Musings of a teacher and parent - Page 2

[ecoteat]

Thank you for writing that post. I love my students dearly. When I was preparing to leave my 3rd and 4th graders for maternity leave, it nearly broke my heart. I knew I would love my own child even more that I loved them and that was so completely overwhelming I was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle it. I've since changed grades and have the same kids as 7th and 8th graders this year. They are like family to me.

But of course I've complained about them too. I've struggled with them. I've struggled FOR them. And that's what makes the love stronger. Another teacher I know lets off steam about stressful days in a really judgemental way. Sometimes it makes me uncomfortable listening to how she talks about people. But then I go into her classroom while she's teaching and realize that she vents safely and discreetly to adults she trusts so that she can have the best of her available for her students. Every afternoon as the kids leave her room she gives each one a hug and tells them she loves them. And she means it.

Teaching is a stressful profession. Teachers complain and vent and cry about their jobs, just like everyone else. But blizzard babe is right--most of us really do care deeply about all of our kids.

[waiting2bemommy]

that was a great post. as I came in this forum to write a thread of my own about deciding whether to keep sending my own ds to a situation that isn't ideal I happened to see this and it is SO true.

I have students that drive me absolutely bonkers, but I still advocate for them and do my best to meet their needs. I won't say I LOVE every child the way I love my own, but the day I simply do not care about even one of the children in my class is the day I will retire myself from the childcare/teaching profession.

I have seen some terrific teachers and some awful ones, and if you are not doing it for the kids it is an ugly, ugly thing. Burnout (which is usually accelerated, not by the kids, but by the insane demands of a clueless administration) is also a really ugly thing. I'm getting burned out right now at my current job, and the other day I came home from a super-stressful, chaotic day and swore I would never take another job as a preschool teacher as long as I lived. I swore I was finished, I'm looking for something else, I can't take it anymore, that's it.

And what am I doing right now? Cutting out paper doll accessories and coloring them by hand. I complain, but I just can't help myself. I keep going back for more. It's, like, in my blood or something. Even when I think "this is driving me crazy," deep down I love the little stinkers.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

The Thanksgiving my uncle went off at a family gathering about how he has never met a teacher he respects because who would choose to work with children except someone who doesn't have the skills to work with adults?

I hope you were courteous enough to assist his argument by dumping his plate on his head.

[Marsupialmom]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

I hope you were courteous enough to assist his argument by dumping his plate on his head.

I thnk we all agree with this one.

Blizzard, I wish I could completely agree with you but like others I have seen different.

[meemee]

oh blizzard it is teachers like you who make such a huge difference in the world.

my chemistry proff. told us that he probably chose to go into chemistry because his high school teacher cared about his subject and made it v. interesting for the students.

my dd didnt enjoy k and first grade. however she loved her teachers and yes they loved her back. however it is now in second grade that she has true connection with her teacher. she is trying to figure out how to fail second grade (which sadly for her she cannot do) so she can spend one more year with him. i always express to him how grateful i am for him being a teacher. he has a great sense of humor even though he does work his students harder than other teachers. he however is truly connected with my dd and wants to keep in contact to see what she is upto in college. he wants to see her on a regular basis after she finishes his grade.

the key is she felt loved by all her teachers. what's funny is she could tell the difference even in ps/dc. at 4 she could tell which ps teacher was totally into the kids and those who just tolerated them. kids pick this up v. v. quickly.

[columbusmomma]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move

I think that you described the way that most of the teachers in my kids' school are.

Me too! Love the school and the teachers and all of DS' teachers have told me they love him

[blizzard_babe]

Originally Posted by EFmom

Some of the worst teachers we've experienced would be the same ones who trumpet their good intentions the loudest.

I guess I can't help by wonder if that comment is directed at me, but whatever. I guess I just need thicker skin when it comes to the stuff I read on here, and to (like all other things MDC) take it all with a grain of salt.

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

I guess I can't help by wonder if that comment is directed at me, but whatever. I guess I just need thicker skin when it comes to the stuff I read on here, and to (like all other things MDC) take it all with a grain of salt.

No, and I'm sorry you thought it was about you. I've never met you, so I couldn't possibly know what kind of a teacher you are. But I definitely had someone in mind.

