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She isn't one of my children, nor a relative, but she lives at my house. What a fantastic teacher she could be! She tells me about the kids and her classroom experiences, and I have heard her with the kids online, in the last school year. She loves teaching, and she confides in me.
But she tells me that many of the experienced teachers in her building tell her such discouraging things about the field, and I can tell that it disturbs and kinda frightens her. "It's worse than it has ever been," and " I am just so exhausted and no one listens to us." And "I have only 20 minutes to myself all day." I do wonder if they all just blow off frustration at her, but I sure wish they would think about what they are telling a promising student.
I do rather understand, having worked as an RN, and as a mom who was involved with the schools. Such hard work...and underpaid.
Makes me feel like calling the school and anonymously telling the principal about this, or saying something to the district superintendent...but she is a young adult. So I won't. I sure wish I could say something more encouraging to her, though. I most certainly appreciate a good teacher! Good teachers are so very vital to our children and to the future of our country. Worth their weight in gold. We need people like her to stay in the field.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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This happens in nearly every career, especially those in change (education).
Encourage this new teacher to be their best and bring their unique value to others (students, staff, community). One person can make important contributions and even change the status quo. (VERY important in Edu).
Focus on what each person can do to improve the lives and success of others.
Don't sit on the pitty-pot. (Some people's favorite and most familiar spot).
In general, teachers are huge cry-babies. That is why the USA is so stuck at providing inferior education to our most outstanding and capable learners.
Your new teacher can learn a lot by reading the messages she is getting from others as a 'script' of. "I don't want to ever go there!, Be like these defeated teachers and administrators.".
Live above your circumstances, never below them. Don't let them define you, your objectives, or your success.
More importantly, I think there are three things going on.
The first may just be what I call "covid malaise". There's an awfully lot of general pessimism in the country right now. And it may be heightened in the education profession because it's being buffeted by so many factors directly related to covid. I'm retired from education, but I have talked with colleagues still working, and they have felt rather hopeless about having to teach online for a year, and now the increase risk of being exposed to kids. Many people I know of who used to substitute simply quit doing that.
Second, schools in general have -- more than ever -- become the battlefield for politics. And that's not what schools are supposed to be about. And it filters down to the classroom level.
Third, and this is more a question -- what kind of school is she in. When I began my career I moved around a lot to different schools...trying to always work myself up. Including student teaching, 6 schools. One of those schools was a horrible place to work for a myriad of reasons. Bad enough that its principal ended up on "60 Minutes". But I also worked in a couple of schools that deserved an A+. And it made all the difference.
But she tells me that many of the experienced teachers in her building tell her such discouraging things about the field, and I can tell that it disturbs and kinda frightens her. "It's worse than it has ever been," and " I am just so exhausted and no one listens to us." And "I have only 20 minutes to myself all day." I do wonder if they all just blow off frustration at her, but I sure wish they would think about what they are telling a promising student.
Makes me feel like calling the school and anonymously telling the principal about this, or saying something to the district superintendent...but she is a young adult. So I won't.
Any suggestions out there?
First, I would suggest not going to the admin in her district. I think that would reflect very poorly upon her.
This has been a very hard year and a half for teachers, students, parents and admin. They had to change the way they delivered instruction. They were exposed to covid. Their students fell far behind due to remote learning due to covid despite everyone working their hardest and putting in more hours than ever before. Parents are frustrated. Kids are frustrated. Teachers are frustrated. It is no one's fault. It is the reality of a worldwide pandemic.
You're a nurse. Would you really go up to a nurse or doctor who has been working on the front lines in the ER or ICU for the past year and a half, who is worn out and has trauma from everything they have experienced and scold them for honestly expressing their feelings that this time period we're currently in is harder than ever? When the ICU's are full and people are dying and they're overworked and stressed, are they supposed to lie and say, no, this year has been fun. It's been relaxing. Having a great time! This is what teachers are expressing.
She isn't one of my children, nor a relative, but she lives at my house. What a fantastic teacher she could be! She tells me about the kids and her classroom experiences, and I have heard her with the kids online, in the last school year. She loves teaching, and she confides in me.
