teachers losing it?!

[n3w2cl0th]

Originally Posted by pcjs I agree with what Tiffany said about the cycle with the parents, teachers, principles and students, but at some points, from what I see parents are slacking off, getting very hands off and relaxed and wanting the schools to pick up on parenting issues but then grump when the schools are getting stricter due to the increased discipline issues. Its a catch-22. I think parents need to set up more and make behavior not acceptable at home and at school and have consistency and have it start young. Everyone needs to work together and stop the "oh, I'm so busy excuse... if you are so busy... don't have kids! and, if you do, don't have more!"

haha you reading my mind!

[doodle19]

Haven't read anything before I answered

As a teacher it's sad to me how horrid student behavior has become and how it is accepted. The regulations and laws have changed so much that it is detestable at the way students can behave for extended amounts of time before being removed from the classroom. I can understand the 'spitting and not listening' statement you read from a teacher. Many of our students have little or no respect for their own parents and family and we demand that suddenly from them at school. The outcome is often not pretty

[thaisa47]

As a former teacher (and thinking of heading back), I have to agree 100% with previous posters.

You also have to remember what time of year this is. We are heading into the end of spring, and entering summer vacation. Kids are outside playing ball in the evenings, dance recitals, end of year trips, it's getting hot, and everyone is getting antsy. I would be hard pressed *not* to find a teacher counting down the end of the school year, and saying these things. If someone were to say these things the 2nd week into the year, I would think they needed to move on to something outside of the classroom.

[twogirlsmama]

[DesertRat]

DH is a teacher in an inner-city school and his stories are almost unbelievable! It's shocking the way kids behave.

I get tired of teachers being blamed. There may be exceptions to this, but I firmly believe that when you have good supportive parents who value education and work hard to instill values in their children, children do well regardless of their IQ. But when you have obnoxious parents who don't parent their children, who don't care about school and who think the world owes them something, the kids are going to fail in school (usually because of their behavior) regardless of how wonderful their teachers may be.

[mandyhoward]

I taught high school in an inner city school and I had almost no recourse as a teacher. The administrators hardly ever backed teachers up. The most I could do, in the case of bad behavior, is to send a student to see their vice principal. 99% of the time, the student was back in my class by the next time we met.

I'll never forget the student who answered a phone call not only in the middle of class, but in the middle of my daily lecture. I quickly told her to give me her phone (after picking my jaw up off the ground) and she refused, saying her mom was in the hospital. I asked again, she said fine, threw the phone and me, then PULLED ANOTHER PHONE OUT OF HER POCKET AND PLACED A PHONE CALL. I almost died. I "wrote her up," sent her to her vice principal, where she was assigned to 2 days of in-school suspension.

ISS, BTW, was a huge joke. The kids watched tv or roamed the halls all day. Not a real punishment at all.

[azsheena]

I teach 3rd grade at a pretty middle class school. I used to teach at a inner city school so I have seen both sides. I will say most teachers are very caring people who only want what is best for their students. I totally agree that the lack of follow through at home is the hardest part of discipline problems. I had a kid who got caught stealing ice cream shaped erasers the other day. In 3rd grade they steal the dumbest things, LOL! This was not the first major issue with this girl. We had to take away every recess until mom came to school to get her to come. So, after the meeting, what did mom do? She took her out to buy her own fancy erasers.

Another major stresser is budget cuts and class sizes. We have a sales tax election nest week. If it does not pass, I will have up to 37 3rd graders next year with no PE, Art, or Music- you know, my prep time. Right now I have 26. I can not even fit 37 desks in my room, let alone teach and control that many kids! As you increase class sizes, it increases the amount of "tough" kids in each one. This makes overall discipline harder when you have a lot of small fires to put out constantly with those hard kids and parents.

But, I love my job and can not imagine doing anything else. There are days when I lose my patience with the kiddos, but I know that I am always appropriate and professional. Those days just happen to come more at the end of the year when everyone is ready for summer. Less than two weeks now!

[debmom2boyz]

Originally Posted by azsheena I teach 3rd grade at a pretty middle class school. I used to teach at a inner city school so I have seen both sides. I will say most teachers are very caring people who only want what is best for their students. I totally agree that the lack of follow through at home is the hardest part of discipline problems. I had a kid who got caught stealing ice cream shaped erasers the other day. In 3rd grade they steal the dumbest things, LOL! This was not the first major issue with this girl. We had to take away every recess until mom came to school to get her to come. So, after the meeting, what did mom do? She took her out to buy her own fancy erasers. Another major stresser is budget cuts and class sizes. We have a sales tax election nest week. If it does not pass, I will have up to 37 3rd graders next year with no PE, Art, or Music- you know, my prep time. Right now I have 26. I can not even fit 37 desks in my room, let alone teach and control that many kids! As you increase class sizes, it increases the amount of "tough" kids in each one. This makes overall discipline harder when you have a lot of small fires to put out constantly with those hard kids and parents. But, I love my job and can not imagine doing anything else. There are days when I lose my patience with the kiddos, but I know that I am always appropriate and professional. Those days just happen to come more at the end of the year when everyone is ready for summer. Less than two weeks now!

37? Oh mama, I hope they get it figured out. That is a lot of students. How do they expect you to teach?? (not saying you aren't good). I teach 3rd, but have 21 students. My son has 31 in his class-5th grade. It has been very stressful on the teacher.

I think people think we have it "easy". Those are ones that should spend a day in our shoes, if they last that long!

[sustone]

Originally Posted by n3w2cl0th I personally believe the problem starts at home. Too many parents are FAILING to parent...they are failing to do their jobs at home and expect the teachers to do it for them...and then they tie the teachers hands behind their backs...like PP said...Teachers TRY To teach in an enviroment similar to a battlefield...children dont sit and listen, some are disruptive and disrespectful and are an overall difficulty to be around...and when the teacher tries to do something about it (discipline of ANY kind) the failing parent comes to the school and raises a stink...and instead of supporting the TEACHER the principal supports the failing parent and perpetuates the cycle...essentially telling the child its ok because no one will hold YOU (the child) accountable for your actions...everyone ELSE is to blame...I had GREAT teachers ...I also had a GREAT mother who taught me respect... I subb'd in a few schools and I tell you...there are some really fantastic teachers who can't teach because of unrully students and failing parents... Can you blame the teachers for "losing it"...I can't.... We as a society put TOO much of the responsibility on the Teacher and NO WHERE near enough responsibility on the PARENTS. Bad behavior starts at HOME...SCHOOLING starts at HOME... We have become a Blame Everyone Else society...its a DAMN shame...and I for one, will NOT be letting it happen in my house...

TOTALLY!!!!! DH was telling me about this video last night and we saw it on GMA this morning. He said that the clip did not show that this little BRAT was totally mocking and making fun of a handicapped girl. Making her dance and laughing and calling her names. I dont think it is ok for a teacher to beat kids but DARN that kid needed it! He is NOT the victim here and I hope that poor teacher does not lose her job. Maybe if the parents were discipling him at home it would not have happened. Parents need to step up and take resposibility for their kids. We have an epidemic of parents that are not doing their jobs- thus kids doing stuff like THIS and also the bullying problems we are having. Spare the rod spoil the child- we are raising a bunch of spoiled rotten buttholes!

[spottycat]

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