# Who are the teachers here on KB?



## Shadowraven (May 7, 2009)

I've seen a few people put something in a post here or there, and BrassMan pm'd me... so just curious... who are the teachers here?  What grade/education level do you teach, subject, how long have you (or did you) been doing it?  What do you like/dislike about teaching?


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## Shadowraven (May 7, 2009)

my own reply to my own question 

9th and occasionally 12th grade English for 8 years now.
For the past two years I've also doing ASB (school activities).

I really dislike the amount of grading in my subject and many of my "colleagues."  The ones who make everybody else's job harder.
I really like the kids, and the subject(s).


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I teach...I homeschool my 4 children  

9th, 6th and 1st at the moment, I've taught everything in between as well...All subjects..this is my 5th or 6th year.

Currently, the only thing I don''t like being able to put them on the school bus when they're driving me crazy.


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm about the only non-teacher in my family. My father, mother, maternal grandmother, and both sisters are (or were) all teachers.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I'm not a teacher, but sometimes I feel like one.  I work with the chess club at my grandkids' school; grades 3-8.  

I also lead the HP book club; grades 4-6.  That involves what I guess you would call lesson plans and coming up with ways to challenge the kids and make it fun for them.  I put in 4-5 hours a week besides the time spent working with the kids.  

Both clubs have been a lot of work, but extremely rewarding.


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

I teach homeschool to four children.  I teach grades: K, 1, 2, and 4.  It can be hard, but I love it.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Oboy I can say one of my favorite opinions:
I believe that the only "teachers" are kindergarten and first grade teachers. - They develop and motivate learning and communication and civilization skills.  They teach little ones how to learn.
After that teaching still occurs, but it lessens each year as learning skills improve.

I "teach" adults.  Some of it at the college level. This is not currently my full time occupation but it has been at times in the past.  I think that I "instruct".  It is hard to teach an adult.  They either want to or they don't and I don't have time fix it if they don't.  I admire real TEACHERS so much I cannot express it.

And even so, I learn so much every time I instruct.  I learn more about what it is that I am trying to convey.  I find that I have to know a subject better to explain it so that another can do it than I need to just do it myself.  Did I make that clear?

Just sayin.....


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I'm almost a teacher. My degree is a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Education Grades K-12 with an Emphasis on Band and Orchestra Instruments. *breathe!* However, outside of my student teaching and giving some private lessons right after college, I never pursued it further. I had to pick something to major in, and I loved music and was pretty good at it, but not talented enough/driven enough to make a living as a performer, so I just sort of ended up in music ed. I liked the kids, and teaching was all right, but it didn't really thrill me and I didn't care much for some of the ancillary stuff you had to deal with.

So 30 years later, here I am still wondering what I want to be when I grow up.


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## Pawz4me (Feb 14, 2009)

Another homeschooler here.  Fourth and seventh grades this year.  The only thing I don't like about it is the almost constant niggling worry of "am I doing enough for them, challenging them enough or too much?"


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

Pawz4me said:


> Another homeschooler here. Fourth and seventh grades this year. The only thing I don't like about it is the almost constant niggling worry of "am I doing enough for them, challenging them enough or too much?"


I do the same thing. It's hard.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Have to give all you homeschoolers and those who teach for a living a big round of applause. You all deserve it.


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Have to give all you homeschoolers and those who teach for a living a big round of applause. You all deserve it.


Thank you!!! (((HUGS)))


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## ellesu (Feb 19, 2009)

Another teacher/instructor here. My teaching years have been spent teaching adults -- ABE/GED/ESL. I mostly taught in a reading lab, but also taught math and English when we were _between instructors._ I briefly taught 7th and 11th grade English, but made a hasty retreat back to the reading lab (where I could have a student "sign out" for the day if he/she was not in a learning mood). I've also taught in various government programs: CETA, JTPA, Teen Parent.

In the 80's, the economy took a downturn in my part of the woods and my husband started self-contracting. We pulled a 5th wheel around the country and I quit formal teaching and began homeschooling our youngest (our older three were in college). Let me tell ya! Homeschooling is a whole other world! But my son was well-suited for it; we survived, and he's now in college.

As far as the benefits from teaching....to me, there is nothing like knowing you've helped someone achieve one of their goals. Because I prepared students for the GED, I was able to see many acquire a high school diploma and move on to their next goal. Wonderful.

As for the frustrations: I couldn't begin to list them all, but....apart from the powers-that-be (who've never taught in a classroom), setting rules and regulations that make our jobs more difficult, I guess what really tempted me to throw up my hands and leave was meeting all the adults who have finished high school yet don't have the reading skills to hold down the job were in, or read a bedtime story to their children, or help their children with their homework. You've heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child?" (I think Hillary said that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.) Well, I'm here to tell you that it takes a village to help a person who's fallen behind in skills required to get ahead in our society.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I have been a teacher for a total of 29 years. I've taught remedial/Chapter I/Title I reading (K- for 26 of those 29 years, with the other three years having been spent as a second grade teacher. Personally, I believe we continue to teach at all grade levels IF the kids are willing to put forth the effort needed to learn AND if they take responsibility for their learning. Just my opinion, though, and I certainly am not attempting to be confrontational.  I have now officially retired from full-time teaching, and will be continuing in my role as Title I reading teacher (next year, grades 1-5) for four mornings a week.  I have also been the technology coordinator, Novell network administrator, and academic team coach for the last 20 years.

There are many things that I love about teaching, the most important of which is seeing those "light bulb" moments when students suddenly "get it."  I also love to see the children develop the self-confidence that is necessary in order for them to become really good readers. One of my goals with my students is to make lifelong readers out of them, and I love it when they come back to me years after I've taught them to tell me how much they love to read.

I have to admit that I've been showing off my Kindle 2 to some of my older students who already walk around with their noses shoved in their books. A couple of the sixth grade girls to whom I've shown my Kindle are already thinking about how they can earn enough money to buy one in a couple of years. (Who knows what will be available to them when the time actually comes that they have enough money?)

