A Day in the Life of the Modern Teacher: Why are so many teachers leaving the profession?
163 2018-02-17 by polkadotgirl
A Day in the Life of the Modern Teacher: Why are so many teachers leaving the profession?
Introduction
The other day at work, a teacher made a valid comment. He said, “We are teaching them to make claims and cite evidence, but how can we do this if they do not even know how to be human?”
Right now, even money is not keeping teachers in the profession. When teachers leave, it actually does not as much to do with the money as one would think. The following article points out the numerous issues that teachers face in modern education:
Still, it goes deeper than that, and that is why I am putting this on a conspiracy forum – not necessarily a teaching one. Most teachers know that teaching sucks and most I know have a back-up plan to get out of the profession. But why?
Teaching used to be an honorable profession, but it has become de-professionalized over the years:
http://neatoday.org/2013/03/06/three-reforms-that-are-deprofessionalizing-teaching-2/
But again, most know that teaching is not what it used to be, so what really is the conspiracy here? I want to go deeper than “here are the issues for teachers today.” I want to go into the reasons why I think “WHY” there are issues for teachers today. I want you to walk with me through my world as a teacher, and I want you to see that, as always, I think there is something much more sinister happening. None of this is “random.” This is how and why the education system is broken, and here is what teachers really have to deal with.
Teachers are Parents Now
At Wal-Mart a few months ago, I ran into a nice lady I used to tutor. She had her son with her, who was about 16. I went up to him, and I tried to shake his hand, and he literally did not know what to do. He had never been taught how to properly shake hands with strangers. As his mom, I would have been appalled and at least have said something, but she looked at me strangely, too. I thought, “What is going on with society?”
I mentor many new teachers, and the biggest issue I see is classroom management. Now, most new teachers deal with classroom management issues, but there is something different now. The kids are coming to classrooms literally out of control. Why? The kids that do not know how to behave at home do not know how to behave in the classroom.
I have mentored many new teachers, and most leave within a few years because the kids are so disrespectful and no matter what they do, they just cannot seem to manage them (By the way, if you are a new teacher reading this, I am literally writing a book on classroom management and can help you.)
I want to explain that I am not just talking about the typical things you might have experienced as a child. There was always “the naughty kid” and there were always kids who messed around behind the teacher's back. But this is different. One teacher I worked with (she was with Teach for America) left after her first year. She told me she still has nightmares (many years later) of the classes she taught and how they tortured her. She was a nice woman, but you really cannot be that way as a teacher anymore.
Kids do not have a lot to fear anymore. Let me explain:
Parenting is hard work, and many parents simply do not like it:
http://nymag.com/news/features/67024/index1.html
There is also this new movement where parents try to “befriend” their children:
https://www.modernmom.com/bd0adc74-3b35-11e3-be8a-bc764e04a41e.html
Look, I am not saying parents need to start beating their kids, as somebody always twists my words. There are different types of parenting, and the authoritative style (too strict) forces kids to rebel eventually, and the permissive style (which many parents are choosing today), is not working for kids either as they are missing out on rules and boundaries. The authoritative style of parenting is probably best:
https://www.parentingscience.com/authoritative-parenting-style.html
From the article, “Frequently hailed as the best way to raise kids, it's an approach that emphasizes sensitivity, reasoning, setting limits, and being emotionally responsive.”
Based on what I have seen, I would say most parents today are following the more “permissive” end of parenting, where essentially, kids are allowed to do whatever the want at home, so why can’t they at school?
Teachers struggle, then, with power battles with students, and they often do not get the parent support they need. I reference this comic a lot, but it literally reflects the true nature of teaching today:
https://www.cagle.com/cagle/2010/04/teachers-in-1960-and-2010-color
I remember a few years ago, a parent told me that her child simply did not want to read at home. I simply said, “Well, can you make him read and give him some sort of consequence if he does not – like taking away his phone?” Her eyes lit up, as if she had never thought of a scenario where she could actually make her child do something.
So, in the classroom, many teachers are operating as parents, trying to push boundaries and rules, and many students, today, simply cannot handle it.
Teachers vs. Parents
The other thing is that teachers and parents have been made to be enemies over the years. I have found, today, that most parents simply believe everything their children tell them, sometimes even over what their teachers say. This makes me laugh because I find so many parents have this idea that their children are little angels, and I want to tell you, right now, that they are not. Students simply act different at school than they do at home, and you probably would not want to know the things they really say or how they really act.
Going back to discipline, you might ask why it is so difficult for schools to handle discipline and kids today. The problem, often, is parents. Schools are afraid of getting sued at any given moment. Parents have literally sued school over the poor grades of their children:
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8278150
The other issue is that there are now plans that can allow students to seriously do whatever they want in classrooms without consequences do to the nature of something in special education. These legal documents must be followed, which may mean Johnny can disrupt the class 15,000 times and there is nothing the teacher can really do.
While I am all for inclusive environments, there has been the elimination of schools and programs that deal with difficult or low-functioning students. Because of the nature of “equality” these kids who have severe issues are forced into classrooms where they simply cannot function, and this is to the detriment of everyone in the class, especially the other students.
Now, I want to be clear here. I am not saying that students with issues cannot be placed in regular education classes – there are some great scenarios of students being properly accommodated and served to meet their needs. I have seen this many times, and I am all for inclusive environments. BUT, there is a point where an inclusive environment does not work for all students, and that is where many teachers are experiencing frustration.
