Don't you think ps teachers have an impossible job

[veggiegal]

I get upset when I hear homeschoolers trashing the ps system the same way I get upset when I hear ps teachers (or others) trash hsers. Nearly all of the trashing is based on uninformed hyper-emotional opinions and harsh judgments.

 

Well said.

[....]

Totally agree that they have an impossible job. I'm in Canada, so I don't know about your No Child Left Behind thing you guys in the US have going, but in a seminar on autism I went to recently, the speaker referred to it as No Teacher Left Standing. Made me stop and ponder!

 

I've heard teachers here say that, too. :glare:

[momma aimee]

I agree with you. A lot of people claim that kids aren't taught how to behave at home. Then teachers are upset they have to deal with discipline and it's not their job. When are they actually at home to be taught anything? The hour in the morning and the couple of hours in the evening (when a parent is half dead and has a million things to do) isn't really spending time with one's family. So basically nobody is doing the job.

 

:iagree:

[The Girls' Mom]

I agree 100%. That is one of the myriad of reasons we homeschool, because I know that no one teacher can do all of that with the limitations currently placed on them. I have several good friends that are PS teachers. I am so grateful they do what they do. I just know that I have the ability to give my kids something better than what they can get at school.

[....]

I agree with you. A lot of people claim that kids aren't taught how to behave at home. Then teachers are upset they have to deal with discipline and it's not their job. When are they actually at home to be taught anything? The hour in the morning and the couple of hours in the evening (when a parent is half dead and has a million things to do) isn't really spending time with one's family. So basically nobody is doing the job.

 

Just wanted to add a gigantic :iagree:.

[Canadianmumof5]

Yes they do have a very difficult job.

 

I think the situation here in Canada is very different from the US though.

Teachers are paid pretty well (ie. a teacher with 8 years of teaching experience makes just over $83K in my province), and the pension plan is amazing.

 

I know there are many teachers who are there for the right reasons and truly enjoy their career. Unfortunately there are many others who just shouldn't be in a classroom, and are protected by the administration and their union.

[mcconnellboys]

And the folks I know around here who trained as teachers tell me that they were never given a single class on how to deal with giftedness or even different learning styles, nor any on how to deal with special needs kids....

[sewingmama]

Yes I do. My DH is a teacher who just recently quit and now has a government job with the Dept of Education so he can stay out of the classroom. The demands are just becoming ridiculous - you just can't win for trying. Parents want everything perfect for their little precious and the demands can be unreasonable. It's even worse when you work in a private school so the principal doesn't back you up because they want to keep the parents happy so the money keeps coming in.

 

My DH daily tells me how much he adores his new job without the hassle of parents.

 

Which is a shame - my DH is a fantastic teacher who really loves teaching and cared that the kids were learning - but he just could not deal with the unrealistic demands and craziness that were preventing him from doing his job of educating the kids properly.

 

He is really thrilled to be out and never wants to go back.

Edited October 20, 2011 by sewingmama

[TravelingChris]

I am tutoring a first grade girl in math and reading at her school as a volunteer. The teacher has around 20 kids in class and I would bet that at least half of them need one on one tutoring. They aren't getting it and there is really no way she can give it to them. They have no aide in the classroom and this is a Title One school. I would not want to trade places with her. Now teaching a high school class for AP or something like that, yes, I could handle that easily. I have taught in co-op and adding a few more kids wouldn't be an issue. But teaching a regular class where lots of the kids don't read- no, too hard.

[clementine]

I am very late to this thread, but I'll throw my .02 in. ;)

 

20 years ago I taught in the public schools - wearing all of those hats (counselor, teacher, disciplinarian, mediator, classroom teacher, etc...) killed the love of the profession for me. I loved teaching. I loved seeing those 'lightbulb' moments in my students. I loved those kids that loved me :). But, the garbage of the job overshadowed the joy after awhile and I knew that I could no longer give 110% anymore, so I took a different job outside of education.

 

Although I homeschool my kids and wouldn't have it any other way, I think that teachers (especially GOOD ones) deserve a huge amount of respect and thanks for all they do (and put up with).

 

Off my soapbox now. :D

[HS Mom in NC]

I've been HSing for 11+years is a county with just barely under 10,000 legally registered HSed kids.

