Author |
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 2:28 pm
Can you list things about teaching that you do NOT like. (ie report cards, upset parents, etc..)
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 5:00 pm
No time to go to the bathroom! I loved teaching public school, but there are so many annoying things that I could list. I won't because I try to be a positive person. Having students with parole officers and dealing with a student whose family moved to Florida without telling anyone and leaving him in Iowa alone kind of take the cake. But with these kinds of students you can make a HUGE difference in their lives. Other students are lucky to have many positive influences in their lives.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 5:11 pm
Schoolmarm, I am looking for the bad things! My mom is retiring after many many many years. She is kind of kicking and screaming about it. She really does not want to retire. So we want to make a list for her retirement party of things she won't miss. So feel free to be NOT POSITIVE!!! I am looking for things from parent conferences to No Child Left Behind....
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Wapland
Member
08-01-2000
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 5:56 pm
Regular ongoing exposure to every childhood virus and illness going. Cutting and pasting activities for arts and crafts....with lefty scissors because you can't find any adult right handed ones. Wet winter boots with wet knotted laces and a group of 4 year olds who can't tie. Valentines cards that arrive unopened and unwritten...just for you to do! Lice checks!!!!!!! and they find them in your hair. I'll probably have more later. Fondly Wappy
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 6:01 pm
Thanks Wappy! Keep 'em coming!
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 6:05 pm
LOL Wappy!!
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 7:14 pm
Ok. This would, of course, depend on what grade and/or subject and what type of school she teaches in. 1. NO TIME TO GO TO THE BATHROOM! School lunches Playground/hall/bus/bathroom duty Chaperones that don't show up for field trips, etc. Fund raising Paperwork Legislature that changes school law without concern with how the laws affect teachers, administration and students. Only getting a 20 minute lunch Parents who think that you ONLY teach their child Flu season Trying to teach on the first day of snow and everyone is looking out the window. Kids who puke in the classroom or halls. Now if you want some specific for elementary or Junior high or for different subject matters.....I'll be happy to spew forth. I have parent/teacher conference stories that would curl your toes!
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 7:17 pm
Thank you so much S'marm!! She teaches middle school (5th thru 8th grade) Social studies is her main subject.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 7:21 pm
I'll add: 1. Lack of funding for educational programs. 2. Spending your own money for supplies. 3. Recycling the same books each year with the hope they don't "grow legs" and disappear. My students are different, so I have another perspective..LOL
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 7:33 pm
Twiggy, how are your students different?
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 7:38 pm
Ok...... Grading hundreds of students at least 4 times per year. Seventh grade girls....catty, catty, catty HORMONES! Passing time in the hall Stench from the locker rooms Kids taping odd things inside the roll up maps Inservice days (unless, of course, Marm was the clinician!) IEPs DO you know what deoderant is? That other odd smell when it gets hot Trying to get out of the school parking lot at the end of the day Locker clean out day Gymsuits where they don't belong Boys voice change Gangs and Gang wanabees What ARE they listening to in their IPods? Running out of paper with another month of school WHY do they keep changing those country names? Bi-lingual education Tears, tears, tears Why can't they pull their pants up? Do we REALLY want to see their underwear? I'm sure I'll think of more later. I really loved teaching Jr. High (that was back when it was Jr. High and not middle School!)
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 7:47 pm
I teach adults 
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 8:02 pm
I hope they all know what deodorant is!
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 8:47 pm
This thread is funny, because I WANT to be a teacher. LOL.
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 3:46 am
Is she in a small town, suburban, city (middle class) or inner city? I could give you some specifics.... And here are some things she won't have to do in retirement: Keep up with the latest music and music groups. Ban GameBoys etc. Supervising sports events/music events/open houses No more evening conferences. No more sending and "vice" to the vice principal Listening to excuses....did the dog REALLY eat your homework? Continuing ed classes and ensuing paperwork And just think, now September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April and May will be like June, July and August!
