Ready to lose it.

[musicbug]

I'm trying hard to keep my sanity. This has to be the worse year I've had in 5 years.I thought last year was tough with a parent stalking me. This year, I'm being made to feel like I'm a total idiot. I'm counting the days until the end while I'm being made out to be a inept fool. Instead of dealing with the children's problens its easier to blame the teacher. No support was given to me in Nov. when I said there were problems. In January 3 kids get suspended. Then my room becomes a pet project for admin. They don't consider the source, i tell the truth on the grade reoprts and the parents get mad. They have been constantly told about their children's rude behaviors. I've got 6 nasty children this year, and in 80% of the cases once you meet the parents, you know why. I'm hoping to transfer next year. I don't want current admin. doing my eval.Where have all the good admins. gone??????

 

[newoldteacher]

So Sorry

Consider yourself hugged. I know what you mean. Parents believe (on the whole) whatever their little angels tell them. I spent almost an hour today (off and on) corresponding with a parent who's "darling" gave several misrepresentations about some graded assignments. What happened to checking with the teacher first?

Hope your transfer comes through.

 

[teachmo]

Pr

Unfortunately teaching has become such a PR job also. We have to sell the students to learn and we have to sell the parents to believe we are wonderful. We can't be honest because truthfully no parent wants honesty. They don't want to help their kids they want kids that are maintenance free from the beginning. All the administrators these days seem to be big on the PR also. Mine is too. Everything is done to please the parents but yet they want high test schools.

Really though my question is it just these days or has education always been this way. I think it just goes in circles and it always has been this way even when corporal punishment was legal.

 

[tired too]

in the same boat

I am having a rough year, too. The admin seems to have me under a microscope now due to one bossy, very vocal and very involved parent's complaint - never mind that there are 51 other sets of satisfied parents.
I'm scared about my eval. as well. Its funny how things that were fine and acceptable last year, suddenly are not this year... I have to guess what those things are as there is no teacher handbook or any other resource to see guidelines in writing.

Do you think its appropriate that the administration puts "letters" in our files even when regulations haven't been broken? It seems like nobody is just allowed to learn from a mistake (even very minor things) unless they have a letter in their file (written with scathing language which takes words out of context and twists everything to shed a very bad light).

I, too, am the bad guy for telling the truth at report card time. One veteran teacher tells me her secret is to "check her integrity at the door" and that's how she makes it through each day. I was told that I need to be more like this woman. I was told that the admin fully expected other parents to come forward with complaints... it hasn't happened. This means handing out A's willy-nilly and appologizing even when you haven't done anything wrong.

I don't know where the good admins are, but they sure as heck aren't at my school. I'm considering leaving teaching altogether. My spirit is broken and I don't have the passion for it I once did thanks to this lousy admin.

 

[Cara]

I Feel Your Pain

This is my 10th yr and I assumed it would become easier as I became
more seasoned. It has been a nightmare for me. I am tired of being
confronted by parents and administrators who do not side with us.
These days I truly pick my battles. I just tow the company line and
my headaches are down to just 2 a day as opposed to ALL DAY.

I have switched buildings 3 times and it's either new day same stuff or just more of the same old issues. NCLB has done in my opinion more
damage than good to this profession.

How bad are things getting? Well, our teacher of the year winner is
very popular with her students and parents. All she does are cutesy
activities and running from room to room gossiping. She NEVER retains
a child and is adored by her parents. She tells her parents all the things
they WANT to hear, and not the crucial issues they truly need to KNOW! I on the other hand am seen as a mean teacher. I am frustrated and just don't know how this mess is going to end.