New Teacher Tales

Faculty relations...!??!?!?

2009-06-12T08:30:00.004-04:00

By now, I've come to realize that most of the faculty in my district are involved with each other...either physically or romantically..or both!

Most of these people, unfortunately, are married to people who do not work here.

This disheartens me. I found this out when I was approached by a colleague who wanted to pursue a relationship with me on the side (I am engaged and he is married with three children).

I was appalled! He tried to convince me that it was okay because everyone else was doing it.

THE PEER PRESSURE RED LIGHT WENT OFF IN THE BACK OF MY MIND! (Thank you d.a.r.e. program of my childhood).

I am looking forward to getting married to my love of the past 8 years. Could no one else in this building keep their pants on? Is my relationship doomed?

Just because we work in a high school doesn't mean we need to act like we still are in it!

Only 5 more days until I am transferred to elementary.

Thoughts?

New job

2009-06-11T09:15:00.004-04:00

I haven't posted in forever! This posting hiatus began right when our school musical started and since then I haven't had a breath of fresh air.

We have one week left.

Next year I will no longer be teaching here at the high school. The economy has hit every district in the area hard. I'm just lucky to have a job next year. I will be traveling at 2 elementary schools.

I'm looking forward to not having to deal with difficult high schoolers anymore.

I am not looking forward to adjusting to 2 new schools after finally adjusting to this one. I'm just going through the motions.

I'm exhausted.

Congrats to anyone that is finally done with their school year.

Angry parent update

2008-11-20T07:46:00.003-05:00

Finally, after weeks of back and forth with this parent, her son shows up with a stick bag for class.

I was thrilled!

To make up the grades that he was missing, I told him that he could complete extra credit assignments. These were to be research papers (one page in length, double spaced) on accomplished percussionists, their inspirations and their accomplishments. I figured...one page? No sweat! Most people can type up one double spaced page in a half hour.

The young man turned in 4 sentences that were cut and pasted from wikipedia. I know this because the HYPERLINKS WERE STILL IN IT. To make matters worse, the mother signed her name at the bottom of the sheet. I guess this is to tell me that she's keeping up on her son. Lady, did you read this 'paper'? I would've been embarrassed for my child if they turned in plagiarism. The assignment was not supposed to be difficult but it was supposed to be out of the ordinary, seeing that it was 'extra credit'. I did not grade the extra credit, but instead scheduled a parent teacher conference to meet the mother in person, for next week.

Today I get an email from the student. He lost his stick bag in my classroom, he says. He goes on to say that because I made them spend all that money, I should find it. (Another note: his stick bag was $40. This is peanuts compared to other instrumentalists who pay hundreds.) He suggests that I start by looking in my classroom. I would find this offensive, however the grammar and spelling are so poor that I feel as though I am communicating with a 5 year old. (I will mention that this student has no learning disabilities).

I look in my room. No stick bag.

Should be an interesting conference.

Angry Parent...&%^*$%

2008-10-21T08:46:00.003-04:00

I have an angry parent on my case. Her son has come unprepared everyday to band. He doesn't bring his drumsticks. At the beginning of the year, I sent a letter home to parents instructing what sticks they needed to buy. When her son got a low grade on his progress report, then the emails started flying. After I told her that he was unprepared, she tried to convince me that her son really does love band and practices everyday. (p.s. this student doesn't even like to stand up to play like he is supposed to). He hasn't turned in a single practice log. After a recent email exchange, I get a pile of practice logs from his mom FILLED OUT BY HER!! So... parents are doing their kids' homework now?!?!? You've got to be kidding me! Now she emails me saying that shes been to every music store in the county and no one has drumsticks. Uhhhhhhhhhhhh. AND she wrote in ANGRY RED TEXT! Well, only the angry sentences were red. I'm embarrassed for her.

Why are parents so ridiculous? Teach your child to take responsibility!! If you can't get him to fill out a worksheet, how will he ever hold down a serious job??

Forms and Policies with Clubs

2008-10-15T09:26:00.003-04:00

As the year progresses I'm finding myself underneath a bigger pile of paper and more demands on my shoulders. Yesterday I found out that I'm supposed to be the advisor for yet ANOTHER club. That puts me in 3, not counting my concert band, which is enough work by itself. My predecessor was quite involved, and as her replacement, I have big shoes to fill.

What gets me is all the forms I have to fill out. If I want to fund raise then I have to fill a form to request the fundraiser, then a form to set it up, then forms to create an account, then a form for the p.o. to buy our supplies....all while staying within the district's guidelines. I don't even know what the district's guidelines are!! Shouldn't there be some sort of district manual? Not one on this or one on that....but a big honkin' book of EVERYTHING you need to know!! Want to save trees??? Make it digital in pdf format. That way we all don't wonder: how do I do this, what's the policy on that, and what the heck is going on??!?

HOW OLD ARE YOU...really?? A list for you.

2008-10-10T13:43:00.003-04:00

I am nearly 24 years old. I've come to realize that most people don't start teaching in a high school right out of college. I am bombarded...on a daily basis...with questions and concerns about my age. Here is a list sampling such occurrences. There are nearly too many to name because it happens EVERY DAY.

