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Rant Time(long): Is this how education is supposed to work?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by CriscoKidd, Mar 8, 2001.

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  1. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    I just have to get this off my chest.

    Okay, my wife is a teacher, and this is her worst day ever. I feel like crap after what she told me, and I can only imagine how she feels.

    This is her first year and her school sucks. They are disorganized, the administration is two-faced, and the kids are struggling because of this. My wife went through four years of college to do this, but she is still a newbie. Someone is supposed to help show her the ropes, but nooo. She has a mentor in name only. When she asks for help from counselers administrators or whoever, they act geniunely concerned and say they will help her, but never follow through. So basically, it's her first year and she is flying solo. She gives it her all. Everyday she goes from 8 to 4, in an overcrowded classroom with kids who shouldn't be in 2nd grade who don't all speak the same language and they give her hell. Yes some of them are okay, but quite a few of them are little sh!ts who ruin it for everyone else. Then when she comes home, if she isn't grading papers or making lesson plans, she is calling parents, trying to get some discipline enacted upon the trouble makers, after all sitting a kid in a corner, or "timeout" only does so much.

    Did I mention she volunteered to stay after class for an extra hour two times a week to help tutor most of her students? How about the fact that I have to pry her from her classroom everyday(I have to pick her up, as she has no license yet) and we usually get home around 6 or 7? How about that she has little material to work with? It took the school 6 weeks to get workbooks at the beginning of the year, meaning she had to wing it the first six weeks. Why? They didn't order the books on time? WTF? They give her almost NO supplies, and require the kids to test on books they don't even have in their library.

    None of the 2nd grade teachers work together. All of them do their own thing, which helps her not at all. The only time they seriously united as a grade level was to stand up for themselves against the stupid administrators for nagging them all the time over problems the administrators created.

    Considering all that ****, I think my wife has done an admirable job. So what do they have the nerve to do? People do evaluations all the freaking time. Strangers walk into her room and just watch her. Sometimes its people she knows, sometimes not. But then she goes through the o so important "formal" evaluation with the principal walking in. Well, needless to say, she wasn't "proffecient" in enough "areas" to be "recommended". BUT, the principal says, don't worry, here, this is what you do: we'll set up this program for you where you can go into different classrooms and you can observe and see how to improve then take the evaluation again. This observation process included boatloads of stupid paperwork for my wife, but she thought, cool, I can learn from my mistakes and pass my evaluation and grow as a teacher.

    So what happened? Almost nothing. Of the 12 observations planned, the principal only actually got around to organizing the first 2. Then the evaluation happens again, she improves, but not enough to pass(note: this evalution is PURELY subjective). The principal calls her into her office and says "I'm sorry I can't reccomend you. When someone asks if you have ever been not recommended, you will have to say yes." What does not being reccomended mean? You are essentially black-listed as a teacher, and you can't work in the same district anymore. But then the principal goes on: "but we can get around this if you just give me a letter of resignation before I meet the committee and not reccomend you."

    But you know what? My wife called her aunt, who works in the same district different school, and the aunt called her principal to get advice on what to do. Well apparently the principal of my wife's school lied her ass off. She already went before the committee some time before and spewed her **** to them. WTF?

    I just don't understand this b!tch, what does she have against my wife? She is the sweetest, hard-working, honest, devoted woman I know. She may not put on a fake smile and worm her way into some people's graces, but she gives everyone respect.

    Well it's not over, her uncle knows the superintendent, so we went over the principle's gargantuant head and the super is going to "investigate" this matter further. Who knows what will happen, but as it stands now, my dear wife was SCREWED.

    I hope you burn in hell for every tear you made my wife shed you b****.

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    snap crackle pop
     
    #1 CriscoKidd, Mar 8, 2001
  2. Cohen

    Cohen Member

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    Sorry about your wife's experience, Crisco. Sounds pretty crappy to me.

    Sounds like a good argument for vouchers.
     
    #2 Cohen, Mar 8, 2001
  3. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    MAN!
    and they wonder why the GOOD TEACHERS
    are in the private sector or not teaching

    NO F*CKING RESPECT!!!
    Man I'm sorry to hear this
    I did not know that some good teachers
    get turned from the gate at the beginning
    like this. . . .

    JEES

    Rocket River
    Ultimate respect for teachers
    would have been one if I didn't care about
    money
    respect
    job satisfaction


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    #3 Rocket River, Mar 8, 2001
  4. rimbaud

    rimbaud Member
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    Crisco,

    I am deeply sorry for you and your wife. Having a mother who works for HISD and a sister who works for Arlington ISD, I certainly have heard similar stories.

