learnteach (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
learnteach) wrote2007-04-05 01:31 pm
learnteach) wrote2007-04-05 01:31 pm
Mild Rant relating to Schools
Ya don't need to read it.
But I'm home sick and feel the need to get it out, like the other fluids flowing away.
Got an email from a very well meaning friend, pointing at a charter school that is starting up and looking for teachers. On paper, it sounds ideal. On paper, it sounds very very much like the charter I'm in currently (Leadership Public Schools, for those interested.) But it doesn't have more than a board of directors, all who have children.
Ok, here's the rant. Two parts. Mothers love their children and want the best for them. Mothers are willing to sacrifice everything for their children. When Mothers interact with business or with an avocation (schools in this country exist as one or the other; a government business or a religious avocation) the Mothers automatically assume that everyone is on the same page. That everyone recognizes the special needs of their children. That everyone will take at least recognizable minimum care of that, for gosh's sake, it's the only sane thing to do!
This isn't unreasonable, from Mother's point of view, it's common sense. Don't let the kids eat things bad for them. Try to use teaching styles that will reach them. Be a good public example for them. Apply correct, even, fair, and well mannered discipline.
Holy crap, what a minefield! In any one of my classes I have a mix of: special needs kids, discipline cases, ELD (English Language Disability/aka speak mainly mexican), ADD kids who are not special needs, different religions ranging from Catholic and Evangelical Christian to Buddhist and a lone Muslim (oh, and a lapsed Sikh), drug users, pregnant women, various gangs.
All have to be treated equally, and helped with a very difficult subject. All have to be accommodated, and we can't throw any of them out, really--between "No Child Left Behind" mandates (which are mainly that everyone be tested, therefor everyone is taught to the test) and the fact that the school needs the money, so we really only expel if there's a police case filed (happens about twice a month).
And...so, you need to discipline for classroom behaviour and then teach all of these students. In my case, an advanced science (chemistry) with no aids (no lab, one book set, one set calculators, no worksheets, no computer aided training.)
I can see how it will all go well, but it's not here. If we were audited, we would show that we've passing the California S.T.A.R. standards and the UC standards, but we're teaching to the test, not to the subject.
About a third of the students have missed more than 5 classes a quarter; often, they go back to families in Mexico for a month or so. About 15% have parole officers.
The second part of this rant? This school system was designed by rich people in Washington. Rich compared to the locals, but rich in the sense that their children never had to chose between clothes or calculators, and the possibility of tutoring was available. Rich in the sense of the student's work potential on weekends was not a vital and necessary part of making the rent. Rich in that it was assumed that the children would go onto white collar jobs. So, the system is designed for people who are making it.
Now, this is a rant, so it's not completely balanced, and points can be argued. But when a Mother says "Give my child the best education", she's going to be very angry with what the child gets, as the teachers spend time negotiating the minefield. And she's going to ask why the teacher can't give a little more--isn't that a reasonable assumption, that the professional will do what's necessary to get the job done? Except that this is built in to the budget: the teachers will work to protect the students (because otherwise you're not going to be a teacher) and then the administration, under pressure from the parents who care, will push on the teachers...
I guess the end point of this rant is: If you want to have an educated child, get involved with the school. As involved as you can be. One parent I know runs the playground; another is head of the PTA. One parent actually shows up and sweeps the campus when she's there.
And the second point of the rant is: with education changing so rapidly, look at other resources. Online has great courses. And get into some yourself, if you can.
And finally, well, given this kind of pressure, teachers need the union. Boy howdy. Especially in these startup charter schools, which are burning teachers out at a much higher rate.
End of rant? No, I could go for weeks on this one. But either you've been there, or you really don't understand. Perhaps you understand, but do you "grok" what it's like to have the care of a child placed in your hands, especially an ill mannered or problem child, and know you swore to do your best? Especially 150 of them a day...and I'm lucky, we have smaller class sizes here.
No wonder I'm so run down.
But I'm home sick and feel the need to get it out, like the other fluids flowing away.
Got an email from a very well meaning friend, pointing at a charter school that is starting up and looking for teachers. On paper, it sounds ideal. On paper, it sounds very very much like the charter I'm in currently (Leadership Public Schools, for those interested.) But it doesn't have more than a board of directors, all who have children.
Ok, here's the rant. Two parts. Mothers love their children and want the best for them. Mothers are willing to sacrifice everything for their children. When Mothers interact with business or with an avocation (schools in this country exist as one or the other; a government business or a religious avocation) the Mothers automatically assume that everyone is on the same page. That everyone recognizes the special needs of their children. That everyone will take at least recognizable minimum care of that, for gosh's sake, it's the only sane thing to do!
This isn't unreasonable, from Mother's point of view, it's common sense. Don't let the kids eat things bad for them. Try to use teaching styles that will reach them. Be a good public example for them. Apply correct, even, fair, and well mannered discipline.
Holy crap, what a minefield! In any one of my classes I have a mix of: special needs kids, discipline cases, ELD (English Language Disability/aka speak mainly mexican), ADD kids who are not special needs, different religions ranging from Catholic and Evangelical Christian to Buddhist and a lone Muslim (oh, and a lapsed Sikh), drug users, pregnant women, various gangs.
All have to be treated equally, and helped with a very difficult subject. All have to be accommodated, and we can't throw any of them out, really--between "No Child Left Behind" mandates (which are mainly that everyone be tested, therefor everyone is taught to the test) and the fact that the school needs the money, so we really only expel if there's a police case filed (happens about twice a month).
And...so, you need to discipline for classroom behaviour and then teach all of these students. In my case, an advanced science (chemistry) with no aids (no lab, one book set, one set calculators, no worksheets, no computer aided training.)
I can see how it will all go well, but it's not here. If we were audited, we would show that we've passing the California S.T.A.R. standards and the UC standards, but we're teaching to the test, not to the subject.
About a third of the students have missed more than 5 classes a quarter; often, they go back to families in Mexico for a month or so. About 15% have parole officers.
The second part of this rant? This school system was designed by rich people in Washington. Rich compared to the locals, but rich in the sense that their children never had to chose between clothes or calculators, and the possibility of tutoring was available. Rich in the sense of the student's work potential on weekends was not a vital and necessary part of making the rent. Rich in that it was assumed that the children would go onto white collar jobs. So, the system is designed for people who are making it.
Now, this is a rant, so it's not completely balanced, and points can be argued. But when a Mother says "Give my child the best education", she's going to be very angry with what the child gets, as the teachers spend time negotiating the minefield. And she's going to ask why the teacher can't give a little more--isn't that a reasonable assumption, that the professional will do what's necessary to get the job done? Except that this is built in to the budget: the teachers will work to protect the students (because otherwise you're not going to be a teacher) and then the administration, under pressure from the parents who care, will push on the teachers...
I guess the end point of this rant is: If you want to have an educated child, get involved with the school. As involved as you can be. One parent I know runs the playground; another is head of the PTA. One parent actually shows up and sweeps the campus when she's there.
And the second point of the rant is: with education changing so rapidly, look at other resources. Online has great courses. And get into some yourself, if you can.
And finally, well, given this kind of pressure, teachers need the union. Boy howdy. Especially in these startup charter schools, which are burning teachers out at a much higher rate.
End of rant? No, I could go for weeks on this one. But either you've been there, or you really don't understand. Perhaps you understand, but do you "grok" what it's like to have the care of a child placed in your hands, especially an ill mannered or problem child, and know you swore to do your best? Especially 150 of them a day...and I'm lucky, we have smaller class sizes here.
No wonder I'm so run down.
no subject
(there's a *reason* I never wanted to be a teacher....)