I've been lucky with my son because he has had incredible teachers in kindergarten and 1st grade.  Then 2nd grade came along, the teacher in NC was completely useless.  We moved the end of October and luckily he ended up with a teacher here who got it and has been very influential in some of his talents.  But I promise, I don't have alot of hope for our education system with the teachers who mess around with minors, the ones who buy alcohol for their students, and then the ones who just teach because they want summers off.  Where are the ones that care and want children to learn?  Unfortunately, they aren't popping into the education system like we would like for them too.  I'm going to shut up, because I could go on and on about what the country could do to help get good, morally correct teachers again.

My thing is what teachers are offered in this world.   Of course that one 2nd grade teacher needed to be tarred and feathered, just based on her attitude alone.  She couldn't even spell!  We aren't getting alot of good teachers anymore and the states are begging for them.  But because the salaries stink and the crap they put up with isn't worth it, children are suffering.  There are always going to be the few (and I remember when it was just few) that didn't live up to expectations.  But now, why should they even attempt it?  The really bad ones are in the grand light of the media, which in turn makes the rest look horrible.  The really great ones aren't recognized.  It is sad that the one profession in this country that could easily be one of the most difficult is also the one without a decent pay rate.  Yet actors, football players, etc... are paid these exuberant amounts of money for what?

If the Asperger kid has behavior issues, the administrators should decide if he gets removed from the class. No votes. If the kid has a right to be in the class, it doesn't matter what other kids think. If the kid is a problem, the solution should come from judicial action of the adults, not from some popularity contest vote.



In the good old days, kids who disrupted class or wrote with their left hand were hit by the teachers with hard objects, and the sanctity of the classroom was maintained. Then common sense died, and we had to stop hitting the kids.

Thank you for your comments Tom. I often feel alone in this battle on this board. I teach in a school that trains interns from the college so I see so many brand new teachers. We see many bright talented interns ready to teach. Lisa is in a Master's program for teaching right now and they weed them out very quickly if the professors don't feel they will do well. It is not possible anymore to get a teaching certificate in a 4 year program in many states. To upgrade the highly qualified status, many states are requiring a concentration BS or BA then doing grad school for the student teaching education program. The new education programs are not just about teaching but dealing with inclusion, technology, diversified society and education, and testing requirements. It will take Lisa 5 1/2 yrs to complete what I did in 4 years. The colleges ARE attracting students that will be good teachers but as Barb said we are fighting an uphill battle with many parents. Our hands are tied with what we can do with discipline. I had a bad situation last Friday and when I called the Mom about it she said why didn't I call her earlier. I just had 2 weeks ago and a few other times this past year as well as notes in his agenda. Unfortunatly the teachers get blamed all too often for this. Last week in Melissas post I mentioned how important it is that we work together. There are plenty of great teachers,  canidates and plenty of wonderful parents who support us.

I have also been teaching 28 years. Yes, I do look forward to my summers but they are often filled with hours of volunteer swim team(many of these kids are my students) , professional workshops and getting ready for the fall.  Enough on my soap box. I just wish we could work together more rather than the constant bashing of education. Get in and volunteer, mentor a kid or find a way to help out to improve the situation!

Charlotte

Children with Asperger's often are very intelligent. I have several in my magnet program. Still not convinced, google Temple Grandin. It's an incredible story. Coping with social situations seems to be the biggest problem and they often get special education in speech therapy for this. In the meantime they function above grade level with their peers. This teacher in the video is clearly wrong and I am embarrassed to be in the same profession with someone like this. Every career has idiots like this. I'm just asking not to take the whole profession down and all of the new teachers as well!

Charlotte

Tom, I guess what I'm trying to say is that for every 100 good teachers there's always one who can taint the others. And that's the one we hear about - the others have to defend their reps against the taint. And it's NOT right.  There are still dedicated teachers out there, but their hands are being tied by the damn government and all the PC marlarky.

Teachers should be given more "control" of their classrooms (as in the old days). Parents should be called on the carpet when their kids misbehave and kids expelled when they don't "follow the rules".

It's a fact that if kids are given a bad name they're gonna live up to it, so they should be praised for doing good and reprimanded in a positive way  (psyche 101).

