OT: Teachers of Boneyard...Back to School Time

[Hey Adrien!]

Ten years from now she’ll look back and likely cringe at some of what she did her first year (I know I do), but it’s all part of the process.

Great point.

Although there was a ton of stress, my internship at Stamford High was essential to me having an easeful career once I became a full-time teacher, but the first two/three months there were awful.

Basically, I was a warm body that did whatever the school needed. I had the intentions of being w/ the department I was under, but I was basically a building sub. I'll always remember the first Friday...a few minutes before the last period, this little freshman, no bigger than 110 lbs, walked up to me and said how would you feel if I beat the **** out of you right now? As a general pacifist who grew up in a mostly protective suburban childhood and had no real physical battles under my belt, I was flabbergasted and nervously responded a meek Well [name of kid], I don't think I'd like that and then I started to brainstorm worst-case "what ifs" maybe, if he comes at me, I can just keep him down before more help comes in until the bell rang and class was dismissed. Basically, he was just screwing with me and was best classified as "initiation". Once the kids got to know me, they realized I was harmless, but I get it, not many kids have a 22-year-old glorified sub with literally no experience. Even one day, while walking the hallways, I got asked for a hall pass by the teacher on duty and I responded I work here and he responded but who do you work for? Strange times. By the time it was December, that's when I started to relax and it began to get fun. Basketball speaking, it was a blast watching Stamford Boys' host Trinity Catholic (RIP) and beating them in OT. Top-two favorite CT HS game I've ever watched.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Little to no reciprocity in MA.. All they basically recognize is: you are a teacher there but not here.

I took all the tests and passed them on the first try, except just take the SEI course, the rules for EL students are mindbending. If you just do the course for that it negates the test.

Mind you, I did all of that, and now I teach in CT again.

My daughter just started at SCSU and is going to be a SPED teacher.

She was discouraged from almost all other teachers going to college in Mass. because it isn’t a praxis state.

I find it odd that many teachers say they can’t I d jobs, but there is a lot of open positions that never get filled. Maybe it is the district. I know city schools have an awful time getting staff.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Thanks to all our teachers out there! Now I know why many of our BY regulars post so much over the summer. Sister-in-law is a teacher and I have to hear the whining and complaining about the “end of summer” every year while I’m lucky to get 1-2 weeks off in an entire year. I can’t empathize with the end of your months long vacations, but good luck this year and thanks for all you do for the kids. Hoping this will be a more “normal” year with regards to Covid.

You wanna pay for the extra 8 weeks of salary it would cost your district (that's a big taxpayer burden, people don't always stop to consider). What? You thought the educators were gonna work another 40 days for free, for the same salaries they already are making?

 

[TouchdownHusky]

How does someone get fired after four days?

They can't control student behavior. You can almost guarantee it.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Have any of you experience teacher burnout before? If so, what was it like and what do you think was the cause?

Being an educator is a demanding job. Not one that everyone can do - effectively. Even with a degree in education. In fact, supply and demand indicate that if you hire a good applicant, you are fortunate and you better treat them well.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Just got off a 30 minute phone call with parents where 2 of the minutes were on topic to why a phone call was needed while the other 28 minutes were about general anger/disapproval to the school that had is almost entirely out of my hands (for example, I am not even this student's teacher).

Thankfully, I get one of those every few years, but today was the day. Sigh.

Only 30 minutes?

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I’m at a 6-8 middle school and the 8th grade in my school usually checks out sometime shortly after April break…..this year it was probably at the end of February…we are all riding it out and trying to make the best of it but . . .

They check out only if you allow them to do so (speaking about the collective "you", not you specifically, BTW). A savvy teacher would up the workload until their students met his or her expectations. Remember, the teacher makes the EOY "ride" and it can be increasingly more difficult OR it can gradually be relaxed til before you know it is June.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I was telling my wife's parents this yesterday and it couldn't even register with them. They come from the land of "stay at your employer for 30 years, get a pension, give your two weeks if you leave." FIL has been working for the same employer since 1991.

The only thing keeping me in my current job is they put me on top of the pay scale well before I deserved it to try to get me to come on board a few years ago.

I'm looking for admin jobs (this one is a closer step), and my current district has hired around 10 admin in the past 2 years: 0 of them internally. If I can get comparable pay somewhere else in a job more suited to my career development, there's no incentive left to stay. They've made it abundantly clear that I have nowhere else to go in their system.

Laughed at . . . " my current district hired 10 admin, with zero coming internally". Don't you know that an expert is someone from two towns over? Lol, just messing with you. Actually, the stat you just provided points a culpable finger at your district's current leadership. Wrong. Not hiring a reasonable percentage from with, you extinguish motivation and in-house leadership.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I'm not sure when school began to start before the first Wed after Labor Day, but it's bullshit. Adding a few days to the school year does nothing to improve a child's education.

Summer activities with friends is far more valuable than moving the rituals of the first few days of school up even just a few days.

"When does school start" should never be a valid question. The Wed after Labor Day should be the only answer.

Oh ... and the change in the starting date for school is what killed the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

</rant>

School days in late August (before Labor Day) are more valuable than days after Memorial Day. Kids are ready to go back to school and have had their appetite for summer weather satiated. Districts are more inclined to close for inclement weather than years ago (think liability.), thereby pushing the end of year deeper into June when everyone is tired and anxious for summer time. And "summer activities with friends" can occur in June as well as August. Right?

Finally, schools have been starting before Labor Day for decades (close to 30 years in some towns). And, as for kids knowing Jerry Lewis . . . their answer would be WHO?