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 3:57 am
Oh, yeah... Standardized test days Feeling like you have to teach to the test Special ed staffing conferences No child left behind State certification laws Not having to "open" and "close" your classroom at the beginning and end of the year. Working with underprepared student teachers Committee work Breaking in a new principal or other administration Changing your curriculum and lessons when you get new books (actually I kind of liked that....lots of extra work, but fun!) Buying lots of stuff for your students/classroom/school Having to use recycled paper and your students do the wrong side! Not having to worry about the school network going down. Not having to deal with student tears when they lose. Jr. High Hormones/break ups/"love of my life" etc. Tattletales Slutty dressers Having to tell students that they REALLY need to shower. Helping kids get organized....WHERE is your homework? Dealing with the stressed-out over-achiever and the lazy slacker in the same class. Tolerating the workmen fixing things in your classroom WHILE you teach, because if you say no, you won't see them again for a year! Channel One Having to keep up with school law changes Homeroom....lunch count, etc. Announcements interrupting your thoughts Fire drills I have a longer list of things I like about teaching.....and lots of funny/sad/interesting stories.
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Spygirl
Moderator
04-23-2001
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 5:34 am
Dang, Marm! LOL - Teach much? 
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 5:43 am
Thank you marm!!! She teaches in a chicago suburb. Where she is she has a mix of some affluent families, but there is a rather poor section in this town too (trailer parks actually.) She has a 6th grade homeroom. She teaches 6-7-8 social studies.
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Lumbele
Member
07-12-2002
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 11:48 am
After reading Marm's lists I am wondering whether to warn off ds before registering in Ed. for this fall.?.?
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 12:26 pm
Nope....if she wants to be a teacher, she will be a GREAT teacher. (Despite the smells and paperwork!) The rewards truly outnumber the odd negative things. However, those whose heart isn't into teaching need to do something else. I'm still encouraging my 2nd grade niece to be a teacher. (She already IS a teacher to younger brother!) If you haven't taught, you wouldn't really know about all of the odd things that teachers deal with on a daily basis. FLEXIBILITY is a GREAT middle name for a teacher!
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 12:39 pm
Teaching is for sure NOT a 9-5 job. My mom still spends hours every single weekday and weekend day grading papers, making tests, etc. She is less than 2 months from retirement and still has not slacked. I know she is a great teacher (heck I even had her when I was in 8th grade!) I also know (like sm said) if your heart is not in it, then don't do it. Sure there is a great summer break (but the salary is usually a 9 month salary -even if they break it up into 12 months checks). But those 9 months are long hours (maybe not for K and 1st grade). There are parent teacher conferences, institutes, grading, etc. all that go way past 3pm.
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 12:44 pm
I always tell my college ed students that teaching K-12 is working 12 hours a day for nine months instead of nine months a day for 12 months. K and 1 teachers have to "make" lots of stuff for their students so the "cutting and assembling" takes the place of the paper grading. I wasn't kidding about the no time to go to the bathroom thing. One day I had food poisoning hit me at school and ran down the hall to puke while a record was playing, ran back in the room and continued to teach without dropping much of a beat. Thank goodness the sub came shortly after.
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 12:45 pm
Oh, Julie....she won't ever have to write out plans for a substitute teacher....OR have to "clean up" (literally or figuratively) after a sub. Maybe she could BE a sub!
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 12:50 pm
oh, yeah, she tells me how planning for one day off is so much more work. Almost not worth having the day off. She has also told me the horrors of when she has a stomach problem of having to run to the bathroom while the teacher across the hall would have to keep her eye on that class as well as her own. At least in many jobs, if you have a stomach problem, you can take 15 minutes in the toilet without a problem--at least most of the time. You can also go out to lunch and take more than 20 minutes....
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Kaili
Member
08-31-2000
| Friday, April 22, 2005 - 1:58 pm
All I have to say is "Wacky Hair Day" should be enough to keep anyone home! (Actually I had a lot of fun today!)

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