They Call Me Teacher

Luck??? You already have it! I think the expressi...

2011-05-31T20:20:55.158-04:00

Luck??? You already have it!

I think the expression "died and went to heaven" fits the description of your new school.

Good luck on not getting laid off but somehow I think everything will turn out fine.

surprise! It's March 2011 and I just read your...

2011-03-19T21:49:51.545-04:00

surprise! It's March 2011 and I just read your entry about an inner city school.

Everything you mention is the same in my school. The fear, the lack of respect for anyone, the sweeping things under the carpet are all part of my job.

My district will be $600 million in the hole next year so I am fervently hoping to be laid off. Unemployment money will give me a chance to look around and find something better than teaching. I just don't want to do it anymore.

I'll read your later posts. I wonder how your new school worked out.

You can't blame yourself for leaving when you ...

2011-03-13T01:31:35.887-05:00

You can't blame yourself for leaving when you had a strong conviction. It is easy to get attached to a group of children, and leaving them can be the most relieving, but almost most confusing and frustrating thing you will ever do.

I commend you for your hard work and dedication. I...

2011-03-11T23:59:01.102-05:00

I commend you for your hard work and dedication. It takes a strong set of morals, a unwavering commitment to the youth of our nation, and a recognized conviction to enrich our future generations to teach in less-than-desirable areas.

You are the voice of many. NYC is turning so many...

2011-02-12T01:42:23.344-05:00

You are the voice of many. NYC is turning so many good teachers away from loving what they do. There needs to be reform but the teachers should be involved!

I would really like to hear from you as to how the...

2010-12-30T12:38:54.288-05:00

I would really like to hear from you as to how the first semester went in this new school. Is it any better? Are you loving teaching again? This asked by a teacher who retired after 21 years in an inner city high school and has again found joy in living.

Hi I'm not sure if you're even around any...

2010-12-24T11:59:18.950-05:00

Hi

I'm not sure if you're even around anymore, reading or responding to comments.

Somehow I found your blog and *bang!* your last entry is very like the entries I make every single day in my blog.

I teach in Philadelphia. Same challenges most urban schools have, but we have that fear factor you describe. We constantly are under the gun: reports, data, classroom walk throughs,horrific kids (gotta love mainstreaming :P To top it all off, we have a weak principal who doesn't have a clue that it's the kids running the place, not the teachers.

oof. Sorry to unload like that, but everything you said absolutely resonated with my experience.

Luck you to find a better place to teach! I'd love to hear how things are going in your new place.

I wish you all the luck! Get that spirit back, the...

2010-11-11T20:45:36.284-05:00

I wish you all the luck! Get that spirit back, the kids need you!

This really means a lot to me. Thank you. I'...

2009-09-09T01:03:23.608-04:00

This really means a lot to me. Thank you. I'm just glad I could help. Plus, I'm excited to see all the great things you're going to come up with this year!

True Nassau has it's share of snow days of whi...

2009-09-06T20:29:53.514-04:00

True Nassau has it's share of snow days of which to take advantage and enjoy.

You were never really alone. Anyone who comes in ...

2009-08-31T00:59:32.062-04:00

You were never really alone. Anyone who comes in with notions of doing great things comes to realize, as you did, that there's only one thing you're doing for most of that first year: surviving.

Are you teaching again this year? I'm curious to know whether you decided to keep going--I couldn't tell for sure from this post.

You mentioned how you stopped blogging because you "wanted to not think about school when I was outside of school," and that is a good idea. But I also think you could turn your writing into a source of inspiration and motivation, instead of a release as it more or less was this first year. I wrote a blog for my friends and family that detailed the day to day struggles, the misery, anger and occasional triumph. But it was really hard to write that way after a while, and I hated focusing so much on the negative. When I started I Want to Teach Forever, I decided to make something entirely positive, as much for me as for the other teachers I would ostensibly be helping. If you are continuing to teach, maybe a new direction could make this more of a source of positive thoughts for you.

Is that how big roaches are in NYC? that's hor...

2009-08-18T20:25:18.233-04:00

Is that how big roaches are in NYC? that's horrible. I thought they were smaller.

I'm glad you survived. Before you know it, yo...

2009-08-11T05:46:37.393-04:00

I'm glad you survived. Before you know it, you'll be done surviving, and ready to do exactly what you set out to do at the beginning.

I hope you are enjoying the final throes of summer and that you got the much needed stress relief you deserve!

most of this could have been written by me five ye...

