A Background
Summer break is nearing its end and with three weeks to go before the first day of school (plus a weekend) I decided to go ahead with a little teacher blog. However it is important to begin with a background of both me and my school so that you all have an idea of what you are reading and can put it in to context. Please excuse the fact that I do not use actual names and will not tell exactly where I am located. This is to protect both me and those with whom I work. I am not out to hurt feelings or cause more strife than I already have in my two years as a full time teacher. My goal is to get my thoughts and feelings recorded in some way. Entertainment is a beautiful thing but I will keep to the facts and philosphies as I see them.
Located in the Northwestern United States, we are in a town of about 5,000 which has doubled in the course of the last ten years. House after house is being finished in thier cookie-cutter fashion is this town and there looks to be no end in sight for such building. New people are pooring in each week as their homes are finished while the four schools seem to be bulging at the sides.
Our district is made up of four schools at this point. High school, middle school, a 3-5 and a kindergarten-2 school. I teach third grade and, while I know very little about the others, I will say that every now and again I hear about the others through the grape vine. As it should be, I hear most about the school of primary grades (K-2) simply because of the grade I teach.
The school board is mostly made of "old timers" who care about the kids but seem to be very wound up about money. They were actually granted ten Waiver Days (by the state) in order to curb bus use and, ultimately, save money. You could say that they were going to save money by having the kids in school fewer days that required.
I am one of two male teachers at our school of 17 teachers. Our physical education teacher is male, as is our principal and a janitor. If you can name another position, such is filled by a female. I certainly have no problem with this and this should be no surprise considering the level at which I teach, it is simply my goal to inform all of the current conditions of this school and district.
Most will not consider me a social person. However I do get out of my classroom to visit others more often than most at our school. This is mostly because I cannot stand the division that lies between the grade levels and we have some pretty nice people at our school. On the other hand there are some who I feel are not the greatest people and who appear to have a personal issues that get in the way of thier teaching. These issues are mostly insecurities regarding a wide range of topics but we do not have time to get in to that. Sure, I will admit that such persons have made calls against me to the principal but all were education related and based purely on fact, interview and what is best for the child. One actually said that I "have a hurting soul." But that is for another time. Two others have basically told me that I am youthful and energetic and that my exuberance will one day begin to fade. I say no. At a later date I will go in to more depth on that hour and a half of worthless giberish but I will say now that it ended in my refusing to appologize for them feeling sad about what I wrote based on interview. It came down to the fact that I used quotes that they wished they had not used.
So there is tension here. There are complainers, happy people, quiet people, sad people, people teaching for the money (sic) and those who are trying hard to get the kids to think for themselves while doing all they can to improve themselves as teachers as well. You will see it through my eyes and perhaps you can comment on my enthusiasm, biases, thoughts, ideas and cockiness. My goal is to be the best teacher in the world and I can only get there if I get some bad with the good. After all, my principal will not give any constructive criticism and I do not think this is only because he spent a total of 35 minutes in my classroom all year.
Located in the Northwestern United States, we are in a town of about 5,000 which has doubled in the course of the last ten years. House after house is being finished in thier cookie-cutter fashion is this town and there looks to be no end in sight for such building. New people are pooring in each week as their homes are finished while the four schools seem to be bulging at the sides.
Our district is made up of four schools at this point. High school, middle school, a 3-5 and a kindergarten-2 school. I teach third grade and, while I know very little about the others, I will say that every now and again I hear about the others through the grape vine. As it should be, I hear most about the school of primary grades (K-2) simply because of the grade I teach.
The school board is mostly made of "old timers" who care about the kids but seem to be very wound up about money. They were actually granted ten Waiver Days (by the state) in order to curb bus use and, ultimately, save money. You could say that they were going to save money by having the kids in school fewer days that required.
I am one of two male teachers at our school of 17 teachers. Our physical education teacher is male, as is our principal and a janitor. If you can name another position, such is filled by a female. I certainly have no problem with this and this should be no surprise considering the level at which I teach, it is simply my goal to inform all of the current conditions of this school and district.
Most will not consider me a social person. However I do get out of my classroom to visit others more often than most at our school. This is mostly because I cannot stand the division that lies between the grade levels and we have some pretty nice people at our school. On the other hand there are some who I feel are not the greatest people and who appear to have a personal issues that get in the way of thier teaching. These issues are mostly insecurities regarding a wide range of topics but we do not have time to get in to that. Sure, I will admit that such persons have made calls against me to the principal but all were education related and based purely on fact, interview and what is best for the child. One actually said that I "have a hurting soul." But that is for another time. Two others have basically told me that I am youthful and energetic and that my exuberance will one day begin to fade. I say no. At a later date I will go in to more depth on that hour and a half of worthless giberish but I will say now that it ended in my refusing to appologize for them feeling sad about what I wrote based on interview. It came down to the fact that I used quotes that they wished they had not used.
So there is tension here. There are complainers, happy people, quiet people, sad people, people teaching for the money (sic) and those who are trying hard to get the kids to think for themselves while doing all they can to improve themselves as teachers as well. You will see it through my eyes and perhaps you can comment on my enthusiasm, biases, thoughts, ideas and cockiness. My goal is to be the best teacher in the world and I can only get there if I get some bad with the good. After all, my principal will not give any constructive criticism and I do not think this is only because he spent a total of 35 minutes in my classroom all year.
posted by ateacheratlarge | 7:55 AM
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