.Pa. teacher strikes nerve with 'lazy whiners' blog

[KenyiGirl]

Pa. teacher strikes nerve with 'lazy whiners' blog - Yahoo! News

Honestly, I don't think she did anything wrong and will be a little suprised if she gets fired. She was venting, people do that. She did not identify her students or school in the blog, "It's so general that it applies to the problems in school districts and schools across the country."

I really disagree with what her former student said, especially this part: "As far as motivated high school students, she's completely correct. High school kids don't want to do anything. ... It's a teacher's job, however, to give students the motivation to learn."

I don't think it is a teacher's job to motivate kids to learn. If it's anyone's job to try to get a student motivated to learn, it's the parents' job. The teacher's job is to provide the kids with the resources and information they need to learn.

 

[Renee750il]

By the time you're in high school you'd better have developed some self-motivation. If teachers and parents are still having to provide your motivation . . . . well, you don't need to be too motivated to mutter "can I supersize that for you today?"

 

[Zoom]

Since she did not identify any one person specifically, I don't think she should be fired. Is this any different than a group of teachers letting it all out in the teacher's lounge or at a Happy Hour, just because there is a record of it? No. We're taking away coping mechanisms. For those who say "Well, maybe they shouldn't be a teacher then" think about every single other profession out there and how many times you hear people bitch and complain about their boss, about their job in particular, about their difficult clients or lazy coworkers who end up making more work for everyone else. Should those people not be doing what they are doing because they are venting about a bad day or a bad situation?

Munroe is right. Many, many kids today just don't give a sh*t and unless the parents are on board with the teacher in helping motivate the kids, it's not going to change. "Back in the day" when there were just a few problem kids, lackadaisical or otherwise, it was easier to work with them, because you didn't have to supervise the entire class every single minute, because there was a great modicum of respect accorded to the teachers. That made it easier for those problem kids to get the extra attention/help that turned a lot of them around and made for so many "If it wasn't for Teacher X, I would never have gone to college." We're expecting so much out of our teachers, including superhuman abilities to not react to stressful situations, it seems. Schools are denying resources, cutting budgets, increasing class sizes while taking away aides or planning time...it's all adding up to a be a whirlpool of trouble.

My mom has been a teacher for nearly 40 years now and much of what Munroe has said are things I've heard from my mother. Munroe isn't out there on the fringe, she's just saying what a vast number of other teachers wish they could say. Heck, when I was in college, I tutored a 4th grade class at a lower-income school. It didn't matter how good the teachers were in the class room and how much help they gave or how much they overall loved their job, in the lounge away from students, they would discuss odds on how long it would take for Sally to turn into a teenage mom, or when Johnny would commit his first felony.

Teachers can only do so much if the PARENTS aren't doing their job first.

 

[BostonBanker]

My mom has been a teacher for nearly 40 years now and much of what Munroe has said are things I've heard from my mother. Munroe isn't out there on the fringe, she's just saying what a vast number of other teachers wish they could say.

My mother has been teaching her whole adult life, and is retiring after this year. She says she is so happy she is getting out now, because it just gets worse every year. The parents, the kids, the state and national testing, the integration of special needs kids, etc.

 

[Fran101]

I don't think she should be fired, she didn't mention anyone by name.

Why aren't kids taught to respect their teachers?! I just don't get it AT ALL.

Disrespecting a professor was a one way ticket to expulsion at my school. and I think thats the way it should be. I know it was a private school and its different, but still...

a few of my teachers came from our cities public school to private and they always told us what a staggering change it was. and I think thats really sad, you are here for FREE and you are here to learn..
these people are here to teach you and help you. WTF are you running your mouth for?

and I agree with renee, its not a teachers job to motivate
as my chem teacher always said
"You are on the right track, but you'll get run over if you just sit there"
its not their JOB to get us to be motivated, its our job to just put us on the road and give us the tools/education we need.

Freedom of speech. I am sure students have said much WORSE about teachers than the other way around.

 

[Nechochwen]

I think a huge problem is a lack of in-classroom discipline. The teachers are completely powerless if students want to act up, and the everyone knows it. The few punishments there are, are a joke.

We can't simply get rid of the problem students who don't want to learn and bring the whole class down. It's a crock of ****. Some people just need to be let fail before they'll ever learn anything, and the current system doesn't let someone fail.

 

[TehNando]

I think a huge problem is a lack of in-classroom discipline. The teachers are completely powerless if students want to act up, and the everyone knows it. The few punishments there are, are a joke.

We can't simply get rid of the problem students who don't want to learn and bring the whole class down. It's a crock of ****. Some people just need to be let fail before they'll ever learn anything, and the current system doesn't let someone fail.

^ This!




IB4 she gets sued for hurting someones feelings.

 

[Dani]

Nah, she shouldn't be fired. Although she should consider whether she wants to continue teaching. It's clear she's frustrated, and if she brings that energy to the classroom it's not productive for anybody.

