Please don't think my name means all of my blogs will be angry and negative! I am actually a pretty happy and optimistic person (most of the time). However, there will be times when I express my opinion very openly. Adults can be idiots and so can teenagers, the only difference between the two is that one "should" know better! Sadly, it is hard to tell which should know better at times!
I have been teaching in a high school setting for a while. I have taught smart kids, kids who act smart, kids who have the ability to be smart and choose not to be, and kids who are just plain...I don't think I need to finish the sentence. I am not trying to be rude or pessimistic, but the reality is that a lot of people aren't so smart!
I am simply keeping it "real."
I will never claim to be the most intelligent person and I will be the first to admit it; however, there are people out there that are simply stupid and make bad choices.
Example 1: Taking Money from the Education System
What the hell is the thinking on that? Why does anyone think taking money away from the education system is a great idea? If all students are suppose to be "college ready," why is money disappearing like a cake on Biggest Loser? Shouldn't money be pouring into the schools? Without money it will be impossible to produce these kids that will "all" go to college someday?
Example 2: Teachers Being Labeled "Inadequate" Due to Their Students Test Results
This doesn't happen in all states; however, I am lucky enough to live in a state where teachers are responsible for making sure that all students are eager and ready to take in every bit of information they are given everyday! You must be thinking I teach in the state called Utopia, where all students come to class prepared and ready to learn EVERYDAY! Unfortunately, I don't!
I would also like to say that all of my students come to class with paper and pencil, but I would be lying. I would like to say that all of my students stay awake and pay attention to every word I say for 90 minutes, but that would also be a big fat ugly lie.
The truth is, not all of my students will go to college! SHOCKING! I can't believe I just said something so horrible. Come on people, we all know that not everyone is college material. It is unrealistic to think that all people will go to college. I understand the need to challenge students and expect the most out of them, but I can only do so much in the classroom before it is the students responsibility to learn.
My point being, why should teachers be labeled "inadequate" because they couldn't make all students care about their education?
I could go on, but I would be at the computer for weeks. That is why I have started this blog. I hope that you enjoy my responses and have some to share with me.
Sincerely,
The Not so Angry White Teacher (Today Anyways!) :)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Why Can't I Just Teach?
This morning I received an email telling me that I was the lucky contestant of administering a field test for the new test our state will be torturing the students with in the next year or so. I am being removed from my own class to help administer a test for a grade level I wish to never be around.
This particular group of students is ruthless, immature, non-compliant and annoying! Sadly, these are nice words I have to describe them. They have caused so much chaos in the halls of our school that even the upperclassmen seemed to be bothered by their lack of consideration and respect. Don't get me wrong, I hear from some people that they are capable of acting like human beings, but I have yet to witness this.
Back to the field test! I am starting a new unit next week, a very difficult unit that allows me no time to be out of the classroom; yet, I am being pulled away from my students for two days! Seriously, two days! Two long days of sitting in a room full of students who will not give a damn about the results of this so called field test.
TEST! TEST! TEST! Let's test these little buggers until they are so tested out that when the real testing, the testing that will either label me an "adequate" or "inadequate" teacher comes along and they REALLY don't care how they do! So my adequateness will lie, partially, in the hands of students who have taken one test after another all year long!
Hummmmm......sounds like a raw deal for everyone involved!
This particular group of students is ruthless, immature, non-compliant and annoying! Sadly, these are nice words I have to describe them. They have caused so much chaos in the halls of our school that even the upperclassmen seemed to be bothered by their lack of consideration and respect. Don't get me wrong, I hear from some people that they are capable of acting like human beings, but I have yet to witness this.
Back to the field test! I am starting a new unit next week, a very difficult unit that allows me no time to be out of the classroom; yet, I am being pulled away from my students for two days! Seriously, two days! Two long days of sitting in a room full of students who will not give a damn about the results of this so called field test.
TEST! TEST! TEST! Let's test these little buggers until they are so tested out that when the real testing, the testing that will either label me an "adequate" or "inadequate" teacher comes along and they REALLY don't care how they do! So my adequateness will lie, partially, in the hands of students who have taken one test after another all year long!
Hummmmm......sounds like a raw deal for everyone involved!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)