    Administrators are almost always the problem (I have told you that my mother must have TAAS-frendly lesson plans for students that are too mentally handicapped to go to school thus will also never take the TAAS, right?) and it is usually power-trip type stuff.

    Who knows what the real issue is...your wife will probably never know, either.

    I hope the interior connections pay off because I sure do not know what can be done. Unfortuantely, teachers have very little power, even with teacher's unios (is she a member?).

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    Whitey will pay.

    [This message has been edited by rimbaud (edited March 08, 2001).]
     
    #4 rimbaud, Mar 8, 2001
  5. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    Unfortunately, that is the nature of teaching. My father is about to retire after 38 years and my mom spent 30 years both in HISD. Teachers get paid nothing compared to their work. If a chemical engineer was forced to endure those types of circumstances for $28 - $32K per year, he'd switch professions, which is why so many teachers do it.

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    Onions is all I eat!
     
    #5 Jeff, Mar 8, 2001
  6. dc sports

    dc sports Member

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    She might consider going to the teacher's union.

    I don't know how the HISD union (or wherever she works) is, but the one where my parents work is good, fairly well respected by the school board, and can get things done on behalf of teachers that need help.

    There's probably a way to pressure the principal into helping her, or at least appealing the 'non-reccomendation.' Someone who knows the ropes may be willing to help her.

    I don't know where she's teaching, but HISD is notoriously bad. That's why HISD has such a hard time getting / keeping teachers. They need teachers everywhere, and she should be able to find a job in a better school district where they are more supportive of their teachers, and better at helping new ones.

    If she can't get rid of the "black mark" she should be able to explain it away. They need good teachers everywhere, period, and a good district will understand why a new teacher would struggle.

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    Stay Cool...
     
    #6 dc sports, Mar 8, 2001
  7. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    The HISD teachers union is a HUGE joke to teachers. My father and the majority of his teacher friends hate it and think it is a waste of their dues and support.

    Their director is kind of a jerk who tends to put her foot in her mouth by calling home schooling "dangerous for kids" and saying that security on HISD campuses is "fairly safe." She's a joke.

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    Squirrels is all I eat!
     
    #7 Jeff, Mar 8, 2001
  8. heypartner

    heypartner Member

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    Alright, you did again Crisco and made me choke up and shed a tear. That is the second time this year.

    I taught one year at age 23 in a 7-8th grade class. Overcrowded classes with kids who don't understand English is really hard to get right the first time. I truly believe you must first have a reputation in the school before all the kids will behave. What happens is your class becomes their "fun" one on their schedule, and as soon as that happens, you are at their mercy. I could not empathize more with the difficulties of your wife's class. But at least I had a stellar principal. I could not imagine surviving without that.

    This truly makes me sad and mad to read.

    Is there any complaints I can lodge from Houston? Or would I have to be in her district to complain as a concerned citizen.
     
    #8 heypartner, Mar 8, 2001
  9. RunninRaven

    RunninRaven Member
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    Wow, Crisco, that was some powerful reading. It is a damn shame that those who we trust in to shape our children, and hence, our future, are treated so badly. I can tell that you care deeply for her struggles and toiling. At least she has someone who can help her try to get through it all... if someone tried to do all that alone, they would probably collapse under the weight of all the ****.

    Good luck to her.

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    "all your base are belong to us!"
    "you have no chance to survive make your time!"
     
    #9 RunninRaven, Mar 8, 2001
  10. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    thanks for the input everyone.

    She does belong to a union, but I'm not sure what it is called. If nothing happens with the superintendant, maybe we'll try getting in touch with them, but I doubt anything will happen unless the superintendant intervenes because it seems as though the principle may have all her bases covered, legally anyway. If we had caught on when she implemented that "plan" to help my wife become a better teacher, she could have transferred to another school with no harm done, but the principle seemed sincere about trying to help her, when in fact she was setting her up to be fired or whatever. Even though she failed to carry out even half of the "plan" she offered to continue it AFTER the formal evaluation. Uh - hello? What's the point then? To keep the two-faced principle looking like she makes an effort. She even called in one of her slimy assistants for the sole purpose of witnessing her offer my wife the opportunity to continue the "plan". I hate their little PC codewords.