The drawbacks to teaching are the salary (at least in my small rural school), the time required to do all of my jobs well, and the endless number of "hoops" through which we are required to jump. (Of course, that number has grown tremendously over the years.) I am fortunate enough to be in a school where I am able to teach my way, without a lot of interference from administrators who have never taught reading. It's great to actually be treated as if I have a brain and experience.

I have had some reservations about my decision to retire, but now that I have my Kindle, I'm finding myself looking forward to having a lot more time to read. I may like this part-time employment after all.


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## Aravis60 (Feb 18, 2009)

I'm a fourth grade language arts and social studies teacher. I'm just finishing up my 8th year. I love my job and feel lucky that I get to do something so rewarding every day.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Only taught for about a year, long ago.

Half was remedial English, to a dozen German fifth-graders. They were failing English, and I was hired to change that. I was pleased that I got them all to about a B level. Unfortunately, I had to read the books that their (concurrent) regular school English class was reading, which were ones I had managed to avoid in my own school years because I knew they were ones I'd dislike intensely. I was right.

The other half was basic English to adults, also in Germany. These were low-level employees who had been told that their only path into management was to acquire some English skills. Very frustrating because they had no idea what was involved in learning a foreign language. They had the impression that you could take classes three times a week for six months and then fluently discuss any topic you wanted. Some of them couldn't intelligently discuss any topic in their _own_ language, so that was an uphill battle.

Apart from that, I think that all parents continuously teach, we just don't get paid for it! 

edited to add: I am, however, working on a teaching degree right now (after 25+ years in other fields), so I'm very interested in everyone's impressions.... pros and cons... helpful hints... etc.


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## Reyn (Feb 10, 2009)

I have a B.S in PE and in Elem. Ed.  I am currently teaching PE to 4th-8th grade girls.  I have taught PE on and off for 9 years to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.  I have also taught 3rd and 4th grade for one semester each.  I LOVE teaching.  I get very frustrated with some parents that don't hold their children accountable for their actions. For some reason they side with the student and blame the teacher instead of believing that their child could have done something wrong. That really bothers me.


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## Shadowraven (May 7, 2009)

Reyn said:


> II get very frustrated with some parents that don't hold their children accountable for their actions.


Ah yes... parents... another aspect of the job I don't enjoy. It's the rare parent I've met (especially in our commuter-heavy area) that DOES SOMETHING about or with their child. So many of the parents I contact reply to me with "I know... I just don't know what to do." Meanwhile the student is still allowed to go out, visit with friends, has a WAY more expensive cellphone than I do, sometimes plays sports, etc.

Homeschooling... I so wish I could do that. Even though I'm a public school teacher, our system has a LOT to work out  Unfortunately I'm the money maker, husband doesn't have a teaching interest, and we'd have to pay for daycare still while I'm at work. Not only will that be costly, but finding care as children gets older and older would be harder and harder. Most daycares only due 0-preK during the non-school day.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> Oboy I can say one of my favorite opinions:
> I believe that the only "teachers" are kindergarten and first grade teachers. - They develop and motivate learning and communication and civilization skills. They teach little ones how to learn.
> After that teaching still occurs, but it lessens each year as learning skills improve.


I want to go where ever you are. Because that isn't what happens where I am. I teach second grade in a school with almost 500 kids. It was built to hold 285. More than 99% of our students live below the poverty line. They eat two meals a day. We serve free breakfast and free lunch to every student. Guess which two meals they eat. They come to school on days with snow and ice with tee shirts, pants, shoes and no coats. Civilization lessons don't "take" in poverty, no matter the age, until survival needs are met. Parents are my biggest headache. I had a parent teacher conference and was talking about a students need to read more, at home, in the car anywhere. The mom went and got the student from the hall, brought him in and told him he was "behind in his reading but it didn't matter a cause them teacher held him back in kintergarten and couldn't do it again." The very next set of parents to walk in the door got in a fight about....I don't know about what...he told her to be quite, she didn't, and he broke her finger (in front of some one else's children), so then the police arrive. God help us all, and mean that sincerely. My students don't want Summer, the most frequent question the last week of school, out of my second graders is "why don't we go year round?"


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

I've taught nursing at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral level at various times in my career. Lately, I've been teaching continuing education courses for practicing nurses.

L


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

It is discouraging to find college level students who are functionally illiterate.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> It is discouraging to find college level students who are functionally illiterate.


In nursing, that has not been my experience. It's a demanding major and students must be able to read, write, critically think, and do math. They wash out pretty quickly between the prereqs and nursing courses if they don't have the requisite skills.

My son is studying nursing (he is at the end of his junior year). His nursing class started out with 40 students. They are down to 24. He's pretty confident all 24 will make it through. The faculty have essentially said that if you make through the junior year, you won't flunk out as a senior, unless you do something really, really stupid.

L


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Red said:


> I want to go where ever you are. Because that isn't what happens where I am.


How very sad, Red. And what a hero you are for toughing it out and teaching in that environment.


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## mwvickers (Jan 26, 2009)

I have a B.A. with a major in English and a minor in Professional Education.  I was student teaching in a middle school when they announced that there were cutbacks and that they wouldn't be hiring teachers for a while.  Does that count?  LOL


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

I was going to college to become a teacher. Secondary Education Math & English. I know, strange combo! Anyway, we were transferred during my Junior year and ended up in an area where there were no schools close enough for me to continue. By the time we were transferred to Houston and close to another unniversity, it was time for my own kids to begin college. I ended up "teaching/training" new office personnel at my job. I still have the dream to one day go back to school and finish. It has been so long, I will probably have to start over!! If I do go back, I want to major in Deaf Education instead.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> How very sad, Red. And what a hero you are for toughing it out and teaching in that environment.


