Spinoff: Teachers, what would you like to tell parents, but can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a mess.

But I can't resist:

I am not the only one responsible for your child's learning. You are also responsible. I am temporary; you are forever. Please don't think I can work magic in 10 months. I will try my best and be patient and well-planned and compassionate and nurturing. But I am human, just like you. You make mistakes, and so do I (including grammatical ones). Having a classroom of six-year-olds is sometimes CHALLENGING and I cry frequently in the car on my way home. I give your child more time than I give my own. Your child does not need to hear that they are smart or that they are dumb; they need to hear and (eventually understand) that all things worth having require effort.

And finally, They Don't Pay Me Enough To Do This Anymore. I'm Outta Here.

This makes me sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For your child's sake, please at least make an effort to learn how to speak English.

Ignorant comment.

No, it's not. I teach mostly Latino children and some of their parents speak not ONE WORD of English. It's to their and their child's detriment. I speak Spanish, but as my Kindergarteners move on and up through school, not all of their teachers will be bilingual. The parents must negotiate the school system and because of their lack of English, some of their children's needs won't be met and they will fall through the cracks. Some school systems have Spanish language facilitators, but these positions are being cut back. So it's hardly an ignorant comment. Get a clue.

Exactly. Why don't you ask a kid who constantly has to translate for his/her parents how much they like doing it? And it doesn't just involve face-to-face conversations, but forms, permission slips, emails, etc. DH had to do this growing up (and still has to) and HATED it. His parents refused to learn English. Their skills now are not horrible, but I can't have more than a very simple conversation with either of them. He is the one who has to call for them to get things fixed, help with forms, and other things they would be able to do if they would take classes. And it isn't an issue of money, there are free classes right by them.

p.s.: It's not just Spanish, but other languages as well!

I agree. If you think it's an ignorant comment, it's very likely you're not the kid of a person who doesn't know English well.

I am a child of parents who don't speak English well and this comment struck me as ignorant. I had to do all of the things the other PP listed. My parents worked very hard to learn English, however, if you know anything about language acquisition you will know that it is very difficult to do when you are older. It bothers me very much that they are treated as stupid when I know they are intelligent, competent people. Oh and I also teach the children you are talking about and try to treat their parents with respect. What I would tell them is not to expect that what their children do in school is enough, they must also work hard at home.

I echo this comment! My mother come to this country in the early 70's and spoke 3 languages (English was not one). When I went to school, she was in the proces of learning English - but wasn't proficient and I was forced to use me to translate some. People spoke to her like she was an idiot, even though she could speak German, Russian, and French fluently and she has two Ph.Ds it was mortifying for her.

So remember "teachers" just because someone doesn't speak your native tounge doesn't mean that you are more intellegent - it just means that you are in your home country and possible are that YOU are to lazy to have learned additional languages.

[Anonymous]

To 9:45. If someone has lived in this country for years and still speaks no English it means they are not trying. There are many, many places where ESL is free and transportation is provided. There is no excuse to have lived in this country for even a year and not being able to speak and understand some English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 9:45. If someone has lived in this country for years and still speaks no English it means they are not trying. There are many, many places where ESL is free and transportation is provided. There is no excuse to have lived in this country for even a year and not being able to speak and understand some English.

[Anonymous]

Is there a thread about what parents would like to tell teachers but can't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a thread about what parents would like to tell teachers but can't?

Good question! Why don't you start one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And finally, They Don't Pay Me Enough To Do This Anymore. I'm Outta Here.

Thank God. Enough with whiny (and often unionized and tenured) teachers who take summers off and bitch about the pay they receive at a job they CHOSE to take.

And, by the way, the rest of us who work also spend more time at our jobs than we do with our kids. Suck it up or, if you can't handle a real job, do what you're doing - quit.

You're lovely.
I don't whine. I work hard. (BTW, I work summer school too. I've made the same salary for the past five years.) And yes, I know I chose this job, and I take responsibility for my choices. I don't think I indicated otherwise. I chose to teach because I am a kickass teacher. I love children, I can easily establish rapport with children, and I believe in every child's ability to learn. And I make a positive difference in every one of my students' lives.
I should have elaborated on why I'm leaving: I did not realize that those things don't matter to administrators, politicians or the media. I did not realize that everything wrong with education in America would be my fault, and that I would be lumped in with "whiny (and often unionized and tenured) teachers who take summers off and bitch about the pay they receive at a job they CHOSE to take"

I won't "suck it up". I'll change something about what I chose. I'll happily take a job that pays less if it gives me my life back. I'm just really sad that our country is going to lose more great teachers. (It's the crappy ones who stay, btw. The good ones realize that the job isn't worth the weight loss, the tears and the never-ending feeling of not doing enough.)

Yes, this is exactly why I left teaching (in DCPS) after just 2 years. That said, I do know several amazing, dedicated, well-educated people who've kept at it--in DCPS.

