What I'd REALLY like to say to some of my students...

[Anonymous]

Around this time of year, I start fantasizing about what I would say to some of my more insufferable students if I could. I teach AAP kids in one of the middle schools in FCPS that sends quite a few kids to TJ. Here is just a sampling:

To the students who say that it doesn't matter if they do their homework/do poorly on tests because Einstein didn't do great in school either-you are not Einstein. You are lazy, entitled, and have no work ethic, and should never have been placed in the AAP program.

To the students who think they're smarter than me and would like to tell me that some indisputable facts that I am teaching are wrong-you are not smarter than me. I realize that in your infinite wisdom as a 13 year old smart ass, you think you are, but trust me, I went to one of the top 10 universities in the country, and I am currently enrolled in doctoral program to get my Ph.D. in science curriculum and instruction. You do not know more than I do, especially about the subject that I am teaching. So sthu.

To the student who constantly comes to class unprepared and expects me/their fellow classmates to bail them out time and again, with a smirk on their face-wtf is so hard about keeping track of a pen/pencil/notebook (I am not talking about any students who are challenged in this area, BTW). Are you not in the AAP program? Can you not figure out how to carry basic supplies from one classroom to another?

To the student who tells his parents that the reason he does poorly in my class is because I am not challenging him enough-really? Is that why, when I have you come in for extra help after school and during lunch, you cannot manage simple math? Is that also why 99.9% of my students excel-because I don't challenge them?

But of course, I never say these things-I smile, hand an extra pencil or pen, thank them politely for their viewpoint, and happily assign more challenging work. I love teaching...but boy, am I glad summer is coming

Flame away!

[Anonymous]

Coward.
Tell these students and families yourself.

[Anonymous]

No flames here. I get why you have to say this anonymously. No one wants to lose their job, and you would for such forthright honest criticism. FWIW, I totally believe that you have honest-to-god examples of each of those behaviors in your class, and my hat is off to you for soldiering through and wanting to go back and do it all over again in September.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP. You don't have to use the exact same words you just used here but I'm sure there is a polite way to tell a student to do his/her homework and bring a notebook to class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Around this time of year, I start fantasizing about what I would say to some of my more insufferable students if I could. I teach AAP kids in one of the middle schools in FCPS that sends quite a few kids to TJ. Here is just a sampling:

To the students who say that it doesn't matter if they do their homework/do poorly on tests because Einstein didn't do great in school either-you are not Einstein. You are lazy, entitled, and have no work ethic, and should never have been placed in the AAP program.

To the students who think they're smarter than me and would like to tell me that some indisputable facts that I am teaching are wrong-you are not smarter than me. I realize that in your infinite wisdom as a 13 year old smart ass, you think you are, but trust me, I went to one of the top 10 universities in the country, and I am currently enrolled in doctoral program to get my Ph.D. in science curriculum and instruction. You do not know more than I do, especially about the subject that I am teaching. So sthu.

To the student who constantly comes to class unprepared and expects me/their fellow classmates to bail them out time and again, with a smirk on their face-wtf is so hard about keeping track of a pen/pencil/notebook (I am not talking about any students who are challenged in this area, BTW). Are you not in the AAP program? Can you not figure out how to carry basic supplies from one classroom to another?

To the student who tells his parents that the reason he does poorly in my class is because I am not challenging him enough-really? Is that why, when I have you come in for extra help after school and during lunch, you cannot manage simple math? Is that also why 99.9% of my students excel-because I don't challenge them?

But of course, I never say these things-I smile, hand an extra pencil or pen, thank them politely for their viewpoint, and happily assign more challenging work. I love teaching...but boy, am I glad summer is coming

Flame away!

I like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coward.
Tell these students and families yourself.

oh sure, that would go over like a ton of bricks. have you read what some of these parents think about their little angels? as a teacher myself, i can tell you, approaching some parents with some of these criticisms, even if worded nicely, will net you nothing but an e-mail complaining to the principal.

[Anonymous]

I'm not going to flame. When I was in school it was my responsibility to have pencil, pen, paper, etc., and my responsibility to do my homework, behave in class (if I didn't, my parents had consequences). I wouldn't give them supplies. If they can't even do this then why waste school space for them. Let them quit and flip burgers. Of course, I wasn't at a public school so I knew that I had better behave. I, for one, think public education is getting worse because teachers no longer run the classroom, students and parents appear to be in charge.

