I really hope my child's teacher is kind and capable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if "too many" teachers are just annoyed and/or grumpy these days, what does that tell you about their working conditions? Maybe you can do something, like volunteer in the classroom and support the PTA, to make their jobs a bit easier.

I'm 18:22 and I do think the working conditions for teachers are getting worse by the year with class sizes getting bigger, more inclusion (and I'm pro-inclusion and one of my kids has SN) and even just one entitled parent (or student) can make the year more stressful. I do volunteer when work will allow it. I reeeeally wish there was a way to give the best teachers bigger raises. I do not believe all teachers need bigger raises (cost of living yes), but some really talented ones who go above and beyond need to rewarded with a much better salary. I do believe that will encourage more teachers to improve and more talented people to consider entering the field. Sure I'm all for rewarding advanced degrees, but we need to do something way beyond that for the stars, some of whom only have bachelors degrees because they are too busy going above and beyond to have time for an advanced degree.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We practice positive discipline in our house and do our very best not to yell. We also don't use threats. I've heard several of the 1st grade teachers at my daughters school are "yellers." That really concerns me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if "too many" teachers are just annoyed and/or grumpy these days, what does that tell you about their working conditions? Maybe you can do something, like volunteer in the classroom and support the PTA, to make their jobs a bit easier.

I'm 18:22 and I do think the working conditions for teachers are getting worse by the year with class sizes getting bigger, more inclusion (and I'm pro-inclusion and one of my kids has SN) and even just one entitled parent (or student) can make the year more stressful. I do volunteer when work will allow it. I reeeeally wish there was a way to give the best teachers bigger raises. I do not believe all teachers need bigger raises (cost of living yes), but some really talented ones who go above and beyond need to rewarded with a much better salary. I do believe that will encourage more teachers to improve and more talented people to consider entering the field. Sure I'm all for rewarding advanced degrees, but we need to do something way beyond that for the stars, some of whom only have bachelors degrees because they are too busy going above and beyond to have time for an advanced degree.

How do you measure "best", or "above and beyond"? For example, if a teacher spends 2 hours a night at home planning and grading each night, should she/he get a larger raise over someone who spends less time? How would it be tracked? Should someone get paid more for going in a week early to prepare the classroom? Do you base it on who the kids and parents like more? Test scores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am already starting to worry about who my child's teacher will be this year. I know there is nothing I can do about it (yes I did fill out "the form" last spring but it is still a crapshoot.) I just want someone who will be kind to the children and is able to teach at a reasonable level. Too many teachers these days just seem annoyed/grumpy. Really don't want that.

Also, last year the students in my child's K class were just really nice and kind. No issues. Really praying for that again.

Am I the only weirdo who worries about these things?

OP, I feel for you. I have an SN DC, a very sweet, polite kid, who is entering K in a few weeks. I am already worried someone will make fun of him, call him names, laugh at the way he talks (he has a hearing problem).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We practice positive discipline in our house and do our very best not to yell. We also don't use threats. I've heard several of the 1st grade teachers at my daughters school are "yellers." That really concerns me.

Well they'll probably be yelling at your kids since they are no doubt little terrors. Parents of good kids don't worry about what the teacher does to bad ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We practice positive discipline in our house and do our very best not to yell. We also don't use threats. I've heard several of the 1st grade teachers at my daughters school are "yellers." That really concerns me.

Well they'll probably be yelling at your kids since they are no doubt little terrors. Parents of good kids don't worry about what the teacher does to bad ones.

Not true. I'm a teacher (and the parent of 2 "good kids") and I cringe when I hear kids being yelled at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We practice positive discipline in our house and do our very best not to yell. We also don't use threats. I've heard several of the 1st grade teachers at my daughters school are "yellers." That really concerns me.

Well they'll probably be yelling at your kids since they are no doubt little terrors. Parents of good kids don't worry about what the teacher does to bad ones.

Totally disagree. "Good kids" are affected by the teacher yelling, even if the teacher's only yelling at the kids who are causing problems. They can get really scared by it and worry about what the teacher might do next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We practice positive discipline in our house and do our very best not to yell. We also don't use threats. I've heard several of the 1st grade teachers at my daughters school are "yellers." That really concerns me.

Well they'll probably be yelling at your kids since they are no doubt little terrors. Parents of good kids don't worry about what the teacher does to bad ones.

Totally disagree. "Good kids" are affected by the teacher yelling, even if the teacher's only yelling at the kids who are causing problems. They can get really scared by it and worry about what the teacher might do next.

Yes it is very bad and I have a good kid who has been seriously affected by a yelling teacher who did. It intentionally because she was instructed by the principal. True story, and very sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We practice positive discipline in our house and do our very best not to yell. We also don't use threats. I've heard several of the 1st grade teachers at my daughters school are "yellers." That really concerns me.

Well they'll probably be yelling at your kids since they are no doubt little terrors. Parents of good kids don't worry about what the teacher does to bad ones.

Totally disagree. "Good kids" are affected by the teacher yelling, even if the teacher's only yelling at the kids who are causing problems. They can get really scared by it and worry about what the teacher might do next.

This is true. Our last preschool teacher became a yeller and my child ended up crying after school every day b/c she stressed her out. The yelling was only directed at 2 or 3 other kids, but it made her uncomfortable being in the room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We practice positive discipline in our house and do our very best not to yell. We also don't use threats. I've heard several of the 1st grade teachers at my daughters school are "yellers." That really concerns me.

Well they'll probably be yelling at your kids since they are no doubt little terrors. Parents of good kids don't worry about what the teacher does to bad ones.

This is not true. My dd got a "yeller" for kindergarten. My dd is not a bad kid, in fact she's a rule follower/people pleaser. Her teacher really terrified her and she hated school.

Op--I feel your pain since we had a bad experience. My fingers are crossed, too!

[Anonymous]

A friend's child was going around saying her teacher yelled all the time and it turned out the teacher was just using one of those microphones to help out a special needs child. Don't believe everything you hear from a kindergartener.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend's child was going around saying her teacher yelled all the time and it turned out the teacher was just using one of those microphones to help out a special needs child. Don't believe everything you hear from a kindergartener.

This made me LOL!

[Anonymous]

DD had a yeller in third grade. Other parents were complaining about it. I asked my DD if teacher yelled. She responded "yes" but "only at the kids who needed it".

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher. Kids always say "yelled" when they mean the teacher is saying anything they don't like such as :

Ok- Let's get back to work

"I'll wait... (when the class is talking....)

"I'm going to ask you to stop....... ( whatever)



They say "screaming" when they personally are being redirected in some way, as in " I've asked you three times to please sit down, now I'm afraid you are going to HAVE or we may be discussing a consequence. (Any words that have emphasis are "screaming.")



This is the truth after almost 30 years of teaching and being an administrator. I have actuallly raised my voice maybe a handful of times in this amount of time!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher. Kids always say "yelled" when they mean the teacher is saying anything they don't like such as :

Ok- Let's get back to work

"I'll wait... (when the class is talking....)

"I'm going to ask you to stop....... ( whatever)



They say "screaming" when they personally are being redirected in some way, as in " I've asked you three times to please sit down, now I'm afraid you are going to HAVE or we may be discussing a consequence. (Any words that have emphasis are "screaming.")



This is the truth after almost 30 years of teaching and being an administrator. I have actuallly raised my voice maybe a handful of times in this amount of time!

No, some kids know what yelling is and report faithfully.