 

My personal experience is that the only HSers that complain about PS teachers are the ones who just pulled their kids out of PS. (Not all of them.) I also notice that they usually start griping about PS teachers when they first join a HSing group (wrongly thinking they will find someone to commiserate with) but by the next year they usually have nothing to say any more. The realities of teaching their own few children give them a little insight into what teaching a hoard must be like.

 

The gripers are surprised when HSers who have never sent their children to PS and other reasonable HSers whose kids were in PS before usually defend the PS teachers with things like:

 

-Well, off course a child can't get a customized in a PS-it's a mass production environment.

 

-PS teachers have to teach to the middle because of the insane policies that require children to be grouped by age rather than ability. It's a wonder any child learns anything in that environment.

 

-I often find teaching challenging and I'm in direct control of curriculum, schedules, diet, sleep, medical attention, immediate discipline, teaching methods, etc. Considering PS teachers have no control at all over most of those things, I think they're doing remarkably well.

 

You get the idea.

[momma aimee]

Not disagreeing with you, but this is totally opposite of what a lot of people are saying. Many say that parents are not involved. That parents don't care. I mean, which one is it? They are deadbeats, or helicopters?

 

Perhaps parents can't win either.

 

1. i think sadly most parents fall into one of those 2 groups -- and

 

2. I agree the parents can't win either.

[myfunnybunch]

I mean, which one is it? They are deadbeats, or helicopters?

 

Teachers are not dealing with only one set of parents. It's not either/or, it's both.

 

IMO, chiming in to the thread late, most teachers are doing the best they can to teach in a broken system. Most parents are trying to do the best they can to deal with a broken system. And there are crummy teachers and fabulous teachers and teachers who cheat and teachers who are counting the minutes to retirement; there are helicopter parents and stressed parents and deadbeat parents and really supportive parents.

 

That's life. People are people. The problems are exacerbated by a broken system.

 

Cat

[sewingmama]

Not disagreeing with you, but this is totally opposite of what a lot of people are saying. Many say that parents are not involved. That parents don't care. I mean, which one is it? They are deadbeats, or helicopters?

 

Perhaps parents can't win either.

 

It's both - you get a fair mix of deadbeats and helicopters in every class ;)

 

That's not to say that ALL parents are like that - because there are plenty of decent parents trying to do right by their kids. However, the difficult parents really spoil it for the rest of the apple cart :glare:

 

My DH was very grateful for the few parents who actually supported him as a teacher. For eg. - if he calls them up and tells them their child is failing because they are not handing in assignments or doing homework - the parent is willing to work with him to get the child back on track.

 

About 70% of the time though a phonecall like that usually results in either the parent doing nothing and saying it's the teachers problem or the parent overeacting and hauling the teacher up to the principal accusing them of picking on their child who they know has done all the required work because that is what their child told them :glare:

 

It isn't just about the parents though -most teachers have coping skills that enable them to deal with the dodgey ones ;) - by far the largest reason most teachers quit is the workplace politics. When you have unreasonable parents mixed with unreasonable workplace practices that don't allow you to deal with them effectively the situation can quickly become intolerable.

Edited October 20, 2011 by sewingmama

[Dmmetler]

My daughter's K teacher qualified for sainthood. I'm convinced there's a special place for her-and those like her-in heaven, because God knows she earned it! Seriously, having 24 little bodies, ranging from extremely advanced to still struggling to talk in complete sentences, some with health needs and issues, and to try to meet those needs all at once...well, I'm amazed that she did as well as she did.

 

And she was the one who told me, flat out, that I needed to get my daughter out of the schools-that they couldn't meet her needs and that I could do a better job. I'd been considering homeschooling before then-but it took having the teacher tell me that yes, I should do it, to convince me to do it.

 

And the sad thing? I was a public school general music teacher for a decade before DD was born-but somehow, it had never struck me just how hard it would be to teach not just one, but ALL subjects to all those kids.

[YLVD]

I absolutely agree. I have so much respect for teachers. My public school experience with my daughter has actually been amazing. I homeschooled my DD due to her health issues.

 

I have regular meetings with her teachers, small public school geared towards kids with learning disabilities, and they are incredible. I could never do it, meaning teaching and managing that many students.