Dear teacher, I'm with you and I wish someone in public education would grow some balls and either flunk students who don't try, disrupt classes, and tell parents to shove it when they constantly interfere with teachers and school curiculum.

I'm surprised that you still want to teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Around this time of year, I start fantasizing about what I would say to some of my more insufferable students if I could. I teach AAP kids in one of the middle schools in FCPS that sends quite a few kids to TJ. Here is just a sampling:

To the students who say that it doesn't matter if they do their homework/do poorly on tests because Einstein didn't do great in school either-you are not Einstein. You are lazy, entitled, and have no work ethic, and should never have been placed in the AAP program.

To the students who think they're smarter than me and would like to tell me that some indisputable facts that I am teaching are wrong-you are not smarter than me. I realize that in your infinite wisdom as a 13 year old smart ass, you think you are, but trust me, I went to one of the top 10 universities in the country, and I am currently enrolled in doctoral program to get my Ph.D. in science curriculum and instruction. You do not know more than I do, especially about the subject that I am teaching. So sthu.

To the student who constantly comes to class unprepared and expects me/their fellow classmates to bail them out time and again, with a smirk on their face-wtf is so hard about keeping track of a pen/pencil/notebook (I am not talking about any students who are challenged in this area, BTW). Are you not in the AAP program? Can you not figure out how to carry basic supplies from one classroom to another?

To the student who tells his parents that the reason he does poorly in my class is because I am not challenging him enough-really? Is that why, when I have you come in for extra help after school and during lunch, you cannot manage simple math? Is that also why 99.9% of my students excel-because I don't challenge them?

But of course, I never say these things-I smile, hand an extra pencil or pen, thank them politely for their viewpoint, and happily assign more challenging work. I love teaching...but boy, am I glad summer is coming

Flame away!

That totally cracked me up. You honestly feel the need to argue that you're smarter than a 13 year old by pointing out your "credentials?" That's hilarious!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Around this time of year, I start fantasizing about what I would say to some of my more insufferable students if I could. I teach AAP kids in one of the middle schools in FCPS that sends quite a few kids to TJ. Here is just a sampling:

To the students who say that it doesn't matter if they do their homework/do poorly on tests because Einstein didn't do great in school either-you are not Einstein. You are lazy, entitled, and have no work ethic, and should never have been placed in the AAP program.

To the students who think they're smarter than me and would like to tell me that some indisputable facts that I am teaching are wrong-you are not smarter than me. I realize that in your infinite wisdom as a 13 year old smart ass, you think you are, but trust me, I went to one of the top 10 universities in the country, and I am currently enrolled in doctoral program to get my Ph.D. in science curriculum and instruction. You do not know more than I do, especially about the subject that I am teaching. So sthu.

To the student who constantly comes to class unprepared and expects me/their fellow classmates to bail them out time and again, with a smirk on their face-wtf is so hard about keeping track of a pen/pencil/notebook (I am not talking about any students who are challenged in this area, BTW). Are you not in the AAP program? Can you not figure out how to carry basic supplies from one classroom to another?

To the student who tells his parents that the reason he does poorly in my class is because I am not challenging him enough-really? Is that why, when I have you come in for extra help after school and during lunch, you cannot manage simple math? Is that also why 99.9% of my students excel-because I don't challenge them?

But of course, I never say these things-I smile, hand an extra pencil or pen, thank them politely for their viewpoint, and happily assign more challenging work. I love teaching...but boy, am I glad summer is coming

Flame away!

That totally cracked me up. You honestly feel the need to argue that you're smarter than a 13 year old by pointing out your "credentials?" That's hilarious!

actually, when said 13 yo is attempting to look down on you because "you're just a teacher" and implies daily that HE will be doing something more worthwhile with his life, and attempts to contradict me when i am teaching because he thinks he knows the content better than me-yes. sometimes it is the only way to get these kids to understand that teachers are actually smart and do this because it is a calling (ok, not all, but the good ones), not because they couldn't do anything else and this was a consolation prize.

to the pps who told me to tell the parents-well, i certainly have, in a much more respectful way, of course. and i get mixed results. some don't want to hear it, and some do. same with the kids. this post was more a way for me to vent in language that i would never use with students or their parents...but would like to

[Anonymous]

Many of the kids behaving this way get this attitude from their parents. I have a kid in AAP so I'm not saying this out of spite. On some of the GT forums, you hear over and over some parents going on and on about how some of these teachers really are not qualified enough to teach their extraordinary children, how these kids are going to be leaders of the free world, how they will create all the jobs of the future (which I doubt is true--not many plumbers or electricians must have attended GT and small business owners create more jobs than anyone else) and so on and so forth.