Going back to parents, though, is that many of these dysfunctional students come from environments where there is no functioning at home. This is an excellent article about why many teachers are leaving the classroom, and for many, it is about discipline, fear of lawsuits, and lack of support:
Some highlights:
“According to a new report by the nonpartisan, nonprofit opinion research organization Public Agenda, teachers too often must operate in a culture of challenge and second guessing that is affecting their ability to teach and maintain order. • Nearly 8 in 10 teachers (78%) said students are quick to remind them that they have rights or that their parents can sue. • Nearly half of teachers surveyed (49%) reported they have been accused of unfairly disciplining a student. • More than half of teachers (55%) said that districts backing down from assertive parents causes discipline problems in the nation's schools.”
When there is an issue with students, administration almost always sides with parents simply out of fear – not because the parents are always right.
If parents cannot even get support from parents, then why would they stay? I am lucky that over the years, I have found effective methods of creating awesome relationships with parents I teach, but it is not easy. I have had to show how parents can trust me, and really, there has been a climate created, especially in the media, where teachers are shown to be untrustworthy. Teachers are demonized, now, more than ever:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-breslin/why-america-demonizes-its-teachers_b_7463084.html
This demonization is the “divide and conquer” tactic we find so often in our society, but why? Why do ‘they’ want this divide between teachers and parents? Let’s move on to the next issue before I answer that question.
The McDonaldization of Education
Over the past few years, many schools have taken on “business models”:
The problem? Schools are not businesses. From the article, “Businesses don’t understand the culture of schools. But they need to before they start telling schools what to do.”
I am NOT against standards for teachers or high standards for our education system in general. The problem is, though, that this is not about “standards” or the well-being of our students. This is about profit.
There is a literal testing industry that runs our schools:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/schools/testing/companies.html
On top of that, though, when we truly operate schools like a business, then we lose good teachers, and then we "lose" our students. More than anything, an effective teacher can make the world of difference in a student’s life, even one in poverty or with the odds against them:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/08/AR2010040804802.html
However, when teaching becomes a business, it is simply more difficult to keep good teachers, but here is the point...'They' do not care. At McDonalds, when the lazy kid quits, nobody cares, because there will always be somebody to replace that lazy kid. It is kind of true of teaching today. There is always going to be somebody to replace that teacher (a warm body) – the difference is, they will likely not be an effective replacement. It is not hard to be effective at McDonald’s, but it is hard to be an effective teacher, and that is why this does not work. They just want a warm body in the classroom, but are students really learning? The business models are failing schools:
As a teacher who works in a school with a lot of full-time subs, I seem this firsthand.
It goes beyond profit, though, and we are getting to the deeper ‘why’ of it all. Why are they breaking down education? Have you seen “Waiting for Superman”?
I could not bare to watch the movie, but here is the article on the faulty, simplistic view of the ‘documentary’:
From the article, “But many observers criticize the film’s focus on charter schools – public schools that are granted autonomy from many district policies.”
There we go – that is the motive, and we will talk about that in a moment. But before we do, teachers are not our saviors, and we cannot forget the huge problem of poverty in our country.
Teachers are NOT our saviors
I remember I was watching Oprah or some similar shit, and a teacher was being praised for feeding her students every morning. People loved this! The headline read something like, “Amazing teacher feeds hungry students” NOT “Teacher is forced to feed hungry students so they can learn.”
Teachers should NOT have to get to the point where they are trying to solve society’s problems in their classrooms, but that is what they are doing. We are parenting children, and we are viewed with a sort of “savior complex” and maybe even as heroes when we are not being demonized by the media.
Schools are continually defunded, and poor schools are defunded when they do not perform (and they rarely do). It is a vicious cycle of abuse:
Of course, teachers spend a huge chunk of their income on their students. You may say, “Just stop doing it,” but then I will say, “They won’t learn then.”
I would rather spend the money then sit in a classroom without tools. It really sucks, and I tell my students that – not to guilt them. I just explain the truth. The other day, a student asked, “Did you buy all these vocabulary books for us? Why?” “Because I want you to learn.”
Hey, maybe it sounds corny, but it is true. I cannot wait around 2 years for the district to approve the vocabulary books. I just bought a class set on Amazon for $300, and it has been great. Remember, though, we cannot illegally copy any of those pages 😉
Anyway, the point is, teachers leave because they are faced with moral dilemmas. Should they spend the tiny extra income on the thing they need to do for their house or whatever, or should they spend it on their students? A lot of them (including me) choose their students.
But why do we live in a society where teachers are even facing these moral dilemmas? What type of profession is this? In an ideal world, a teacher will have the resources they need for all of their students. Instead, in our dystopic world, teachers are spending hundreds to supply their own classrooms:
http://time.com/money/4392319/teachers-buying-school-supplies/
From the article, “For teachers in lower-income districts, the burden can be even higher. Within the past year, Communities in Schools conducted a survey of 700 teachers and found that more than 90% have to buy school supplies to help low-income kids whose parents can’t afford even basic things like pens and notebooks.”
Which leads to my next point.
Poverty
When I was 16, my dad moved our family from white suburbia to a world of extreme poverty. My life changed forever. More than anything, I am shocked by how poverty is dismissed when we reflect on society. People are quick to jump to race, to politics, to the president, to whatever, but nobody looks at poverty.
Great teachers cannot make up for deep issues in our society like poverty. Poverty has the greatest impact on our educational system, and the system itself perpetuates it:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-slade/poverty-affects-education_b_7861778.html
From the article, “51 percent of our children across the country now live in poverty, and the numbers appear to be growing.”