I went up to the attendance office and told the secretary that I had an appointment with a vice principal. She replied very crisply, "If you need to see him then you need a pass from your homeroom teacher."
I was walking to lunch and a security guard stopped me and said "where do you think you're going??" I said, "to lunch". (I was confused, because I didn't know where it was going). He says "where were you before this?" I reply, "my office". He looks at me and apologizes saying that he thought I qualified for detention because I didn't have a pass.
I was sitting at a table at the technology fair promoting my students' work. A parent came up to me and asked when the teacher would be back because she needed to talk to her.
At the beginning of the year, one of my students' parents complained to the school board that there was a non certified high school student teaching their child's class. It was me.
In the same class, a student said to me: "are you old enough to drive, because you sure don't look it."
I went to get a parking permit for my car and the secretary says "only teachers can get parking permits here, students must send in their forms by mail"
In a class I was talking about a seminar I took in college and a student yelled out, "you went to college?? Aren't you, like, 17?"
I was uninvited to happy hour because it was assumed I wasn't old enough to drink
While attending a lunch meeting during an inservice day at a pub, the owner told me, in front of my co-workers, that I had to leave because they only allowed patrons 18 and older.
At least once a day a student will say "oh I didn't know it was you in the hallway...you look like a kid!"

I do dress very professionally. I wear suits to work and blouses with slacks. WHAT'S THE DEAL?!?!

Chocolate...

2008-10-10T13:37:00.002-04:00

I have been eating chocolate non stop today! I think it's giving me energy. Today has been a good day. I'm on top of all of my grading and planning. It's a Friday. We had a fire drill AND an extended homeroom. I love disruptions. They make the daily haul more interesting.

Some food for thought...

2008-10-07T13:28:00.003-04:00

http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/

I've read similar lists like this before. So far, it seems that I have been pretty much able to follow this one. I do make an extra effort to give myself personal time. I learned the one about establishing classroom rules the hard way. As for spending like I did before my first paycheck..yeah, right! I had NO income before and NO bills. Now I have lots. More money coming in...and more going out...

Talking Back?

2008-10-07T12:18:00.003-04:00

What is the deal with students talking back? Although I am a new teacher and fairly close in age to this generation, I would have never dared to talk to a teacher the way that most students talk to me. I am finding that students believe that they are right no matter what and at any cost. Why is this so? Is it a lack of respect? Are they being brought up this way at home?

Today I had a student banging on a keyboard with his arm in class. I told him that he lost the privilege of playing the keyboard (which he shouldn't have been anyway!) because he was abusing the instrument. He then proceeded to be mouthy with me for the next 5 minutes about how he was in the right and I was wrong.

I am not really offended by this behavior; I am more embarrassed for the kids. Do they know how ridiculous they sound? How does one remedy this? Is it just an uphill battle?

Progress Reports and Parents

2008-10-06T09:01:00.004-04:00

Today I'm entering progress report grades. Our district has a new computer system that everyone is still getting used to. Unfortunately, some of the grades that I planned on using were entered in to the computer too late. The "class participation" marks that I was going to use to boost some grades are now not eligible. Hmmm, oh well. It is unusual that I fear the wrath of the parents of students to whom I give low grades? I suppose that its not my fault that their child doesn't do homework...ever. Parents scare me. How do others get over this?

Working on a Saturday?

2008-10-04T07:32:00.002-04:00

I'm off for a full day with the marching band. I find myself exhausted and wish that I could go home at the end of the day and have my weekends off. Shouldn't I be excited for my extra curriculars? At the very least, I shouldn't dread them. Right now I live 45 minutes from my school. Maybe if I lived closer it wouldn't seem like such a big deal to drive over there. I actually had a dream last night that I was working at an elementary school and got to go home at 3 everyday. Is this a bad sign????

Quotes of the Day

2008-10-03T15:01:00.002-04:00

I just overheard one of my female students (grade 11) saying this as she was reading a short story I had passed out:

"There are made up hillbilly words in here. "ARE-KANSAS??!" What the heck is that?? How are we supposed to read this slang?"

The student next to her says: "It's Ar-can-saw. I used to be confused by it too. It's its own state."

Working with Others

2008-10-03T10:25:00.002-04:00

Very often in my class, I have students pair up as partners. Occasionally this means having to work with someone that they don't care for. I explain to them that working with others is a lesson to be learned and that you will have to do it for the rest of your life.

I work closely with someone that does not share the same philosophy as me. While I understand that I am a new teacher, I do believe that I am not an idiot. I'm very open to the notion that I will have a steep learning curve this year. I do, however, want to think that others will treat me as a professional and not as a child. While I know he and others have children older than myself, I do not wished to be reminded of this. I am trying so hard to fit into this puzzle of teaching and faculty meetings and community that belittling me will not help my position.

I am very polite to this man and respectful. I constantly remind myself of the lesson that I share to my students: working together we will see accomplishments but divided we will fall.