We've gone so far overboard with this PC stuff and making sure our kids know about drugs and sex (which should be taught at home in my opinion - not at school) that we're forgetting to teach the basics (which is what the schools are FOR).

Carolyn, I know you were involved with your daughter (as I was with my son) and we SAW that they got an education, but so many parents just don't care anymore or think the teachers should do it all. today parents think an e-mail is a parent/teacher conference a lot of the time.

Another thing I've noticed (with my grandson) is that parents don't listen to their kids account of what's going on. Sometimes when a kid misbehaves - it MIGHT NOT be exactly what it appears. Sometimes there might be two sides to the story. Ask the kid his/her side of it before you jump to conclusions. When I was in the third grade a teacher "accused" me of something that I didn't do (and I hated that woman till the day she died) - she lied! My parents KNEW I didn't lie and when I refused to take a punishment for something I didn't do (and I did enough) they called my Dad and he came to the school and listened to me. I did not get punished, but always held a grudge against that woman. So when my son was in school, before I jumped to conclusions I did ask his side before any punishment was dished out by anyone (he didn't lie either - that was one of our rules). If you put the kid and teacher in the same room - the truth is gonna come out somewhere in the middle. My kids tend to get hysterical at Caleb before they listen to him and that upsets me to no end. A few times he just hasn't deserved their rath and Granny has let them know it, but it hurt his feelings that they wouldn't listen to HIM.

If I've given the impression that I don't respect teachers I sure didn't mean to - because I do respect them. There are several who made a big difference in my life. But it still boils down to parents being involved in their kids lives, their schooling and their upbringing.

Hugs BD

Yes, parents should listen to their children and I do that constantly.  I also read between the lines and get it all straight.  However, I will NOT tolerate a teacher who won't listen to what I say and a counselor says.  My son makes straight A's, cries if he gets a B, but gets extremely bored when he is finished with his work in class.  I have given the teacher more than enough ideas of what to do to help this situation.  Instead of implementing any of the ideas - she calls me to complain about it.  I wouldn't be so angry; however, I have talked with my son, a counselor has talked with my son and the teacher rejects everything we say.  I was happy to tell her that I'm a single mother and I can't monitor her classroom for her.  I also explained that if she can't control her class, then possibly she should discuss with the principal ideas that might help her some.  Two days later she called me to tell me that when my son was finished with his work, that he was more than welcome to read WRESTLING MAGAZINES!  Doesn't that sound like a lovely teacher?

I wish I had time to be involved with the school.  But I don't, I have to work for a living and can't be volunteering and doing this and that for them.  I also can't even get an hour to go to the school and discuss what best not happen for 3rd grade.  This teacher wants to put my son in a class with less children, which would be fine.  However, the class will be part children with higher IQs and the other part will be special ed.  Now what the hell does that say about an education system?  It just tells me that it has all fallen apart, there isn't any regard for the children, there isn't any concern for what they are learning or how they are learning it.  It really isn't the teachers fault in most situations, alot of falls on the States for letting everything go to far.

Oh Tom, you know me well enough to know that I have raised hell about it.  Thankfully, he only has one more day of school left.  I believe he will be changing schools next year anyway.

Charlotte,

I was with you right up to this:
Quote:

This is a cop out used by many. Allow me to fix it:
Quote:

Too many parents think that earning more money, providing the best house, food, clothing, etc. means they are being the best parents. Kids don't care about that shit. Even though they may not verbalize it, what they want is a mommy and a daddy. Ones that will show them how to have fun, how to love, laugh, cry, how to show up at the school party, how to be a human being.

It's too easy to blame "the economy" because it's impossible to prove.

I'm with ya on everything else.

Brew I feel the same way.

I was one of the *lucky* parents who got to have it all because I had a job that was extremely flexible.  From kindegarten thru fifth grade, I had to miss ONE program.  I went on every field trip and made more cookies than I can count.  Even when Sarah was older, I was still lucky enough to have flexible hours, to be able to pick her up when she didn't want to ride the bus, attend programs if needed and whatever else.  Like Charlotte, I've spent many a night or weekend, making stuff for class parties.

At least she's about to finish college and *those* days are long gone (although I did make candy and cookies for the grad department, just to stay in practice, you know  ).