51 percent. Half of our kids are living in poverty. With poverty comes so many more issues: neglect, abuse, lack of nutrition, etc. I want to give you some real life examples of how poverty really impacts education:
• A student casually walked up to me. She said, “Sorry I missed class last week. I was raped by my mom’s boyfriend.” Not kidding – a true story. Poverty increases chances of sexual exploitation:
http://www.pcar.org/poverty-and-sexual-violence
• Many students both intentionally and accidentally call me ‘mom.’ I am maybe the closest some have to being a mom. Children are growing up with a lack of good role models:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8207735/Children-growing-up-with-lack-of-role-models-says-head.html I remember calling my 2nd grade teacher ‘mom’ because I never really had one.
• School lunches are disgusting – I have eaten them. Most are facing lack of adequate nutrition, even when obesity is on the rise. Hot Cheetos do not make for a fulfilling or nutritious meal. Poverty and poor nutrition are directly related:
http://frac.org/obesity-health/low-income-food-insecure-people-vulnerable-poor-nutrition-obesity
• More students than ever are suicidal and depressed. I cannot even begin to tell you the amount of students I have dealt with these issues. Poverty is absolutely linked to depression:
Ultimately, poverty has the biggest impact on academic performance:
http://www.institutepa.org/PDF/Indicators/2016/povertyandacademicperformce.pdf
Yet in the media, we are not hearing about poverty. We are hearing about teachers, curriculum, and testing. We are hearing that students are not performing, but we are NEVER hearing about poverty. We are hearing about how teachers are failing our students.
In reality, a good teacher may save a student, but a good teacher cannot save every student, especially those in poverty. There is only so much we can do. Even the best teachers cannot save everyone.
Still, they are telling teachers that work in areas of severe poverty that they better raise those test scores!
Why?
So, then, why are ‘they’ doing this? Honestly, the education system could be fixed in a day – I am not kidding you. I really believe this, but the corruption is extreme. So, what could be some of the reasons behind purposely failing children?
• They want to privatize education: Why is this bad? This is a great article on this:
From my personal experience, I live in a state where private charter schools were supposed to “save” education here. It has not worked at all, and the charter schools are usually just as dysfunctional as public schools, though sometimes they rise to the occasion.
In my opinion, though, education should always be public and controlled by the people. It should never be under private influences – ever.
Why? True education is freedom.
• Dumbing people down: Anybody on a conspiracy forum will know this is not really a conspiracy. Schools keep the low students low and the high students high. This creates further class division, even in wealthier areas. Schools perpetuate poverty and this class system:
• Breakdown of family and control by an outside force - A Brave New World: If you have read Brave New World (or other similar dystopian novels), parents do not really raise the children. The system does. If the system raises the children, they have more control. From Brave New World:
“A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude.”
I write a lot about how creativity is purposely targeted, and most student lose their ability to “create” by 8th grade because they have just become so mind-controlled. The assignments I assign with more creativity or always the most difficult for students. There is literally a “creativity crisis”:
(Maybe this all draws us away further away from the Creator…”)
Conclusion
I wrote this post with ease because it is all true to me (and I know it is super long), and I did not even get into everything I wanted to. One thing I wanted to talk about is the huge lack of empathy in children today. This is intentional.
I recently saw a comic on /r/forwardsfromgrandma:
https://i.imgur.com/uTpw2lSh.jpg
They made it seem so ridiculous that people may point to outside forces for things like school shootings. As a teacher, these outside forces are the problem.
Education is a system, and it reflects our current society. So many point to teachers for the problems in society without taking ANY accountability for what is going on outside of school, and further, the sinister forces that are controlling schools.
I was going to say I predict a future where everybody is brainwashed and mind-controlled by a faulty and detrimental educational system, but we are already there.
Hope? Every day I teach with my heart and soul. I did not include this until now, but I have received many awards and honors as a teacher because I rise above the system. It is not easy, and I do not make many friends.
"Education is the movement from darkness to light." - Allen Bloom
True education is anyway.
178 comments
1 I_Am_Teach 2018-02-17
Cue the "Why am I being downvoted?!?!" edit.
1 Jeepers33 2018-02-17
Well said. I agree.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Maybe you have far too high of expectations of children, and it's possible your lack of empathy for them (coupled with your demand of their perfect subordination) might be the exact reason you're being downvoted.
1 I_Am_Teach 2018-02-17
This was in reference to OP complaining about being downvoted in every thread she makes.
The rest of your comment was bullshit too.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Yeah I misinterpreted your post :/ Sue me
1 Housethrowaway123xyz 2018-02-17
The easiest way to close the gap is to bring the top half down, not bring the bottom half up
1 I_Am_Teach 2018-02-17
Everyone should be going up.
1 dharmabird67 2018-02-17
And so gifted and talented education has been gutted. Just because a kid scores high on an IQ test or can read far beyond grade level doesn't mean everything is OK and the kid doesn't have his/her own special needs.
1 IronicAim 2018-02-17
Good read. Most of it was rehash of things I've already been aware of, but I enjoyed following the trail as you had assembled it.
You've got a well organized understanding of the school systems. Do you have any plans/advice going forward for other teachers, parents, students, voters, that can help apply pressure to correcting this decline?
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Thanks! I have also written A LOT about this so it is more of a rehash for new users.
Unfortunately most will not like my answer. For teachers, all we can really control is our classroom so get a hold of that. I have great techniques for anybody who is interested.
In general, I feel it is all a spiritual battle. I show my students how to be good people.
1 baebaebokchoy 2018-02-17
I have volunteered in both a Montessori classroom and a regular public classroom and the lack of control is INCREDIBLY noticeable in the latter.
The public school classroom was constantly changing from one project or topic to the next, almost as if to keep the children engaged. It produced a chaotic environment. This is why I put my children in a Montessori school; I wanted to avoid that chaos for my children. Montessori is, instead, very peaceful.