[kewb]

Between policies that tie their hands, dealing with over involved parents to non-involved parents, gifted kids, special needs kids, testing standards, and societies current view that teachers are a bunch of overpayed slackers who get the summers off, yes, I think they have a next to impossible job.

[sewingmama]

And she was the one who told me, flat out, that I needed to get my daughter out of the schools-that they couldn't meet her needs and that I could do a better job. I'd been considering homeschooling before then-but it took having the teacher tell me that yes, I should do it, to convince me to do it.

 

:iagree: when I told my DD's Pre-K teacher's I was planning to homeschool for K they all thought it was a great idea saying that if my DD went to public school - "her creativity and independent motivation for learning would be lost". I even had one say she can't wait to see what my DD does with her creativity now that she has been given the freedom to allow it to grow :001_huh:

 

It made me very sad thinking about all the other little creative children in her Pre-k class -obviously that talent it is not valued highly in public school.

[Susan in TN]

:iagree:

 

And don't forget they have to do all this while teaching a highly standardized/regulated curriculum, using only approved resources, and with only so much time spent on each subject. At least, all that was mandated for me when I taught public school. I love kids, and learning, and teaching, but the lack of autonomy in my job ultimately drove me from it.

 

Yes - think of how much more fulfilling it would be for them if they were able to teach with the materials they felt passionate about. Of course, this leads to difficulty when it comes to keeping kids at standard levels in moving from grade to grade. Still. I don't think I could do it. Almost makes the 1 room schoolhouse more appealing.

 

I talked to a 3rd grade teacher a few months ago and she said that in her daily 6.5 hours in her classroom, she only had the entire class together for 20 minutes. The rest of the day had various children/groups going in and out of class for tutoring, special ed, therapy, (lunch/gym/art/music/recess) etc. She said it makes it impossible to keep the whole class together on any kind of consistent level.

[Mommy22alyns]

Just reading over the posts about different things people have been upset about with ps made me realize that ps teachers must:

 

Challenge the truly gifted kids in the class, listen to the parents and adjust expectations, enrich, etc.

 

Adjust for the learning disabled: visual learners, visual disablility, dislexia, etc. Be able to meet and teach to their needs and now they mainstream those with severe disabilities including emotional ones.

 

Be a trained nurse- be able to monitor and handle all protocol if a child has a severe allergy

 

Meanwhile teach the children they have. So if they are elementary that means teaching all children on their level math, reading, science, etc. They probably have 25 kids give or take. OR if they taught high school like I did that means 100 students a day or more.

 

I agree with a lot of what some people are upset about, but at the same time I don't see how the public school system can do this...

 

This is part of the reason why I homeschool. But sometimes I wish posters were more sympathetic. They act like school is the enemy. They have a tough job. Even when my kids graduate, I won't go back. Some of you were talking about bringing the teacher who didn't follow protocol for that nut thing up on charges. Good grief, People also bring you up on charges for discipline, so you can't. It is just a mess and a lot of it is societal.

 

Christine

 

 

 

I completely agree! I particularly see this at my other online home. The system is broken; I don't blame the teachers.

[linguistmama]

I don't think money solves everything. In the case of the poster whose daughter had contact with peanuts and the school didn't follow procedure that is a HUGE safety issue and there is no excuse. But more money would help teachers be paid better and the district could hire more of them so class sizes wouldn't have to be so high. More money would help children who need an aid in the classroom, need to be challenged etc. Teaching should be a highly respected profession and the pay should reflect that. They do a very difficult job!

[Mommy22alyns]

I absolutely agree with the OP - but I don't think she's even scratched the surface of what they have to deal with.

 

I have a child who is diabetic. Take the allergy thread and blow it up tenfold and that's the MamaBear you get from the mother of a diabetic who wants the teacher to recognize signs of high/low blood sugar, monitor insulin dosages (if not giving them), etc.

 

don't forget about the mainstreamed special education / autistic / spectrum kids. Its not just a varying academic enironment - but varying learning environment. One may have issues with sounds, other with visual issues, another can't sit still, another didn't take his ADHD meds, or he did take his meds. This may be completely politically incorrect but I think that special education has a place in the schools and kids belong in it for a reason - I think if a child has something that affects their learning, they need an environment suited to them, not put into an environment not suited for them and then try to make people work around them and make it suited for them. In the end, that hurts the education of all of the kids, but mostly the bright ones, because so much time is spent trying to accomodate the mainstreamed ones who, in many cases, would be better off in a unique environment for them anyway. Personally, I'd like to see someone advocate for the educational needs of the gifted in schools in the same way they do for the academically challenged - their needs are being neglected in some cases moreso than the academically challenged, because their education is "protected".

