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I think why teachers as a whole are criticized is because of the tenure system and the pension/healthcare system the teacher's unions have negotiated.
Problem with tenure vs. performance, is how do you fairly gauge performance? BUt how do you fire a truly poor performing teacher with tenure without serious hoop-jumping.
The pension/healthcare issue is the result of the Great Recession and the private sector falling back in regards to affordable healthcare and many losing pensions. Within reason, and where teacher salaries are comparable or better than the private sector, I see no reason not to ask teachers to pay more for healthcare or contribute more from their pocket towards pensions. And I feel this way towards ALL public employees.
I have to disagree. I can't make EVERY single lesson interactive and fun just because johnny can't disconnect from face book and his ipod and wants to watch movies all day. It all starts at home so if i can't keep the child's attention, then as parents what are YOU doing to make sure they are successful in my class? I have only a few students that act that way in my class but they are few and i have sat down with them and asked them if they needed help, offered to stay after school for them and even spoke to their parents. At this point, there is only so much a teacher can do and it starts being a home issue. Trust me, i know.
Learning is not all fun and games. Even if we could make it all fun and games, would we want to??? What kinds of jobs would we be preparing kids for if we taught them that it's everyone elses responsibility to make things fun for them and if they fail, then it's not their fault if they can't pay attention. Would anyone want to hire someone with this attitude?
Learning is the student's job. It's not always fun. Often it's work.
Learning is not all fun and games. Even if we could make it all fun and games, would we want to??? What kinds of jobs would we be preparing kids for if we taught them that it's everyone elses responsibility to make things fun for them and if they fail, then it's not their fault if they can't pay attention. Would anyone want to hire someone with this attitude?
Learning is the student's job. It's not always fun. Often it's work.
Jumping in here....I agree learning isn't all fun and games. Sadly, the educational system has done it to themselves, with straining to "make learning fun". They reach the point where they are in competetion with themselves. Every day is expected to be better and better. Then, when a teacher tries to just teach, the kids can't get motivated, they're expecting something more.
But don't always assume the problem is the home, that all parents are ignorant, uneducated, uncaring, etc, and teachers have to "save" them. Many parents are more educated than the teachers (yes, it can happen). My ds had some difficulities when he first entered public school, due to a variety of reasons. He'd been in pre-school, Sunday school, various activities, etc. it wasn't like he didn't know how to act in a group setting. However, the teachers decided he was showing signs of abuse, and turned us over to CPS, making our lives a nightmare. Instead of trying to communicate with us, they immediately jumped to a conslusion. My ds learned to distrust us, because he was, essentially, told to do so. Teachers and counsleors would ask leading questions like "does mommy make you feel bad?" and they twisted the answers. Soon, ds learned we, his parents, were the source of everything bad or wrong in his life. they told him anytime he wanted to talk to someone, he could call them, and gave him their number. Well, like any kid, he was curious and tried it out, kept dialing the number. Then one night we had cops show up at the door, wanting to take the kids away. DS had seen a TV show about some abused kids and called CPS with his verison. Well, it took some convincing to the police that my children were ok---they wanted to take him and my dd away! It cost a fortune in attorney fees, court-ordered counseling, etc, etc, to keep them. What did DS actually say? Well, we can't know, due to confidentiality. We're supposed to go to counseling to learn how to handle something we don't even know about
For the OP, why are teachers hated? Well, perhaps because those are OUR children, and many times you teachers overstep your boundries. Instead of teaching core courses, you spend way too much time playing games, then blame parents if the child doesn't know the basics. Then, if you encounter a discipline problem, you go with that old saw that its the parents and harass the daylights out of them. Then you pat yourselves on the back that you "intervened' on the child's behalf.
Oh, well........many teachers do "mass thinking" Just like they do "mass punishment" they also think of all parents in the same light. We are all ignorant, can barely write our own name, sit around all day collecting unemployment, have no interest in our children and its up to you to "save the children" why don't you just try teaching, leave the parties and social work out if it?
Jumping in here....I agree learning isn't all fun and games. Sadly, the educational system has done it to themselves, with straining to "make learning fun". They reach the point where they are in competetion with themselves. Every day is expected to be better and better. Then, when a teacher tries to just teach, the kids can't get motivated, they're expecting something more.
But don't always assume the problem is the home, that all parents are ignorant, uneducated, uncaring, etc, and teachers have to "save" them. Many parents are more educated than the teachers (yes, it can happen). My ds had some difficulities when he first entered public school, due to a variety of reasons. He'd been in pre-school, Sunday school, various activities, etc. it wasn't like he didn't know how to act in a group setting. However, the teachers decided he was showing signs of abuse, and turned us over to CPS, making our lives a nightmare. Instead of trying to communicate with us, they immediately jumped to a conslusion. My ds learned to distrust us, because he was, essentially, told to do so. Teachers and counsleors would ask leading questions like "does mommy make you feel bad?" and they twisted the answers. Soon, ds learned we, his parents, were the source of everything bad or wrong in his life. they told him anytime he wanted to talk to someone, he could call them, and gave him their number. Well, like any kid, he was curious and tried it out, kept dialing the number. Then one night we had cops show up at the door, wanting to take the kids away. DS had seen a TV show about some abused kids and called CPS with his verison. Well, it took some convincing to the police that my children were ok---they wanted to take him and my dd away! It cost a fortune in attorney fees, court-ordered counseling, etc, etc, to keep them. What did DS actually say? Well, we can't know, due to confidentiality. We're supposed to go to counseling to learn how to handle something we don't even know about
For the OP, why are teachers hated? Well, perhaps because those are OUR children, and many times you teachers overstep your boundries. Instead of teaching core courses, you spend way too much time playing games, then blame parents if the child doesn't know the basics. Then, if you encounter a discipline problem, you go with that old saw that its the parents and harass the daylights out of them. Then you pat yourselves on the back that you "intervened' on the child's behalf.
Oh, well........many teachers do "mass thinking" Just like they do "mass punishment" they also think of all parents in the same light. We are all ignorant, can barely write our own name, sit around all day collecting unemployment, have no interest in our children and its up to you to "save the children" why don't you just try teaching, leave the parties and social work out if it?
The learning as fun and games in the classroom wasn't thought up by educators. It was in response to unmotivated kids. You see, everyone blames the teacher if the student is unmotivated. Seems we can't win for losing here. Now WE'RE being blamed for the learning is fun movement. Nope. We're just trying to find ways to motivate the unmotivated. NCLB you know....
We don't see all parents in the same light. Parents, like students, tend to fit into nice little pouches though. We just don't know which one you are until we have to deal with you. We, do, however, assume the worst. It's better to assume the worst and be, pleasantly, surprised than to assume the best and be caught off guard when we're hit between the eyes.
I can tell you this, most of the time when I have a student who doesn't do his work, I have parents who either make excuses for their student or blame the teacher. Most of the time when I have students who don't pay attention in school or are behavior issues, I will be dealing with parents who don't care or are just too busy to be involved. I can also pretty much guess the education level of the parent looking at the student. You see acorns don't fall far from the tree.
When it comes to discipline issues, YOU, the parent, have way more power than we do so yes, we're going to blame you if you don't do something about YOUR child's behavior. Do you, seriously, think his behavior is my problem to deal with? Somewhere along the line YOUR child wasn't taught how to behave. Do you really think that's MY fault? I didn't learn how to behave in school from my teachers. I learned from my parents. I knew what was waiting for me at home if a teacher ever called home and it would not be pretty. My parents taught me that learning was my job. That it was my responsibility to figure out how to learn the material. Today, parents blame the teacher.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 02-22-2012 at 07:00 PM..
exactly what games are being played? I will say this at least in my district it is a parent problem..especially when i have teachers that call parents and parents say and i quote, "i know hes bad but i just don't know what to do with him" "Ive told him a million times to do his homework here ..you talk to him" and " hey he is your problem from 8-4, so why are you calling me?" I have been told these things and so yes when there is a behavior issue i look to see how the parent responds..i would say a good 95% of the time when the student does not care, it is because the parent does not care.
As for harassing the parents ..if a person disciplines the child right the first time, then there is no need to go through it again. As for what happened to you, the only thing i can say is that BY LAW we are REQUIRED to report any and all or abuse, otherwise we could lose our jobs AND certification. Are you going to pay my bills? I doubt it.
A teachers job at school to make sure they stay at their desk, don't disrupt the class and pay attention. If you can't hold their attention the problem may be you.
Have you ever tried to hold a conversation with your child when s/he is engrossed in some electronic-based activity? It's not easy, is it? Multiply that by 25 or 30 and you get an idea of what it's like in a typical classroom these days. *All* the kids are plugged into something.
Are you, as a parent, checking your child's phone/text records to see when the device is being used? Do you just waggle your finger when you find they've been texting or updating FB statuses all day, or do you confiscate the electronics? In class, I take away cell phones, I take away iPods, I take away hand-held video games, and I've been verbally abused and physically threatened for doing so.
It shouldn't be MY job to teach YOUR child the appropriate time and place for using a phone -- that's YOUR job. However, it falls to me nonetheless -- because if a child is too busy texting to pick up a pencil and do his math assignments, he's not going to pass the class.
exactly what games are being played? I will say this at least in my district it is a parent problem..especially when i have teachers that call parents and parents say and i quote, "i know hes bad but i just don't know what to do with him" "Ive told him a million times to do his homework here ..you talk to him" and " hey he is your problem from 8-4, so why are you calling me?" I have been told these things and so yes when there is a behavior issue i look to see how the parent responds..i would say a good 95% of the time when the student does not care, it is because the parent does not care.
As for harassing the parents ..if a person disciplines the child right the first time, then there is no need to go through it again. As for what happened to you, the only thing i can say is that BY LAW we are REQUIRED to report any and all or abuse, otherwise we could lose our jobs AND certification. Are you going to pay my bills? I doubt it.
