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Well, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss issues and ideas about educational philosophy and practice. I also like hearing other people's classroom techniques. And I confess to liking to hear the funny stories about the things that happen in the schools from time to time. I want to believe that I can be helpful with other people's problems.
When I have a problem, or just need to unload to someone who understands, unlike my family, I know that, despite the ever-present nay-sayers, there are people here who support what I'm doing. Bad days at an inner-city high school can require nerves of steel. At the end of a such a day, even steel frays. Preparing to go back the next day requires me to seek support, and I usually get it here.
Don't forget ranting about everything about teachers: salary, summers, pensions, etc.
Also to ask questions about how to handle a teacher who is mistreating Buffy or Biff by not understanding they have to get an A to get into a first tier college.
Also a place to come to complain about how college is worthless today and the world has ended.
I like to read about legit questions about teaching methods, help parents out who have questions about disabilities or how to identify concerns, or varying requirements for different district's HS programs. It becomes tedious to defend my 40 K income time after time. Maybe a sub-thread for teachers with issues or parents seeking advice would minimize bashing on teacher, AKA non-saints, threads.
I have no children and I'm not a teacher but the turkeys wind up in the workforce. Before I retired, this forum provided some insight as to what's wrong with them.
To give people the opportunity to blather as they please about whatever they want, and to collect postings about education under a single heading, as a convenience to users who are interested in education.
I hate to say it, but the number of posters(lurkers may be larger) here who are people who actually understand education and who work in it has decreased to probably less than 3%. It appears that to a large extent it is a place where people who have an axe to grind about education, about teachers they had, about the costs to taxpayers, or just like to complain can openly put out those views. Those who can explain how things really work are largely driven away by the complainers. And without enough educators to explain reality, it becomes a giant whisper-down-the-lane, where the incorrect gossip gets larger and larger. "I heard it on the internet, so it must be true."
The actual amount of information on the way education works today is minimal except for a few posters who are willing to wade into the very very chilly water and set the record straight. I suspect that many educators have increased their IL while here, and of course, this doesn't help to reduce the on-going blathering of the uninformed and clueless.
I hate to say it, but the number of posters(lurkers may be larger) here who are people who actually understand education and who work in it has decreased to probably less than 3%. It appears that to a large extent it is a place where people who have an axe to grind about education, about teachers they had, about the costs to taxpayers, or just like to complain can openly put out those views. Those who can explain how things really work are largely driven away by the complainers. And without enough educators to explain reality, it becomes a giant whisper-down-the-lane, where the incorrect gossip gets larger and larger. "I heard it on the internet, so it must be true."
The actual amount of information on the way education works today is minimal except for a few posters who are willing to wade into the very very chilly water and set the record straight. I suspect that many educators have increased their IL while here, and of course, this doesn't help to reduce the on-going blathering of the uninformed and clueless.
I wish it were otherwise.
Zarathu
so what the heck are you looking for? what exactly are you complaining about?
reality check: city data is a site mostly dedicated to statistics about cities around the country/world (hence the name "city data.com", not "teachers unite!.com"). many people find their way onto the forums through the various city-based forums, often asking for advice when moving to/visitng a particular city. these other forums, education, entertainment, politics, etc, are really just an afterthought. this is NOT an education site, just an education forum w/in a greater website that attracts a huge variety of posters.
I don't expect riveting, informative dialogue about macbooks in the pet rat forum I frequent. no, I go to a mac/apple forum. there is no shortage of forums dedicated to teachers and teaching, a lot of them sites that only educators would really bother with. instead of complaining about this forum and the posters in it, why not join one of those forums? if you want to provide your expertise here, great, but enough w/ the whining please! if you're so disgusted w/ this forum, no one is holding you hostage here. again, there's no shortage of forums dedicated to teachers/teaching. putting people on your ignore list does NOTHING but make you look ignorant and unwilling to listen to opposing opinions (not really enviable traits to be found in an educator, BTW). that's not really how the ignore list should be used, IMHO, otherwise, a lot of relevant discussions would be impossible to have b/c one side is ignoring the other (ignore list, at least the way I use it, is to ignore trolls/trollish and highly vitriolic posters)
*expects to be put on the ignore list in 5...4...3...*
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