‘I have had enough’ – veteran teacher tells school board (Marines, private school)
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Please name another profession that is under attack other than teachers (don't include politicians). I would love to see
someone go into a classroom, construct a lesson, teach that lesson and have a 97% success rate. BUT: you also have
to be a temporary parent, counselor, therapist, mentor and forced to rely on the administration to back you up.
Unruly kids are going to continue to be unruly regardless of discipline by teachers.
"Unruly kids" are unruly for a reason. Most of the time it is because they are bored. A good teacher will find a way to keep "unruly kids" interested, and therefore under control.
I know this from firsthand experience, being an "unruly kid." I had a couple of good teachers that understood why I was always so difficult and they fixed that by giving me challenges. Most teachers, however, had no clue that I was bored out of my mind. I had lots of fun making their lives miserable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyTexan
Teachers talk among themselves and the same names keep popping up regarding uncontrollable behavior.
Remove these handful of kids and classes actually become more productive with more learning going on and less behavior management.
I disagree. It is the teacher's job to manage a widely divergent class. There are going to be a handful of slow students, mostly average students, and a handful of more advanced students in every class. Teachers must be able to structure their lessons so that everyone learns, and maintain discipline while doing so. Not an easy task.
It is easy to blame an "unruly kid," but I have never met a kid yet that was not interested in something. The teacher just needs to find out what that interest is and play on it in order to get their lesson across.
"Unruly kids" are unruly for a reason. Most of the time it is because they are bored. A good teacher will find a way to keep "unruly kids" interested, and therefore under control.
I know this from firsthand experience, being an "unruly kid." I had a couple of good teachers that understood why I was always so difficult and they fixed that by giving me challenges. Most teachers, however, had no clue that I was bored out of my mind. I had lots of fun making their lives miserable.
I disagree. It is the teacher's job to manage a widely divergent class. There are going to be a handful of slow students, mostly average students, and a handful of more advanced students in every class. Teachers must be able to structure their lessons so that everyone learns, and maintain discipline while doing so. Not an easy task.
It is easy to blame an "unruly kid," but I have never met a kid yet that was not interested in something. The teacher just needs to find out what that is and play on it in order to get their lesson across.
I'm not speaking of academic ability but of behavior problems.
I'm not speaking of academic ability but of behavior problems.
And I am saying that often the two are the same.
If a teacher caters to the average and more advanced students, while neglecting the slower students, there are going to be behavioral problems as they act out in frustration. If a teacher caters to the slower and average students, and neglects the more advanced students, there are going to be behavioral problems as they act out in boredom.
A good teacher will find a way to keep an entire class interested in a subject, at every level of academic ability, thus solving any behavioral problems.
"Unruly kids" are unruly for a reason. Most of the time it is because they are bored. A good teacher will find a way to keep "unruly kids" interested, and therefore under control.
I know this from firsthand experience, being an "unruly kid." I had a couple of good teachers that understood why I was always so difficult and they fixed that by giving me challenges. Most teachers, however, had no clue that I was bored out of my mind. I had lots of fun making their lives miserable.
I disagree. It is the teacher's job to manage a widely divergent class. There are going to be a handful of slow students, mostly average students, and a handful of more advanced students in every class. Teachers must be able to structure their lessons so that everyone learns, and maintain discipline while doing so. Not an easy task.
It is easy to blame an "unruly kid," but I have never met a kid yet that was not interested in something. The teacher just needs to find out what that interest is and play on it in order to get their lesson across.
Never tried to teach a classroom of kids in your life, have you? The unruly ones have to be dealt with, no matter their intelligence level, and suck up a great deal of a teacher's time. Being bright isn't an excuse for poor behavior. Got news for you, there are plenty of truly gifted kids that could probably teach the teacher a thing or two and they aren't unruly at all. They read books, help other students, write letters, draw incredible drawings, and whatnot. They are a teacher's dream and sadly they are the kids who suffer the most neglect in education today, even though teachers would prefer to take care very good care of them. Regardless, it is true the best and brightest are being done a huge disservice; they deserve to be challenged but that is beyond difficult when the emphasis of public schools is to teach so the bottom can score enough on a standardized test to not flunk the school. It's a matter of resources and a teacher's time is a resource that is stretched to the breaking point in most classrooms. I too had enough and, after decades of successful teaching, retired last year.