Thanks, but really the school is very good, it is the culture in which our school is built that is the burden. And I mean burden for the children. I stopped counting the number of parents I have had tell me that if their kids can read on a 3rd grade level that is good enough. When I was at the high school in this neighborhood, working as an RN, before I moved into the classroom, one of the parents came in to pay for graduation cap and gown on her son. When I pulled up his records to check for immunization clearance, he was listed on his transcripts as a freshman. She didn't know he had failed all those years. She said, "he can't be a Freshman he has been here four years and I didn't tell them they could fail him". Seriously. He was still there 2 years later. They can stay in Public School until they finish the year they turn 20 in. He was 20 and still a freshman.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Red said:


> They can stay in Public School until they finish the year they turn 20 in. He was 20 and still a freshman.


Again, sad... but it's good that there are at least some schools that actually let kids fail a grade, and repeat it. In too many places they just keep passing them along to be someone else's problem.


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## cheeki (Nov 29, 2008)

I'll finish up my 29th year teaching on June 5th.  I teach HS Spanish.  I've had good years and bad.  I've had awesome kids and so not so much....  I work hard and I love the actual teaching part of my profession.  I can tell you that the $$ is not enough to live on.  I've always had at least 1 part-tiime job.  We do not live  extravagantly.

teaching has changed a lot since I first started in 1980.


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## iamtv (Dec 30, 2008)

I'm a teacher.  I teach high school freshman English, video technology, journalism and IB Film.  I'm finishing my 6th year teaching after a long time in another career.


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## ellesu (Feb 19, 2009)

Angela, I hope you achieve your dream.  You might be pleasantly surprised once you start checking out what you need to do to get that certificate.  I don't know if it's just the area I live in but....for years now there has been a teaching shortage and many new paths are available to those wanting to teach, change careers, etc.    With your interest in deaf education, you might be able to shed some light on something I heard a couple of summers ago.  I was at Teachers College (no apostrophe -- don't ask me why) for an ESL program and one of the gals also taking the course was going for her doctorate in education for the deaf.  She mentioned that she was taking the ESL courses because the need for deaf educators was lessening and she might need to diversify.  She mentioned the advancement with cochlear (sp) devices, surgeries, etc was having an impact on her field.  But she also mentioned that many of the deaf don't in any way view deafness as a disability and therefore have no interest in any *cures* or treatments available.  (At least that's my take on what she was saying.)  

I'm just wondering if you've heard anything about technology reducing the need in that field?


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## Rhiathame (Mar 12, 2009)

I have been a trainer for over 15 years. In addition, I am currently working with a technical college on how to adjust thier teaching methodologies to teach using Cisco TelePresence to reach students at thier regional campuses. I love training and working with instructors


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## enwood (Mar 13, 2009)

I teach 2 year old preschool.  And I love it!  If someone had told me this is what I would be doing 15 years ago, I would have thought they were crazy.  But where else can you sing silly songs, wipe jelly off mouths, and get told "I love you Mrs. Emily" daily?


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

ellesu said:


> Angela, I hope you achieve your dream. You might be pleasantly surprised once you start checking out what you need to do to get that certificate. I don't know if it's just the area I live in but....for years now there has been a teaching shortage and many new paths are available to those wanting to teach, change careers, etc. With your interest in deaf education, you might be able to shed some light on something I heard a couple of summers ago. I was at Teachers College (no apostrophe -- don't ask me why) for an ESL program and one of the gals also taking the course was going for her doctorate in education for the deaf. She mentioned that she was taking the ESL courses because the need for deaf educators was lessening and she might need to diversify. She mentioned the advancement with cochlear (sp) devices, surgeries, etc was having an impact on her field. But she also mentioned that many of the deaf don't in any way view deafness as a disability and therefore have no interest in any *cures* or treatments available. (At least that's my take on what she was saying.)
> 
> I'm just wondering if you've heard anything about technology reducing the need in that field?


Thanks ellesu. I haven't heard anything like that. Coming out of Houston, there is a huge need for interpreters and teachers. Since TX now recognizes ASL as a foreign language, more and more high schools are offering it. If I major in deaf ed, I could either teach ASL as a foreign language or work as an enterpreter or just work with deaf children and their parents.


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Again, sad... but it's good that there are at least some schools that actually let kids fail a grade, and repeat it. In too many places they just keep passing them along to be someone else's problem.


I read in the paper the other day that 20% of high school students drop out in CA. I was surprised. But yet I could understand since they can't pass the class. My daughter is a sophomore and she said many people in her classes are failing or getting D. I asked her if they are ELD students. She said no. Although English is my daughter's second language, she is trying hard to keep A/B but for some ELD students it is hard. Today, she had to turn in the project paper in her cooking class which you write 2 family recipes and a story regard to that recipe. The teacher gave 3 weeks to do it but only 6 people did it so the teacher gave till Wednesday. I wonder why some kids won't do their homework... no wonder they might fail...


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

Susan, I too would like to get a degree.  I'm thinking about online college...however haven't found the right one.  Or should I say, one I can trust.  It would be nice to have a degree.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Neversleepsawink;) said:


> Susan, I too would like to get a degree. I'm thinking about online college...however haven't found the right one. Or should I say, one I can trust. It would be nice to have a degree.


I'm doing as many classes as I can online or in hybrid versions. Between work and DD's school hours, it's the only way right now. And online classes have come a very long way in the last twenty years!!


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## lynninva (Feb 7, 2009)

My daughter is just finishing her first year of teaching second grade in a very poor school, similar to the one that Red described.  It was a culture shock to her - the children have no school supplies, and most have no home support.  There are so many requirements that the teachers have to rush through each day for various grant programs, or due to low test scores, that she feels she is not really teaching them anything.  

The biggest shock to her was the violence.  Since many of these children live in a violent atmosphere, they act that way in school.  Sometimes they get suspended for a couple of days, but in some cases they are back in the classroom the same day.  (and this is second grade)

But she loves the kids, and they are so appreciative of any encouragement or kindness.  

For Never & Susan,
Her undergraduate degree was in a different field, but she wanted to work with kids.  So she got her Master's in Education through a predominately on-line program.  There were a limited number of classes that had to be done on-campus.  Those were either on the weekends, or as one-week long summer intensive classes.  But then she had to quit her job for a semester to do her student teaching.