 

Again, most of that is probably not politically correct. I have a son I homeschooled for five years because the classroom environment wasn't the best one for him at the time. He's back in school and thriving. I homeschool my youngest now because I don't want the teachers to have to be her nurses about her diabetes and celiac (shoot, I don't want to either, but I don't have a choice, she's my child). I don't think its fair to put that burden on the teachers and since I can homeschool, I do. But, when I do send her back, I guarantee I won't be all Mamabear because she isn't specifically catered to every minute of the day - I will work to get a workable solution for everyone.

 

Probably the downfall of our public education system is the amount of time spent on testing instead of teaching, accomodating 25 different special needs in a class of 25, and teachers that are always new because the system itself drives the good ones away in 3-4 years.

 

 

The bolded makes me want to stand up and applaud you! I heartily agree!

[pdalley]

I absolutely agree with the OP - but I don't think she's even scratched the surface of what they have to deal with.

 

I have a child who is diabetic. Take the allergy thread and blow it up tenfold and that's the MamaBear you get from the mother of a diabetic who wants the teacher to recognize signs of high/low blood sugar, monitor insulin dosages (if not giving them), etc.

 

don't forget about the mainstreamed special education / autistic / spectrum kids. Its not just a varying academic enironment - but varying learning environment. One may have issues with sounds, other with visual issues, another can't sit still, another didn't take his ADHD meds, or he did take his meds. This may be completely politically incorrect but I think that special education has a place in the schools and kids belong in it for a reason - I think if a child has something that affects their learning, they need an environment suited to them, not put into an environment not suited for them and then try to make people work around them and make it suited for them. In the end, that hurts the education of all of the kids, but mostly the bright ones, because so much time is spent trying to accomodate the mainstreamed ones who, in many cases, would be better off in a unique environment for them anyway. Personally, I'd like to see someone advocate for the educational needs of the gifted in schools in the same way they do for the academically challenged - their needs are being neglected in some cases moreso than the academically challenged, because their education is "protected".

 

Again, most of that is probably not politically correct. I have a son I homeschooled for five years because the classroom environment wasn't the best one for him at the time. He's back in school and thriving. I homeschool my youngest now because I don't want the teachers to have to be her nurses about her diabetes and celiac (shoot, I don't want to either, but I don't have a choice, she's my child). I don't think its fair to put that burden on the teachers and since I can homeschool, I do. But, when I do send her back, I guarantee I won't be all Mamabear because she isn't specifically catered to every minute of the day - I will work to get a workable solution for everyone.

 

Probably the downfall of our public education system is the amount of time spent on testing instead of teaching, accomodating 25 different special needs in a class of 25, and teachers that are always new because the system itself drives the good ones away in 3-4 years.

 

 

:iagree:

 

The main reason our three autistic kids will not return to the local public schools is because they refuse to put them in self contained classroom. It is mainstream at all costs in this school district and it does neither the special needs kids nor the 'typical' kids any favors. And it is just ridiculous for one teacher to attend to all of it. We BEGGED for the boys to be in self contained classrooms and were told the law would not allow it. Funny how the law allowed the principal to ignore IEPS and behavior intervention plans at will. My kids and their classmates would have done much better had they done as we asked. They needed a different environment and while no environment would have been perfect I believe it would have been easier to make a self contained work because it was for sure that mainstreaming did not work for our boys.

 

The teachers felt as we did but they couldn't do anything about it. They did the best they could with what they had to work with and they cared about our kids. As I said, there was one bad teacher (a friend had a 'typical' child who had the same problems with this teacher the following year) but my problems with public school do not have anything to do with teachers.

 

We had only one problem teacher - our problems rested solely with administrators and the way the system is - the teachers did the best they could.

[msjones]

Not disagreeing with you, but this is totally opposite of what a lot of people are saying. Many say that parents are not involved. That parents don't care. I mean, which one is it? They are deadbeats, or helicopters?