Last year, my then 3rd grader had a teacher who used to wax euphoric about her dedication to the students, her love of teaching, her deep commitment to education, etc. On back to school night I thought she was pitching for an Oscar.

The woman was a trainwreck. She gave many of the children, particularly the girls, body image issues by sponsoring and constantly discussing a "Biggest Loser" contest for the other teachers. My thin 8 year old was convinced she was too fat, along with most of the other girls. We still battle this. She talked incessantly about her own four year old and actually had him in school with her every Friday afternoon. If I hadn't had so many other problems with her, I would have gone to the Superintendent over that alone.

Her teaching was abysmal and largely non-existent because she was too busy yakking about her personal issues. She gave reams of homework on topics that she (admittedly) never covered in class.

But she was chock full of good intentions. She had 13 years of teaching experience and by god, she knew it all and was completely unable to consider another viewpoint. Experience is fine, but doing something badly for a long time isn't always a virtue.

She's one example, but she's not the only one.

[SpringMom]

Before I read any replies I want to say, "Thank you!" As a fellow teacher in a high-needs area, I often find myself sitting at home, surrounded by paperwork and thinking the same things. Thank you for expressing what I am too tired to say.

[amma_mama]

Blizzard_babe, Bunnyflakes and all the other great MDC teacher-mamas, I think that it goes without saying that we all wish we had you guys as teachers for our kids. There are a lot of really great teachers out there and we are grateful for those of you that put so much into your work, which is one fo the most important jobs in the world. Unfortunately, though, there are also a lot of bad ones. DD is only in Kindy so we don't have a lot to judge at this point. But I do have my only childhood experience and it was definitely not such a rosy picture of love and caring. I can count on one hand the number of truly outstanding and genuinely caring teachers that I had. While the majority of the others were passable - not detrimental, but also not exactly caring - there were definitely enough really bad experiences with teachers that should not have been in the profession.

Teaching, like all professions, attracts both the good and the bad. There are really great doctors that are dedicated to healing and caring for their patients, and there are others that are in it for the money. There are really great policemen who are out there to protect and serve, and there are others that are on a power trip. And so on. The teaching profession is no different. While there are bad apples, we should definitely celebrate and offer our appreciation to those that love thier jobs, love the kids and provide a warm and nurturing environment!

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by amma_mama

Blizzard_babe, Bunnyflakes and all the other great MDC teacher-mamas, I think that it goes without saying that we all wish we had you guys as teachers for our kids. There are a lot of really great teachers out there and we are grateful for those of you that put so much into your work, which is one fo the most important jobs in the world. Unfortunately, though, there are also a lot of bad ones. DD is only in Kindy so we don't have a lot to judge at this point. But I do have my only childhood experience and it was definitely not such a rosy picture of love and caring. I can count on one hand the number of truly outstanding and genuinely caring teachers that I had. While the majority of the others were passable - not detrimental, but also not exactly caring - there were definitely enough really bad experiences with teachers that should not have been in the profession.

Teaching, like all professions, attracts both the good and the bad. There are really great doctors that are dedicated to healing and caring for their patients, and there are others that are in it for the money. There are really great policemen who are out there to protect and serve, and there are others that are on a power trip. And so on. The teaching profession is no different. While there are bad apples, we should definitely celebrate and offer our appreciation to those that love thier jobs, love the kids and provide a warm and nurturing environment!

Thanks And I totally agree that there are some bad teachers out there. And sadly it keeps some really good ones from getting jobs.

It seems to be difficult to fire a teacher, at least in my own area. My supervising teacher while I was student teaching told us a story about how when she was in college, she worked with a 4th grade teacher. He was so horrible to the kids, he used to call the children with special needs "Little Dummies" and make them sit under their desks while the other children were working Her supervisor got involved, the University got involved, and nothing could be done about it.

The saddest part about this story was that 20 YEARS later, she was supervising a student teacher and guess who she was assigned too? The SAME teacher, doing the SAME things How sad that this was going on And that so many people were angry about it yet nothing was ever done. It is beyond frustrating.

I think that sometimes misunderstandings happen, so I am all for giving the teacher the benefit of the doubt until he/she proves otherwise. I do the best I can for my students, but that does not mean everyone does. I get that.