Anonymous wrote:If she was shocked by the conditions in a suburban school, what if she gets a job in an urban school? I work in one and it's often like working in a third world country. Last week, we didn't have any drinking water for most of the day due to late water deliveries. This happens fairly frequently. We have rats, mice and mold in our school. Not enough supplies. She sounds way too immature to be doing this anyway. Does she come from a wealthy family? I wanted to quit student teaching but I didn't have the money to pay back my student loan. I just kept reminding myself that it is temporary and it will be over soon.
Anonymous wrote:There is no creativity in public school. Has she spent any time in schools prior to this? Most education departments have students observing starting in their sophomore year. That gives them time to see what it is really like.
Anonymous wrote:Personally, I'd bring that kid home and have her get a full time job and work for awhile until she decides what she wants to do.
What year is she?
Anonymous wrote:OP here:
I agree that this shows immaturity.
She disliked her placement from the start due to multiple reasons:
1) location: Friend’s DD moved back home last summer because her fiancé graduated and started his first post. It seemed a good way to save money for the wedding, but she was placed in a school an hour from home by car. She immediately had to buy a used car.
2) grade level: Her fall placement is a middle. she is not interested in teaching middle school. She only wants to teach HS. She hoped to do her fall placement in HS so she could start networking for spring interviews.
3) culture shock: the MS is a suburban school facing some typical urban PS challenges. She was appalled by the physical plant and some kid behavior (mainly cursing and fighting).
As for burning bridges, I think she came in with a set of things she liked to do as a HS English student and quickly learned they were ill-suited to this particular MS. But she thought she could bring the kids around to trying them anyway. Her CT reviewed the unit plan, didn’t like it because of those activities, and told her revise it over the weekend. She feels stymied creatively and quit that same day. By email. I haven’t seen it, but her mom said it was a bridge-burner in terms of word choice and tone.
My friend is disappointed and anxious. They’ve had a couple arguments already this weekend. I’m short on advice because I just don’t know anyone who quit and still hoped to become a teacher. I’m guessing if push comes to shove, she can just finish as a non-certified education major and do curriculum or something similar.
Likely friend’s DD will hear from her program on Monday.
Anonymous wrote:My friend’s DD just quit her fall classroom student teaching placement. Badly burned bridge on her way out. She says the school is a bad fit and is requesting a rematch with another school. If not, she will have to repeat the current semester next fall when her sister will be a freshman. The family is unprepared for the financial load of two in college at the same time. The young lady also has a late June wedding planned. Her fiancé is military and her career plans hinge on where he is sent. My friend asked me, as a teacher, about options but I can’t think of anyone who quit their placement but stayed in the major. However, I’m a career-changer so we were all adults with prior work experience and a sense that all workplaces can be exhausting or have unpleasant coworkers, clients, etc. Maybe rematching is an established practice in undergrad Ed programs. Anyone BTDT?