Frustrated Teacher

[Teacher 0]

OMG Boo-Yah! Guess what some of the teachers are doing this summer? Buying paint with their own money and painting bookshelves! LOL

This, I refused.

PS It is only a matter of time before teachers are forced to paint their own rooms and build their own classroom furniture. I am sure sooner or later there will be no money in the budget for that.

It's like, "No ###### fools when illegal immigrants are paying little to no taxes yet utilizing tax paper funded services for free.."

[Teacher 0]

Hey Boston. I guess it's a little of both. Mostly, right now I'm frustrated that I'm not in the classrooom helping kids because I'm pulled out so much. I believe I'm a good teacher and when kids come to me for help and then I have to send them back to their regular classrooms barely after getting started they are disappointed because they don't understand what to do and I feel I've let them down. The reason I am learning Spanish is to make myself a better teacher. I also lived and worked abroad and I have a good understanding of what it is to be an immgrant. It's a huge challenge.

I still believe that you should follow the correct procedure if at all possible even though it's sometimes painful.

You all are correct. I need to assert myself more. Teaching and helping kids is the most important thing. That's what I've been hired to do and that's what's in my contract. It should come first and everything else should come second. I will have a conversation with the principal. Everyone from the dentist to the counselor to the secretaries is pulling me out to help them. Maybe she doesn't realize just how much I'm getting pulled away from teaching.

Thanks for all your opinions. You're great. This is a great site.

Teacher

quote name='bostonparis' date='Jul 26 2007, 06:39 PM' post='1075506']

Is your frustration this: The fact that because you now understand what goes into coming to this country legally, you now get frustrated helping the people that you've been helping all along because they're here illegally (and you can now see the many challenges for anyone to come here)? Or is it that the administrators of your school system are inappropriatly utilizing you? I can see both, just wondering what's the crux of the matter.

[homesick_american 1]

OMG Boo-Yah! Guess what some of the teachers are doing this summer? Buying paint with their own money and painting bookshelves! LOL

This, I refused.

Good for you. That is simply unbelievable. :angry:

[BJZags 17]

The problem with the "teachers are only paid to teach" argument is how that plays-out in context of the No Child Left Behind Law, (I call it the teach-down to the most retarded student and let all the others suffer law). If "No Child" mandates that all materials MUST be translated, then the school districts are forced to do that. So, unfortunately for the few teachers who speak another language, the school district might be forced to lump all these extra duties onto a few teachers out of necessity. I'd personally talk to my union-rep, and have them "translate" your teaching contract in relation to "No retard left behind" and see if what the district is doing to you is fair-game.

[Laveau 67]

The problem with the "teachers are only paid to teach" argument is how that plays-out in context of the No Child Left Behind Law, (I call it the teach-down to the most retarded student and let all the others suffer law). If "No Child" mandates that all materials MUST be translated, then the school districts are forced to do that. So, unfortunately for the few teachers who speak another language, the school district might be forced to lump all these extra duties onto a few teachers out of necessity. I'd personally talk to my union-rep, and have them "translate" your teaching contract in relation to "No retard left behind" and see if what the district is doing to you is fair-game.

You hit the nail on the head regarding the general student population. I have no problem with ESL students being mainstreamed into regular core classes. Sometimes even students with limited english outshine my native english speakers. I'm a science teacher. What I do have a problem with is students who are ...let me politically correct here... "resource"...students who really need special services but are mainstreamed into regular classes because of NCLB. And guess what? For those of you who arent teachers and are not aware of this. I could have 9 "resource" students in one class with 20 regular ed kids. I have to modify each one of the resource student's assignments and ANYTHING. If a teacher doesn't do these "modifications" for each kid, by law the student cannot fail. So, often times teachers dumb down EVERYTHING to cater to the resource students. Gosh, I can go on and on. But I've been doing this for 11 years now. I've become quite close to the special ed department and they are willing to help you. I've learned this.

[KarenCee 3]

You hit the nail on the head regarding the general student population. I have no problem with ESL students being mainstreamed into regular core classes. Sometimes even students with limited english outshine my native english speakers. I'm a science teacher. What I do have a problem with is students who are ...let me politically correct here... "resource"...students who really need special services but are mainstreamed into regular classes because of NCLB. And guess what? For those of you who arent teachers and are not aware of this. I could have 9 "resource" students in one class with 20 regular ed kids. I have to modify each one of the resource student's assignments and ANYTHING. If a teacher doesn't do these "modifications" for each kid, by law the student cannot fail. So, often times teachers dumb down EVERYTHING to cater to the resource students. Gosh, I can go on and on. But I've been doing this for 11 years now. I've become quite close to the special ed department and they are willing to help you. I've learned this.

