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[FONT=Verdana]I have been a substitute teacher for three months now since I graduated with my master's degree in education. I could not find an open social studies position (grades 7-12) so the NYC DOE advised me to sub for the city school system. I can only say that I am glad I did.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]The districts in the South Bronx, Washington Heights and [/FONT][FONT=Verdana]Harlem[/FONT][FONT=Verdana] are difficult places to teach. Many of the students are the product of early teenage pregnancies. I can't tell you how many 7th and 8th grade girls I have seen pregnant. It seems the moment they become fertile the girls are pregnant. Many of the children who attend those districts can not speak English even though they were born in NYC. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]I have been both the victim and eyewitness to some incredibly violent displays of aggression by the students from these districts. Being white I have been called more that a few choice racial names by a number of students as young as fourth grades and have seen many female teachers called white ****, prostitute and *****. Some times the verbal outbursts are so prevalent that the school police needs to be called in to remove a number of violent students.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]Since I have been substitute teachers I have been in a few lock downs and many of the high schools I have worked in have metal detectors. In the [/FONT][FONT=Verdana]South Bronx[/FONT][FONT=Verdana] the drug gangs force students as young as ten years old to sell drugs in the schools. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]The good thing about being a substitute teacher is that I get to work in many different schools and find out the best and the worst to teach in. I have had a few offers in some of the bad schools but turned them down because the behavior was so bad, getting through a lesson plan left by the students regular teachers was very difficult. The one thing I learned is not to push a student to learn. Many of them think you are getting in their face and will become violent if you push them to hard. Many of the teachers I have met told me never to turn my back on a student. Some students would not think twice about striking you. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]Let’s face it, many of the schools just push theses kids through the system and a great number of them simply can not read. If you love teaching as I do, you will protect that love and try to find a school where one can teach with out having to call an assistant principal, dean or school security at least three times a day. [/FONT]
sharp idea being in an invironment b4 you lock in teaches the best places to be and what to do and not do in your career path, your eyes and ears are open thanks for helping others.
Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
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I'm a first year Kindergarten teacher in the south Bronx, and I can tell you that I have about 3 boys in my class who are headed in the path of some of the kids in the schools you mentioned. It's sad to think they may end up like that, but the home life environment affects them more than their school environment. The best thing we can do as teachers is to create a happy and safe environment, even if it's for only 6 hours a day. There's only so much we can do in school, but we can at least make it a little better for them.
I went right into getting a teaching job after I graduated last May. I needed to support myself, so that's why i went right into teaching. Although I don't like my school, it was a real learning experience. It's good to start out in the worst of the worst schools, since it will make each year after that easier.
I am glad Ace rock provided such wonderful and helpful advice. Rachel your perspective is good since you are in a similar position as the poster. I don't doubt that such violence exists in these schools...as they are just repeating whatever they hear/see at home. I am glad that you have the mentality that you are there to show the other side of life, that it's not okay to act a certian way, and creating a healthy environment so that those that can succeed have a place to do so. You cannot help everyone, but those that you can help will forever remember you...I still remember my kindergarten teacher...Ms. Apontes....love ya!
Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
8,900 posts, read 15,836,741 times
Reputation: 1819
You really have to be extra tough on kids in depressed areas. You're trying to teach them things that are basically the exact opposite of what their parents teach them. It can get really difficult. Especially with 6 year olds, since you can't really rationalize with them.
You really have to be extra tough on kids in depressed areas. You're trying to teach them things that are basically the exact opposite of what their parents teach them. It can get really difficult. Especially with 6 year olds, since you can't really rationalize with them.
I teach the 6 year olds' older siblings (or, possibly, their parents <*shudder*>) and, believe me, you can't really rationalize with THEM, either!
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