 

[GipsyQueen]

No, I don't think she should be fired. For the most part - she's right.
For some reasons kids get worse each yeah. If I see the way 4th and 5th graders walk around and what the talk about all I would just like to fall over backwards. When I was in 4th or 5th grade we still played with dolls... and they are talking about sex and stuff. It just makes me :yikes: .
Not to mention they have NO RESPECT. I don't know what it is, maybe their parents have no time to teach them respect anymore or who knows what. Its just wrong.

Also: It's not a teachers job to teach children respect. Children should have respect by the time they enter school and even before. That's the PARENTS job. Teachers are not there to raise your children, they are there to educate them. That is not a teachers job.

 

[Danefied]

I've been a teacher for 17 years.
Do I think she did anything wrong? Nope. Foolish, irresponsible, not well thought out? Maybe? Sometimes, just because we think certain things, doesn't mean we have to say them out loud. As a teacher she should be smart enough to know that NOTHING online is anonymous. NOTHING. In this age of facebook, twitter etc., teachers need to be a little more savvy about what they decide to spout off about. ie: If you're friends with high school students on FB, best not to post about a wild and crazy weekend bender on your wall YKWIM?

As for what she said, I haven't read the blog post so I'll reserve judgement as many comments I'm sure are out of context. I do agree with her that sooo many kids have an over-developed sense of entitlement, and yes, that does bug the snot out of me. But in all honesty, its not the kids' fault, its the parents I blame for a child with a bad attitude.

Do I hate any of my students? Not at all, never have either. I may be tough as nails with them, and when I don't accept that late homework assignment, they may think its because I hate them, but its actually because I care enough about them to try and teach a life lesson about responsibility and diligence with a lousy homework assignment. Trust me, its a LOT easier to just take the assignment than to have to make sure you have all those t's crossed and i's dotted for when the kid doesn't get the grade they think they deserve. No one asks you to justify A's. Its the C's, D's and F's that you have to have a mountain of paperwork to back up.

Teenagers are designed by nature to be annoying. Its not personal, its just the way they're built. They do, for the most part, grow out of it though. And if you look for it, you'll often find glimpses of the wonderful adult that child can grow to become. See, attitude works both ways, and IME, bad attitudes often feed off each other. Not always, but often.
In this way, teaching is no different than dog training. If you're frustrated and irritated with the dog, the dog will know and learning will be affected. If you stay positive, look for behaviors to praise, teach what you want and reward it, instead of constantly correcting what you don't, you make a lot more progress. JMO.

Oh, and yes, I too shook my head over the comment that its the teacher's JOB to motivate students. I'm torn on that one. Its my job to EDUCATE kids, and yes, that does include figuring out different ways to motivate different kids. Some horses go right up to the trough on their own and drink. Some need to be led, some you have to sit and wait with them 'till they get thirsty, and some you gotta feed a big bag of salty peanuts But in education, there are no IV fluids. At some point, the student has to figure out how to do their part too.

 

[KenyiGirl]

Teachers can only do so much if the PARENTS aren't doing their job first.

Amen!

Why aren't kids taught to respect their teachers?! I just don't get it AT ALL.

Me either. And it's not just teachers, so many kids don't respect anyone, any authority, not teachers, the law, or their own parents. Teachers are the ones who get to deal with that every day I agree with GipsyQueen's post:

they have NO RESPECT. I don't know what it is, maybe their parents have no time to teach them respect anymore or who knows what. Its just wrong.

Also: It's not a teachers job to teach children respect. Children should have respect by the time they enter school and even before. That's the PARENTS job. Teachers are not there to raise your children, they are there to educate them. That is not a teachers job.

I think a huge problem is a lack of in-classroom discipline. The teachers are completely powerless if students want to act up, and the everyone knows it. The few punishments there are, are a joke.

We can't simply get rid of the problem students who don't want to learn and bring the whole class down. It's a crock of ****. Some people just need to be let fail before they'll ever learn anything, and the current system doesn't let someone fail.

I totally agree.

It's clear she's frustrated, and if she brings that energy to the classroom it's not productive for anybody.

If every teacher who is frustrated with the students, parents and administration quit, would there be any teachers left? Its my understanding that this type of frustration is sadly commonplace in this job.

Teenagers are designed by nature to be annoying. Its not personal, its just the way they're built. They do, for the most part, grow out of it though.

I agree that teenagers are going through a stage in their life where they're more annoying than other stages, but I think that's a cop-out to say that they are that way and teachers should just accept it. Teens have the power to see that they're being rude, disrespectful, and interupting the learning process, and they have the power to not be that way all the time (although I do think it's inevitable that there will be days when they're more annoying than others. hey, we all have bad days )

 

[Jules]

I would never in a million years rant about my job like that in a blog or facebook and any other place like that. Yes, she didn't mention specific names- but still... people need to realize that what they put on the internet can be seen by EVERYONE. It is just so highly, highly unprofessional. Rant to your friends, rant anonymously... but you are just asking for trouble when you put it on your own, personal blog.

