Older teachers?

[Anonymous]

My kindergarten teacher was probably in ther 60s, she was reserved but elegant and she set this lovely tone for the class. OP, don't get too caught up in your idea of what teachers should be! Find the best in them!

My son had a stern pre-K teacher but LOVED her!

Here's to a wonderful school year.

[Anonymous]

You should be hoping for someone who's kind and encouraging, structured/organized but not rigid, creative, and knowledgeable about both child development and the skills needed for a successful school year. That "package" can be found in both younger and older teachers. It's not so much an age requirement as the way some teachers teach!

[Anonymous]

OP, I wish I could trade with you. My son has had a string of 26-year-old, just out of college/ grad school teachers and I feel like he's being shortchanged.

What the heck do they know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wish I could trade with you. My son has had a string of 26-year-old, just out of college/ grad school teachers and I feel like he's being shortchanged.

What the heck do they know?[/quote

What the heck did YOU know stepping into your first job out of college?

My daughter has a new teacher - right out of college - and she outshines the two seasoned teachers she had in K and 1st. She's dynamic, creative, not afraid of group work, co-teaches with a math specialist, and has quite a few organizational structures in place.

I can't believe you would make such an ignorant statement.

BTW - Many of my colleagues in their 60s are fabulous teachers. So I obviously have nothing against even the most "seasoned" teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wish I could trade with you. My son has had a string of 26-year-old, just out of college/ grad school teachers and I feel like he's being shortchanged.

What the heck do they know?[/quote

What the heck did YOU know stepping into your first job out of college?My daughter has a new teacher - right out of college - and she outshines the two seasoned teachers she had in K and 1st. She's dynamic, creative, not afraid of group work, co-teaches with a math specialist, and has quite a few organizational structures in place.

I can't believe you would make such an ignorant statement.

BTW - Many of my colleagues in their 60s are fabulous teachers. So I obviously have nothing against even the most "seasoned" teachers.

Very little. And that's precisely my point. The older I get the more I realize that there is simply no substitute in the job world for experience.

[Anonymous]

You described my DS's K teacher to a T. I'm a true believer in the value of experience and wisdom, but I was taken aback a little bit by the contrast between DS' teacher and the four other K teachers -- all well below 30 I'd guess -- at our meet and greet last week. I did sense a good bit of weariness in our teacher, in contrast to so much enthusiasm and energy from the others. But, last Friday at the park we were discussing who was in what class and every one of the older kids who'd had this teacher said "She's the best K teacher in the whole school!"
Every teacher is going to have a different style. No one is the right one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wish I could trade with you. My son has had a string of 26-year-old, just out of college/ grad school teachers and I feel like he's being shortchanged.

What the heck do they know?

Agree, agree, agree....once upon a time I was one of those energetic, warm, smiley, and dumb-as-doorknob young teachers. Scared and unable to control my class. Left teaching after two years. The cold, unsmiling and elderly teachers had to constantly come into my classroom and run the show.

I'd never have any of my kids in a young new teacher's classroom. No way. An experienced teacher can face away from the blackboard and have eyes in the back of her head. An inexperienced teacher can stare right at the class and see absolutely nothing.

[Anonymous]

Mrs. Bassett, in first grade, was in her 60s and wonderful. She told us lots of stories about her travels with her husband who was in the foreign service, and she taught me to read. A few years later, a new headmaster fired all of the older teachers, some of whom were amazing (a WWII spy, and more, but you probably wouldn't believe me). My mom was furious although I didn't understand why at the time. 10 years later, when I was in high school and got mentioned in the local paper for some award, Mrs. Bassett, who had long since retired, called me at home to congratulate me. That's a good teacher!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You described my DS's K teacher to a T. I'm a true believer in the value of experience and wisdom, but I was taken aback a little bit by the contrast between DS' teacher and the four other K teachers -- all well below 30 I'd guess -- at our meet and greet last week. I did sense a good bit of weariness in our teacher, in contrast to so much enthusiasm and energy from the others. But, last Friday at the park we were discussing who was in what class and every one of the older kids who'd had this teacher said "She's the best K teacher in the whole school!"
Every teacher is going to have a different style. No one is the right one.

