Tired of this "save a tree" garbage! (spring break, how much) - San Antonio - Texas (TX) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

TexasRedneck · 03-30-2011, 06:59 AM

I'm SO glad this past year was the last one for my dear wife - she's retired now after 29 years in the classroom. We averaged about $18-2200/year in school supplies. Not just stuff SHE needed - but the basics for many of her students (paper, pencils, notebooks - you name it). She quietly asked one student last year about why she didn't have ANY supplies - her answer was "My mom said YOU have to supply it!" That's the attitude of many of the students (and their parents) today. To be sure - there were some parents that would do everything in the world and send what they could, but by and large most had the opinion that "the school" was supposed to supply it. The kicker - we could only deduct up to $250 of those supplies from our taxes per the IRS rules! And sending notes home? You have GOT to be kidding me! Can't tell you how many times she'd get called to the office because of a parent complaining about the failing report cards, griping how "We were never told there was a problem!!", and my wife would bring the notes up that the parent had signed, warning them of missing work, failing grades, etc.!!!
It's not all bad, though - each year, there'd be one or two students that would simply crawl into your heart. Everything from physically/mentally challenged kids that'd bust their tails to do their best, to just plain old sweet kids that were having to deal with a lousy home life, yet kept their love of life. More than once, we made special trips during Christmas/Thanksgiving to someone's home to drop off "extra stuff we had"...the look in the eyes of the kids (and often the parents) made it all worthwhile.

nicholasa101 · 03-30-2011, 07:17 AM

I dont think its school wide- I watch several students afterschool in different grades, it seems to always be my 2nd graders (two different teachers). And yes I know that some parents will complain about too much homework--I just think there should be a happy medium. My second graders have had several "save a tree" weeks this year.

TexasRedneck · 03-30-2011, 07:30 AM

The challenge is finding that "happy medium". Some parents think that ANY homework is too much, others aren't happy unless they have many hours of assignments. It's like anything else - everyone has their own perception....

LilyLady · 03-30-2011, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

I'm SO glad this past year was the last one for my dear wife - she's retired now after 29 years in the classroom. We averaged about $18-2200/year in school supplies. Not just stuff SHE needed - but the basics for many of her students (paper, pencils, notebooks - you name it). She quietly asked one student last year about why she didn't have ANY supplies - her answer was "My mom said YOU have to supply it!" That's the attitude of many of the students (and their parents) today. To be sure - there were some parents that would do everything in the world and send what they could, but by and large most had the opinion that "the school" was supposed to supply it. The kicker - we could only deduct up to $250 of those supplies from our taxes per the IRS rules! And sending notes home? You have GOT to be kidding me! Can't tell you how many times she'd get called to the office because of a parent complaining about the failing report cards, griping how "We were never told there was a problem!!", and my wife would bring the notes up that the parent had signed, warning them of missing work, failing grades, etc.!!!
It's not all bad, though - each year, there'd be one or two students that would simply crawl into your heart. Everything from physically/mentally challenged kids that'd bust their tails to do their best, to just plain old sweet kids that were having to deal with a lousy home life, yet kept their love of life. More than once, we made special trips during Christmas/Thanksgiving to someone's home to drop off "extra stuff we had"...the look in the eyes of the kids (and often the parents) made it all worthwhile.

Your wife sounds like she was a wonderful and caring teacher.

TexasRedneck · 03-30-2011, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilyLady

Your wife sounds like she was a wonderful and caring teacher.

Thank you....she was. She was in tears on that last day, but as I told her - it was time. She worked hard to be an asset to her students and her school, and I loved her for it. But for the past 12 years, we had no "us time" during the school year - which was okay, because it came with the territory, and she loved what she did. I got really worried though, because she would often subsist on 4-5 hrs sleep a night, and then "catch up" on the weekends.

All in all though....I don't think she'd have traded her job with anyone for anything. She loved "her" kids, and actually taught previous students' kids as well - they'd ask that their kids be assigned to her. In her last year, she actually taught the grandchildren of 3 of her old students - she really treasures that memory!

catriona · 03-30-2011, 07:55 AM

No 'save a tree' week at our house - I've never even heard of it. Seems like every night but Friday is homework night or work on project night. My kids are supposed to copy down the assignments from the board every day and several of the teachers give out a one page syllabus that covers the entire nine weeks period. The tests are usually scantrons (ugh - hate those!) and they are not supposed to mark on the papers with the questions on them. Guess that's one way to save a tree, but I prefer the old method of getting your test back with the questions marked wrong so you could see what you missed and KEEP it for future study for the exam. Now you can't take a test paper out of the classroom. You ask "what did you miss?" and they don't know because they didn't get the paper back or don't remember what they missed. You have to email or go see the teacher to just see the test paper or send the kiddo in for tutoring so they can see the paper and go over it.