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## Cindergayle (Mar 15, 2009)

I am an educational assistant. I work with children in a Resource Classroom. I do a great deal of work with them to help improve their reading skills. I do other things as well, but I enjoy the work in reading the most.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

lynninva said:


> For Never & Susan,
> Her undergraduate degree was in a different field, but she wanted to work with kids. So she got her Master's in Education through a predominately on-line program. There were a limited number of classes that had to be done on-campus. Those were either on the weekends, or as one-week long summer intensive classes. But then she had to quit her job for a semester to do her student teaching.


Yup, that last semester is going to be the problem. But I'll find a way... And now with more and more people wanting to change careers mid-life, there are so many more options for online classes than before!


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Yup, that last semester is going to be the problem. But I'll find a way... And now with more and more people wanting to change careers mid-life, there are so many more options for online classes than before!


How do you know which online colleges to trust? It worries me. I need a very low cost online college...so I'm afraid it won't be legit.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Neversleepsawink;) said:


> How do you know which online colleges to trust? It worries me. I need a very low cost online college...so I'm afraid it won't be legit.


You could look at the "regular" colleges first. Many of them now offer at least some of their classes online, and for some degree programs almost all of the classes.

Community colleges offer _lots_ online (at least the ones here). That would be a way to get at least some of the required classes done, though that won't get you to a teaching degree. But most four-year schools will accept a certain number of community college credits toward their degree, and it's much cheaper to do it that way.

As far as the all-online ones, I'm a bit on the fence myself. They all advertise too much for my taste -- makes me think they *need* to. So far I have a mostly favorable impression of Kaplan (and if anyone here knows anything negative about them, I'd love to hear it!), and in the next couple of weeks I'll have to decide whether to go with a "regular" college or an online one in fall. A friend who's been working as an OR nurse for 20-some years just got her MBA through Phoenix, and she was very happy with their program too, but I don't know anything about their teaching degree options.

The other thing I'll have to look into... In this county, the rule is that if you're a new teacher, you have to have done your student teaching in THIS county. And the arrangements for student teaching are made by your college. So if I go with an online one located in a different state, I have to make sure that they'll be able to arrange for student teaching placement right here. If your county has a similar rule, that's something to check into as well.

OK, up to this point it might have been "general interest", but I guess if we continue on this topic we should take it to PM's....


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

Thank you


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## lynninva (Feb 7, 2009)

Neversleepsawink;) said:


> How do you know which online colleges to trust? It worries me. I need a very low cost online college...so I'm afraid it won't be legit.


You can also check for accreditation; that should be listed on the school's website. In this area, the main regional authority is SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). And to double check, you might want to make sure that they listed a legitimate accrediting agency.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

Lynninva, tomorrow I'll pm you my email. If you want you can pass it on to your daughter and we can be cyber peers and hug each other through the tough moments


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

lynninva said:


> You can also check for accreditation; that should be listed on the school's website. In this area, the main regional authority is SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). And to double check, you might want to make sure that they listed a legitimate accrediting agency.


Thank you


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## ellesu (Feb 19, 2009)

"Since TX now recognizes ASL as a foreign language, more and more high schools are offering it. If I major in deaf ed, I could either teach ASL as a foreign language or work as an enterpreter or just work with deaf children and their parents."

Very interesting options.  I only recently realized how structured and complete ASL is.  This may be far out, but I actually think ASL could possibly be used as a kind of universal language.  No accents to hinder understanding.  Best of luck!


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

My son, in 1st grade...just took ASL.  I'm glad they offered it as an elective this year at Connectionsacademy.com.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

ellesu said:


> Very interesting options. I only recently realized how structured and complete ASL is. This may be far out, but I actually think ASL could possibly be used as a kind of universal language. No accents to hinder understanding. Best of luck!


thanks!


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

ellesu said:


> Very interesting options. I only recently realized how structured and complete ASL is. This may be far out, but I actually think ASL could possibly be used as a kind of universal language. No accents to hinder understanding.


No accents, true, but it's _American_ Sign Language. It includes idiomatic expressions just like a spoken language, and other places use different versions. Maybe if they added some more expressions, and then imposed the same version on everyone....

....then again, that didn't work with Esperanto. Whether that's a good thing or not is a matter of opinion.


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## ellesu (Feb 19, 2009)

"No accents, true, but it's American Sign Language.  It includes idiomatic expressions just like a spoken language, and other places use different versions.  Maybe if they added some more expressions, and then imposed the same version on everyone...."

Ah,so.  I can see where *American* Sign Language wouldn't work everywhere.    ...What's that saying about us American needing to think more globally?    

Here's why I jumped on the possibility.  When teaching ESL classes I've often wondered if, because I'm from the South, my students were acquiring a Southern accent.  Of course, the same would apply to any regional accent.  I guess the International Phonetic Alphabet is all we have as of now? (But that's so hard!)


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

ellesu said:


> When teaching ESL classes I've often wondered if, because I'm from the South, my students were acquiring a Southern accent.


They probably were!  (especially if they spent more time listening to you than to other English speakers)

Sometimes it cracks me up when I hear someone speaking English with a regional accent that is not from a region in which they've ever lived. They acquired it from their teacher, and it just shows that they have a good ear for mimicking a language...  but the result can be unintentionally funny. I had a history teacher from Korea some time ago who had clearly only been in the U.S. a few years (and all of that time in the DC area) and had a really heavy Minnesota accent. Don't get me wrong, I liked the teacher and I have absolutely nothing against MN accents, but the juxtaposition just seemed funny. Or, even better, when someone learns English from a teacher who is not a native English speaker. So you end up with a French person speaking English with a Swedish accent or something.


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

I've always wonder about Sign Language. So, Sign Language is different in every country like spoken language?