"Enthusiasm and energy" are helpful for PE teachers, I suppose, and perhaps if one is leading the school pep rally, but otherwise I will take wisdom, experience and even a bit of weariness in a teacher any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wish I could trade with you. My son has had a string of 26-year-old, just out of college/ grad school teachers and I feel like he's being shortchanged.

What the heck do they know?

Agree, agree, agree....once upon a time I was one of those energetic, warm, smiley, and dumb-as-doorknob young teachers. Scared and unable to control my class. Left teaching after two years. The cold, unsmiling and elderly teachers had to constantly come into my classroom and run the show.

I'd never have any of my kids in a young new teacher's classroom. No way. An experienced teacher can face away from the blackboard and have eyes in the back of her head. An inexperienced teacher can stare right at the class and see absolutely nothing.

Just because you were a terrible new teacher doesn't mean we all were. Did I learn through my experience? Yes, but my first few years I was a hard worker and came from grad school with a ton of classroom management ideas. I was never scared and unable to control my class. Maybe you just weren't meant to teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wish I could trade with you. My son has had a string of 26-year-old, just out of college/ grad school teachers and I feel like he's being shortchanged.

What the heck do they know?

Agree, agree, agree....once upon a time I was one of those energetic, warm, smiley, and dumb-as-doorknob young teachers. Scared and unable to control my class. Left teaching after two years. The cold, unsmiling and elderly teachers had to constantly come into my classroom and run the show.

I'd never have any of my kids in a young new teacher's classroom. No way. An experienced teacher can face away from the blackboard and have eyes in the back of her head. An inexperienced teacher can stare right at the class and see absolutely nothing.

Just because you were a terrible new teacher doesn't mean we all were. Did I learn through my experience? Yes, but my first few years I was a hard worker and came from grad school with a ton of classroom management ideas. I was never scared and unable to control my class. Maybe you just weren't meant to teach.

I agree! bravo! I've seen MANY new teachers come to MY high school, which is low-performing, and whip kids into shape with their creative ways. It's amazing. I think that if you have that much trouble your first year, you should re-evaluate your decision. Some have it; some don't. And while some do learn on the job, I've found that most who are not that inspiring year one are the ones to jump ship.

[Anonymous]

DCUM never fails to live up to its nasty reputation. 14:13 is trying to make a point about how young does not necessarily equal good, and the converse, about how old does not necessarily mean bad.

But what do you guys do? Tell her she should never have been a teacher in the first place. Ick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM never fails to live up to its nasty reputation. 14:13 is trying to make a point about how young does not necessarily equal good, and the converse, about how old does not necessarily mean bad.

But what do you guys do? Tell her she should never have been a teacher in the first place. Ick.

She made generalizations about new teachers. I suggested that she might not have the skills or personality. She quit after 2 years, so I must have been right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM never fails to live up to its nasty reputation. 14:13 is trying to make a point about how young does not necessarily equal good, and the converse, about how old does not necessarily mean bad.

But what do you guys do? Tell her she should never have been a teacher in the first place. Ick.

She made generalizations about new teachers. I suggested that she might not have the skills or personality. She quit after 2 years, so I must have been right.

Let's just stop making generalizations. We all know that there are wonderful, amazing teachers of all ages. The opposite can also be said. Frankly, I don't think less of someone for deciding to stop teaching and go for another career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM never fails to live up to its nasty reputation. 14:13 is trying to make a point about how young does not necessarily equal good, and the converse, about how old does not necessarily mean bad.

But what do you guys do? Tell her she should never have been a teacher in the first place. Ick.

She made generalizations about new teachers. I suggested that she might not have the skills or personality. She quit after 2 years, so I must have been right.

You sound like a real piece of work. I think I'm right about that.