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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't a teachers assistant a job that doesn't even require a college degree? OP are you a college student? If not you have no business critiquing anyone on this subject.

Rude. OP is trying to help folks see the reality of a school like this. And if you can’t see that then perhaps YOU have no business critiquing. Also I am an elementary teacher who fully agrees with OP. These schools are healthier environments than many of the students homes, but they are far from acceptable despite caring, effective faculty.

How about respecting parents’ choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your parents are well educated and connected, and supplement at home and pay attention to what the school is providing, the kids will probably be fine.

It's all the parents who send their kids to school and don't care who are the problem. And, yes, there are LMC and MC parents who don't pay that much attention or care, because they don't think school is important.

I respectfully disagree, as an elementary teacher. You are willfully exposing your child to near toxic levels of stress that NO child should experience. But children who have not had stable homes nor witnessed healthy relationships bring those traumas through the school door every day. Your child will hear language, see behaviors, and possibly receive physical aggression that is confusing and harmful. I would maybe be more okay with it in later high school when they have some ability to understand it. But no way in hell would I put my child into this environment before then. And let me be clear that it’s not okay for ANY child, not just those whose parents can afford better schools/neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your parents are well educated and connected, and supplement at home and pay attention to what the school is providing, the kids will probably be fine.

It's all the parents who send their kids to school and don't care who are the problem. And, yes, there are LMC and MC parents who don't pay that much attention or care, because they don't think school is important.

NP. Having taught in this sort of school (middle school, not elementary) I found that yes, there were the parents who lived in government housing, shopped with food stamps, etc., that didn't see the need for education. But in many other cases, those parents who were actually trying to get out of the cycle of poverty and held down jobs, they didn't have time to care, time to spend dealing with anything other than putting food on the table. It was such a hopeless situation on all fronts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't a teachers assistant a job that doesn't even require a college degree? OP are you a college student? If not you have no business critiquing anyone on this subject.

Rude. OP is trying to help folks see the reality of a school like this. And if you can’t see that then perhaps YOU have no business critiquing. Also I am an elementary teacher who fully agrees with OP. These schools are healthier environments than many of the students homes, but they are far from acceptable despite caring, effective faculty.

How about respecting parents’ choices.

DP. Are you saying you want your choice to send you child into a heinous school situation respected? If it is a choice, then no, I don't respect it. If you have no choice then I feel for you and your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't a teachers assistant a job that doesn't even require a college degree? OP are you a college student? If not you have no business critiquing anyone on this subject.

Rude. OP is trying to help folks see the reality of a school like this. And if you can’t see that then perhaps YOU have no business critiquing. Also I am an elementary teacher who fully agrees with OP. These schools are healthier environments than many of the students homes, but they are far from acceptable despite caring, effective faculty.

How about respecting parents’ choices.

DP. Are you saying you want your choice to send you child into a heinous school situation respected? If it is a choice, then no, I don't respect it. If you have no choice then I feel for you and your kids.

I didn’t say anything about myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't a teachers assistant a job that doesn't even require a college degree? OP are you a college student? If not you have no business critiquing anyone on this subject.

Rude. OP is trying to help folks see the reality of a school like this. And if you can’t see that then perhaps YOU have no business critiquing. Also I am an elementary teacher who fully agrees with OP. These schools are healthier environments than many of the students homes, but they are far from acceptable despite caring, effective faculty.

How about respecting parents’ choices.

DP. Are you saying you want your choice to send you child into a heinous school situation respected? If it is a choice, then no, I don't respect it. If you have no choice then I feel for you and your kids.

Some of us don’t respect putting a kid in wealthy suburban schools with exclusionary zoning, so there’s that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have recently started working as a TA at an 85% low income and ESL school. This is not in the DMV area but I think there are very similar schools in FCPS for example. I can never say this to parents in my district because I am bound by all the privacy stuff but I want to say it here: please please don’t send your child to a school like that, even for K.
I don’t know why the kids from middle class families are there. Many of them seem at least 3rd Gen American so it’s not like their parents have no clue about the school system. Heck, many first Gen parents have a good idea! But apparently not them?
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.
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).
But since they only have one teacher… most of the time most of the kids are left to their own devices. The teacher works with one group at a time, doing an awesome job juggling them. The rest are doing activities mostly on their chromebooks. If your child is highly driven, disciplined, is able to ask for help, and has a good attention span - this kid will be fine. But even in that case… there won’t be much fun or enthusiasm in learning. Most of the energy is spent keeping discipline, and helping those who clearly struggle.
Your child’s presence doesn’t seem to benefit anyone either. I mean, maybe it benefits another child like that who now has a friend who is “good, smart” kid. But it definitely doesn’t have any influence on the overall class dynamic, I mean, yeah, it’s better than the class being 100% disruptive but maybe in the latter case help would arrive a little faster?
At the same time, it’s hurting the kids who are capable of learning and being excited to learn, but who instead spend their days almost forgotten (unless they get in trouble) and on their chromebooks.
Anyway, sorry if I am being too direct, but I really wanted to help the kids who can do so much better than this.

