to happen, then they are WRONG. Many parents are supportive, but for others - they think that if there hasn't been an actual fistfight, then everything is okay. Clif, plenty of people do take their kids to private school and they do homeschool, but for the rest, we need to make it work. And it CAN work. I do think it is more valuable to give your time and energy to your childrens' school than it is to homeschool. Why? Because you are not just giving of yourself for your own childrens' sake, but for the sake of all of the children in your community. That sets a good example for your kids and helps them have a better community to live in. Every volunteer makes a difference.
I admit that I was wrong about private vs public teacher pay. I did a bit of research and discovered that private school teachers, on average, earn 61% of public school teachers. (This gap narrows, if you remove religious private schools from the equasion). However, my research also indicates that, on average, private school students do much better on standardized tests (even after adjusting the data to reflect differences in other factors that are relevant to learning, such as family income). So this begs the question of whether higher teacher pay equals better teachers. I am all for higher teacher pay for good teachers. Poor teachers shoudn't be teaching. However, my main complaint about this whole mess are those teachers (and former teachers) who whine about the long hours and low pay, and then complain that the main problem with kids not learning is the attitude of the kids and the parents. Are there disruptive kids? Certainly. Are parents to blame for them? Absolutely. But not all kids are disruptive enough to cause such a breakdown in our learning institutions. These teachers must take some responsibility, and I have yet to hear of a single one do so.
Well, here ya' go, Clif I take responsibility for the learning of my students. I am proud of how hard they work and I have confidence that they will do well if they have faith and do as I ask. Even if they do only some of what I ask, they will still learn things they never knew before and be better, more analytical thinkers. I have confidence that the more they invest in my class, the more they will get out of it. If they sleep through class, furtively write notes, stay up all night on the computer and do none of what I ask - well, they hopefully will pick up a thing or two through osmosis. I take responsibility for doing my best to motivate these students to follow along. I will call their parents, I will offer after school help and I will, ultimately, punish them for their failure to comply. I will worry at night and have bad dreams about how I can help them see how good they can be if they will only try. I will take all of the burden upon myself, never give up on them and pray for them silently every morning as they sit in my class. In the end, I will celebrate the success of those who were willing to follow us to the next level and I will mourn those who, despite my striving and prayer, did not succeed. I will question myself and seek the magic answer even though I know they have free will... Aside....Don't you think Jesus is sad and mourns when some people go to Hell? I am sure not anything like Jesus (even tho' I try to be), but that darned free will...geez' But, anyway, I will keep working on being better - more motivating, more inspirational and I will make my students more successful. Even if I have to shoehorn the information into those myspace-warcraft-runescape-obsessed, boy/girl-crazy little heads.