I even went to a 2e presentation too in which this mom started complaining that the teacher didn't understand her child and that she had encouraged her child to go advocate for herself, and the child's notion of advocacy was to tell the teacher she was tired of all the pointless busywork that was assigned in class.. the mom seemed shocked that the teacher didn't exactly roll over and ask for forgiveness

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP. It is an attitude borrowed from their parents. On a thread about SOL scores on one of the school boards, a parent actually told her daughter that the test was more for her teacher than her (really? is that why all the teachers take it, and none of the students? oh wait...), and then told her daughter NOT to do a review packet for the SOL, because "she either knew it or not". WTH? She probably thought it was busywork, and stressed her daughter out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coward.
Tell these students and families yourself.

oh sure, that would go over like a ton of bricks. have you read what some of these parents think about their little angels? as a teacher myself, i can tell you, approaching some parents with some of these criticisms, even if worded nicely, will net you nothing but an e-mail complaining to the principal.

Ah, but sometimes the truth hurts.
It cannot be healthy to keep all of this bottled up (other than telling here...but doubt that really makes one feel better).

[Anonymous]

To the OP: I respect your frustration and completely understand how you feel. That said, as a parent, here are some things I'd like to tell some of my kids' teachers: get over your insecurity about being a teacher. Once you respect your profession and feel confident in your credentials, experience, etc. then maybe you won't be so sensitive about the snotty teen attitudes you encounter (which as a professional teacher, you know are simply developmentally appropriate expressions narcissism used to overcompensate for the crushing self-consciousness felt by most teens).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Around this time of year, I start fantasizing about what I would say to some of my more insufferable students if I could. I teach AAP kids in one of the middle schools in FCPS that sends quite a few kids to TJ. Here is just a sampling:

To the students who say that it doesn't matter if they do their homework/do poorly on tests because Einstein didn't do great in school either-you are not Einstein. You are lazy, entitled, and have no work ethic, and should never have been placed in the AAP program.

To the students who think they're smarter than me and would like to tell me that some indisputable facts that I am teaching are wrong-you are not smarter than me. I realize that in your infinite wisdom as a 13 year old smart ass, you think you are, but trust me, I went to one of the top 10 universities in the country, and I am currently enrolled in doctoral program to get my Ph.D. in science curriculum and instruction. You do not know more than I do, especially about the subject that I am teaching. So sthu.

To the student who constantly comes to class unprepared and expects me/their fellow classmates to bail them out time and again, with a smirk on their face-wtf is so hard about keeping track of a pen/pencil/notebook (I am not talking about any students who are challenged in this area, BTW). Are you not in the AAP program? Can you not figure out how to carry basic supplies from one classroom to another?

To the student who tells his parents that the reason he does poorly in my class is because I am not challenging him enough-really? Is that why, when I have you come in for extra help after school and during lunch, you cannot manage simple math? Is that also why 99.9% of my students excel-because I don't challenge them?

But of course, I never say these things-I smile, hand an extra pencil or pen, thank them politely for their viewpoint, and happily assign more challenging work. I love teaching...but boy, am I glad summer is coming

Flame away!

That totally cracked me up. You honestly feel the need to argue that you're smarter than a 13 year old by pointing out your "credentials?" That's hilarious!

actually, when said 13 yo is attempting to look down on you because "you're just a teacher" and implies daily that HE will be doing something more worthwhile with his life, and attempts to contradict me when i am teaching because he thinks he knows the content better than me-yes. sometimes it is the only way to get these kids to understand that teachers are actually smart and do this because it is a calling (ok, not all, but the good ones), not because they couldn't do anything else and this was a consolation prize.

to the pps who told me to tell the parents-well, i certainly have, in a much more respectful way, of course. and i get mixed results. some don't want to hear it, and some do. same with the kids. this post was more a way for me to vent in language that i would never use with students or their parents...but would like to

This is still you arguing with a thirteen year old. Right? You're the adult here. Perhaps a new profession is in order if this gets to you so badly.

[Anonymous]

You sound like an ass and I'm glad I don't live in your school district.

My son's best middle school teachers recognize that these kids are making the transition from elementary school student to high school student, and will have bumps along the way. They recognize middle school as the "training ground" that it is and support them during a rough period of human development. I am so grateful for them as fellow humans interested in helping our kids through early adolescence.

Thank goodness none of them are like you.