CMS Teachers and Facebook (credit score, living, moving to)

[Whytewulf]

Originally Posted by MrConfigT

Just to weigh in...

I had a teacher that always use to have a diet coke bottle on his desk... One day he spilled a little on the floor near me, and it was definitely a rum and coke.

This was in HS, and guess what, He still did a hell of a job teaching me Calculus and heck, I even got an engineering degree.

I'm also pretty sure he still teaches because he's a good teacher regardless of his demons.

If I had kids though, I would make sure he was sober before I'd let him teach them. Weird how that works right?


Anyways... point being... With the amount of teachers we have, can't we forgive some 'private life made public' stories if they still perform in the classroom?

I'm pretty sure if Brittany gets off her butt and makes another record the kids go crazy for, everyone will forgive her for not wearing panties. And kids probably pay more attention to her than their teachers.

Thats what cracks me up too... We are worried about some silly things some teachers posted, when really who do kids get more influence from? Miley and her photos and live in boyfriend at 15? This issue brings awareness to such sites, but again, I would be careful of the presendent they set. If they fire one teacher for saying one bad thing, then they have to fire every teacher who says it. I think education and training are a much better to solution to minor infractions which I believe these are.

[bandibadji]

Was stupid of the teachers to do that. But is it fair that they are going to fire one of the teachers for talking about teaching in a ghetto and not the black teacher for saying that in his free time he "chills with his *****s". It reaks of special privilege to me. I guess not saying the "N" word has been changed to not saying the "G" word? Nobody should be fired, but they should all be given a written reprimand for their records.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by Whytewulf

Thats what cracks me up too... We are worried about some silly things some teachers posted, when really who do kids get more influence from?

Shouldn't it be teachers?

Instead of simply accepting a continuing downward trend that includes being more influenced by Miley Cyrus shouldn't the trend start moving towards better, more traditional influences?

[businessperson]

Originally Posted by BrianH1970

Shouldn't it be teachers?

Instead of simply accepting a continuing downward trend that includes being more influenced by Miley Cyrus shouldn't the trend start moving towards better, more traditional influences?

Absolutely!

[anifani821]

Well, looks like the school system is not going to be as merciful as I personally would be - cause it appears at least the one teacher is going to be fired. After this became so public (and let's remember - it was NOT brought to anyone's attention by a parent or student but rather, by a reporter, right?) I agree w/ SSD who said - the school really had no choice. With parents complaining and now w/ the teacher looking so foolish . . . doubtful this can be handled quietly and as a personnel issue (such as when a person has an alcohol problem and goes to rehab but still has his/her job later). Just seems a shame that putting something on Facebook could mess up a career. I hope kids will take this to heart and remember that once you post stuff - it can come back to haunt you later.

[BrianH1970]

That's why while I can see both sides, really I'm really hesitant on letting those teachers off the hook. Our standards are constantly being lowered. If someone hears a television character swearing the common retort is, "They hear worse than that in the school yard". Well why does that need to be? How low does it have to go before people start saying enough is enough? It's almost like a built in excuse to let oneself off the hook.

It's not like adult radio or television programming. At least a parent has some measure of control to shield a child from that content. In cases where the parent isn't around, it's one excuse after the other. Maybe these teachers should receive a stern warning with the neat-o promise of being let go should it happen again. Beyond that....

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by BrianH1970

That's why while I can see both sides, really I'm really hesitant on letting those teachers off the hook. Our standards are constantly being lowered. If someone hears a television character swearing the common retort is, "They hear worse than that in the school yard". Well why does that need to be? How low does it have to go before people start saying enough is enough? It's almost like a built in excuse to let oneself off the hook.

It's not like adult radio or television programming. At least a parent has some measure of control to shield a child from that content. In cases where the parent isn't around, it's one excuse after the other. Maybe these teachers should receive a stern warning with the neat-o promise of being let go should it happen again. Beyond that....

You are right. Standards are getting so low. Things that my kids would not have been exposed to even 15 years ago are commonplace now.

