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You don't understand that most kids (and their parents) don't care about Chemistry. For my children, Chemistry is just a hoop to jump through so that they can go to college. What they wanted out of the class was an A. They really and truly didn't care about learning a single thing in Chemistry. They wanted to learn about History. They like Literature and definitely want to learn how to write effectively. But Chemistry was just a nuisance.
You need to recognize that for many kids that's how it is with certain subjects.
Since, Ivory, you have not quit at the beginning of the year, you might take the course of action that other teachers in your position have taken:
Implemented Plan of Improvement
I know teachers who have worked with and cooperated with administration to design and implement a plan of improvement in order to become the type of teacher who can thus keep their jobs, as it sounds like having a job is paramount for you, understandably so.
At this point would the principal be willing to risk it? There would be no guarentee any plan of improvement would be strictly followed post-tenure.
It is also obvious that Ivory has her opinion (one that is not changing just to be employed) and the district / school has a very different opinion.
Best case scenario is admin gives a positive reference and there is another position available ASAP. It seems obvious the school has no replacement? Or they are going above and beyond to offer employment? Not being familiar with the environment I can't say which.
I can say finding a teaching position in public school in Michigan is TOUGH. Schools seem to be looking for the youngest and most inexperienced teachers for most positions.
Not to say a more experienced teacher will necessarily be targeted.
At this point would the principal be willing to risk it? There would be no guarentee any plan of improvement would be strictly followed post-tenure.
It is also obvious that Ivory has her opinion (one that is not changing just to be employed) and the district / school has a very different opinion.
Best case scenario is admin gives a positive reference and there is another position available ASAP. It seems obvious the school has no replacement? Or they are going above and beyond to offer employment? Not being familiar with the environment I can't say which.
I can say finding a teaching position in public school in Michigan is TOUGH. Schools seem to be looking for the youngest and most inexperienced teachers for most positions.
Not to say a more experienced teacher will necessarily be targeted.
This is what I'm seeing too. The last four teachers hired in my school were fresh out of college. I'm not sure if it's a cost thing or because they're too young to have real opinions about education and they think they can mold them to the group think. I came from industry. I have my own opinions on what education should accomplish and you're right, they don't mesh with the district. The problem is the district does lip service to them. When I, quite honestly, told them my beliefs on education, they loved what I said but when I try to actually apply those beliefs, I get my hand slapped. I talked with the old superintendent for 2 hours when I came in to sign my contract about educational philosophy and we were right on the same page. I thought I'd found the perfect district when I took this job. I didn't realize it's all lip service.
I have come to the conclusion that what they want is easy A's with the appearance of a rigorous program. That being the case, I am not the best fit for this job. I'm not a good liar. I can't stand there and lie to parents and tell them I'm raising the bar when I know I'm not. I know I could teach my students more and to deeper depths and I know that would serve them in the long run but that might risk GPA's and that is NOT going to happen. That being the case, they don't need me. I am surprised they did not replace me this year. There are dozens of chemistry teachers available in the area and the district has a high enough reputation that teachers in other districts apply for jobs there too. One thing I have to overcome in an interview is wanting to leave a desired district. That's hard to explain.
I know asking kids to stretch works and it works for all levels of students. The two years I taught at the unnamed charter school passing scores on the science tests jumped 41%. While I didn't teach to the standards I do now (I couldn't because of math weaknesses), I did raise the bar. Once kids accept that they have to try and keep up, I find most do. They'll balk at first if they think they can get out of it but once they realize they can't, they're good. This is why I blast out of the gate early in the year and cover 3 chapters in 3 weeks plus lab safety, lab equipment and lab procedures. Their heads are spinning by the time we get to the first test but the pace has been set and they settle in for the long haul...as long as their complaints of I go too fast fall on deaf ears in the office. Sure they're going to try to get me to slow down and teach less. They're teenagers. They are capable teenagers though and I wish I was allowed to challenge them.
I tried to get my principal to go to a three level chemistry system but he won't bite. He says that all students who don't belong in consumer chemistry belong in honors chemistry but then he turns around and tells me to teach a dummied down slower version of "honors" chemistry. What he wants is parents to be happy their child got an A in "honors" chemistry. We don't call it honors chemistry but they compare it to other schools honors classes only I don't actually teach to those levels. It's all about appearances and parents feeling good. That being the case, I have better things to do with my time. I'd much rather be in a struggling school where I can make a difference or in a college prep school where I can challenge the kids and make a difference. Like most teachers, I want to make a difference. I don't feel I am where I am now doing what I do now. Anyone could come in and teach to the levels they're asking me to teach to and hand out A's like candy.
And you're right about the principal not taking the risk that any plan we made would continue post tenure. He has to know that once he actually has to show I'm deficient as a teacher to fire me, I will do everything in my power to prove that my teaching methods work. Sometimes, I think that's what he's afraid of. That I'm right. That challenging kids, while scaffolding the lower performing kids, actually results in everyone learning more, even the teacher. However, I've been trying to get him to put an improvement plan in writing for three years now and he won't do it. I think the bottom line is, for whatever reason, he just does not like me and he is not going to help me in any way shape or form. Communication is so bad with him that I have to have a union rep any time I talk to him just to make sure I don't, once again, misconstrue his meaning. He's gotten even more vague since the union rep attends all meetings. She, usually, has to send a string of emails asking for clarification after a meeting. We'll walk out and she'll ask "What did he mean by THAT?". His MO Is keep me in the dark and then complain because I didn't accomplish what he planned.
I think I'm going to go with a coworker's suggestion. She pulled me aside at the end of last year when I was really stressing out over this and said that if I came back I should look at it as an opportunity to do things my way because nothing worse can happen anyway. I'm not even sure I'm going to ask my principal what he wants this year. I may just make this my last hurrah. I know what I do works. I see the growth in my classroom. I know I was instrumental in that growth. Even the lower kids are pulled up when the bar moves up. Most of them will do what they have to for a D. If you raise the bar, they do more for that D and learn more in the process.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 09-14-2013 at 02:25 PM..
You don't understand that most kids (and their parents) don't care about Chemistry. For my children, Chemistry is just a hoop to jump through so that they can go to college. What they wanted out of the class was an A. They really and truly didn't care about learning a single thing in Chemistry. They wanted to learn about History. They like Literature and definitely want to learn how to write effectively. But Chemistry was just a nuisance.
You need to recognize that for many kids that's how it is with certain subjects.
It is certainly true for my subject (ESL), nobody enjoys learning grammar, they just need it for life and business. When you teach "one of those" subjects (I failed Chemistry in high school), it's important to recognize and motivate students to at least get it done
And, as I wrote much earlier in the thread, this is accomplished by very defined goals/criteria/learning expectations. Change them if you want, but not partway through the year at random or as a response to some students. Set your goals, finish your goals. Re-evaluate for later classes.
It is certainly true for my subject (ESL), nobody enjoys learning grammar, they just need it for life and business. When you teach "one of those" subjects (I failed Chemistry in high school), it's important to recognize and motivate students to at least get it done
And, as I wrote much earlier in the thread, this is accomplished by very defined goals/criteria/learning expectations. Change them if you want, but not partway through the year at random or as a response to some students. Set your goals, finish your goals. Re-evaluate for later classes.
That is what I've done. The first year, I paced with a friend who has taught chemistry for 20 years and, quickly, realized I could pace faster because my kids don't have the math challenges hers do. I did ramp up the pace but not the requirements. The next year, I changed requirements and added more depth to areas I thought the kids could handle it. Last year I added a couple of bigger labs. Kids in my school, routinely, use older brother's and sister's notes and old lab reports so it became apparent that I'd upped the ante. Just yesterday, one of my students asked "Did they do this lab last year?". I'm like, who cares? You're doing it this year. I did change it from last year so if she turns in last year's answers, she's going to have a problem. This year I'm adding lab quizzes based on the research they do for lab reports. I suspect I'm getting recycled written portions. Right or wrong, the quiz answers should match the answers in the lab, right?
I love when we get to thermodynamics. I have so many labs I like there that I can do different labs for six years... Interestingly, lab report grades drop during that section. I wonder why???? I make it a point to change things in labs to catch the cheaters. I'll see this year's data in the data table they filled out during the lab and last year's data in the calculations. Go figure... Seriously, if you're going to cheat, have the sense to plug YOUR data into the equations and get answers that actually go with your data. I've had them change the data table too then I have to ask why they didn't follow the instructions. Cheating is a big issue in our school but the administration won't back a teacher unless they catch the student red handed with a cheat sheet but they put the cheat sheets on their phones and we're not allowed to take their phones or look at them. That is an invasion of privacy. I can only take a phone if a student hands it over when I ask for it. They know if they say no all that will happen is they will be called down to the office and told to listen to the teacher next time.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 09-14-2013 at 02:47 PM..
You don't understand that most kids (and their parents) don't care about Chemistry. For my children, Chemistry is just a hoop to jump through so that they can go to college. What they wanted out of the class was an A. They really and truly didn't care about learning a single thing in Chemistry. They wanted to learn about History. They like Literature and definitely want to learn how to write effectively. But Chemistry was just a nuisance.
You need to recognize that for many kids that's how it is with certain subjects.
IMO, they should either learn it or not get that A. That is their choice. I do not owe A's to students who don't want to learn the material. A's are earned not given.
Right. But you are responsible for spoon feeding the children the information to get an A, rather than making it challenging and difficult. You don't have AP kids.
The goal is teaching, and the children learning. What does it matter if you give them the answers to the test, teach to the test, and they take the test and just regurgitate the information, they still learned.
You just don't get it. Discovery method does not work for all students. It does nothing but frustrate them, and make chemistry a class that they don't understand.
I have taught for many years, and found teachers with your thought process very difficult for low level students.
Your goal should be focused on maintaining employment, not challenging students.
This is what I'm seeing too. The last four teachers hired in my school were fresh out of college. I'm not sure if it's a cost thing or because they're too young to have real opinions about education and they think they can mold them to the group think. I came from industry. I have my own opinions on what education should accomplish and you're right, they don't mesh with the district. The problem is the district does lip service to them. When I, quite honestly, told them my beliefs on education, they loved what I said but when I try to actually apply those beliefs, I get my hand slapped. I talked with the old superintendent for 2 hours when I came in to sign my contract about educational philosophy and we were right on the same page. I thought I'd found the perfect district when I took this job. I didn't realize it's all lip service.
WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Now all you need to do is be moldable for your next position. I know when I walk into an interview and know more than 90% of the interviewers there is no way I will ever be offered a position. BUT if I come across too dumb, they wonder what I have been doing for the passed 15 years.
Want to effect real change? As I have realized that may very well mean going ADMINISTRATION as in curriculum development, testing and may be even principal or director of something.
I have once again taken a job no one else on earth wants--again in DETROIT--but near Wayne State University. I am determined to be MOLDABLE and next Fall Semester finish my masters' in admin or SpEd director.
WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Now all you need to do is be moldable for your next position. I know when I walk into an interview and know more than 90% of the interviewers there is no way I will ever be offered a position. BUT if I come across too dumb, they wonder what I have been doing for the passed 15 years.
Want to effect real change? As I have realized that may very well mean going ADMINISTRATION as in curriculum development, testing and may be even principal or director of something.
I have once again taken a job no one else on earth wants--again in DETROIT--but near Wayne State University. I am determined to be MOLDABLE and next Fall Semester finish my masters' in admin or SpEd director.
Be moldable or be frustrated.
I don't mind being moldable if I actually respect my bosses opinion. It sucks when I don't....well, maybe I do....I'm not really sure what his opinion is on education. He uses all the key buzz words but never really commits to anything.
I'd have to go the curriculum route. I wouldn't want to be a principal. If I were younger, I'd get a counseling degree. Or maybe I can look for something at the state level working with curriculum. With both engineering and teaching experience that might be worth a try. I know the governor likes people who have industrial experience working on educational task forces and the people want teachers on the task force. I've done both.
Good luck this year. Teaching in Detroit has to be a challenge but look on the bright side. You're someplace where you can make a real difference. I lived in Detroit for 17 years and my observation is many kids don't have a strong male role model.
Why don't you go into a community college or something where you can run amok with your own theories of teaching, and reek havoc on kid's grades more freely? It'd surely be a better match for you than K-12.
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