 

Perhaps parents can't win either.

 

It depends on where you teach.

[choirfarm]

Not disagreeing with you, but this is totally opposite of what a lot of people are saying. Many say that parents are not involved. That parents don't care. I mean, which one is it? They are deadbeats, or helicopters?

 

Perhaps parents can't win either.

 

It is BOTH. There were parents when my boys were in school whose parents were heavily involved. They were mainly in 2 or 3 classes. Then there were the 2 or 3 awful teachers that should have been fired. Most of the kids in those classes had parents that never showed up to anything. The other 3 teachers had a mix. Now they don't let them request teachers anymore and they are all mixed up. So you have the heavily involved, make sure you meet the needs of my kids in with the discipline problems of the never show up parents.

[Jeanne in MN]

I haven't read all the posts yet, but they also have to teach character training, be aware of signs of abuse, spend a great deal of time disciplining and put up with a lot of unjust criticism from parents. My husband was a teacher too.

[Joker]

Not disagreeing with you, but this is totally opposite of what a lot of people are saying. Many say that parents are not involved. That parents don't care. I mean, which one is it? They are deadbeats, or helicopters?

 

Perhaps parents can't win either.

 

Sometimes they're both. My brother is an athletic director and math teacher at a high school. He has a strict policy about drinking. This year he has benched two players for three games due to drinking and driving. The parents have threatened my brother! It boggles my mind that parents would direct their anger at a coach/teacher when their child was caught doing something not just illegal but dangerous. My brother would probably end up in serious trouble if he did nothing and that same student ended up playing a game drunk and was injured.

[Deb in NZ]

:iagree: I agree w/ you 100% Too bad most people don't see it this way. :confused:

:iagree:

 

I thought I'd never go back to PS teaching, but when ds#2 went to highschool this year I got phoned up to sub at the local intermediate school. I was surprised that I really do enjoy getting back into the classroom. :D But dh is pressing me to get a fulltime position :eek: I have no desire for all the "extras" (i.e. planning, assessments galore, taking on sport teams / clubs / school camps, juggling national / school / parental expectations, etc.) I love teaching the kids & not having to deal with much of the BS that goes along with being a PS teacher.

[Deb in NZ]

And the folks I know around here who trained as teachers tell me that they were never given a single class on how to deal with giftedness or even different learning styles, nor any on how to deal with special needs kids....

 

:iagree: I had no classes that covered any of those subjects in my 4 years at university. I began teaching the first year that mainstreaming became law in Vermont. In the 2 years I taught in VT I always had 1-2 kids in my class who would have previously been in a special ed class. It was 'sink or swim' style on-the-job learning for me.

[rocketgirl]

yes. (i taught 10 years ps)

[Lan]

My DH daily tells me how much he adores his new job without the hassle of parents.

 

That's why I minimize the contact with my son's public school teacher and communicate with emails mainly. I don't think they enjoy dealing with parents that much. :0)

 

Wasn't public school system developed to produce decent workers for industrial revolution era? It was never designed to customize each kid in the class. Some people have just wrong expectations from school regarding customization since it's a nearly impossible task for a teacher. That part will always be parents' share.

[annandatje]

I agree. I'm so glad to see how many other people feel this way. Public school is NOT the enemy, and teachers are not inherently evil/ignorant/uncaring.

 

What bothers me is when I hear homeschooling moms gleefully remarking to each other about how they allow their kids to compare public schools to prisons. Imo, this is very unhealthy and unwise. More than likely their home schooled kids will date/fall in love/ marry a person who was, gasp, public schooled. It's setting up homeschoolers to feel superior, I think.

 

:iagree: Traditional school is set up in assembly line fasion. There is lack of sufficient time and resources for overburdened teachers to tailor teaching to the individual students. Ultimately the responsibility for an adequate education rests upon often already overburdened parents.

[MSNative]

Sometimes they're both. My brother is an athletic director and math teacher at a high school. He has a strict policy about drinking. This year he has benched two players for three games due to drinking and driving. The parents have threatened my brother! It boggles my mind that parents would direct their anger at a coach/teacher when their child was caught doing something not just illegal but dangerous. My brother would probably end up in serious trouble if he did nothing and that same student ended up playing a game drunk and was injured.

