Comments on: You Should Go Visit A Classroom

By: Mocha Momma » You Should Have Stopped Me. Why Didn’t You?

Mocha Momma » You Should Have Stopped Me. Why Didn’t You? — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 11:02:51 +0000

[...] Not too long ago I wrote about this school-within-a-school that three African American men are trying to implement. I made mention of it here, here, and here. Since then, the program has changed from taking approximately 50 of our AA male students and relocating them to another building where two teachers would be responsible for them to identifying 28 AA males who will remain in our building with the support of these 2 extra teachers. The best part of this stems from the fact that the ball is back in our court and we will be responsible for creating this program with additional staff members. [...]

By: DavidShag

DavidShag — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:42:19 +0000

I kind of agree with you – heck, I do totally, and yet I am thinking back to school – especially younger years, and I realize that when I think of school, I DO think of seating arrangements. It was always this big deal when we would rearrange our desks into a big circle. And Mrs. G had that damn “Barretts of Wimpole Street” display up each year, and “The Yearling” display – well, I hope if I were a parent, I would thik about other things, but I am not and I don’t. And I am pretty shallow. Actually, I hope, if I were a parent, I would mainly let the teachers teach and not interfere constantly regarding content, discipline (unless there were none)or anything else. Since I am a totally lazy-ass person, I have good reason to think that I would.

By: Maria

Maria — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 05:24:22 +0000

You know, I have a meeting with Jojo’s teacher scheduled for next week. This would be an excellent question for her.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 05:22:30 +0000

I was just struck by the notion that 20 years from now there will be hundreds of adults looking back on their lives, and they will all be thanking you for caring so much about them when they needed it the most.
You rock.

By: Tricia

Tricia — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 02:28:35 +0000

Having been married to a teacher for 18 years… How about the value put on the profession? Why is it that our professional sports players are making millions upon millions each year and our teachers make diddly squat? Why is it that we spend so much time comparing how much money each student “earns” per year? Why do we never have enough money for education, but enough for weapons? While we are at it- how about health care? And… oh, I better just stop. Please let us all just hope these elections will really mean something.

On a lighter note- though not necessarily healthier- the strawberry bread was a huge hit at dinner tonight! It counts as a grain and a fruit, right??

By: Mrs RW

Mrs RW — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 01:26:36 +0000

“I�ve been concerned about the whole child and I know that investing my own time in them can sometimes mean the difference of them thinking they are capable of growing up to be what they want to be versus sitting in the bathroom during recess because they are mercilessly teased and are now considering suicide.”

Truer words were never spoken. It’s pointless to just tell a kid that they can be anything they want if they just try. These kids who often have to be their own parents probably don’t spend much time dreaming of their futures. Future is making through today, then tomorrow.

Thank you for helping make the future better, because these kids ARE our future.

By: MamaCaffeinatedLibrarian

MamaCaffeinatedLibrarian — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 01:04:06 +0000

Just had to mention two things in addition to CL’s wonderful comments, some of which I really never knew she was aware of.

I know a lot is made of children never being taught subjects, but I was librarian in a high school and had as students children I had had when they were in elementary school. Many of them would preface a question with, “I know you taught us this, but I’ve forgotten…” (Yes, school librarians/media specialists are teachers too.)

One principal once told us in a staff meeting: “You either deal with the students or the parents.” If you work in a high poverty school you probably deal with the students because the parents seldom come to school. If you teach in an upscale area, you deal with the parents who are frantic if their son makes a 95 on a test because he may not make it into Harvard or the parents may have a ski trip planned during exams and can’t see why the student can’t make up work. I chose the students and have never regretted it.

By: Beth

Beth — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 00:11:27 +0000

(I found you via the Randomizer. Don’t hate me.)

Great post. My best friend is a high school history teacher and I’m sure that if she told me that her main priority was desk arrangement, I’d arrange to have her head checked.

I’m a pediatrics resident. My outpatient clinic practice is composed primarily of urban families on Medicaid. I see students (the 13 year-old mommies, the ones in foster care, the ADHD kids, the ones with depression and eating disorders, and yes, even the normal ones) in my clinic on a day to day basis. I worry about their mental and physical health and how they do in school. If they’re well supported by families and teachers, they can gain the knowledge and skills to improve their lives. I only hope they end up with teachers like yourself that are as concerned for them as I am.

(And I too am excited for the Buxx red cups! The holidays are nigh!)

By: Lorina

Lorina — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:13:14 +0000

This was a really good post. Sometimes I feel like I am too distant from the public education system, since coming to a private university. In high school, though, the deterioration of most educational systems is very apparent. It’s disheartening how students act towards teachers, how burned out teachers act towards students and how administrations turns a blind eye on many of the problems. I just hope we can creative effective solutions for the long-run.

Have you heard of Teach for America? Any opinions? One of my roommates is very close to the program (she had TFA teachers in school, she is now working as an on-campus coordinator and she plans on applying for the program) so sometimes I think she has a biased opinion towards it. It would be nice to hear the opinions of someone who isn’t affiliated with it but still has connections to the education system.

By: Nora

Nora — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 21:37:40 +0000

The fantasy of what we think a career will be like and what it is are entirely different. Everyone thinks it must be peaceful and calming to working in a nursery. Few handle the muddy puts, cut up arms and weather. Teaching is a wee bit more important, and I still consider getting a masters and teaching science. The concerns you mentioned are the very things that hold me back, how could I ever help those kids without not getting involved and heartbroken?