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## ellesu (Feb 19, 2009)

Susan in VA said:


> They probably were!  (especially if they spent more time listening to you than to other English speakers)
> 
> Sometimes it cracks me up when I hear someone speaking English with a regional accent that is not from a region in which they've ever lived. They acquired it from their teacher, and it just shows that they have a good ear for mimicking a language... but the result can be unintentionally funny. I had a history teacher from Korea some time ago who had clearly only been in the U.S. a few years (and all of that time in the DC area) and had a really heavy Minnesota accent. Don't get me wrong, I liked the teacher and I have absolutely nothing against MN accents, but the juxtaposition just seemed funny. Or, even better, when someone learns English from a teacher who is not a native English speaker. So you end up with a French person speaking English with a Swedish accent or something.


Off topic, but....I was wondering how to have a post show up in that white box thingy, and I just saw the "quote" button/option (I am NOT tech savy!). I'm trying it out here, so if it doesn't work--that's why.

Back on topic....  A couple of summers ago I had to do several obervations of ESL teachers in their classrooms as part of a practicum for an ESL course. All the teachers were non-native English speakers, teaching English to non-English speaking students. It was interesting. A while back my husband's job took him to Peru and he was anxious to show off practice his Spanish. After a couple of days, one of his Spanish co-workers asked my husband to just speak English -- it was easier to understand being that my husband's Spanish sounded a bit like Tarzan attempting to speak Spanish. (Of course, that was only one opinion. ....That's what I told my husband anyway.)


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Shizu said:


> I've always wonder about Sign Language. So, Sign Language is different in every country like spoken language?


There are dozens (maybe hundreds?) of sign languages. As far as I know, they don't overlap a great deal, if at all. My aunt in England mentioned once that even American and English sign languages are vastly different.

It makes sense, really, if you think that sign languages started everywhere around the world in the same way as spoken languages, well before there was the amount of international travel and other interaction that there is now.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

ellesu said:


> All the teachers were non-native English speakers, teaching English to non-English speaking students. It was interesting.


I'll bet the results were interesting, too... but hey, it keeps us translators and interpreters employed! 



ellesu said:


> A while back my husband's job took him to Peru and he was anxious to show off practice his Spanish. After a couple of days, one of his Spanish co-workers asked my husband to just speak English -- it was easier to understand being that my husband's Spanish sounded a bit like Tarzan attempting to speak Spanish. (Of course, that was only one opinion. ....That's what I told my husband anyway.)


LOL! Someone told me once that there is more variation in Spanish accents than in any other language, to the point of mutual unintelligibility. Don't know if that's true. I can confirm that when I went to Spain after two years of Spanish with a Mexican teacher and one year with a Chilean teacher, I was totally lost. Colloquial Castilian Spanish had NOTHING in common with what I had learned.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I think it is wrong that we do not require proficiency in the English language as a prerequisite for entry into the school system.  Because we do not, teachers must try to teach English to some children (who meanwhile cannot keep up with the other subjects) while they are "required" to keep the rest of the students up to schedule with the normal material.  Anyone can see that this is impossible. 
In the WashDC area, this is made worse by the fact that there is not just one ethnic or language group that has to be catered to.  There are Spanish speakers, and Korean and Hindu and Urdu and Mandarin and all kinds of other language groups whose children do not speak English before entering into the public school system.
Here I do not blame the parents.  If the system says "sure come on in", why would they not send their children to those schools.
When my daughter was in middle school I attended her classes one day (yeah that is what parent's day is supposed to be for) and there was an Iranian lad who could not follow the material because he could not speak English.  So the teacher delegated him to the smartest kid in the class (who was probably bored with material she already had mastered anyway).  She then tried to communicate one-on-one with him trying to find words that would allow him to participate.  The sad thing was that he was NOT learning English this way and he certainly was not learning the subject at hand either.  And the smart kid's time was being wasted because she was not learning Farsi, even.
No one benefitted.  Other than the bleeding heart types who say that you cannot keep a kid from being mainstreamed because he is not ready for it.  Fools.
Yeah it makes me hot to think of the money being wasted and the kids who are being turned off to education because of this sort of nonsense.
In the old days you had to show language proficiency to attend school.  Or attend school that is taught in another language.  It was my experience when living abroad that other countries require that of Americans - most attend "American schools".
Just sayin.....


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Geoff, I see your point, but as one of those kids who spoke not a word of English before entering the local school system (that was in Alexandria, fourth grade), I have a different perspective.

I believe that for kids, learning a language tends to be most efficient if they are simply dropped into the school, sink or swim, WITHOUT being catered to through ESL classes or special tutors. ESL classes are wonderful for teaching grammar and increasing vocabulary, but they do tend to shield kids from _having_ to make it work. Being surrounded by a culture that functions in another language ensures that you learn that language quickly, first to survive and later to flourish.

Now, if those kids go home to parents that don't think learning English is important, or to a home in which the TV and radio are always set to non-English programming, that's a different problem. But if anything, that means they should have MORE exposure to English at school, not be held back from joining their new cultural surroundings by being taught in their first language only.

Just my opinion... because I've seen it from the "other" side.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Shizu said:


> I've always wonder about Sign Language. So, Sign Language is different in every country like spoken language?


There are a lot of signs in all sign languages that are very much the same since many of the signs show a representation to what you are describing. There is a vast difference in traditional ASL and Signing English. A lot of American school want the deaf to sign/speak using proper English, grammer and sentence structure. ASL you are signing concepts or pictures. ASL was adapted from the French Sign Language and you would be surprised how well deaf people can communicate across cultural and nationality lines. Deaf children who are forced to learn "English" signing, have a very difficult time communicating with deaf people who only use ASL.

OK, off my soap box...  I return you now to your regularly scheduled topic!


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## ellesu (Feb 19, 2009)

For those of you who speak more than one language, what language do you dream in? I once had an ESL student from Nicaragua start crying as she told me she had dreamed in English for the first time the night before. (Crying because she was happy.)  I don't know if she meant she _heard_ English words, or if she was sort of _thinking_ about her dream, and her thoughts were in English. I wish I'd asked her.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I had a Costa Rican friend who joined the U.S. army to speed up his citizenship.
So before the became fluent in English he was shipped to Germany.
Now cutting right to the chase, he married a German girl.
And learned German.
Spoke German as a second language and English as a third.
He swore to me that he thought in Spanish.
So when I would ask him a serious question, he would translate it in his head to German and then to Spanish to think about it and then back to German and then English to respond.
He SWORE to me that this is what he did.
Sometimes my conversations with Herman Rodrigues were veeeerrrrryyyyy long.
Just sayin......