 

A friend coaches his son's football team and has a strict grades policy - Bs or above or no play time. His son's math grade dropped to a C so he benched him. The other parents yelled at him because his son is one of the best players. The kid is 10. Seriously, we care more about pee wee football than character? Yikes. Good for your brother.

 

My parents are both teachers and I hear all about the crazy restrictions, parents, policies, etc. Thanks to all teachers - public, private, charter, home whatever. It's a tough job. Thank goodness we have people willing to step up and take it on.

[Friederike in Persia]

Absolutely... the first year I taught nearly 21 years ago, I taught 8th grade history. 3 or 4 of my girls were pregnant. One of my boys was expelled from bringing a gun on the bus. He was a SWEET boy and was only doing it because he was scared of the 16yo drug dealer that was also in one of my classes. I taught 6 classes in a row with nearly 30 in a class. My planning hour was 7th when I basically collapsed. They had to have a policeman stand at my door when I wasn't there...

I was really glad we moved when dh started his residency the next year!

 

:confused::confused::001_huh:

[creekland]

Sometimes they're both. My brother is an athletic director and math teacher at a high school. He has a strict policy about drinking. This year he has benched two players for three games due to drinking and driving. The parents have threatened my brother! It boggles my mind that parents would direct their anger at a coach/teacher when their child was caught doing something not just illegal but dangerous. My brother would probably end up in serious trouble if he did nothing and that same student ended up playing a game drunk and was injured.

 

At our school athletes are out for the whole season if they are caught with alcohol or at a party where alcohol is being served even if they, themselves, aren't drinking. Students sign a paper acknowledging this consequence. It has been upheld in spite of a situation where many parents complained. I like to think it's making a difference. It may just mean they are far more sneaky about it.

[angela in ohio]

And the folks I know around here who trained as teachers tell me that they were never given a single class on how to deal with giftedness or even different learning styles, nor any on how to deal with special needs kids....

 

That's odd. Dh had a requirement in Ohio of two special education classes for regular ed teachers in the early 90's, and I am in school right now in Michigan and had to teake two as well. Kentucky should get its act together. :D Gifted kids only got one week, of course, but that's not surprising. ;)

 

In theory, yes, I think teachers in general have a more challenging job than they used to, because of increased demands on them. Because I see the inner workings, though, I have different thoughts than many. I don't think you can make ANY generalizations. So much varies by district, state, and individual teacher.

[EKS]

I absolutely agree with you.

[MBM]

I don't think you can make ANY generalizations. So much varies by district, state, and individual teacher.

 

I agree. My kids have attended a number of schools, and they all varied. I do think teaching can be a difficult job, but I don't think it's impossible in all cases. The high school teachers in our area are treated well and make good salaries as far as teachers are concerned. The joke at Northwestern U among PhD candidates who want to teach, which is nearby, is to forgo a job teaching at a university and try to get on at a school in our district because it pays more.

 

I'm very happy with my son's high school...for now. ;)

[momsquared]

Something I ponder a lot is whether the idea of free and public education for all is really realistic anymore. I teach in a public school, but I don't know. There are so many places costing so much money and they are failing. I have to believe there is another answer. I don't blame the teachers, sometimes it's a whole community that does not support education. What if schools just closed? What if there was no mandated attendance? I often wonder what would happen. Would it be very different?

[milovany]

Something I ponder a lot is whether the idea of free and public education for all is really realistic anymore. I teach in a public school, but I don't know. There are so many places costing so much money and they are failing. I have to believe there is another answer. I don't blame the teachers, sometimes it's a whole community that does not support education. What if schools just closed? What if there was no mandated attendance? I often wonder what would happen. Would it be very different?

 

I think some very good alternatives (both free and at-cost) would develop. With the availability of free and public government-based education, as it stands today in our nation, many of these alternatives almost can't develop due to lack of available clientele. I know there will be exceptions -- there always are -- but overall, I think it would be wonderful for the education of children if the government got out of the business.

[Heather in Neverland]

I think some very good alternatives (both free and at-cost) would develop. With the availability of free and public government-based education, as it stands today in our nation, many of these alternatives almost can't develop due to lack of available clientele. I know there will be exceptions -- there always are -- but overall, I think it would be wonderful for the education of children if the government got out of the business.