 

[sparks19]

I agree that kids behaviour in school starts at home. I remember even when I was in highschool (I make it sound like it was eons ago lol) there were always those kids that just had to disrupt everything and test the teacher at every turn and just be disrespectful in general. Those kids needed a swift kick in the butt. they need to learn that you can't just run around acting like an a$$hole and everyone will just put up with it. unfortunately teachers can't do a darn thing especially if the parents don't give a fig.

If the parents don't care and the teachers can't really punish them then it's hopeless. what do you do? suspend them? so they get a nice vacation from the place they don't want to be at anyway and chances are those parents couldn't care less so the kid isn't gonna be disciplined at home. at least not in any meaningful way that's going to teach them a lesson

I would never in a million years rant about my job like that in a blog or facebook and any other place like that. Yes, she didn't mention specific names- but still... people need to realize that what they put on the internet can be seen by EVERYONE. It is just so highly, highly unprofessional. Rant to your friends, rant anonymously... but you are just asking for trouble when you put it on your own, personal blog.

But I also agree with this. There are other more appropriate places to rant. Do I think what she said was wrong? no not really. I do think she should have expected this and even KNOWN what the repercussions were going to be. she knows what she did is against the rules but she did it anyway... she had a choice and she made this one.

 

[Jules]

I agree that kids behaviour in school starts at home. I remember even when I was in highschool (I make it sound like it was eons ago lol) there were always those kids that just had to disrupt everything and test the teacher at every turn and just be disrespectful in general. Those kids needed a swift kick in the butt. they need to learn that you can't just run around acting like an a$$hole and everyone will just put up with it. unfortunately teachers can't do a darn thing especially if the parents don't give a fig.

If the parents don't care and the teachers can't really punish them then it's hopeless. what do you do? suspend them? so they get a nice vacation from the place they don't want to be at anyway and chances are those parents couldn't care less so the kid isn't gonna be disciplined at home. at least not in any meaningful way that's going to teach them a lesson.

Oh, yes, I do agree with this. I didn't mean that her rant wasn't justified.

But yeah, bad place to do so.

 

[sparks19]

Yeah that wasnt directed at you lol that was just a general statement

I do agree that this was not the platform to use if she was worried about her job

 

[Jules]

Oh, I didn't think it was... I just wanted to make clear that I don't think the content of her rant was wrong.

 

[MPP]

I taught 7th & 8th grade for many years in a difficult school (90% + free lunch, etc.) I loved it and was very good at it---until the last few years. The job gradually became impossible. Even if you were willing to work 12 hour days all week long and put in hours on the weekends, you could NOT keep up with the paperwork. Even if you were willing to spend hours calling parents, trying to build a partnership, it's discouraging to reach only 3 out of 20. Especially when two of those parents didn't care. Sorry, but if a 7th grader tells me to go f myself, I feel the father should not say," What did you do to provoke him?" Things like that wear me down.

We had an "entitlement" thread a while back. That was exactly the problem. Students and parents felt entitled to everything and responsible for nothing. No child was required to put in any effort. No parent was required to do any, well, parenting. All failure was the teacher's fault; she was incompetent/lazy/stupid, I don't know what. It got old.

 

[sillysally]

I did think the blog post was spot on.

That having been said, I think the teacher exercised poor judgement by posting it. Whether names or specific locations are used or not, when posting anything on the web (especially anything to do with your professional life) I think the best policy is to assume that anyone at any time can read what you post. She should have realized that there was a good chance of this going public and saved the venting for a phone conversation with a friend or something. I certainly don't think she should be fired, but she hasn't done herself any favors, especially when it comes to dealing with parents, etc.

 

[mrose_s]

I don't think she should be fired.
I find it weird how it seems like as soon as you walk into highschool its like they try to crush the passion to learn out of you. There are highschool teachers everywhere that don't like teenagers... then why be a teacher?

I had a huge passion for learning growing up, I had plans of going to uni ASAP and loved school, by the time I finished year 10 I was over it. It was like the second you step into highschool everyones waiting for you start being difficult.
I probably would have stuck it out if I hadn't had so many issues going on at home at the time, I wish there had been more outside support for me when leaving school, everywhere I turned everyone just tried to tell me I had no valid reason for dropping out so when I did leave, I had nothing in place to start a career. I worked for 6 months and then when we moved I went back and started grade 11 again, I tried at 2 different schools and left halfway through the year, after being treated like an adult for a while I couldn't handle being treated like a child again.

I have no regrets in leaving school, I think it was the right choice for me but I really, really wish there was more in place to steer you towards a career straight up. I'm only getting into now, 4 years later.

/hijack