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## egh34 (Jan 11, 2009)

I misinterpreted this thread when I first saw it, thinking teachers of Kindle. There is a reason I teach Sped Kids. Actually I am a paraprofessional, but I think I probably do more teaching than the actual teachers as they have mountains of paperwork. I work primarily K-5, and would only work with k and 1st if I could. I love my job, but with only 2 days until summer vacation, I am happily looking forward to it, although I will do summer school in June.


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

Last year, I did something I've been meaning to do for a long time. 

I sent a thank-you letter to my high school science teacher. I was in a small school, and in my grade there were just two of us in the academic program. Mrs. Brigden taught us Physics 11, Biology 11 and 12, and Chemistry 11 and 12. She obviously loved the sciences and I caught her enthusiasm, which has left me with a lifelong fascination and curiosity about science in general. 

That has really enriched my life and it felt good to finally, belatedly, let her know.


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## Neversleepsawink;) (Dec 16, 2008)

Harvey said:


> Last year, I did something I've been meaning to do for a long time.
> 
> I sent a thank-you letter to my high school science teacher. I was in a small school, and in my grade there were just two of us in the academic program. Mrs. Brigden taught us Physics 11, Biology 11 and 12, and Chemistry 11 and 12. She obviously loved the sciences and I caught her enthusiasm, which has left me with a lifelong fascination and curiosity about science in general.
> 
> That has really enriched my life and it felt good to finally, belatedly, let her know.


Very cool.


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

ellesu said:


> For those of you who speak more than one language, what language do you dream in? I once had an ESL student from Nicaragua start crying as she told me she had dreamed in English for the first time the night before. (Crying because she was happy.)  I don't know if she meant she _heard_ English words, or if she was sort of _thinking_ about her dream, and her thoughts were in English. I wish I'd asked her.


I speak Japanese and English. I don't translate in my head when I'm speaking. I speak Japanese if the person I'm speaking to is Japanese and English if that person speaks English. When I was in Costco in Japan, almost everyone is Japanese but few. I was looking at something and there was a lady looking at same thing who is not Japanese(Asian). I was speaking to her in English without any thought. So it all depend upon who I'm speaking to. I never really thought about it but I think I dream in both language depending upon who is in my dream.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Way to go, Harvey! I have done that a couple of times, and have received letters from former students. It's always a wonderful moment when I realize that what I've done has meant a lot to a former student (and/or students' parents). It helps to make 29 years of teaching worthwhile.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

ellesu said:


> For those of you who speak more than one language, what language do you dream in? I once had an ESL student from Nicaragua start crying as she told me she had dreamed in English for the first time the night before. (Crying because she was happy.)  I don't know if she meant she _heard_ English words, or if she was sort of _thinking_ about her dream, and her thoughts were in English. I wish I'd asked her.


My dreams are mostly in pictures, except for things that people say in them, and then they say them in whatever language they speak in real life.

At least I'm pretty sure that's the way it works. But I'm not absolutely certain I'd notice if they spoke something different. It's happened more than once that I've been talking with a friend about books, heard that she was planning to read something specific, and offered to lend her my copy... only to find out when I got to the shelf that my copy was in the wrong language for her. So I guess I don't always remember which it is, as long as it's something I understand. Maybe it works that way with my dreams too.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> Sometimes my conversations with Herman Rodrigues were veeeerrrrryyyyy long.


LOL!


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Harvey said:


> Last year, I did something I've been meaning to do for a long time.
> 
> I sent a thank-you letter to my high school science teacher. I was in a small school, and in my grade there were just two of us in the academic program. Mrs. Brigden taught us Physics 11, Biology 11 and 12, and Chemistry 11 and 12. She obviously loved the sciences and I caught her enthusiasm, which has left me with a lifelong fascination and curiosity about science in general.
> 
> That has really enriched my life and it felt good to finally, belatedly, let her know.


What a great thing to do -- good for you! Did she reply?

(Sadly, I went back to my HS a few years ago to tell my AP Psych teacher how much she had affected my life, and found that she had died the previous year. I checked whether there was any family, thinking that her kids might appreciate hearing what a difference their mom had made, but there was no family except a brother in a nursing home. Nothing else to be done. So now... on KindleBoards... a public thank you, posthumously, to Dr. Dorothy Torpey.  )


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## LSbookend (Dec 22, 2008)

I teach chemistry at the high school level. I enjoy the teaching part of my job, but not all the paperwork that goes with it. I have been teaching for about 2.5 years now.


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## patrisha w. (Oct 28, 2008)

I am a retired seventh grade teacher aka a lion tamer... 

I taught in the same rural school in Mississippi for over 30 years. I taught reading, writing and grammar. Most of what I taught was taught through writing and I had a HUGE pile of work to read every day. I kept it under control by telling the kids that in their draft forms, I would write nothing except positive comments, and when I had nothing to say, I would indicate I had read the draft with a purple check mark in the bottom right corner! I also did a LOT of one-on-one conferences ... 
There was also a big banner in the room that said "Put spelling in its place. Last!" This meant that in a draft I encourage them not to worry about spelling. The only place where there was a penalty for misspelling was the final neat copy they turned in for a grade and before that was turned it, they had LOTS of time and help to correct any errors. I stumbled across this technique almost accidentally when I got tired of them asking me all the time how to spell something. The poorer spellers were really intimidated by the difficulty they had and when I said, "Make a guess!" both they and I discovered that they could make pretty good guesses and if I didn't know what was meant, I just asked them and jotted down the correct spelling for them. 
By the time I was getting close to retirement, I was teaching the children of some of the kids I had taught years before!

patrisha


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## vwkitten (Apr 10, 2009)

My mother was a Spec Ed teacher, and my father was a History/Civics teacher (both in high school).  I grew up in a teacher's lounge.  I just found a corner to hide in while they all talked around me.  I swore I'd never be a teacher.  I'm a teacher.  My husband is a substitute teacher (all grades).