 

:iagree:

[ereks mom]

Yes, having taught in public and private schools I know the job is nigh unto impossible. I taught at a Title I school and had my students (5th graders) in the same room for about 1.5 hours per week. Yes, you read that right. 1.5 hours. The other hours had my kids at ESL, MARS (Math and Reading Specialist), Reading Specialist (no math), LD, G&T, Music, PE, and Art. It was a job just scheduling all of this and remembering to send the students out at the right times all week to meet with their specialists and teachers. That was before Excel, lol. Talk about time consuming. How in the world was I supposed to get to know the strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, etc. of 30+ kids well enough to teach them well without more time with them?

 

I had a Vietnamese boy who could not speak a word of English but excelled in math, a girl whose mom required her to cook dinner and babysit her younger siblings when she got home from school each afternoon/evening (hence, she feel asleep in class everyday), a young lady who was severely abused and could not look you in the eye or stand to be touched, a young man who had a super high IQ but could not write his own name, and the list goes on and on. Yes, public school teachers have an incredibly difficult job and my heart goes out to each and every one.

 

I had very similar experiences in the classroom when I taught in public and private schools. I "retired" when my oldest was a toddler, and while I would consider working in a private school with very small classes, I don't think I want to ever go back to the public school again.

[nowimscrappin]

Without taking this into a political poll, and knowing that this is an extremely complicated proposition, but I think when local communities have control over schools, they do a better job of educating the kids. I know it sounds utopian and yes, I do believe, that without being forced, schools would still work with those that have special learning challenges. And that doesn't address the impoverished socio-economic areas, but I do believe that is a community was more in control of educating their children, half of these problems would go away. The multiple layers of buerarcracy that bog down a system and stifle teachers and students ability is incredible. I think that's why many choose to homeschool - because they, for their small community "their family" are making sure to educate their community (their family) the way they know they need to be educated. Simpler times, simpler solutions.

[Lady Florida.]

This former ps teacher thanks you for saying this. Most people who think teachers have it easy have never actually set foot in a classroom as a teacher.

[HS Mom in NC]

Something I ponder a lot is whether the idea of free and public education for all is really realistic anymore. I teach in a public school, but I don't know. There are so many places costing so much money and they are failing. I have to believe there is another answer. I don't blame the teachers, sometimes it's a whole community that does not support education. What if schools just closed? What if there was no mandated attendance? I often wonder what would happen. Would it be very different?

 

Read The Beautiful Tree by Tooley. Many desperately poor people all over the world (Africa, India, and China) are bailing out of failing public schools and paying for private education themselves. Tooley travelled the world testing these children and they are performing better than their PS peers. They meet in huts, fields, living rooms, etc. and their teachers are often just out of high school or have only a year or two of college. The teachers make about half of what their PS peers make, and they are better respected in the communities they live in.

[I.Dup.]

I agree with you. I feel pity for the public school teachers. I hate the school system not exactly the teachers. One major thing you forgot to mention though is make sure these teachers have time to be the police for all the kids who were never taught to behave at home. The expectations of public school are crazy and sadly with all the "rules" in place it is still a big fat failure.

 

They can't keep our kids safe from guns and violence let alone an allergy. I pity the teachers

 

I agree. I'm amazed ps teachers can do anything at all. I don't think this system was the way things were meant to be, I truly believe children were meant to be taught at home with their parents, ideally apprentice in their dad's business, etc. Our society is just so screwed up in so many ways regarding children and relationships with family.

[nellecv]

I love how understanding all you moms are! I am a public school teacher. That's why I afterschool! I know from experience that there is no way you are going to be able to give every child the best education they can get. Public schools and teachers do the best job they can to educate EVERY child. But that's very different from being able to give every child the BEST education they can get.

 

PS. Ever play that arcade game "bop the gophers"? That's exactly what being a teacher in a class of 30 6-year-olds feels like! You spend all day just trying to get them all in one place!

[Jenny in Atl]

 

PS. Ever play that arcade game "bop the gophers"? That's exactly what being a teacher in a class of 30 6-year-olds feels like! You spend all day just trying to get them all in one place!

 

I help out at a summer art camp, and we always say it's like herding cats. :willy_nilly: