Education / Teaching thread (1 Viewer)

[guidomerkinsrules]

I've been teaching for 24 years now and today is about the closest I've come to walking out and going home. We have to give these benchmark tests every 4.5 weeks, so this is the second one for the school year. This is for high school, state tested subjects. These kids are already burnt out on testing, but yet we pile on more. I have enough experience to know what my students traditionally struggle with. Even this early in the year, I can pretty much tell you what each kid will score on their end of year LEAP test for me. But because education has become an increasingly money-hungry monster, our district had to spend money on a benchmark testing company. Nevermind that the kids are burnt out already. Nevermind that this testing company is not aligned with Louisiana standardized tests and the questions being asked are not similar to what they'll see (meaning, these questions are quite a bit more difficult). Nope, disregard all of that. I have to give these and waste class time on data that I REFUSE to look at because it is invalid. I'm not one to complain to my principal, but I wrote an email to him, the assistant, and the instructional coach letting them know that I was seriously considering just not giving the next benchmark. He said that I was required to, which, by the time I calmed down a bit later, I understand is what he has to say. So when the next ones roll around, I'll be giving them, but they'll be on my terms and I'm going to let the students know not to bother trying. Put whatever, you've got 10 minutes, go. There I gave them. Now, I'm going back to doing my actual job of teaching.

Cool
Make it a race
Top 5 kids who can bubble all rows with non consecutive letters fastest gets Hersheys kisses

 

[buzd]

Cool
Make it a race
Top 5 kids who can bubble all rows with non consecutive letters fastest gets Hersheys kisses

It should be an art contest.

 

[bonnjer]

Cool
Make it a race
Top 5 kids who can bubble all rows with non consecutive letters fastest gets Hersheys kisses

That would make it fun, if we still gave tests on paper scantrons. No, no, all this is chromebooks through the testing company's app. These kids wouldn't know what to do with a scantron. LOL

 

[efil4stnias]

That would make it fun, if we still gave tests on paper scantrons. No, no, all this is chromebooks through the testing company's app. These kids wouldn't know what to do with a scantron. LOL

A
B
B
A

Or

A
C
D
C

Depends on teacher I found

 

[Goatman Saint]

Longest answer

 

[Goatman Saint]

Well half a year done in middle school it’s been interesting. Man I wish I could give a shout out to my principal and vice principal. These guys have been so amazing Turing around this school. Having a blast

 

[bonnjer]

This week has been excruciatingly long. Kicked it off with the storm system from hell, benchmark testing (forking waste of time) all week, and right before Christmas / end of semester so they're extra wild. Two more days next week and I pray for high absentee rates both days.

 

[Sun Wukong]

So despite all my griping, I had a glowing fall observation and my LEAP scores were absolutely stellar (we are on block scheduling so we test twice a year with different groups) and even the nightmare class I was discussing seems to not personally hate me anymore (their behavior is still atrocious but the personal animosity is mostly gone.)

Might just be the eye of the storm, but hell, I'll enjoy it for the moment.

 

[bonnjer]

You wanna know the state of education and how this country views teachers? Read this.

Update on Kim’s Story: Court Sides with Principal in Teacher Attack | Teacher Misery

In May 2022, I posted the terrible story of Kim Burns-Fisher, a middle school English teacher who was viciously attacked by a student, which caused permanent

www.teachermisery.com

 

[Sun Wukong]

You wanna know the state of education and how this country views teachers? Read this.

Update on Kim’s Story: Court Sides with Principal in Teacher Attack | Teacher Misery

In May 2022, I posted the terrible story of Kim Burns-Fisher, a middle school English teacher who was viciously attacked by a student, which caused permanent

www.teachermisery.com

Sickening but not shocking. We've got kids that have literally brought weapons to school that won't be expelled because they have an IEP. This profession isn't just full of disrespect and stress, it's literally dangerous.

Also, I'll add this: admin is not your ally. Get along with then where you can but expect then to throw you under the bus asap if it benefits them. Be professional, but do not bend over backwards for them. They will screw you at the first available opportunity.

 

[Infoman]

As with just about every other issue in this country…. It’s mostly a parenting issue. Or lack thereof. I do think the general structure for how K-12 schools are run today are a bit outdated and need to include more “real-life and interpersonal” training over traditional subjects…. But I’m not going into that.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

As with just about every other issue in this country…. It’s mostly a parenting issue. Or lack thereof. I do think the general structure for how K-12 schools are run today are a bit outdated and need to include more “real-life and interpersonal” training over traditional subjects…. But I’m not going into that.

No it’s almost entirely an economic issue

Was going to reply to this thread, but Pels and USMNT got me too tired
More in the am

 

[Sun Wukong]

No it’s almost entirely an economic issue

Was going to reply to this thread, but Pels and USMNT got me too tired
More in the am

Economics don't make you shoot your teacher or beat them so badly they have brain damage. I get that "Economics is the root cause of all social ills" is the drum you're beating at the moment, but this ain't it.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Economics don't make you shoot your teacher or beat them so badly they have brain damage. I get that "Economics is the root cause of all social ills" is the drum you're beating at the moment, but this ain't it.

I’m interested in Hathor discussion if you are
- why would you say the administration didn’t do anything to correct the situation before it got to this point?

 

[Infoman]

No it’s almost entirely an economic issue

Was going to reply to this thread, but Pels and USMNT got me too tired
More in the am

It's almost entirely a parenting issue... There are just as many rouge rich kids out there screwing up schools as their are working class poor kids... both lack basic home training and parenting (empathy, respect, motivation, emotional stability). Economics play a part to some degree in a parents' availability on both ends of the spectrum... but in the end it's the responsibility of the parent to raise their children - not the school system. Money don't fix bad non-existent parenting.... and Schools can't teach kids to be decent humans... nor should they be tasked with doing so.