My children won the lottery in our city for a spot in the public Montessori. I've cried happy tears many times since we found out. Montessori education, I think, could help turn this education nightmare around.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Thank you!! It is good to have some back up.
Over-crowded classrooms are definitely a factor in lack of control
NO classroom should be over 20-25 students. An ideal classroom to me is 15-18.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
They are probably downvoting you because you are discussing the control of children. Education should set children free in their minds and bodies. You are a control freak. Please delete your post and account.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Classroom management is literally a part of the basic teaching principles. I imagine most who go into teaching have some issues with control. Haha.
With that being said, what the fuck is this comment? Please delete your account.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Your whole post is filled with people talking about solutions ranging from classroom management techniques (some of which seem heavily controversial), to excluding disorderly children in education, to euthenizing children that are out of line! You yourself speak of controlling children as if it is some ideal. You disgust me. I was that out of line child and I'm an upstanding member of society, and I didn't require jail I just required food, shelter, love and attention and at 13 I didn't have all of that. Teachers literally abused me because they pulled power trips much like you are pulling. I absolutely detest you and the way you think about children. That's why I asked you politely to remove yourself. Also please quit your job and seek help professionally about what appears to a mental disorder.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Projection?
First of all, you have never been to my classes. I have worked with so many students, some of the most difficult, and have fantastic relationships with them.
This post is not entirely about classroom management, but if it was, I would be talking all about PBIS.
PBIS is all about positive interventions and supports. The old techniques of classroom management do not work - I agree.
I am sorry that the system may have failed you in some way (or may have not?)
Either way, I am successful as a teacher because I do not abide by the "I am the teacher and you must do what I say."
I looked at your post history, and your comments are weird.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Your opening line quotes another teacher dehumanizing children who "misbehave".
Your entire post is filled with judgements about human nature that lack empathy, and proposed solutions that border insanity, and yet somehow you are turning against me acting like I'm someone I'm not. Please try to discuss the information and try really hard not to focus on who I am.
I am angry that you've come here to dehumanize children and speak of human behavior as unacceptable. All human behavior is both human, and acceptable.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Said nothing about misbehavior. You had your own biases and perceived that.
Insanity? Which solition is insane? Did I even offer resolutions?
I disagree. Not all human behavior is acceptable. You must be a troll
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
No Im a relativist. You are outright demanding children adhere to what makes your job easier. How dare you insist that many indivoduals come together for your sake, and simultaneously lack the consideration of all of those other people?!
One guys actually suggested in the comments that all children that are bad should be euthenized and that this is what it would take to help society change. The only correction you gave him is that nobody is born this way but they became that way by whatever mechanism and many people are offering their opinion on what mechanism(s) cause(s) this.
To be fair, I've read more and you havent really supplied a real tangible solution. However you have admitted that in your opinion most children that behave badly should not school with other children. This false dichotomy unfairly segregates people based on strict adherance to overauthoritative protocol (like being silent for long periods of time for instance). This false dichotomy is what the engineers of society want, because it separates people by willingness to adhere to authority. That is shameful at best!
Your arguments are from a utilitarian standpoint it seems, and I find utilitarianism to be repulsive. Please correct where I err and stop insulting me. Its rude.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I deal with a lot of people on here. I do believe nobody is born "bad."
You insulted me first. Do not even know what utilitarianism is.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Perhaps I did insult you first. I was and am still very insulted by your approach to the treatment of children, and your criminalizing and dehumanizing the ones that don't follow your strict code of order, which is designed to make turning kids into slaves easier.
If you aren't proposing that just say so. What's your solution to all of this?
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I just really think you are misinterpreting my post.
Solution? Well we are on a conspiracy forum so I think this goes deep.
But I guess it would start with poverty? No child in America should be raised in poverty. I am focusing on America because clearly the issues of the world will not be solved over night. Even this is too vast of an argument.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
I may have misinterpretted your post, because the comments were the things I was complaining about, but I also picked out key things you said that I find repulsive and I dont think you've spoken to that at all. Your agenda seems to be one of functionalism. You want the world to function, but are blind to the class conflict or how to solve it. The function of the system is slavery to the upper class. Making the system better only benefits the upper class more. Making children rebel is in fact the one thing you can do that could change humanity for the better, inspiring children to grow up strong and independant, and not groupies. Focus on empowering the very thing you are complaining about. Understand it better. It is not wrong. It is humanity itself, that you complain about. Its not the enemy.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Honestly I feel the world is purposely dysfunctional because of sinister reasons.
Yes, I suppose I want function - not chaos.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Functionalism is a lie, unless it takes into consideration the function of conflict. When we consider the role of conflict in regards to the function of our system, we begin to see that when everything functions nominally, this only benefits those in power. Then what seems like order is actually disorder with a mask on.
1 [deleted] 2018-02-17
[removed]
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
If you don't agree with relativism say why please. Just saying "we're done" is both childish, and not conducive to conversation. This isn't an echo chamber or a place to have circle jerks. You aren't the only opinion and I'm willing to bet you aren't the authority.
1 JamesColesPardon 2018-02-17
Removed. Rule 4.
1 ConformistCitizen 2018-02-17
Please fuck off.
You're adding nothing to this conversation outside of twisting everything PDG is saying in order to attempt lame and transparent ad homs and making PDG out to be the furthest thing from what she is.
If you can't accept PDG is an open minded, open hearted and analytical/philosophic person who tries to better this sub and society with her insights then it is clear where the problem lies.
You are the problem.
