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It's even worse to get thrown into it as a new teacher with minimal backup support, having had no previous exposure to it because it was deemed too challenging for a student teacher.
The students felt that they weren't learning and were always bored. Most of them bombed the second trimester final (US History). With the new trimester I tried to have more discussion-based lessons rather than deluging the students with documents for analysis every single day. Many students complained to me that they wanted a more lecture-based class, but that is a HUGE no-no in education now. Every lesson must be fun and engaging. Sorry but that is not realistic.
My classes were close to 30 kids in size which is an issue all by itself, and literally half of them had IEPs, 504s and behavioral issues. Most of them should not have been in a regular classroom. I know as a teacher one must be prepared to deal with these issues, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to accommodate every single IEP and 504 plan. Every teacher cannot be a special ed teacher, yet that is what they expect. While most of the kids bombed the final exam, most of them were still well above the minimum passing trimester average. But what I noticed about the kids who failed the term was that they did not care. I would give them chances to make up work they did not do, and even after constant reminders most of it never got turned in. Yet their failure for the term was still blamed on me. Most of my kids wanted to learn, but my philosophy is if a student does not want or care to learn, there is no way to teach them to do so. If they fail for lack of trying, they've earned that F.
I was also extremely burned out to the point where, if I must be totally honest, I was lowkey hoping they would pull me out. I was initially upset when I got the call, but now I have a sense of relief.
1. Too bad. You won't always have motivated kids. Doesn't matter. You're being paid to teach them all...and in fact, you're being paid to motivate the unmotivated. In 14 years (70 classes), I had 2 that seemed hopeless; but I worked hard everyday to make the situation as good for them as I could.
2. Right. And, it general it should be a no-no. An occasional lecture here and there. No problem. Straight-lecturing...a recipe for failure.
3. Every lesson ought to be engaging, although not necessarily fun. And, many teachers succeed at both every day. It takes hard work.
4. While not ideal (I would say about 24 is ideal), 30 is not unusual. If you can't handle classes of 30, you're going to have a tough row to hoe. Half have IEPs or 504s? I doubt it, but again, you're being paid to teach them all. And no, most kids should be in a regular classroom; they'll be in regular life.
5. Impossible to accommodate every IEP and 504? Then you'd be breaking the law. And many accommodations are actually somewhat minor stuff. And yes, in today's education -- like it or not -- all teachers are expected to be able to work with SPED kids.
6. Well, either most of them didn't belong or most wanted to learn. It can't be both. And, like it or not, part of a teacher's job is motivation.
7. Burned out? In one semester?
All the things you suffered from are what most teachers suffer from most years. It's the way it is. I'm not trying to be mean, or just be critical. In fact, what I would say is -- your "failure" at student teaching may be one of the best things that ever happened to you. Now you can work on finding a better "situation" for who you are. And trust me, there are things to work at -- perhaps even in schools -- that will fit you better and lead to a more satisfying career and life.
You don't "get an IEP" for being behind instructionally. You only "get" one if your deficits are due to disability and eligibility for special education, as determined by federal legislation.
Not all kids who've failed to demonstrate mastery of prior key concepts are students with special needs.
It's unrealistic to say that if you get students who've been poorly prepared for your class, they're special education-eligible. Students being behind doesn't automatically indicate the presence of special needs.
Part of the problem was that I was simply just ashamed of how stupid some of the kids were. I hate to say it because I love kids, but not being able to multiply 6 times 7 without using a calculator by the time you're almost in high school can only mean you're stupid.
Would it be a good idea during student teaching to start documenting what is going wrong. For example, if there is a personality conflict between you and your mentor teacher. So that if worse comes to worse, you have documented what has gone wrong and what you tried to do, to rectify it.
It's even worse to get thrown into it as a new teacher with minimal backup support, having had no previous exposure to it because it was deemed too challenging for a student teacher.
These may be fair points, but if so, then where was the lead teacher? Why wasn't the OP getting guidance? It seems she was abandoned in a difficult situation, and expected to do decently enough to pass her program requirements. Instead, she got pulled from the program after what sounds like months of doing her best without any support.
These may be fair points, but if so, then where was the lead teacher? Why wasn't the OP getting guidance? It seems she was abandoned in a difficult situation, and expected to do decently enough to pass her program requirements. Instead, she got pulled from the program after what sounds like months of doing her best without any support.
That's the thing about student teaching...sometimes, you get a supervising teacher that mentors, sometimes you don't.
I had one who left me with long term subs while she chaperoned a class trip to Spain. Zero support.
Would it be a good idea during student teaching to start documenting what is going wrong. For example, if there is a personality conflict between you and your mentor teacher. So that if worse comes to worse, you have documented what has gone wrong and what you tried to do, to rectify it.
I did this every step,of the way. I met with my faculty advisor nearly every day after work, at her request, to debrief. It didn't really change things, re: rapport or mentoring, but it helped my cause that the department knew what I was up against, and it helped to get support from some front, since I didn't get any in the classroom.
Part of the problem was that I was simply just ashamed of how stupid some of the kids were. I hate to say it because I love kids, but not being able to multiply 6 times 7 without using a calculator by the time you're almost in high school can only mean you're stupid.
Or, more likely they either never learned their times tables or did and switched immediately to using a calculator.
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Zero support.
