I had an IEP meeting this morning for a child with some clear issues. being a first year teacher, i wanted to go in there prepared with work samples (good and bad) and be able to speak about his (lack of) progress in class. SO -long story short, they ask for my 'description of him in my class' and i gave it...and later that day, the principal asked me to come down, and RIPPED ME A NEW ONE!!!!! i thought the meeting went fine...but she thought i said all the wrong things. she had PAGES and pages written and highlighted of all the things i shouldn't have said, she even started putting words in my mouth and almost kind of mocking me...it was freaking AWFUL.
when did this happen in the field of teaching...that teachers are yelled at for telling the truth about their students. i just wanted to advocate for him!!!! but of course, if it is going to cost the district money, i should just keep my freaking mouth shut.
UGGHHHHH!!!!!!!
Hawks Nest
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
My advice as a fellow teacher is document everything. from all that went on in the meeting to everything your priciple said about you and to you. And to show her/him that you are the better person and you are looking to learn ask her/him next time you have a meeting with a parent if you can meet with them first to go over what you are going to say. That way they can never come back and say that you made a mistake... (Hope that made sense). If you have any other questions fm me.
Hope that helps.
jgl
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Im sorry that this happened to you.
However, you always have to be VERY careful what you say. You can never tell a parent things like 'i think your child has ADHD' or 'He should see a doctor for..' Im not saying that these are the things you said, but teachers/school psych's def have to be careful what they say. Schools have to worry that parents will bring in lawyers and such.
kate0211
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
thanks for your help ladies - i would never say anything like 'he needs meds' or 'i think he has adhd' but apparently (according to the principal's highlighted notes that quote me verbatum) i used words like 'he NEVER completes an assignment through to the end' or 'he is ALWAYS out of his seat' and she was pissed that i was so extreme...i suppose it's understandable...but sheesh!! have some tact!! you're the PRINCIPAL for god's sake!!! her approach to me just seemed very unprofessional...
BUT thanks for the advice - i will DEFINITELY continue to document, and i like the idea about documenting what she said to me...bc while i think ill remember, in the long run i won't!!!! so ill make some notes for myself :)
Hawks Nest
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Documentation is the best thing. I have a red notebook and everytime I have a meeting with anyone staff, principle, once a month grade conferences etc I bring my notebook and write down everything they say. This way you have it all documented in one place. I had a similar experience happen to me 5 years ago and since then I have been doing this.
krisa1129
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
I am a social worker in a school, and I attend CSE's whenever possible. It is horrible that this happened to you!! I have had teachers say way worse in a meeting! You are there to state what happens in your classroom, and you should never be reprimanded for that! I had no idea that went on!!
Snowflake08
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
as an AP and SE supervisor, i just have to say that i tell my teachers that although you want to be truthful, try to see things from the parents point of view and be somewhat sensitive in how you phrase things and always start off with a positive, no matter how hard that may be at times
LCnAC
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Thats why I quit teaching
xXxNovember08xXx
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wow...
AndRecKy
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i feel its very frustrating the way the education is turning out to be...you can not say a damn thing anymore!! i am teaching only 4 years and i am burnt out with all the demands placed on us...
hang in there and remember why you went into teaching in the first place....(the kids of course, not summer vacation) hehe.
Brian and Marie
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Posted by AndRecKy
i feel its very frustrating the way the education is turning out to be...you can not say a damn thing anymore!! i am teaching only 4 years and i am burnt out with all the demands placed on us...
hang in there and remember why you went into teaching in the first place....(the kids of course, not summer vacation) hehe.
I taught 3rd grade for two years and got burnt out!! I quit, and now I'm just subbing while I try and decide what I want to go back to school for!! I hated it!!
Mici n KC
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Unfortunately stuff like this happens in the corporate world too.
reneemarie2
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
It really stinks what happened to you, but my best advice is that while you are untenured, to quietly take note of what is said to you and stay off the 'radar'.
Was your principal at the CSE meeting? If not, she may have taken some heat from someone above her regarding the meeting, and relayed it to you in an untactful way. She should've come to you in a more constructive way, and not belittled you.
Rather than using 'always' and 'never'...try vocabulary such as...he needs frequent redirection to__ he has difficulty doing__, etc. Also speak objectively...he either can__ or he is unable to__. And document everything with your students. What is he unable to do, what interventions have you tried, what are you using to assess progress or lack of progress, and over what period of time, etc.
Good luck!
mendi725
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Posted by Snowflake08
as an AP and SE supervisor, i just have to say that i tell my teachers that although you want to be truthful, try to see things from the parents point of view and be somewhat sensitive in how you phrase things and always start off with a positive, no matter how hard that may be at times
Very well said.
TheMrandMrsof2008
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I am also a special ed teacher. I am surprised your principal even attended the meeting. I run my own!
MsPotterhead
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You are a human being before being a teacher, and your principal had absolutely know right to speak to you that way. Definitely document everything she says and does to you. If she continues to speak to you in a degrading way, that can be considered harassment. You were doing what you thought was best. Even if you were mistaken in how you said certain things, there is a right and a wrong way to speak to people.
tlp123
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Teaching is tough. In some of the schools, you have to be on guard with what you say and do. Its like teachers are the enemy! Its very unfortunate that the field has taken this type of turn. I could go on forever.
That being said, I am very happy being a teacher b/c I love working with the kids and when collegues and adminstrators are supportive, it is a very rewarding job. Sometimes it is just a matter of working in the right school and environment. Remember, if this is not the school for you, you can always change.
jgl
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Posted by TheMrandMrsof2008
I am also a special ed teacher. I am surprised your principal even attended the meeting. I run my own!
you prob work in the city
On LI that doesnt happen. The way NYC does it is not what a real CSE meeting looks like, honestly i dont know how NYC gets away with it.
FH is a school psychologist on LI and he runs all the meetings.
sumbr08
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
We have evaluation team leaders who run the meetings...I have been a special ed. teacher for 6 years now, I thought it would get easier as I became more experienced, but I am finding that the demands are increasing (paperwork, more students to work with, etc). I don't think I will be a spec. ed teacher for long because it is way too stressful.
If you are a non-tenure teacher, I would suggest to do what they say for the next 3 years, and when you get tenure, you will be able to speak your mind more, particularly with administration.
Hang in there!
Snowflake08
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
as the spec. ed supervisor, i run the EPC's with the school psych and i attend every one as long as im in the building; we have 124 special needs students and i attend annuals, triennials, initials
not all nyc schools are run alike
i give a lot of credit to people that know they cant do it or dont like it and choose to leave the profession
my biggest obstacle is with those that dont even see what they are doing wrong