1 ashlerrr 2018-02-17
It's the Internet. School has little to no value when you can learn anything you want online for free and social media isn't doing much to help their social skills. Being raised on social media gives them the false perception that they're important and everyone cares about what they're doing at all times.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Great point. I did not even get a chance to write about this as my post was getting too long. Students are living behind their screens.
1 Forthewolf_x 2018-02-17
I have noticed a HUGE change in the "instant gratification complex". Hate to sound like an old bag, but I strongly believe that technology has caused a massive shift in the average student's attention span and willingness to challenge themselves on difficult concepts.
Instead of holding the ground, we have collectively lowered our standards. It's not every kid and every teacher, but there is a systemic trend towards outcome based education vs. learning how to think critically.
1 lil_poppy_53 2018-02-17
What I find concerning is that these technologies, particularly tablets, are being used in the classroom in ever increasing amounts. One of the reasons we chose our kid's charter school (hybrid homeschool-classroom program) is that every other school in our area, public, private and charter, had entire areas of curriculum taught in "game" format on tablets.
This technology is brand new, is detrimental to kid's ability to concentrate in the real world, is massively addictive, causes social isolation, etc. Not all learning is "fun". Most of learning is hard work. A big part of maturing into a functional adult is learning to endure things that are unpleasant, boring or tedious because they are good for you.
Kids are missing out on this discipline because now everything has to be "fun!" all of the time, parents are "best friends" instead of, you know, parents, and heaven forbid a child must entertain themselves with their imagination. A child is born an uncivilized little creature (any honest parent will tell you this) and it's parents job to civilize them. It's a very tough, unpleasant job sometimes, and it seems many parents aren't up to the task. When parents fail, schools have no chance of succeeding.
1 carolinejay 2018-02-17
Bingo. As a teacher I've had to shift from teaching them straight up facts (which obviously I still do, just the ratio of what I teach has shifted) to teaching them how to properly find info on their own (Wikipedia is a no no), what to do with the info once they've vetted the source, and how to analyze it and use it properly.
I've also noticed they write as if they are texting. They don't capitalize the pronoun "I", they write with abbreviations, etc. It's pretty bad.
1 CaucasianEagle 2018-02-17
https://wrenchinthegears.com
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Looks like a good link? Context?
1 MagicalMysteryRadio 2018-02-17
Well, I can tell you from my experience working in Special Education (I hate that term, btw) there are a few reasons why I left.
1) I had other passions I wanted to pursue.
2) Teachers, in public schools anyway, are no longer given the freedom to teach how they would like to approach the subject, independent of federal and state mandated curricula (i.e. Common Core, Standardized Tests, etc.). In other words, it's become a teach-by-numbers game with very little room for creativity and self-determination. This breeds lack of trust for the profession.
3) Schools/teachers have become de-facto parents for an increasing number of students, expected to solve issues that should be done in the home. Schools are overburdened with behavior problems that they're not equipped to deal with... nor should they. They're also hamstrung with excessive and, often (though not always) unwarranted or frivolous litigation. In short, it's often just not worth the risk.
4) Extreme political correctness has infected the system, so much so, that reasoned and/or rational discussion (whether the topic is controversial or not) is often rendered mute. In other words, freedom of speech and debate is stifled for fear of being attacked or even fired for saying the wrong thing. Thoughtcrimes are a real and present danger in education these days.
I could go on, but these should give you a good idea of why I, and many others, are leaving or have left. Btw, most students have a great deal of empathy and an eagerness to learn, but the current cultural climate is making the profession very difficult.
Some are adapting (i.e. grinning and bearing it), but many are not. It's an unfortunate situation really, and it reflects a broader malaise in our culture as a whole. I like to think of public education teachers as canaries in the coalmine for what the future holds in this country.
Hopefully, we can turn it around before it's too late. Higher education is have similar problems as well.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I get that. Do photography and writing on the side!
I am so lucky because I have had such good test scores I am trusted to teach how I want. Most (95 percent) cannot.
Yup+
I forgot to mention this!
I am finding I have to teach my students empathy. I work in one of the poorest areas of the nation.
Thanks for your insight!
1 MagicalMysteryRadio 2018-02-17
You're welcome. Btw, I wonder if poverty/lack of good nutrition could be contributing to the decrease in empathy you're seeing. I know, from my experience, I was seeing a dramatic increase of students diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders). The reasons for this, of course, are probably many, but I did notice a correlation between age of parents with the children diagnosed. In other words, the older the parents, the greater the likelihood. This is purely anecdotal, and correlation does not imply causation, but I did take note of it.
I do have some personal theories on why a lack of empathy might be increasing. It's pure speculation, but this is r/conspiracy so when in Rome, as they say...
1) Age of parents (as I stated) 2) Increase in SSRI's during pregnancy 3) Chemicals/medications/pesticides in our food and water supplies 4) Wifi and EMF toxicity (although this probably exacerbates ADHD more than anything else) 5) All of the above.
I purposefully didn't mention vaccines, although we can't completely rule them out, despite what the medical community says. We often find out, many years later sadly, that they've been wrong so... I'm mentioning it, because there very well may be a connection in some cases.
But that would be blasphemous to say anywhere other than a conspiracy board. ;-)
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Great point! I absolutely think so. It is reshaping our minds. Most of my students (even the ones from middle class) are eating pure shit every day.
And just technology in general. Kids (and people in general) are living through screens.
I understand why you purposely did not mention : )
♡
1 MagicalMysteryRadio 2018-02-17
;-)
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
; )
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
I doubt it helps that the kids themselves often have prescriptions for SSRI's, Ritalin, etc.
1 MagicalMysteryRadio 2018-02-17
Right. Good point.
1 imnoturfatherboi 2018-02-17
This is certainly true in Philly. My grandmother worked briefly in some of the worst schools in philly, and said that students would throw books at the teacher, the fire alarm would be pulled multiple times a day, most classrooms didn’t have enough desks, multiple fights everyday, and other crazy shit. She said couldn’t stop a fight in her class because if she did the kids would run out the door to ditch class. The education system truly is fucked rn and no one wants to talk about it much when America’s biggest issues come up, along with abuse of the elderly, abuse of the veterans, abuse of the homeless, abuse of the native Americans, abuse of the...
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
She is telling the truth!
1 OperationMobocracy 2018-02-17
Great post and I agree with it for the most part. But I have to push back on this part.
I have a 13 year old son and while he's good (B average, no discipline problems, perfect attendance, etc) he's not perfect and there have been phases where the teachers have said he does X or Y wrong in class. I always ask what they've done to help correct that behavior and a couple of teachers have said nothing other than "inform you the parent so you can address it."
Anyone who's ever trained a dog knows you have to correct behavior problems in the moment. You cannot do much to correct behavior issues minutes or hours later. If my dog does something good or bad and I can't reinforce or punish it in the moment the opportunity is lost. If I come home to a destroyed shoe, I can beat the dog senseless and all it will do is confuse the dog and make it not trust me.
If I get an email about some bad thing my kid did in school, by the time he comes home my options are kind of limited. My at-home punishments lack the situational relevance to the school situation and aren't really associated in his mind with the behavior that occurred in a different environment hours ago.
Now, this is more true with young children (grade school age) than older children than older children (middle school and beyond) but I think it's still relevant at middle school ages. Obviously as a parent who tries, I don't do nothing -- we've always talked to our son about his behavioral missteps, including some punishments, but I think kids lack the kind of brain development necessary for those cause/effect relationships to sink and be effective.
I've also encouraged the teachers to exercise maximal behavior modification when bad behavior happens since I think the time/place linkage to behavior is so important.
1 MagicalMysteryRadio 2018-02-17
Does he have an IEP?
If he does, I'd call for a meeting to discuss the plan with the teachers, school psychologist, and administrators to make sure it's being implemented, as well as asking specifically what can be done at home to reinforce a positive outcome.
If he doesn't, I'd suggest calling a meeting anyway, so that some kind of support plan can be put in place that everyone can agree on - to again, reinforce and check his progress.
Obviously, this is not legal advice, but as a parent, you have a right to sit down with the appropriate school personnel to address any issues of concern.
Progress can only be made when parents and teachers work together to make sure the student's needs and goals are adequately being met.
Hope that helps.
1 OperationMobocracy 2018-02-17
No IEP because I'm not talking about any specific pattern of problems and my son is great overall, I'm just referring to a handful of specific situations where he's misbehaved and I've felt like the teacher kind of punted the issue home and didn't deal with it. None of the situations was really all that serious and generally could be chalked up to age-typical misbehavior. Literally the most common gripe we've gotten from teachers is "your son spends too much time reading for pleasure instead of paying attention" for which my response is "he knows he's not supposed to do that, take his book away" -- although in my mind my comment is "make your material more interesting".
We always engaged with the teacher in these situations (you contact me, and I will make sure you hear back from me) and for the most part I think they appreciated hearing from an engaged parent, as usually we didn't hear from them again about that type of issue.
There was one teacher one year I felt wasn't engaging enough and was kind of enabling a pattern of misbehavior (again, mild stuff like too much talking or other mildly disruptive behavior). We had a 1:1 conference with her and I did explain that I've been trying to address her complaints at home, but with a 10 year old, it's hard to address stuff like this at home out of the classroom, can you please just be more forceful at the time?
The other side of this of course is that teachers are human, and they may not always have the patience to deal with every issue every time and our few contacts might just be the day they had no nerves left to get on. And I think dynamics can emerge between specific teachers and students that get out of the teacher's control. For all of their age-specific ignorance, kids can display remarkable sophistication in finding ways to get on a teacher's nerves.
1 baebaebokchoy 2018-02-17
relevant video if you're interested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5rUPatnXSE
1 MagicalMysteryRadio 2018-02-17
Thanks! Jordan Peterson calls it like it is. We need more academics like him.
1 selfmindcontrol 2018-02-17
My dad's fiancee is a nearly retired special education teacher. She is always completely worn out from how emotionally draining it is for her. I think you are the same way. She told me about how she used to enjoy teaching so much more and that it has gotten worse over the years to the point that she is really excited about retirement.
I think part of the reason teachers have been dishonored is that people are judged by how much they make rather than their merits.
The teenager not knowing what to do when you offered to shake his hand may illustrate how people are becoming more adverse to introducing themselves to one another in public. This makes us more disconnected. Another possibility is that he was too shy to because of how pretty you are. ;)
My dad always used to say this when I was a child: "firm but fair". I think that is a good approach to take when raising a child and managing a classroom. I think it accurately describes how you manage your classroom.
Your story about the nice woman who has nightmares about the classes where they tortured her is very sad. My favorite teachers were the ones who were nice.
That's great how you have found effective methods of creating awesome relationships with the parents of students that you teach. My mom really cared about the teachers that my sister had. I venture to think she would have really appreciated you as my sister's teacher. :)
My dad's fiancee has a new principal that she strongly dislikes. He is young and pushes for competition amongst the teachers. This really ties in with what you termed "The McDonaldization of Education". I believe teachers should be encouraged to work together and support one another. I think you are totally right when you say when you treat school like a business, you lose good teachers, which leads to losing your students.
It is very inspiring and awesome how you rise above the failures of the current system and selflessly use your time and money to help give your students a better opportunity to learn. :)
I totally agree with you that one of the roots of the problem is poverty.
You student being raped by her mom's boyfriend is awful. :( You must have been totally unprepared and heartbroken to hear that.
While it must be endearing for your student to call you mom, I am sure it also makes you sad because it often means they don't really have a mom. I imagine it makes it even more sad that you were once one of those students.
I agree with your ideal that education should be controlled by the people rather than the government or private influences.
Another great post. :) I think this one will especially help other teachers and parents. Thank you for all of your efforts. :)
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I agree with all of your points. Thanks for reading as always!
1 baebaebokchoy 2018-02-17
Awe snap
1 SkyBlueThink 2018-02-17
Teacher here. Thank you for writing this post. It's hard to explain to non-teachers how completely out of control kids today are, but you did a great job. Schools have removed teachers' ability to discipline students effectively, to the point where the balance of power has completely shifted. Something needs to change.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Thanks! It is getting tons of downvotes, but is this even a conspiracy?
Kids can do whatever they want at home and most parents are working and do not even know what their kids are doing.
Schools are a structured environment, and many kids simply cannot handle it.
I am really happy to see other teachers here!
1 Apod283271 2018-02-17
Maybe because people don't see it as a conspiracy. I mean, this is a conspiracy sub after all. You even said yourself: "but is this even a conspiracy?"
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Actually the post itself ended up getting a lot of upvotes. All my comments always get downvotes though.
And I do not know. It is the conspiracy everyone knows about but it gets swept under thr rug.
1 Bacon359 2018-02-17
This could be a tandem argument as to why police officers are quitting and leaving law enforcement at record high numbers across the country also. The children you are teaching today are the criminals law enforcement have to combat as adults. Good post u/polkadotgirl
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I have worked with several former correctional officers, and they are shocked...
Thanks!
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
have to combat?
How about leave people alone and stop justifying aggression against them! That's what makes them unruly in the first place!
Are unruly children inevitably criminals? Please take that back. It's an attrocious argument, and no coherent direct connection has been supplied as evidence.
We are diving into the shallow end of a conversation on Locke vs Hobbes, utilitarianism vs moral relativism, pseudo-science like criminal psych. I'll tell you what the role of teachers is way overexaggerated here. Teachers don't have any rights over these children and if they don't like that they should be fired, rather than be received well for posting hideous, human hating propaganda.
1 Mightbeabirb 2018-02-17
What are your views on groups like anti-fa?
Do you believe them to be the effective "rebels" that teachers should be raising children to become?
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Not at all. I sympathize with principled anarchists, but I also recognize that they wouldn't exist without diversity (anarchists are specialist types).
What society needs is to raise people who are free minded, and who by their own merit come to desire to make the world a better place. This desire comes through experience of hardship, usually. Life is a massive web of conflict, ebbing and flowing, and every end is a new beginning. I can't claim to have real solutions, but if they did exist they'd be found by creative outside the box thinkers and not posers and groupies.
1 KimballOHara 2018-02-17
... wow...
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Asking someone to change their stance, politely, gets a "wow"?
How about you give me a real reply please.
1 KimballOHara 2018-02-17
You were demanding he take his comment back because he connected upbringing to behaviour.
Make your argument in response and leave it there, you have no right or expectation they anyone takes something back.
You also seem incredibly sensitive and put up a straw man. Get a grip and grow up a little
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
No he insisted on the connection between children who fail to abide by a school's strict rules, to full blown criminals and he used the word combat, saying these are the same people the police will have to combat.
1 nanonan 2018-02-17
It's not a huge leap from people who disobey school rules to people who disobey societys rules.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Actually it is, when the rules at school are even far more restrictive than society's rules. As an adult nobody forces you to do anything. You submit out of necessity or you dont. As a child you're always being told when to sit, when to speak, when to listen. Children arent robots.
Children misbehave for many reasons. Rarely does it equate to criminal behavior such as assault, murder, extortion, theft, rape, etc. These are real crimes, and cannot be compared. This is apples to oranges.
Sometimes students commit these real crimes too, and they are held accountable under the law.
Student children, should not be subjected to arbitrary rules and regulations, and certainly they should not be compared to criminals when they fail to abide by extreme authoritarian and strict rules (rules anybody would break and many times these get broken on pure accident).
1 nanonan 2018-02-17
Of course they are more restrictive, children are idiots.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
I disagree. Adults are shamefully idiotic and children are quite appropriate. Its bad role models thats to blame.
1 KimballOHara 2018-02-17
Combat combat combat combat... absolutely grow up
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Im not the one that used the word combat. I'm not sure I even understand what you're trying to say.
1 KimballOHara 2018-02-17
What are you confused about? Take a moment to look at the context of our subthread. You got all bent out of shape over the word "combat".
Done here. This is weird. Bleep bloop blorp?
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
You're weird. I'm astounded that you fail to take a moment to understand me, and similtaneously beg me to understand an erroneous perception.
What could this person possibly have meant, other than to justify aggression (combat which means essentially, murder) against humans for mere misbehavior?
1 KimballOHara 2018-02-17
Honest question: do you have slight autism or problems following social cues in conversations?