I'm a teacher in a low income school with many kids who have many extreme needs. While a part of me understands where you are coming from, a part of me feels angry about this post. What are you doing to help? Are you offering to tutor before or after school? Do you help kids during your lunch break? Have you been to meetings to advocate for more support in the classrooms? Gone to board meetings to do so?
Because these are all things I do as a teacher. This is what good staff members do. I feel like you just insulted the students I love very, very much. From the good, quiet ones to the severely disturbed ones. These are little human people you are talking about. Here's my advice for you: Don't be an aide in a school with those types of needs if you aren't willing to sacrifice your time and effort and money to help. Don't be an aide in this type of school if you think it's all so hopeless. I haven't given up on my students. I would not want an aide who has working with them.

Ummmmm why should OP give up their lunch break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is we need better teachers and school staff. We go where there is affordable housing that is not a stretch...

Op here. The teachers I work for all seem to be juggling so many things and doing a great job at it. They are pretty rigid in terms of discipline but I know where they are coming from. I would say each class needs a couple permanent instructional assistants for these kids to have a semblance of normal educational experience that kids in “normal” schools have

The educational system needs to adjust to the reality that if you want kids in high poverty/high mobility/high EL schools to succeed you need at least one adult for every 8 kids and you need to lower that ratio if you have a class that is exceptionally high need. In my city the highest income public school has 40% non-low-income students and that school is an outlier because in most of our schools over 80% of students come from families with low income. Every single public school and public charter in the city has a majority of low-income students.

I know grads of every single school who have been successful in college and careers. Kids can succeed academically in the right environment, but the powers that be won't invest in the things that actually make kids successful, instead we have the endless search for the easy fix and that's never going to happen.

The high poverty schools can’t work. For most kids, their academic trajectory is set by 2nd grade. What a mess.

These kids are screwed early on, they just don't know it.

*My siblings and I, I meant.

Lol, try again. You’re exhibit A I guess.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure I agree with this thread. I do not live in an expensive area. In fact, I read that over 70% of the kids that go to my daughter's school are living below poverty level. That doesn't matter to me. I think she is getting a great education. She is happy.

I think picking the teacher is more important than picking the school (to me). My daughter is in 2nd grade. She started at her school this year. After deciding that we liked this school, I also asked other parents and did my own research on the teachers at the school. I had it narrowed down to 2 teachers I liked. I had a chance to do a walk-through of the school and meet the teachers (in the spring before she started school). After watching her in her classroom, I knew which teacher was right for my child. She was also the same teacher that was recommended to me by other parents. She has turned out to be a fantastic teacher, and I couldn't imagine my daughter getting a better education anywhere. Between her teacher (who I spent a lot of time picking) and our work with her at night, she has done amazingly well in school. If you do your research into the teachers and then follow up with parent involvement you have a great chance of your child getting a quality education. It is amazing what you can find online. I was able to see teacher reading lists, lesson plans, etc all from the school web site. I am getting ready to start my research for her 3rd grade teacher. That way I can get my request in as early as possible for a greater chance of getting our preferred teacher next year. I am hoping I am as happy with my choice next year as I am this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your parents are well educated and connected, and supplement at home and pay attention to what the school is providing, the kids will probably be fine.

It's all the parents who send their kids to school and don't care who are the problem. And, yes, there are LMC and MC parents who don't pay that much attention or care, because they don't think school is important.

I respectfully disagree, as an elementary teacher. You are willfully exposing your child to near toxic levels of stress that NO child should experience. But children who have not had stable homes nor witnessed healthy relationships bring those traumas through the school door every day. Your child will hear language, see behaviors, and possibly receive physical aggression that is confusing and harmful. I would maybe be more okay with it in later high school when they have some ability to understand it. But no way in hell would I put my child into this environment before then. And let me be clear that it’s not okay for ANY child, not just those whose parents can afford better schools/neighborhoods.

Wealthy families have trauma, neglect, drug abuse and sex abuse too... its just more hidden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure I agree with this thread. I do not live in an expensive area. In fact, I read that over 70% of the kids that go to my daughter's school are living below poverty level. That doesn't matter to me. I think she is getting a great education. She is happy.