Regardless of the authenticity of this letter I have to agree with the concept. We have went from a family oriented, hard working and God fearing moral nation to a nation of dope smoking free radicals that think pi$$ing on the flag, gay sex, social hand outs are normal. society is basically morally and ethically bankrupt. What do you expect and we will pay the price soon.
Never tried to teach a classroom of kids in your life, have you? The unruly ones have to be dealt with, no matter their intelligence level, and suck up a great deal of a teacher's time. Being bright isn't an excuse for poor behavior. Got news for you, there are plenty of truly gifted kids that could probably teach the teacher a thing or two and they aren't unruly at all. They read books, help other students, write letters, draw incredible drawings, and whatnot. They are a teacher's dream and sadly they are the kids who suffer the most neglect in education today, even though teachers would prefer to take care very good care of them. Regardless, it is true the best and brightest are being done a huge disservice; they deserve to be challenged but that is beyond difficult when the emphasis of public schools is to teach so the bottom can score enough on a standardized test to not flunk the school. It's a matter of resources and a teacher's time is a resource that is stretched to the breaking point in most classrooms. I too had enough and, after decades of successful teaching, retired last year.
You survived! Congratulations.
Being bright is not an excuse for poor behavior, this is true, but being bored is an explanation for poor behavior. Just as being frustrated with not being able to understand the lesson is also an explanation for poor behavior. I understand how difficult it is for the teacher, especially considering the classroom sizes today. I am by no means attempting to underestimate the difficulty, or the amount of time it requires from the teacher.
My younger brother was like that. Very smart, always polite, never got into any trouble. I suspect that he learned that lesson by watching how much trouble I was always getting into, and chose to avoid the hassle.
If a teacher caters to the average and more advanced students, while neglecting the slower students, there are going to be behavioral problems as they act out in frustration. If a teacher caters to the slower and average students, and neglects the more advanced students, there are going to be behavioral problems as they act out in boredom.
A good teacher will find a way to keep an entire class interested in a subject, at every level of academic ability, thus solving any behavioral problems.
At the same time, it can be a personality issue. Unruly kids can really just be jerks. Doesn't necessarily change when they get to college or after. Rarely (thanks to the advent of Face Book) ever have I seen a kid I went to school with, who was "unruly", change in attitude or stop acting like an idiot some 25 years later. The jerks are still the jerks, they're just bigger jerks.
At the same time, it can be a personality issue. Unruly kids can really just be jerks. Doesn't necessarily change when they get to college or after. Rarely (thanks to the advent of Face Book) ever have I seen a kid I went to school with, who was "unruly", change in attitude or stop acting like an idiot some 25 years later. The jerks are still the jerks, they're just bigger jerks.
I certainly agree that it is a matter of personality. In my case I joined the Marine Corps where being destructive was encouraged. In return they taught me discipline, honor, and how to shoot really well.
I certainly agree that it is a matter of personality. In my case I joined the Marine Corps where being destructive was encouraged. In return they taught me discipline, honor, and how to shoot really well.
Because they could, right?
Instead of these "alternative boarding schools" or plain old "alternative schools" for wayward kids (when they get so unruly there is nothing else), that state tax and fed monies support and don't really do much, there should be military schools for them - where you don't need a letter from a senator to get in to. That'll get their idiot behinds in shape real quick.
Might be a solution with the issues public schools have with kids who they have to keep suspending, but keep bringing 'em back to do the same old dance they do because everyone deserves a public education, no matter how disruptive to their own education they are, let alone their classmates education.
I personally think it would be great, because you can't look at a kid who is acting out sideways these days without a parent questioning why you gave their kid the "evil eye"...
Thanks for your service to this country!
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