But she tells me that many of the experienced teachers in her building tell her such discouraging things about the field, and I can tell that it disturbs and kinda frightens her. "It's worse than it has ever been," and " I am just so exhausted and no one listens to us." And "I have only 20 minutes to myself all day." I do wonder if they all just blow off frustration at her, but I sure wish they would think about what they are telling a promising student.
I do rather understand, having worked as an RN, and as a mom who was involved with the schools. Such hard work...and underpaid.
Makes me feel like calling the school and anonymously telling the principal about this, or saying something to the district superintendent...but she is a young adult. So I won't. I sure wish I could say something more encouraging to her, though. I most certainly appreciate a good teacher! Good teachers are so very vital to our children and to the future of our country. Worth their weight in gold. We need people like her to stay in the field.
Any suggestions out there?
I agree with phetaroi's comments. This girl has had very little exposure to education with her brief student teaching and earlier pre-student teaching experiences.
Regarding the statement I bolded, what exactly would you tell the principal or superintendent? What exactly would you expect that person to do? Your comments would likely be linked directly to this girl and would not help her.
Every organization has negative conversation among employees, it is not unique to schools. I've been a long term sub in a school since last spring for two different teachers, and I have limited conversation with other teachers. I eat lunch at my desk while I'm planning lessons or grading assignments. I have very limited time between classes to talk to the few teachers who are on the same hall. I sometimes don't see the teachers on the same hall until the end of the day. All buildings are different and I've been to other building where I talk to other teachers between every class.
Regarding teachers being underpaid, I can tell you that most teachers in Pennsylvania and New York are not underpaid. These states have excellent retirement systems and most teachers retire by their late 50s.
Thanks so much for the responses! I would consider only mentioning that the student teacher is hearing too much nonconstructive negativity, if anything. Anonymously. There are many student teachers here. It's a very large middle-class suburban school district. She really loves the school so far but has great doubts about the field. I am hoping that she becomes more enthused. Kids need people like her. Right now I won't do that, was just a thought.
For the person who made this comparison, no, I wouldn't quite compare this to the exhausted comments of people in the medical fields, working with Covid patients who are dying. Sure, very stressful either way but...it really is kinda different. I worked for a while in the schools, too, as an aide. MUCH lower stress level, not life or death riding on your shoulders and of course, this was an aide job, not a teacher. You would have to try both to see what I mean, I guess. Yes, of course teachers have a very stressful job, not at all denying that.
Regarding salary, I think she is concerned about being able to "make it" on starting pay. She is being loaded with work when she gets home and hopefully it will be better once she is done with school, mid-December.
Thanks so much for the responses! I would consider only mentioning that the student teacher is hearing too much nonconstructive negativity, if anything. Anonymously. There are many student teachers here. It's a very large middle-class suburban school district. She really loves the school so far but has great doubts about the field. I am hoping that she becomes more enthused. Kids need people like her. Right now I won't do that, was just a thought.
For the person who made this comparison, no, I wouldn't quite compare this to the exhausted comments of people in the medical fields, working with Covid patients who are dying. Sure, very stressful either way but...it really is kinda different. I worked for a while in the schools, too, as an aide. MUCH lower stress level, not life or death riding on your shoulders and of course, this was an aide job, not a teacher. You would have to try both to see what I mean, I guess. Yes, of course teachers have a very stressful job, not at all denying that.
Regarding salary, I think she is concerned about being able to "make it" on starting pay. She is being loaded with work when she gets home and hopefully it will be better once she is done with school, mid-December.
The majority of people who complete student teaching leave the profession in a few years. That is in normal times. Her concerns are completely valid, many bright young people can't actually hack it in teaching. Many others can't maintain the lifestyle they were raised with and leave seeking higher pay.
Of course many of us DO actually enjoy teaching, DO consider the lifestyle to be livable, and CAN handle the many negatives that come with the career.
She is going to have to figure out what camp she is in on her own. I don't really think it's your place to get involved regardless of what you think kids need or what you think you know about education.
This is the result of the Teacher's Union - they are the ones who need to be defunded.
How did you go about making that connection?
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