New TA here: please don’t send your kids to high poverty schools if you can avoid it

[Anonymous]

OP, I totally agree with you, but it’s too late in my case. We were young and idealistic and fell for the lines that “every school in this county is much better than most schools in the US”, and “your kids will do fine no matter where they go to school because you are involved parents”, etc.

It was a very rough road with multiple regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I totally agree with you, but it’s too late in my case. We were young and idealistic and fell for the lines that “every school in this county is much better than most schools in the US”, and “your kids will do fine no matter where they go to school because you are involved parents”, etc.

It was a very rough road with multiple regrets.

Hi OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I totally agree with you, but it’s too late in my case. We were young and idealistic and fell for the lines that “every school in this county is much better than most schools in the US”, and “your kids will do fine no matter where they go to school because you are involved parents”, etc.

It was a very rough road with multiple regrets.

Did you start them in the bad school in K? Or do private then switch at some point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's called "diversity" which sounds better than high poverty schools. Somehow it's supposed to be a good thing.

You are a racist bigot! hiding behind an anonymity board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's called "diversity" which sounds better than high poverty schools. Somehow it's supposed to be a good thing.

You are a racist bigot! hiding behind an anonymity board.

Pot calling kettle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's called "diversity" which sounds better than high poverty schools. Somehow it's supposed to be a good thing.

What? No. Plenty of schools are high poverty and not "diverse"

White people aren't immune from being poor.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To add, mixing kids is not a solution, it will just make schools equally bad. The answer is of course early intervention plus poverty reduction but it’s a long shot I know. It seems like more and more poor families just… appear from thin air? Not sure.

Um no, the data is clear that poor kids do way better in integrated schools.

What about kids who aren’t really poor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To add, mixing kids is not a solution, it will just make schools equally bad. The answer is of course early intervention plus poverty reduction but it’s a long shot I know. It seems like more and more poor families just… appear from thin air? Not sure.

Um no, the data is clear that poor kids do way better in integrated schools.

What about kids who aren’t really poor?

Only serves to hurt them. Can backfire and which will in turn bring education down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, maybe you should make more of an effort as a teacher to meet these kids needs and get them on grade level.

+1 as a TA at that school your job is to work hard and try to change the problems that you identify, not give up and say they can’t be helped. If that’s your perspective, then that school is not the setting for you. There’s no shame in admitting a job is not right for you.

She isn't going to change most of these problems. She won't change poverty and everything that goes with it. But there are things teachers can do to deal with the issues students bring to school. The book, The Poverty Problem, is great for understanding poverty and gives suggestions that can help in the classroom.

Thanks, I am familiar with that book and I often read it with the new teachers I mentor! I was unclear in my response--I don't think any of working in high-poverty schools can "fix" poverty or the way our school systems and zoning systems contribute to perpetuating it. But if one doesn't believe that they can make a difference in the lives of the children with whom they work, then they need to find a different setting in which to work.

I honestly don’t know, I have recently started and it’s part time work and it doesn’t feel rewarding so far. You may be right that I need another job.
-OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WOW. I have just as much a right to live where I live (30% FARMS school) as does everyone else.

Just don’t send your kids to 85% farms

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I sort of hate that you work with children. Your post comes off so condescending.

No it’s not. I try to help them but I wanted to warn others that being in class with these kids will not help them but might hurt your child. They really don’t care if there are 2-5 students who can actually do the work out of 25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I totally agree with you, but it’s too late in my case. We were young and idealistic and fell for the lines that “every school in this county is much better than most schools in the US”, and “your kids will do fine no matter where they go to school because you are involved parents”, etc.

It was a very rough road with multiple regrets.

Hi OP!

It wasn’t me. I was able to get my kid out in 3rd grade.
-OP

[Anonymous]

This thread is the most racist thing I’ve ever seen on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

“Each class has a group of very disruptive kids who ideally need their own aide, either as a group or even individually. They don’t seem to be getting much education simply because they are so distracted they can’t possibly learn much.”

Many parents worry about “those kids.” However, we have children with behavioral issues in every school. The children I have taught who have had behaviors rising to conduct disorder were full-pay tuition kids at an independent Catholic school. The kids I have known who couldn’t keep their hands to themselves were also at a $$ private school.

“The rest of the kids are very very different from each other in terms of their levels. Ideally each class should have at least 3 level groups (not counting the separate one for distractable kids).”

As someone who has read the ERB results for private school classrooms, I can guarantee you every classroom has a broad range of abilities. It’s more common than not to have some kids testing in the single-digit percentiles and some kids up above 90th percentile, even in schools with admissions testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is the most racist thing I’ve ever seen on DCUM.

I thought you said another thread was the most racist?