|
|
Post by Leni on Feb 9, 2012 19:36:50 GMT -5
I just returned from a parent teacher conference listening to how smart but unfocused my son is and I was thinking about todays events the entire time. I guess I know where the unfocused part comes from.
|
|
|
|
Post by ile105 on Feb 10, 2012 8:17:36 GMT -5
I just returned from a parent teacher conference listening to how smart but unfocused my son is and I was thinking about todays events the entire time. I guess I know where the unfocused part comes from. ;D ;D Seriously? They're STILL saying that thing to parents? |
|
|
|
Post by darksea on Feb 10, 2012 9:42:07 GMT -5
I just returned from a parent teacher conference listening to how smart but unfocused my son is and I was thinking about todays events the entire time. I guess I know where the unfocused part comes from. ;D ;D Seriously? They're STILL saying that thing to parents? Yep, there are even training seminars for teachers to learn how to say it too. "Positive reinforcement" |
|
|
|
Post by Leni on Feb 10, 2012 10:22:57 GMT -5
;D ;D Seriously? They're STILL saying that thing to parents? Yep, there are even training seminars for teachers to learn how to say it too. "Positive reinforcement" Its actually rediculous. I know he's smart, he had one of the highest middle school SAT scores in the county. He's just Mr. popular, the class clown and would rather be playing Baseball or in the Ocean. Why can't teachers just admit that they bore the crap out of kids sometimes. (Sorry teachers). |
|
|
|
Post by runner on Feb 10, 2012 11:54:24 GMT -5
Its actually rediculous. I know he's smart, he had one of the highest middle school SAT scores in the county. He's just Mr. popular, the class clown and would rather be playing Baseball or in the Ocean. Why can't teachers just admit that they bore the crap out of kids sometimes. (Sorry teachers). Not to divert the topic of this thread, but I just had to comment to you, ircam, that I totally feel your pain. Our son was top of the class and bored out of his mind, but because the school had no program for TAG kids, the teacher's solution was to dump twice the work load on my son. Yeah, let's punish the smart kids for being smart. I am so glad my kids are all grown up and past school!!! And back to the topic of 2.17 --- I have already consoled myself that this episode will be Bori-heavy, but I will endure because it means getting rid of her. |
|
|
|
Post by Dannos Dani on Feb 10, 2012 15:41:20 GMT -5
Ircam and runner, my oldest was class clown too because he was bored. I knew the principals of both his schools by first names. But in senior high he smartened up and started to study and he hasn't stopped yet, he's actually become very responsible about his studying and his future, and sometimes I wonder if someone didn't switch the kid on me.
Now, if the youngest would pick up on the hint, I'd be one happy parent, but nothing.
|
|
|
|
Post by runner on Feb 10, 2012 16:53:25 GMT -5
So common for 2 kids to be opposites. It was so much better for my son at the high school and college levels, when he could take what he needed and not be bored.
|
|
|
|
Post by darksea on Feb 11, 2012 11:01:21 GMT -5
In this modern day, most teachers are instructed to be over glorified babysitters. They herd the children through like sheep, throwing instruction at them by the bucketload and hoping that it sinks in.
I, am an instructor. My job is different because I work with students one on one, and don't have to have an established lesson plan, don't have to do all the bullcrap mission statement administration type paperwork, and I do more than a teacher does, but get paid less because I don't have the license, I have the degrees and certifications.
I will give you a real example of what my year has been like. I have been in the principal's office 12 times this year. While most may think it is because I am a rebel rouser...yeah it's true. All 12 have been for disciplinary actions against kids and for victims. Because I notice it while the other teachers don't. I see bruises, I report. I see sexual harassment in 6th grade, I report. I stop fights mid progress, and then report. Other teachers walk on by. In my schools (I handle three...One elementary, one middle, one high) I have 12 science teachers who all have these handy dandy teacher's licenses...but can't solve a single chemical equation, can't do a simple experiment, or hold a lab session. They give bookwork. The kids only escape: when I do labs with them. For 12 teachers. 12. 6 class periods, 12 teachers. One me. One teacher I had to discipline a couple of years ago, because when I walked into his class, four kids were at 2nd base with each other in the back of the room. Just as I walked in, one kid stuck a piece of pencil graphite in an electrical socket, touched it with his finger and then touched his friend's eye, sending him shooting across the room. Another kid was sawing into the gas line with the metal binding on his notebook. The teacher was sitting at his desk, reading the internet.
I am sitting here getting ready to go in on a Saturday, to open the lab for my kids, which I do every Saturday and even during vacation. The other teachers...at home. The interest is there from the kids, but in many cases, the problems are with the teachers. Once you lose a kid's interest, you lose the kid. Then you lose the adult.
|
|
|
|
Post by Leni on Feb 11, 2012 11:29:09 GMT -5
You are the exception to the rule. I have a few friends that are teachers and one that teaches in the poorest school district in the state. The horror stories are disheartening. It is a shame that schools have come to this. Stories like this are why we have sacrificed certain luxuries and send my kids to a private school. The problem with that is that the teachers dont have the resources that are given to the public schools. I volunteer as often as possible to help and be present. And its unfortunate that even in a religous private school setting, there are parents who just dont care. I am a believer that the parents are as much to blame as the kids are. Discipline, respect and morals begin at home. I am very lucky that my kids and their friends are generally good kids. They just get distracted easily and personally I can't really blame them.
Darksea: I hope the parents appreciate what you do for these kids.
|
|
|
|
Post by runner on Feb 11, 2012 19:31:59 GMT -5
But sometimes the teacher's hands can be tied, or at least they have no resources or programs for the kids that need them.
When my son was little, his elementary school offered various levels of math, etc, dividing the kids up according to skill level... similar to the options they are given at the high school level... the problem was middle school in between which gave no options. All the 6th graders were together, regardless of skill level. Ditto for 7th & 8th graders. How stupid is that?
The school's principal explained, as politically correctly as possible, that they needed to dumb down the smarter kids while bringing up the slower kids, so that they were all on the same level. Again, how stupid is that. When we told him that the concept of 'cookie cutter kids' was unwise he promptly told us that we could always go to a different school.
|
|
|
|
Post by sunnyirish08 on Feb 12, 2012 3:44:49 GMT -5
ahhh the oul parent/teacher meetings. my mum was told about me, she's a pleasant young lady with a positive attitude, but can be away with the fairies sometimes. seriously if the subject didn't interest me, i wasn't paying attention. the only subjects i would pay attention in and LOVED was geography, english, history and french. irish meh, maths forget about it.
my brother on the other hand liked one subject and struggled with the rest, loved and still loves maths. he must do because he's now teaching it in the states. he was bored in maths, thank god he had a great maths teacher who saw the potential and gave him extra classes, he still meets up with him every once in a while.
Here's another part of that story with my brother, when he was younger he had a very bad stammer, he couldn't get words out or anything, his confidence was shot, he was bullied, but he persevered between help from my parents and that maths teacher, he is now teaching.
in this day and age that's what some students need, that what teachers should do, if they see the potential in a child they could at least help the child in a small way.
|
|
Sept 22, 2013 7:25:03 GMT -5
Sept 22, 2013 7:25:03 GMT -5