I was a corporate trainer for 6 years.  I taught adults computer software in the professional corporate arena.  I trained new corporate trainers to "teach."  I am now preparing to homeschool my own daughter (she's 2 1/2).  There's no way I'm putting her into the system in today's time.

On a spiritual level, I'm the one who shows up when someone is going through a tough time in their lives.  I answer their soul questions and move on.  You know; that person that says that one thing that makes everything make sense for that one moment of your life, and then disappears.  It's eerie.  I honestly don't know the answers until they ask the question and most of the time, I don't remember the questions or answers afterward.  My father called our gift soul-teaching.  Does that count or just make me a weirdo?   

When I saw this thread, it took me right back to the teacher's lounge.  Only now I'm an adult and I get to talk.  

Hugs all,
Trish


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

patrisha #150 said:


> By the time I was getting close to retirement, I was teaching the children of some of the kids I had taught years before!
> 
> patrisha


Patrisha, don't let that make you feel old. For several years, I've been teaching GRANDCHILDREN of students who were in my first classes. (Granted, I was only 21 at the time that I taught the grandmothers, AND those girls had children when they were in their mid-teens, but the kids are still grandchildren of my former students. I'm 58, and have taught for 29 years. I took 8 years off to stay home with my own children.)


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Shadowraven said:


> ... so just curious... who are the teachers here? What grade/education level do you teach, subject, how long have you (or did you) been doing it? What do you like/dislike about teaching?


Phooey! I totally missed this thread, and it was partly aimed at me in the first place. Sorry!

I taught community college English, lit, and linguistics for thirty years, on my good days. I agree with a later poster who suggested adults are less malleable than youngsters, but they can indeed learn. A community college can be thought of as a primary stage filter for higher education. We do all we can to help people move on up, but we screen out a lot of dabblers, for sure. At my college, a working class place, most students realized they were finally going to have to be able to read, speak, listen, and write decently no matter what their future occupation. I viewed my role partly as motivator and partly as writing coach.

In a typical class of 25 students, two or three didn't need what I taught, maybe ten weren't up to it, and the rest I could reach if they would make the effort. I had many failures but quite a few successes too. Thanks to the internet I now keep up with quite a few former students, many of whom are doing well indeed. Sometimes I miss it, but I don't miss the crushing load of grading.

A friendly hoist of the glass to all the teachers among us!


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## harfner (Jul 5, 2009)

I teach high school English, have for 14 years now. (!)  I like working with teenagers (I'd have no idea what to do with elementary students) because they can hold intelligent conversations.    They're just getting interesting at this age.


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## LibraryGirl (Dec 16, 2008)

I taught MS math for 6 years, was a MS teacher-librarian for 8 years and I just finished my 3rd year as a HS teacher-librarian.  It's the best!!!


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## Sariy (Jan 18, 2009)

Teacher here.  Have a BS of Education, Elementary.

Currently I home school, we are going into 8 and 10th.

Taught 1 year K5.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> Oboy I can say one of my favorite opinions:
> I believe that the only "teachers" are kindergarten and first grade teachers. - They develop and motivate learning and communication and civilization skills. They teach little ones how to learn.
> After that teaching still occurs, but it lessens each year as learning skills improve.
> 
> ...


Sorry to disagree with you, Geoff, but I firmly believe that teachers teach all grades, not just kindergarten and first, both of which I've taught for years. As a Title I reading teacher, I've worked with nearly all grade levels, but my main focus has been elementary. I can assure you that I've taught many kids beyond kdg. and first grades. Some aren't really developmentally ready to be taught all of the foundational building blocks are 5 and 6 years of age. I've also worked with high school academic teams, and those kids can definitely be taught. I have taught all ages of kids how to learn, how to be and stay motivated, how to communicate, and, how to be civilized (unless their home environment is a force too strong to be countered). I realize that we could argue semantics, and I do understand the point that you were making in your first post, but I still respectfully disagree.

BrassMan, I'll join you in your friendly hoist to all of us who teach.


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## Guest (Jul 6, 2009)

Official or Un-Official Teachers? LOL


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## TiffanyTurner (Jun 8, 2009)

What grade/education level do you teach?
I've taught 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd grade. I'm currently assigned to teach 3rd grade next year.

How long have you been teaching?  
I've been teaching for 12 years now. The 2009-2010 school year will be my 13th year, my lucky year.

What do you like about teaching?
Love teaching writing and the buzz you get when a student gets something. Plus, I get a kick out of their appreciation of the little things. I had a leprechaun go through my class room for St. Patty's Day, and left all the kids a lucky 4-leaf clover coin. One of the kids for my thank you/end of year present gave me a lucky coin, different than what I gave them. I love the home made cards too.

What do you dislike about teaching?
The budget cuts and the trying to do things with nothing. It would be nice to get some support for schools which I haven't seen in almost 10 years. It's been cut this, make those test scores go up, and pretty much a lot of the joy of teaching and learning has been ground out of the school system. We've all been trying as teachers to bring learning and fun back together, but really, there is such a double message from so many governmental figures that really, I weep for the next generation. We are really trying with nothing right now.