I called home on one student, a couple of weeks ago, and his mother told me to talk to the principal!!! She said she had no power over him???? A parent, certainly, has more power than I do.
I share your experience. Most of the time when the student doesn't care, they have parents who don't care.
Have you ever tried to hold a conversation with your child when s/he is engrossed in some electronic-based activity? It's not easy, is it? Multiply that by 25 or 30 and you get an idea of what it's like in a typical classroom these days. *All* the kids are plugged into something.
Are you, as a parent, checking your child's phone/text records to see when the device is being used? Do you just waggle your finger when you find they've been texting or updating FB statuses all day, or do you confiscate the electronics? In class, I take away cell phones, I take away iPods, I take away hand-held video games, and I've been verbally abused and physically threatened for doing so.
It shouldn't be MY job to teach YOUR child the appropriate time and place for using a phone -- that's YOUR job. However, it falls to me nonetheless -- because if a child is too busy texting to pick up a pencil and do his math assignments, he's not going to pass the class.
And then you're going to blame ME.
IMO, it's the fault of the person who lets them have the electronics at school.
Jumping in here....I agree learning isn't all fun and games. Sadly, the educational system has done it to themselves, with straining to "make learning fun". They reach the point where they are in competetion with themselves. Every day is expected to be better and better. Then, when a teacher tries to just teach, the kids can't get motivated, they're expecting something more.
But don't always assume the problem is the home, that all parents are ignorant, uneducated, uncaring, etc, and teachers have to "save" them. Many parents are more educated than the teachers (yes, it can happen). My ds had some difficulities when he first entered public school, due to a variety of reasons. He'd been in pre-school, Sunday school, various activities, etc. it wasn't like he didn't know how to act in a group setting. However, the teachers decided he was showing signs of abuse, and turned us over to CPS, making our lives a nightmare. Instead of trying to communicate with us, they immediately jumped to a conslusion. My ds learned to distrust us, because he was, essentially, told to do so. Teachers and counsleors would ask leading questions like "does mommy make you feel bad?" and they twisted the answers. Soon, ds learned we, his parents, were the source of everything bad or wrong in his life. they told him anytime he wanted to talk to someone, he could call them, and gave him their number. Well, like any kid, he was curious and tried it out, kept dialing the number. Then one night we had cops show up at the door, wanting to take the kids away. DS had seen a TV show about some abused kids and called CPS with his verison. Well, it took some convincing to the police that my children were ok---they wanted to take him and my dd away! It cost a fortune in attorney fees, court-ordered counseling, etc, etc, to keep them. What did DS actually say? Well, we can't know, due to confidentiality. We're supposed to go to counseling to learn how to handle something we don't even know about
For the OP, why are teachers hated? Well, perhaps because those are OUR children, and many times you teachers overstep your boundries. Instead of teaching core courses, you spend way too much time playing games, then blame parents if the child doesn't know the basics. Then, if you encounter a discipline problem, you go with that old saw that its the parents and harass the daylights out of them. Then you pat yourselves on the back that you "intervened' on the child's behalf.
Oh, well........many teachers do "mass thinking" Just like they do "mass punishment" they also think of all parents in the same light. We are all ignorant, can barely write our own name, sit around all day collecting unemployment, have no interest in our children and its up to you to "save the children" why don't you just try teaching, leave the parties and social work out if it?
Well said, I totally agree!
If they only spent half the time teaching instead of trying to find new ways to get into the tax payer pocket we might get somewhere. Parents have to pay their own way so why do teachers think they are so much better than those who work 40 or more hours a week. Most of them are just members of a clique who think they can sit in judgement of parents and children when a mirror might serve them better.
If they only spent half the time teaching instead of trying to find new ways to get into the tax payer pocket we might get somewhere.
1. I am a taxpayer and a teacher.
2. When has a TEACHER ever tried to get in the tax payers pocket? We do not get to write the budget in anyway shape or form.
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Parents have to pay their own way so why do teachers think they are so much better than those who work 40 or more hours a week.
I work more than 40 hours a week. I do not judge people based on their profession, though you clearly do.
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Most of them are just members of a clique who think they can sit in judgement of parents and children when a mirror might serve them better.
You apparently do not realize that most teachers are ALSO PARENTS. Therefore if they are sitting in judgement of parents, they are including themselves.
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Vote no on all property increases they want!
Yes. As brilliant an idea as the rest of this post. Starve the public school, ignore the correlation between home values and school rating, and *********rself out of your entire home value. BRILLIANT!!
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Learning is not all fun and games. Even if we could make it all fun and games, would we want to??? What kinds of jobs would we be preparing kids for if we taught them that it's everyone elses responsibility to make things fun for them and if they fail, then it's not their fault if they can't pay attention. Would anyone want to hire someone with this attitude?
She said she had no power over him???? A parent, certainly, has more power than I do.