    I'm sure she would be able to get a job at another school, but my assurances don't ease her mind when it's her rep at stake. What I find more troubling though is that this experience may sour her on the whole profession, even though it is something she loves to do. And that disgusts me. It seems all you would have to do is look at how many teachers the school will retain after this year to see how bad this it is. All but one teacher is leaving in her grade level. Many other grade levels will be in a similar situation. And it's only going to stunt the children's growth, IMO.

    HeyP, thx for the offer, but I doubt it would help much. Teachers and sometimes parents complain to administrators face to face and criticism rolls off their back like nothing. They have an excuse or fake apology for everything. It seems as if one of their favorite games is finding a way to pin all of the school's problems on the teachers.

    At least Spring break is fast approaching, we're gonna go somewhere, I don't know where, as far away as we can drive.

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    snap crackle pop
     
    #10 CriscoKidd, Mar 8, 2001
  11. BobFinn*

    BobFinn* Member

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    Sounds like getting out of that situation might be the best thing for your wife. Could she continue to work under people like that? It is a damn shame that the principal and others have other things that they feel are more important than the kids education. I bet this kind of crap is going on all over the country. Just pisses me off [​IMG]

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    "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."-
    (Aldous Huxley)
     
    #11 BobFinn*, Mar 8, 2001
  12. heypartner

    heypartner Member

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    Oh, it would help me. I'd ask for her attendance records, scores, evals and anything else I'm legally entitled to then show it to my council member and state rep and complain to them, and always use her name. It would make me feel better.

    Teachers and education is the most important platform issue to me.

    This makes me sick. I like to use their game "plans" and PC back at them....P.o.l.i.t.e.l.y. That's the only way I can feel better about it.

    And you definitely don't want to get on heyschweetie's bad side, her daddy taught her a lot about writing polite letters to city council...hehe
     
    #12 heypartner, Mar 8, 2001
  13. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    coolness, the superintendent got her transferred to her aunt's school next year, so no bad mark on her record and she'll still have a job.

    The principle is still being b****y about it, but she'll comply. Funny thing is, tommorow she'll probly call in my wife and take credit for arranging this.

    I guess having some connections pay off.

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    snap crackle pop
     
    #13 CriscoKidd, Mar 8, 2001
  14. SmeggySmeg

    SmeggySmeg Member

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    As they always say CK

    Its not what you know but WHO you KNOW

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    "Repression never did me any harm (I finally ceased to include "stop masturbating" as one of my guilt ridden New Year's resolutions, but that's a different topic)." Achebe - programmer by day, Mrs Palmers Husband by night
     
    #14 SmeggySmeg, Mar 8, 2001
  15. Behad

    Behad Member

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    That's good news, CK. Score one for the good guys!



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    Behad
    Sergeant at Arms of the Clutch BBS
     
    #15 Behad, Mar 8, 2001
  16. Band Geek Mobster

    Band Geek Mobster Member

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    I didn't think teachers could have a union in texas.

    ------------------
    Cause I'm a twenty first century digital boy.
    I don't know how to read, but I got a lot of toys.
    My daddy's a lazy middle class intellectual.
    My mommy's on valium, so ineffectual.
    Oh Oh, ain't life a mystery?
     
    #16 Band Geek Mobster, Mar 9, 2001
  17. dc sports

    dc sports Member

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    They can't strike, but they do exist. Most teachers belong to one. Even without the power to strike, they can be pretty powerful forces. Schools have to negotiate with them in good faith, and they retain lawyers to ensure the districts do so.


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    Stay Cool...
     
    #17 dc sports, Mar 9, 2001
  18. 4chuckie

    4chuckie Member

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    Crisco-
    Sorry to hear about your wife.

    Unfortunately it is not only in teaching. This world is not about what you know but rather who you know, especially at larger companies where people can be pulled up the ranks by friends or hidden among everyone else.

    I would consider talking to the union (if there is one) but otherwise move on, tons of schools need teachers and she will get another opportunity.

    Good Luck!
     
    #18 4chuckie, Mar 9, 2001
  19. heypartner

    heypartner Member

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    excellent.

    but can I still call and complain about her...hehe.
     
    #19 heypartner, Mar 9, 2001
  20. RunninRaven

    RunninRaven Member
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    I think your wife needs to trump up some kind of fake sexual harrasment suit against the other principal (yes, I noticed the principal was female). While it might not solve any problems in the future, it might be fun to watch the b!tch squirm for a while.

    [​IMG]

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    "all your base are belong to us!"
    "you have no chance to survive make your time!"

    [This message has been edited by RunninRaven (edited March 09, 2001).]
     
    #20 RunninRaven, Mar 9, 2001
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