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

Not a teacher, but wanted to thank all of you who are.  Since acquiring my stepson 3 yrs ago, Ive seen the good and the bad.  His mother put him into special ed in Jr. High, because she couldn't be bothered helping him with home work.  He quickly learned that much less effort was required or expected of him there.  We brought him to live with us when he started HS, and it has been an uphill battle ever since.  We have been trying to mainstream him, and most of his teachers have been fantastic, he is the biggest barrier, ("why put one ounce more effort into anything than is absolutely required" seems to be his mind set.)  He doesn't want to main stream because his special ed is so easy.  He is going to be a senior this year, and has never had homework, ever.  The worst memory is of his English teacher telling him (in front of us) that "his printing doesn't matter, its not worth the effort to make it legable, because most jobs use the computer anyway".  I think my mouth actually hit the floor.  For some reason the more stubborn he gets the more exceptions the school makes for him.  Hes a good kid at heart, but he has gained a hugely inflated sense of selfimport because he doesn't have the same consequences as the other students, he is always let off the hook.  I worry every day how he will ever become a viable adult, as he has no ambition or drive.  I also wonder, how you teachers put up with the stubborn hard headed kids like mine every day and am thankful that you do.  Also those of you who do try so hard, You do make a huge difference.  My hardheaded lazy slacker (said very affectionately) has gone from a 1.8 to a 3.5 in 3 years.  That's huge!! Of course the 3.5 was an accident he was just trying for the 3.0 we require.  He immediately started playing his own game where he dose really good on his assignments, than refuses to do the major test, thereby regulating his grades.  He got a 2.8 last semester, so he calculated wrong.  He puts so much effort into doing the least amount possible, that if he just did the actual work he would probably be a 3.8.  What I really wanted to say was on behalf of parents of typical teenage idiots:  THANK YOU VERRY MUCH
Sorry this ended up being so long.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

bookfiend said:


> He puts so much effort into doing the least amount possible, that if he just did the actual work he would probably be a 3.8. What I really wanted to say was on behalf of parents of typical teenage idiots: THANK YOU VERRY MUCH
> Sorry this ended up being so long.


Thank you. As for your comment about the work put into NOT doing the work, I wish I had a dollar for every time I've thought (or, I must admit, on rare occasions, said) that. Those are the kids who have such trouble achieving their potential, but who obviously are smart enough to have figured out (to some extent) how to get around the work.

I hope your stepson can get his act together and will have a bright future. Hang in there.


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## harfner (Jul 5, 2009)

In my experience as a high school teacher, the kid who succeeds is the one whose parents are involved, who let kid know that they are watching, that they expect decent work.

Just last school year I called home about a student who was failing, and her mother said, "Well, I don't know what you expect =me= to do." Another failing student had his own car and a TV in his room complete with DVD player, cable, and video games. I suggested Mom take these things away until his grades improved. "Oh, I couldn't do that," she said. "He'd make my life miserable."

On the other hand, when I see parents who come to every conference, every open house (often with the kid in tow), who e-mail me for updates--these kids are the ones who get through school better.

So kudos must also go to you and your husband!



bookfiend said:


> Not a teacher, but wanted to thank all of you who are. Since acquiring my stepson 3 yrs ago, Ive seen the good and the bad. His mother put him into special ed in Jr. High, because she couldn't be bothered helping him with home work. He quickly learned that much less effort was required or expected of him there. We brought him to live with us when he started HS, and it has been an uphill battle ever since. We have been trying to mainstream him, and most of his teachers have been fantastic, he is the biggest barrier, ("why put one ounce more effort into anything than is absolutely required" seems to be his mind set.) He doesn't want to main stream because his special ed is so easy. He is going to be a senior this year, and has never had homework, ever. The worst memory is of his English teacher telling him (in front of us) that "his printing doesn't matter, its not worth the effort to make it legable, because most jobs use the computer anyway". I think my mouth actually hit the floor. For some reason the more stubborn he gets the more exceptions the school makes for him. Hes a good kid at heart, but he has gained a hugely inflated sense of selfimport because he doesn't have the same consequences as the other students, he is always let off the hook. I worry every day how he will ever become a viable adult, as he has no ambition or drive. I also wonder, how you teachers put up with the stubborn hard headed kids like mine every day and am thankful that you do. Also those of you who do try so hard, You do make a huge difference. My hardheaded lazy slacker (said very affectionately) has gone from a 1.8 to a 3.5 in 3 years. That's huge!! Of course the 3.5 was an accident he was just trying for the 3.0 we require. He immediately started playing his own game where he dose really good on his assignments, than refuses to do the major test, thereby regulating his grades. He got a 2.8 last semester, so he calculated wrong. He puts so much effort into doing the least amount possible, that if he just did the actual work he would probably be a 3.8. What I really wanted to say was on behalf of parents of typical teenage idiots: THANK YOU VERRY MUCH
> Sorry this ended up being so long.


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## Hopeful76 (Jun 24, 2009)

I'm also a teacher, technically an instructor.

I teach undergraduate nursing students (BSN degree) at a state university.  I've only been teaching for 2 years.  Before I went back to graduate school, I worked as a hospital RN for almost 10 years.  I teach in the clinical part of our school's nursing program- the "hands on" stuff with patients in the hospital.  I kind of feel like I'm half teacher-half nurse.

My favorite part of teaching is that nursing students tend to be smart and enthusiastic.  Since I teach them in small groups, I get to know them and get to mentor them as future nurses in addition to just being their instructor.

The hardest part is to see a few of them try so hard and still not make it.  Nursing school is tough!  Luckily most complete the program and pass their licensing exam.


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks Cindy, and harfner.  We do as much as we can, and his teachers all know we are available anytime, and we believe his actions should have consequences.  We just try to take it one day at a time.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

bookfiend said:


> Thanks Cindy, and harfner. We do as much as we can, and his teachers all know we are available anytime, and we believe his actions should have consequences. We just try to take it one day at a time.


I say let's hoist a glass to you and your family. There's no more that you can do that you apparently are, and that's worth its weight in gold. What I wouldn't give to have all of my Title I students' parents care as much as you do.


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks Cindy, I will remember to reread this every time I feel like ripping out all my hair and killing him.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

bookfiend said:


> Thanks Cindy, I will remember to reread this every time I feel like ripping out all my hair and killing him.


I can't guarantee that my post will completely quell those feelings, so you might want to stay away from anything sharp AND buy some Rogaine, just as added insurance.


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## kevindorsey (Mar 4, 2009)

All I know is that you guys need to be paid more!


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## harfner (Jul 5, 2009)

Yeah! 



kevindorsey said:


> All I know is that you guys need to be paid more!


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

kevindorsey said:


> All I know is that you guys need to be paid more!


I would have settled for half the student load.


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