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!!!!!!!
jgl
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Posted by Snowflake08
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
keep your head up!!!
i think that is fantastic. At least your school and you are running it properly. In my school and most of my friends schols in NYC are run by them. It is the spec ed teacher the gen ed teacher and the parent and MAYBE the sppech teacher but that is rare. the AP is never there and the school psych or social worker is never there. Its ridiculous. On top of that i have 6 kids who have yet to recieve services and its november
beachbum05
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
I actually think she's in Massachusetts.
Good luck Kate!
kfox715
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Posted by LCnAC
Thats why I quit teaching
What do you do now? Are you still in the education field?
kaMOHandTWN
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Posted by kate0211
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 :)
don't worry kathaleen, i still love you. i bet your principal is a scrooge who doesnt get any and that's why she was a nutcase. when i move up there I'll take care of it - ya know, as your bridesmaid. gotta make sure no one gives the bride hell.
babieblueeyez96
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
in my district we have chairpeople who run all the meetings, the principal doesnt come, thats so hard that that happened to you, especially being a first year teacher, i can def relate...were you at the CSE as the regular education teacher??? or the special education teacher???...like someone said earlier, i would try to lay low especially being untenured, but document EVERYTHING!!!!! if you have to,, you can eventually get your union rep involved...to be honest at a meeting like that, the union rep should have been present
MeaganAndJoeC
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
I am a 2nd grade teacher and I have an inclusion classroom. last yr I had a lot of trouble students in my room as a frist year teacher. I kept a lot of documentation and anecdotals on one child in particular that had a 45 IQ. Sometimes principal can be real A-holes. I guess in your case you will have to run things by her before the next meeting you go into. ALso we shoudl be able to speak openly about what is really going in our rooms. Teaching can be very stressful.
kate0211
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Posted by MsPotterhead
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.
my point exactly!! :)
kate0211
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Posted by beachbum05
I actually think she's in Massachusetts.
Good luck Kate!
ugh. thanks bonnie :)
kate0211
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
wow!! thanks for all the support and great advice ladies!! it is so hard, esp. being a first year teacher...i truly thought that the CSE meeting had gone well...i THOUGH i tried to choose the 'right words' but with so much pressure being put on me to say the right thing, i think i ended up saying TOO much.
i was seriously just on craiglist looking for a different job bc i was so upset by the whole situation. i was just trying to advocate for my student...which i THOUGHT was a teacher's job :( oh well!!
PS - i teach in Massachusetts.
JACK808
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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
I agree with is, although sometimes you have to be carefull as to not speak too positively or you risk discontinuation of services. I try to make sure I am in contact with the parents before the meeting so that we are clear as to what we are asking for and how we need to go about doing so.
LCnAC
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Posted by kfox715
Posted by LCnAC
Thats why I quit teaching
What do you do now? Are you still in the education field?
No. I taught in NYC for three years then left to join the NYPD...Im still going to school though and should be done with my masters in education in the spring...I will probably go back to teaching when i retire in 14 years but hopefully to a private or catholic school. Believe it or not I have had run ins with former students as a cop but some of my old students have become cops as well.
redjasper32
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Im not a teacher but just want to say kudos to the ones who do it with their hearts. I know there aren't many resourses to help cope with the frustrations so you guys definitely have my admiration!
TheMrandMrsof2008
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Re: teachers!!!! just have to vent
Posted by jgl
Posted by Snowflake08
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
keep your head up!!!
i think that is fantastic. At least your school and you are running it properly. In my school and most of my friends schols in NYC are run by them. It is the spec ed teacher the gen ed teacher and the parent and MAYBE the sppech teacher but that is rare. the AP is never there and the school psych or social worker is never there. Its ridiculous. On top of that i have 6 kids who have yet to recieve services and its november
When I student taught on LI we needed like 20 chairs for an AR. In the city you might need 5 or 6. I am just lucky my parents show up!