Each year the stores have the flyers from the school districts listing the school supplies needed by school and by grade, so why a parent would expect a teacher to provide supplies is beyond me. You can't walk in a Walmart or HEB in August and not see them. In addition, there are drives by various charities to ensure underprivileged kids get supplies. Running out of paper, etc. I can understand, but expecting the teacher to provide it sounds like just bad parenting or in some cases, lazy kids. Those children are just lucky that there are teachers out there, like Mrs. TexasRedneck, who cared enough to provide the items needed. My teacher friends have told me they also this.

Things were so much easier when I was in school. Back when the smell of the mimeograph paper filled the classroom, Wednesdays were "Mexican Food Day", and things were not so "PC"....

catriona · 03-30-2011, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

Thank you....she was. She was in tears on that last day, but as I told her - it was time. She worked hard to be an asset to her students and her school, and I loved her for it. But for the past 12 years, we had no "us time" during the school year - which was okay, because it came with the territory, and she loved what she did. I got really worried though, because she would often subsist on 4-5 hrs sleep a night, and then "catch up" on the weekends.

All in all though....I don't think she'd have traded her job with anyone for anything. She loved "her" kids, and actually taught previous students' kids as well - they'd ask that their kids be assigned to her. In her last year, she actually taught the grandchildren of 3 of her old students - she really treasures that memory!

Teachers like your wife are true treasures in the education system. I would say that about 75% of my kids' teachers have been like your wife, caring, taking the time to email or call about upcoming things, answering emails, etc. Makes all the world of difference with the students.

I'm sure she knows that she made many positive impressions on her students over the years, and that there are many lives that are better for having her as a teacher. For former students to request her for their own children speaks volumes! My dad was also this kind of teacher, only it was before all the technology things. He loved to teach and he loved his students. When he retired, he continued teaching by volunteering to teach English to those applying for citizenship. Don't be surprised if she doesn't find something like that to do, too!

Enjoy your retirement, Mrs. TexasRedneck! And blessings to you both!

Hedgehog_Mom · 03-30-2011, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catriona

You ask "what did you miss?" and they don't know because they didn't get the paper back or don't remember what they missed. You have to email or go see the teacher to just see the test paper or send the kiddo in for tutoring so they can see the paper and go over it.

Exactly! And when I ask for the test papers so I can work with my daughter, they say that they'll go over it with her and make sure she learns it. Then, a couple times this year, she's brought home a huge stack of old papers a few months old, too many to go over with her at one time.

They seem to send home reviews studying for standardized tests though. Back when I went to school, we didn't really do anything to get ready for standardized tests...you learned what you were supposed to learn for the year and those were the skills that you used to take the standardized tests. Now it seems to make up a big part of the year.

catriona · 03-30-2011, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom

Exactly! And when I ask for the test papers so I can work with my daughter, they say that they'll go over it with her and make sure she learns it. Then, a couple times this year, she's brought home a huge stack of old papers a few months old, too many to go over with her at one time.

And then you just have to hope that they DO go over it and make sure she learns it. But if you had the paper at home, you would definitely make sure it was learned! Since that's not possible, I do a lot of online research looking for test questions relating to the specific textbooks and we just do our own drills at home. Makes a world of difference IMO.

Quote:

They seem to send home reviews studying for standardized tests though. Back when I went to school, we didn't really do anything to get ready for standardized tests...you learned what you were supposed to learn for the year and those were the skills that you used to take the standardized tests. Now it seems to make up a big part of the year.

Same here. You just spent a week or so doing the tests and then back to the regularly scheduled lessons. Much different now, especially if they are taking an AP class and are able to take the AP exam. It's like they teach the subject, but they also teach what is on the exam. So you really need to have an AP book to go along with the text book, as well as a computer handy to take the online tests. They zoom through the material too fast, a chapter every 3 days or so. I guess that gets them accustomed to college level classes, but still.......

rocksmom2412 · 03-30-2011, 08:43 AM

Luckily, most everything at my daughter's elementary school is on-line. This way I don't loose that one important letter home (which I always did). Homework, well I am a happier mom when she does not have any and I always encourage my daughter to finish everything she can at school and to use her free time for that as well.

As for teachers needing to but things on their own dime, for Christmas or end of year, I always get the teacher a gift card to an office supply store so she can buy what she needs for the class instead of some crap #1 teacher coffee cup that serves little purpose when she probably already has a ton of them.