[Damemeow]

It's as old as time... the older generation thinks the younger one is going downhill. Remember all those parents who warned about Elvis and rock and roll. Then the parents who complained their kids grew their hair long and listened to the Beatles and Stones, then Dylan and Hendrix. Kids aren't so different now, and 15 years ago the kids were listening to grunge rock, hanging out in chat rooms,wearing latex and pleather and taking ecstasy. Not all kids, but those were the national trends in the early 90's. Ellen and a bunch of other celebs were coming out, and kids everywhere were "experimenting" It wasn't exactly Norman Rockwell, was it.
Kids today are doing what kids do, even if they do it differently than the previous generation. They are testing waters and trying to break away from their parents.

If anything, I would say the trouble with these teachers and Facebook is that kids stay kids a lot longer than they used to and these teachers were "adult-children" It's like we have extended adolescence and now it goes well into the mid 20's.

[SnowWhiteQueen]

Originally Posted by NCyank

IN PA we used to have Student Teachers. They were either recently graduated or maybe it was a requirement before graduation, I don't remember. Some had their own classes while being supervised/monitored and others served more as a teaching assistant. It seemed like a good way to introduce them to the classroom setting, let them get a feel for the job before being turned out on their own. I don't know if that was a state requirement or just in our district but it seemed like a worthwhile program.

We do have student teaching. At UNCC and at many other colleges you start observing classes beginning your first education course freshman year and are required to observe and teach in just about every education course you take. There were several classes where I had to go and observe for 30-40 hours throughout the semester and had to go teach several lessons as well. In one class we had to teach a lesson, video record it, write a critique and turn it in, then have the professor show your tape in class and point out what you did right and wrong. I had other classes where we taped the lesson we taught and critiqued it and turned it in, but the teacher didn't play it for the class. Whew! Your senior year right before you graduate is when you do your student teaching which lasts a semester. You observe in the beginning but then later you teach a full load. They also have a year long internship program at UNCC where you observe and help out that teacher and tutor part time like a TA during the first semester and then the second semester you do your full time student teaching in that same classroom. That is a great idea! They even say to not work another job because student teaching will be a full time job and you won't have time for another job. Student teaching is very valuable but I will tell you it is NOTHING like having your own classroom. In my experience, the classroom teacher (who is usually experienced) already has established the rules and discipline policy before you step foot in that classroom and in many cases the kids are under control. In my case, I had very few discipline problems. I can think of a few cases, but nothing major. I basically was able to teach my lessons. Once I got a job and had my own class, there was no one around to guide me and I had to do it all! How I started the first weeks of school had a major impact on the rest of the year. Talk about pressure. I remember before student teaching going to observe a teacher who wasn't very strong in classroom management and I would leave with a throbbing headache everyday. Then I had to teach those classes three lessons in 90 minute classes! Luckily, the kids were good for me which was a relief because they always acted out in class for their teacher. Maybe the fact that they were being taped helped! I was absolutely terrified! In another class, we had to observe and teach several lessons and during one of them the professor actually came to the school and observed us! This wasn't during student teaching which is when they usually come out to observe but rather early in the coursework. That was scary!

One thing that many education programs lack is a focus on classroom management. When I graduated college, I could write lesson plans and create curriculum maps in my sleep and spout off all sorts of teaching philosophy. In that regard I felt very prepared. Yet there weren't any classes offered in classroom management, which is one of the biggest issues new teachers face and one of the reasons most teachers leave the profession, aside from low pay. Classroom management was a HUGE challenge for me! I guess you can read all the books in the world and observe lots of teachers and take a class on classroom mgmt and write a brilliant mgmt plan but until you have experienced having your own classroom and taken on all the discipline problems and challenges yourself, you will not know what it is truly like to be a teacher!

As a new teacher in NC you are assigned a mentor your first three years. Or at least I was anyway. It was a requirement at my school.

They say your first year, you are one step behind your students. Your second year, you are right beside them. Your third year, you are one step ahead. That was so true for me! My third year is when things really started to click and I felt like a real teacher. I had my classes under control, my discipline policy was great, my lessons were even better, and I had it all together.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by Damemeow

If anything, I would say the trouble with these teachers and Facebook is that kids stay kids a lot longer than they used to and these teachers were "adult-children" It's like we have extended adolescence and now it goes well into the mid 20's.

Or even as you steamroll towards your 40's.

Then again, the older I get the more I try to live by Jimmy Buffett's creed of "growing older but not up".