So what do you suggest we do with these "resource" kids? Resource teaching has almost been eliminated, at least here in Georgia where I teach. Do you just have a problem with these kinds of kids or with having to go the extra step to modify for them? If you have resource kids in your classroom do you not have a co-teaching situation? Not knowing what level you teach on, here in the system where I am (Intermediate grades, 3-5), we have EIP classes...resource special ed students are mainstreamed into a regular classroom BUT with a special ed co-teacher assigned. Sometimes even a para. I hate the term "dumbing down"...these special ed kids can't help their disability...and IMHO it behooves those of us in the educational field to give them the best education possible. The same thing with these ESL kids...they didn't put themselves in the educational systems here in the US, their parents did that. They didn't ask to be a "problem for the teacher" when it comes to educating them. To take that out on those kids is pathetic. Have an issue? Take it up with the parents...through an interpreter if necessary. I agree, it's hard to continually have more things put upon you when you're already stretched beyond belief, but these kids didn't ask for the position they're in. Neither did those precious special ed kids ask to be "special ed" They have genetics (for the most part) to thank for that.

I've taught special ed for 13 years....I'll take the ones you don't want.

[almaty 19]

Bless you sister karen and your hard dedicated work....brother dean

Teacher,....

this is your job as outlined by YOUR school board and school administration..also, government statutes, if you do not like it , then go into another field..and quit whining...

Edited July 27, 2007 by almaty

[BJZags 17]

this is your job as outlined by YOUR school board and school administration..also, government statutes, if you do not like it , then go into another field..and quit whining...

It might be construed as whining, or maybe its whining on behalf of all the parents of "normal" kids who may have a reduced quality of education because of "No Child." I've got teacher my teacher certification K-12, but when the rubber met the road, I didn't have the courage or dedication to teach in public schools. I chose the higher pay and less stress of law school education! Besides, my father who taught Junior High science for 17 years said his time in the classroom was more scary then his two tours of Vietnam; you gotta be a hero to be a teacher in my opinion.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Most of the parents of my children are great but some of them have been here for 10 years or more and refuse to speak or learn English even when they are offered free English classes. Even some that do speak English refuse to do it because they want it all done for them in Spanish. One of these actually had the nerve to go to my principal and point out that I had made a minor gramattical error in a translation that made no difference to the content or information whatsover. I am an English teacher for crying out loud. I never get to teach anymore.

I would be soooooo pissed off, go teach kids that want to be taught. There is a wave of animosity building in this country about this and I hope will be dealt with soon.

[KarenCee 3]

this is your job as outlined by YOUR school board and school administration..also, government statutes, if you do not like it , then go into another field..and quit whining...

It might be construed as whining, or maybe its whining on behalf of all the parents of "normal" kids who may have a reduced quality of education because of "No Child." I've got teacher my teacher certification K-12, but when the rubber met the road, I didn't have the courage or dedication to teach in public schools. I chose the higher pay and less stress of law school education! Besides, my father who taught Junior High science for 17 years said his time in the classroom was more scary then his two tours of Vietnam; you gotta be a hero to be a teacher in my opinion.

I'm not sure what kind of school system you have there where you live, but I assure you sir, the regular education students in our EIP classes do NOT get a reduced quality of education due to resourcing our special needs kids. That's the purpose of our school system providing co-teachers specialised in teaching special needs students. The curriculum is presented on grade level and the co-teacher modifies for the resourced kids, leaving the teacher free to teach normally. Not all the teachers like having EIP classes...and those of us that teach special ed miss being able to have resource classes. But for the most part all this is because of NCLB...

[almaty 19]

.blame it on the illegals if your kids are not gettin educated.,..not the student... or the burn-out teacher..

and yes, i have several on my caseload, who are tired of parents, who spoiled their kid, and when they flunk ..blame it on the school..teacher..and not on the kid or themselves..make them get off the video game and onto the books...

[RaspberrySwirl 20]

This kinda reminded me of something I stumbled upon recently.

http://cellfish.com/multimedia/110451

[KarenCee 3]

Loved that video! And yes, I make a difference. I'm damn proud of it too and when my resourced special ed kids "get it" that's when I know I'm making a difference. Do I ever get tired of teaching? Sure...but you know what? Seeing that look of "OMG, I understand this!" on their faces or having one come up to me and actually THANK me for helping them "get it", despite their disabilities, that's when I know I've made a difference. And that's what keeps me coming back year after year. When I feel like "whining" I remember this...and stop wanting to whine.