2009-08-02T16:22:59.800-04:00

most of this could have been written by me five years ago. my first year was also hell. it was awful and torturous.

everyone told me the second year would be better. i really worried though, because what if i was the exception?

but with all that i had learned (good and bad) in my first year, the second year was like night and day--a thousand times better. i felt like i had my shit together more and was able to prevent a lot of the issues i'd had the previous year. i was so much stricter right from the get-go and i also bonded with my kids better, i think.

i am thinking good thoughts for you to continue resting and relaxing and rejuvenating this summer, and a better start to the new school year. you can do it! :)

I'm so glad you updated us that you made it th...

2009-07-31T23:45:01.512-04:00

I'm so glad you updated us that you made it through the schoolyear! Good for you!! My first year teaching was so incredibly difficult, and it wasn't even in New York City. Second year was easier in the sense that, like you said, you know what to expect, for the most part. So are you teaching in the same school for this coming schoolyear? I am rooting for you! :)

Nice to see you back! One of the great things abo...

2009-07-20T18:14:33.479-04:00

Nice to see you back! One of the great things about teaching is no matter what your hopes and dreams, or how bad things get, you will have some reflection time during the summer. You have a wonderful opportunity to gather yourself up and greet a new set of students in a new school setting(just the changes in staff will keep things fresh for a while). I've enjoyed watching you grow. I wondered where you were.

You're definately braver than me. When I'm...

2009-07-13T18:43:16.772-04:00

You're definately braver than me. When I'm not happy with a school I look for other options and jump ship if the opportunity arises. My first year of teaching was SO hard and the kids I was working with wouldn't let me speak. It was a demoralising year. I changed school, and from the first day, my students sat looking at me waiting to hear what I was going to say. It was worth the move to me.
Maybe I am just a big wimp and won't get the full character development I would if I stuck it out with situations that aren't working for me, but I think my moves have been important for my mental health and my growth as a teacher.
Be sure to take care of yourself and I'm thinking of you as you prepare for next year.
Penny.

How is the end of the year going? Only two more d...

2009-06-24T23:05:00.736-04:00

How is the end of the year going? Only two more days of school! :)

Wow, your year sounds the same as mine!!! I hope t...

2009-05-09T00:54:00.000-04:00

Wow, your year sounds the same as mine!!! I hope things are getting better for you. About two months ago I was in the same place as your "rock bottom" post. I got lucky though, and my principal traded away my problem student. I have the same problems with the kids - laziness and attitude. How did kids get this way? And why don't their parents care?

I have been teaching for 22 years and I HATE being...

2009-05-07T12:53:00.000-04:00

I have been teaching for 22 years and I HATE being observed.
Doesn't matter that 98% of my observations have been great.
I despise the process...though I know to some degree it is necessary.
If I were in Miss Brave's shoes, that would make me crazy. (She receives NO notice?)
Yikes. I will be grateful.

The contract requires that you have a pre- and pos...

2009-05-06T21:44:00.000-04:00

The contract requires that you have a pre- and post-observation conference prior to, and after each formal observation. If this is not being followed, contact your union rep.

O I love it! Makes me laugh!! We try to make light...

2009-04-07T21:38:00.000-04:00

O I love it! Makes me laugh!! We try to make light of the fact that our kids drive us nuts most days by joking with them about it... But somedays, it's just so hard to laugh through the stress!

Also, Danielle, I will get back to you about your last comments and kind offer over my break in the next week! :)

My third grade son's teacher was having a particul...

2009-04-07T21:26:00.000-04:00

My third grade son's teacher was having a particularly hard day with his class (not your kind of hard day, but hard day, none the less) when she announced, "Calgon, take me away!" And my son responded. The one teacher's kid in the entire classroom responded to his perfectly wonderful teacher, "I don't care who takes you away as long as someone does!" Great. Lucky for him he is cute and has a smile that will melt your heart which he knows when to use. Otherwise, God help us all! Thought this might cheer you.

Danielle

Very true Independent Educator. Very True!

2009-04-07T21:24:00.000-04:00

Very true Independent Educator. Very True!

knowing HOW to word something to a parent is so im...

2009-04-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

knowing HOW to word something to a parent is so important. you learn so much from each conference, and the ones where the parent gets that realization, good or bad, about their student is always memorable. and hey, at least the violent parents cared enough to come out to meet you...