[Anonymous]

As a teacher, I have to say that you're the type to give the rest of us a bad name.

And before you decided to SAH, how long DID you teach?

Anonymous wrote:I SAH now, but what I really wanted to tell parents was: I am not your employee. I am not your nanny. Actually, I am quite certain that you have no idea that I am wealthy, much wealthier than you. I do this because I love it.

[Anonymous]

OK - I'll tell it like it is. I teach English at a high school that's low-performing (think mainly ESL, SPED). I love it, but what I love more is that - DESPITE the pain in the ass hours and the time spent on planning and grading - I GET SUMMERS OFF TO SPEND WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN!!!!! I don't have to worry about camp or daycare or sending them off to relatives. They're all mine during the summer. We go to the park and the pool. They have play dates. They'll do a week or two of half-day camp. And they can actually just chill and enjoy unstructured time.

Teaching is a sacrifice. I'm up at 4:30 am, at work by 6:30 am and out the door by 3 - only to do pick up, cook dinner, help with homework, and then plan and grade until late at night. But my hours are my children's hours, and that means more to me than the six figures I could be making with my three degrees.

So there! Don't mess with a teacher, PP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And finally, They Don't Pay Me Enough To Do This Anymore. I'm Outta Here.

Thank God. Enough with whiny (and often unionized and tenured) teachers who take summers off and bitch about the pay they receive at a job they CHOSE to take.
And, by the way, the rest of us who work also spend more time at our jobs than we do with our kids. Suck it up or, if you can't handle a real job, do what you're doing - quit.

[Anonymous]

I love the summers too. I scrimp and spead my 10 month salary over 12 months. Some months I barely get by (I play checkbook roulette as my mother calls it). But I get to spend 10 weeks in a row w/ my DD. Her grandmother pays to send her to camp for one of those weeks (her bday gift) so that week I have from 9-3pm all to myself. May not be a big deal but as a single mom, it is the only time I ever spend by myself (except driving to and from work in my car I love teaching but I hate all the extra crap that comes with it. I hate the ridiculous hang ups on data and testing. If I added it up, I spend almost as much time testing my students as I do teaching them. They notice it too ("We just took a test last week!") I would tell parents not to assume anything. I have parents shoot off angry emails at me and then when I respond, they realize that their child was in the wrong (re; no homework, a "lost" test, etc). I want your kids to do as well as you do. Also, if you can't volunteer, ask how else you can help out. I have a million things I could send home with you to do like cutting out things, stapling, etc. I used to have a parent come in once a week for a few hrs to photocopy everything for me. It took her hours to do this. Now I do it and it takes hours. I used to use that extra time to make language and math games for the class and rotate them each quarter.

[Anonymous]

spread, not spead. Sorry!

[Anonymous]

Why must everyone be so politically correct all the time??

If you live in the US - LEARN THE LANGUAGE!!!!
That doesn't mean forget your native language but if you want to live here, it would make your life - and your families life - so much easier if you totally assimilated!

FWIW - I am first generation American, my parents came to this country with a dime in their pocket and no language other than their own. They made it a point to become citizens as soon as they could, and to learn the language asap. I'll never forget the day my dad came home a proud new American Citizen!

[Anonymous]

I agree to some extent - mainly b/c I, too, am first generation. And both parents learned the language.

However, I also know how critical other countries are of US travelers who wish to be catered to b/c they won't take the time to learn the language - at least learn a few common phrases.

But, as an educator, I am also aware of how hard some of the parents of my ESL students work - two jobs, for example, just to make ends meet. So there is little time to take a class when you're returning home at 11 pm.

Anonymous wrote:Why must everyone be so politically correct all the time??

If you live in the US - LEARN THE LANGUAGE!!!!
That doesn't mean forget your native language but if you want to live here, it would make your life - and your families life - so much easier if you totally assimilated!

FWIW - I am first generation American, my parents came to this country with a dime in their pocket and no language other than their own. They made it a point to become citizens as soon as they could, and to learn the language asap. I'll never forget the day my dad came home a proud new American Citizen!

[Anonymous]

12:23 - Third agreement, also first generation. Very few people realize what immigrants went through, on top of having NO PC and severe anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. at that time. In fact, they suffered unbelievable prejudice and hatred that very few consider. If anything, people need to realize this, and how working hard is part of coming to this country. There are too many (not all) that expect the streets of the U.S. to be paved with gold. WTF?

[Anonymous]

5 years

Anonymous wrote:
As a teacher, I have to say that you're the type to give the rest of us a bad name.

And before you decided to SAH, how long DID you teach?

Anonymous wrote:I SAH now, but what I really wanted to tell parents was: I am not your employee. I am not your nanny. Actually, I am quite certain that you have no idea that I am wealthy, much wealthier than you. I do this because I love it.