Bad/absent English teacher in middle school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught high school English in the 2000s. It was shocking to me how little some of my colleagues required of kids. We would go over the really bare bones requirements - the research project, read one Shakespeare play, etc. Some of my less than stellar colleagues would brag, "Oh, I just put them in groups and have them make a poster for the 'research requirement.'" "Oh, I just have them watch the movie for the Shakespeare requirement." I honestly have no idea what these people were doing in their classrooms every day. I assigned a multi-page paper and we read a major play or novel every 9 weeks. Of course, this is probably why I was given honors and AP classes and these other teachers weren't.

Of course, this was in my 20s before I had kids. I worked really long, unsustainable hours. But at least students would come back to me and say, "Some of my college classmates don't know how to write a paper. I learned that from you!" Of course, at the time they complained that I was too hard and the other teachers didn't make kids do what I was doing. But that's OK . . . that's what teenagers do.

Thank you for caring and setting high standards for kids to strive towards! Wish there were more like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught high school English in the 2000s. It was shocking to me how little some of my colleagues required of kids. We would go over the really bare bones requirements - the research project, read one Shakespeare play, etc. Some of my less than stellar colleagues would brag, "Oh, I just put them in groups and have them make a poster for the 'research requirement.'" "Oh, I just have them watch the movie for the Shakespeare requirement." I honestly have no idea what these people were doing in their classrooms every day. I assigned a multi-page paper and we read a major play or novel every 9 weeks. Of course, this is probably why I was given honors and AP classes and these other teachers weren't.

Of course, this was in my 20s before I had kids. I worked really long, unsustainable hours. But at least students would come back to me and say, "Some of my college classmates don't know how to write a paper. I learned that from you!" Of course, at the time they complained that I was too hard and the other teachers didn't make kids do what I was doing. But that's OK . . . that's what teenagers do.

Do you want a cookie? These teachers have lives. Admin should provide enough planning time to allow teachers to plan and grade more rigorous assignments without having to work “really long and unsustainable hours.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I taught high school English in the 2000s. It was shocking to me how little some of my colleagues required of kids. We would go over the really bare bones requirements - the research project, read one Shakespeare play, etc. Some of my less than stellar colleagues would brag, "Oh, I just put them in groups and have them make a poster for the 'research requirement.'" "Oh, I just have them watch the movie for the Shakespeare requirement." I honestly have no idea what these people were doing in their classrooms every day. I assigned a multi-page paper and we read a major play or novel every 9 weeks. Of course, this is probably why I was given honors and AP classes and these other teachers weren't.

Of course, this was in my 20s before I had kids. I worked really long, unsustainable hours. But at least students would come back to me and say, "Some of my college classmates don't know how to write a paper. I learned that from you!" Of course, at the time they complained that I was too hard and the other teachers didn't make kids do what I was doing. But that's OK . . . that's what teenagers do.

Do you want a cookie? These teachers have lives. Admin should provide enough planning time to allow teachers to plan and grade more rigorous assignments without having to work “really long and unsustainable hours.”

I hope you support increased teacher pay and school funding when you vote!