I think picking the teacher is more important than picking the school (to me). My daughter is in 2nd grade. She started at her school this year. After deciding that we liked this school, I also asked other parents and did my own research on the teachers at the school. I had it narrowed down to 2 teachers I liked. I had a chance to do a walk-through of the school and meet the teachers (in the spring before she started school). After watching her in her classroom, I knew which teacher was right for my child. She was also the same teacher that was recommended to me by other parents. She has turned out to be a fantastic teacher, and I couldn't imagine my daughter getting a better education anywhere. Between her teacher (who I spent a lot of time picking) and our work with her at night, she has done amazingly well in school. If you do your research into the teachers and then follow up with parent involvement you have a great chance of your child getting a quality education. It is amazing what you can find online. I was able to see teacher reading lists, lesson plans, etc all from the school web site. I am getting ready to start my research for her 3rd grade teacher. That way I can get my request in as early as possible for a greater chance of getting our preferred teacher next year. I am hoping I am as happy with my choice next year as I am this year.

That’s great for your daughter and sounds like your school system allows you to do that. As a parent with two in public and one private, our Fairfax County Public School does not allow you to choose the teacher your child gets. They will read a note and will discuss any concerns but you are not guaranteed. We were are in a good neighborhood school with many, many involved parents where this came up each year. For us it was you get who you get. Simply posting so others know choice may not be an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is we need better teachers and school staff. We go where there is affordable housing that is not a stretch...

Op here. The teachers I work for all seem to be juggling so many things and doing a great job at it. They are pretty rigid in terms of discipline but I know where they are coming from. I would say each class needs a couple permanent instructional assistants for these kids to have a semblance of normal educational experience that kids in “normal” schools have

The educational system needs to adjust to the reality that if you want kids in high poverty/high mobility/high EL schools to succeed you need at least one adult for every 8 kids and you need to lower that ratio if you have a class that is exceptionally high need. In my city the highest income public school has 40% non-low-income students and that school is an outlier because in most of our schools over 80% of students come from families with low income. Every single public school and public charter in the city has a majority of low-income students.

I know grads of every single school who have been successful in college and careers. Kids can succeed academically in the right environment, but the powers that be won't invest in the things that actually make kids successful, instead we have the endless search for the easy fix and that's never going to happen.

The high poverty schools can’t work. For most kids, their academic trajectory is set by 2nd grade. What a mess.

These kids are screwed early on, they just don't know it.

*My siblings and I, I meant.

Lol, try again. You’re exhibit A I guess.

[Anonymous]

How old are you OP?

[Anonymous]

OP, people have explained it to you over and over the many valid reasons why a parent with means would send there child to such a school, but you’re either not taking that for an answer or just want to pick a fight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have recently started working as a TA at an 85% low income and ESL school. This is not in the DMV area but I think there are very similar schools in FCPS for example. I can never say this to parents in my district because I am bound by all the privacy stuff but I want to say it here: please please don’t send your child to a school like that, even for K.
I don’t know why the kids from middle class families are there. Many of them seem at least 3rd Gen American so it’s not like their parents have no clue about the school system. Heck, many first Gen parents have a good idea! But apparently not them?
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.
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).
But since they only have one teacher… most of the time most of the kids are left to their own devices. The teacher works with one group at a time, doing an awesome job juggling them. The rest are doing activities mostly on their chromebooks. If your child is highly driven, disciplined, is able to ask for help, and has a good attention span - this kid will be fine. But even in that case… there won’t be much fun or enthusiasm in learning. Most of the energy is spent keeping discipline, and helping those who clearly struggle.
Your child’s presence doesn’t seem to benefit anyone either. I mean, maybe it benefits another child like that who now has a friend who is “good, smart” kid. But it definitely doesn’t have any influence on the overall class dynamic, I mean, yeah, it’s better than the class being 100% disruptive but maybe in the latter case help would arrive a little faster?
At the same time, it’s hurting the kids who are capable of learning and being excited to learn, but who instead spend their days almost forgotten (unless they get in trouble) and on their chromebooks.
Anyway, sorry if I am being too direct, but I really wanted to help the kids who can do so much better than this.

I'm a teacher in a low income school with many kids who have many extreme needs. While a part of me understands where you are coming from, a part of me feels angry about this post. What are you doing to help? Are you offering to tutor before or after school? Do you help kids during your lunch break? Have you been to meetings to advocate for more support in the classrooms? Gone to board meetings to do so?
Because these are all things I do as a teacher. This is what good staff members do. I feel like you just insulted the students I love very, very much. From the good, quiet ones to the severely disturbed ones. These are little human people you are talking about. Here's my advice for you: Don't be an aide in a school with those types of needs if you aren't willing to sacrifice your time and effort and money to help. Don't be an aide in this type of school if you think it's all so hopeless. I haven't given up on my students. I would not want an aide who has working with them.

Ummmmm why should OP give up their lunch break?

Oh FFS.