Since so many of you are great teachers, and so many of us are 'aspiring' teachers, and even some are still thinking of changing careers to go into teaching....
Why dont we start a thread so that there's a place for information to be shared, questions, concerns, ideas, etc.
For me,I'd be interested in seeing issues that come up in day-to-day life for teachers, things that others (other teachers or others hoping to or planning to teach) can learn from...etc..
No one has to give specific information about what school they teach at, since I know that was a problem once before for someone...
But just having BTDT teachers on here is a great resource, and I'd LOVE to get some tips and tricks from the experts !
I know there are tons of teacher chat boards out there on other websites, but we are already sooo close ! It just wouldnt be the same !!
I'll start with some disussion topics.
What are some of the toughest situations you've run into....how did you handle it ?
***EDITED TO CHANGE NAME TO TEACHER FORUM Like how that sounds better !
prncssrachel
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Great idea! Some of the toughest situations are dealing with other teachers that I work with. I had to work with a teacher who would always roll her eyes at me in front of the kids and they were picking up on it. That was a tough situation because I was a new teacher, and she had lots of experience. Once I got the courage, I confronted her and we worked it out, but I think confidence is a HUGE factor in teaching.
As far as students go.....I work with some very difficult teens, and learning to approach the same subject in four or five different ways really helped with being a successful teacher.
prncssrachel
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Oh, also being flexible and realizing that each student learns differently. This kind of goes with the learning different approaches, but knowing your students' patterns of thought and learning can only help.
anna
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One topic my Professor brought up was Parent involvement and WHEN parents get involved when and where they SHOULDNT and are not NEEDED to be involved. He was saying to set the stage and let them know that its YOUR classroom, YOU Are the teacher and their help is needed AT HOME, with homework, etc. He mentioned how alot of schools are giving parents WAY too much say in things and making them believe they have all thispower.. (Which can be intimidating to new teachers ! )
prncssrachel
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You just have to remember that you are the one with the qualifications, and you are going to run into SOOOOO many overly involved parents, and too many underinvolved ones. Whatever you do, exude confidence and don't be afraid to draw a line between listening to their suggestions and concerns and being pushed around by them. My school doesn't really allow too much parent teacher involvement because of this. It's usually supervised. But then again, I work in an unusual school. It's a residential program for emotionally disturbed teens, and their parent's are usually the root of the problem, but my sister is teaching in a public elementary school, and it is the same thing, limited contact.
prncssrachel
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Oh, one random thing.....it took until I started teaching and had to teach things I knew very little about to realize how many of my teachers I have had that I can think of that probably didn't know what they were doing either, yet I learned from them, so it must be ok to fake my way too! Every now and then, of course
swags1016
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Hi all-- I have been a teacher for 7 years and I teach middle school!
I think the quality of the students is part of the problem. In 7 years I have watched these students decline as people. They are unmotivated, lazy and not nice. I know this must sound bad. Don't get me wrong I LOVE TEACHING! I think the state has killed these kids with all these test that by the time I get them in Middle School they are burnt!
With the parent thing, your professor is right. The school bend over backwards for parents and cowtail to them daily. This causes many problems. I just finished taking this ED Law class and what a sense of empowerment! You will start to feel like you are not a slave!
Sorry for the morning rant. I guess that I am upset that my babies were HORRIBLE while I was away at my Grandmother's funeral and they knew why I would be out. -- Normally I love my job!
swags1016
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prncessrachel-- have you ever taken any Kagan classes? He is great! I love him and he works for any subject matter. You are right about differentied instruction. It is the new 'hot' thing in my district we are having staff development after staff development on it.
janatlantica
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How does everyone feel about inclusion? I am subbing right now and I never know what I am going to walk into!! Also, if there are any ELED teachers out there, how long did it take you to get a job, please? I recently changed careers to be a teacher and I have sent out a hundred resumes, gone to job fairs, all to become very discouraged and overwhelmed by the number of teachers competing to get jobs. It really has me down in the dumps this week
bride04
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I am all for inclusion, however, I feel that the regular ed teachers need to be more prepared.
JennRenee
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We have inclusion kindergarten in my school for the first time this year, and while it has MANY bugs in the system, I think that with refining and experience, it's going to be great.
Diane
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Im a special Ed teacher at a high school, and LOVE it.
Im FOR INclusion. I feel the children have EVERY right to be educated with their peers. It doesn depend on the disablilty, and behaviors involved. I feel that Regular Ed teachers need to be MORE educated, and be required to take more classes in Specil Ed. Inclusion is HERE and it is NOT going anywhere. There are more and more students being classified, and more are being mainstreamed into general classes. We have some teachers here who are so impatient with them. Yes I know they went to school to teacher the general ed population, but special ed studenst are being placed in inclusion. Im very touchy with this topic, because I have bumped heads with a teacher I used to work with in another district who I was the inclusion teacher, and hse did NOT agree with inclsuion. Boy was it a long year.
Now Im in a high school ,and my most chaleenging behaviors are the cursing in class, coming to class, and on-time, and the students NOT wanting to do the work. This is just with 1 of my classes. My others are really good kids.
anna
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So is Inclusion eleminating Special Ed ? Or is it just picking those in Special Ed with more potential and mainstreaming them ?
We also mentioned in class if we were teaching something that we werent experts in, Prof said to have a resource sheet, with information that you are talking about, to be able to glance at when you get questions...
Does everyone do this ?
prncssrachel
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Swags, I haven't, but I will definitely look into it. My background is in one on one tutoring, so I think I approach each child as an individual because of that. I don't know, it seems to help me.
Anna, I am a music teacher, but because of a staff shortage in my school, I actually get stuck teaching GEOMETRY! Of all things, I know nothing about it, or KNEW nothing about it. So I keep a 'cheat' sheet of everything thing I think I might encounter problems with, but I am also not afraid to say I don't know the answer to something. Of course I always find out what the answer is, but I feel the kids appreciate the human side to not knowing everything.
Diane, as for the kids cursing, I am constantly struggling with this. Luckily my school has a behavior management system that allows the students to 'fail to earn' points for their foul language, but I a also have girlfriends who have come up with a 'points' system just in their classroom for that problem alone. Offer up an incentive for them to not be cursing up a storm and throwing F-Bombs. You would think it wouldn't work, but you'll be surprised, even somethng like wooden coins that they can trade in for things like candy and other objects can mean a lot to a high schooler. I have tons of other ideas, too if you would like some....
anna
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I love the Ideas...
BUMP to keep this thread alive and goin' !
Betty
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GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need help to gain the confidence to be able to teach!! I still have a year of school and then student teaching (elem/spec ed). I am SOOO afraid to actually start teaching. When I observe I get so scared and think to myself - I can't do that--
prncssrachel...thank you soooo much for easing my mind (a little) by saying that you were scared and didn't know what you were teaching.
Where do you get all of your info from? Online? Resource books? What is the best?
prncssrachel
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I get a lot of info online, but you have to make sure you know the source. There's so much misinformation out there. But usually if you read textbooks and other books on the subject that helps as well. I mean, I think a good teacher can teach ANYTHING, it's just a matter of presenting the information in a way that can be absorbed. You can never break anything down too much. Just when you've broken something down enough, someone else will need it broken down even more. It's more experience. I never student taught or even observed. I work for a private school and they could care less, as long as I was a warm body. But, I've also taken good notice of teachers I have had in my past and kind of logged what worked and what didn't. I don't know, I just love teaching. It's a good feeling to be able to pass on what you know.....or what you didn't think you did!
Betty...you'll be nervous in the beginning, but then it gets so easy to talk in front of large groups...
as for inclusion...we have it in our school...but it is a complete mockery of what inclusion should be...its really EXclusion...I'm for inclusion for most students...but not for all...and especially large emotionally disturbed students...sometimes I feel like I have to baby these guys to make sure they don't freak out and kill someone...
I'm trying to stay away from this board...b/c I am burning out...I don't want to bring anyone down...
prncssrachel
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Yabbobay, burning out is a reality of teaching though, so as much as I say I love what I do, it's realistic, especially with emotionally disturbed kids, that you are going to burn out. After all, that's what summers off are for, no?
bride04
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I think many people who say that they are against inclusion don't really have an understanding of exactly what inclusion is. Inclusion doesn't mean that ALL students should be educated in a regular education setting. Some children are not able to benefit from that type of environment. While there are good role models in an inclusive classroom, some students still require the additional support and structure that they can only be provided with in another setting. However, children should be included to the best of their ability in the least restrictive environement. There is wide range of educational options available for children and you have to keep in mind that the child's education needs to be individualized. There is not one setting that all children can fit into. Unfortunately in many places, inclusion is not implemented properly or the way that it was intended. Also, I think that in general, regular ed teachers are not prepared for the challenges of an inclusive classroom.