I started with
Because you're cringe-worthy. I understood you and rolled my eyes. You were attempting to de-rail a conversation because you're incredibly sensitive, you demanded someone take their words back, and on top of all of this you're tone-policing and telling people what words to use.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Wow. Police combat using weapons such as pistols and rifles. Police combat by killing people. The word combat was used directly in regards to policing, and directly in regards to children misbehaving. Your attempt to derail my serious attempt at a conversation is futile. I've made my point. You have chosen to act deaf to it, and you've chosen to attack me personally. You've deflected my arguments. You've gone full throttle to defend someone else's words, which are clear as day to anyone. You claimed you wouldnt reply three replies ago I think, and yet you've spent a great deal of energy twisting things to fit a narrative. Please stop trying so hard. I made a fair point.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
You speak of a power struggle, and paint a picture of children as criminals. You propose control of human life as the solution. You are wrong.
Control of self is the only control possible. Control of others is unnecessary and unwarranted. People only need guidance. If they aren't satisfied with what they are learning, perhaps you should teach them something else, but the schools are designed to churn out workers not advanced individuals- doers not thinkers.
If you're unsatisfied with your students perhaps try teaching college (assuming you are qualified).
1 zephyrsong888 2018-02-17
In the current situation, it's nearly impossible to guide 25 young adults at the same time unless they've learned enough to work as a team. You may be asking for better teachers after considering this, but what have you offered the better teachers to attract them to this situation?
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
I'm not asking for better teachers. Im asking for school funds to actually be used for schooling rather than bring cut back to pay for more war, for one. Im also saying compulsory education has failed and a return to pre-50s schooling methods would be beneficial for many if not all.
Furthermore compulsory education is based more on socialization than education, as you've so aptly evidenced. You propose that order must come even before the lesson can begin!
1 TheUnofficialZalthor 2018-02-17
Why would Pre-Fifties Schooling be a better alternative to what is in place now?
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Well it seems I thought education became compulsary in the 50s. I was wrong :/
It was compulsory by 1918 :(
I get the impression that independant or private schooling is far more effective than public schooling in any age, and there are plenty of ways to be social without public school. The system has failed people, as funda are diverted for war and corruption and inefficiency take the rest.
At best schools are a way to socialize workers and citizens, and have very little to do with education.
1 zephyrsong888 2018-02-17
Independent and private schooling are more effective because they screen students. If you want to create an underclass of citizenry, that's a great way to do it.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
I meant people homeschooling is the way to go. Private schools are effective in a capitalism, of course. Anyways if people want to complain about schools, teach your own kids. If you want to complain about kids acting out get over it. They are kids. I'm not sure what else to say really.
1 POGtastic 2018-02-17
Homeschooling only works if the parents aren't shitbags.
If Mom and Dad both have graduate degrees and the public school is a shithole, they'll probably get a better outcome by homeschooling... although chances are high that they'll just pony up the money to send the kid to private school.
Regarding kids acting out, the problem isn't the kids - it's the parents. Detention and suspension only work if the parents are on the other end saying "You do not get in trouble at school." If the parents don't care, or worse, are actively hostile toward the school disciplining their child, there is no way to correct the kid's behavior.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Actually the parents have far less of an effect on their own children, than the media. Parents are a big factor, but not the only factor. Another factor is society itself, and how society is seen to behave.
Another factor is the environment, includong air, water, and the food we eat. An 80s study concluded that a lack of key nutrients causes children to misbehave. Having a lack of proper nutrition is directly related to poverty.
So as you can see the subject goes much deeper than simply blaming the parents or any one thing.
1 SkyBlueThink 2018-02-17
And what do you know about teaching? Your aggressive and unwarranted comments show that you are a troll. Goodbye.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
I know that a teacher is one who points to the information one lacks, adeptly identifying what others are missing by contrast to what they are expressing. A teacher must be sought. One cannot force another, to learn. Behaving as a group runs contrary to thinking as an individual. Maybe the ways you seek to turn students into groupies is directly related to them behaving like groupies.
1 I_Am_Teach 2018-02-17
He thinks he knows about teaching because he watched a few movies and YouTube videos about it.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Im a college student. Real teachers dont slam doors on people. Real teachers take time to explain things. I don't see real teachers here. I just see a bunch of people who hate children and none of this is conspiracy related.
1 I_Am_Teach 2018-02-17
Huh? Who hates children here?
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Anyone who seeks to control them. One guy said kids who misbehave should all be euthenized and others agreed/failed to disagree with him..
1 Sipredion 2018-02-17
Why because it disagrees with you? God what a joke.
1 Zap_Powerz 2018-02-17
Great post as always OP.
Its so sad to see such wasted human potential. We are producing morons at a very efficient rate.
What about the rights of the kids and parents that want a good education? Why cant they sue school districts for allowing fuck ups, retards, poor performers, wastes of space and resources to ruin the education of good kids?
We need to start throwing the fuck ups out. All of them. Euthanize them if need be, but if we dont kill this fucking cancer now, its going to kill us all. Its better to euthanize crack babies than let an entire civilization fail.
Harsh words, I know, but true.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Thanks!
But they created this and want this
1 Entropick 2018-02-17
Man. I'm with you on that hardline stance. I'm afraid to speak up often because I carry that opinion frequently.
1 Zap_Powerz 2018-02-17
its survival now. we either survive or we dont. how bad do we want to survive? what are we willing to do to survive as a culture? nothing should be off the table.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Or are you afraid to speak because you are justifying murder?
1 LanaRosenheller 2018-02-17
I quit teaching 2 years ago after putting in 7 years. Lots of reasons. It actually gives me a headache to rehash it so I won't. I never once had the thought of euthanizing anyone. Thirty years ago, the most problematic students WERE kicked out. Or they quit at age 16. Now most states force them to stay in school until age 18. It's all a good sounding idea to want ALL kids to succeed but the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
When you get down to it, education is the responsibility of the parents. That constitutional "right to a free and public education" doesn't even exist in our constitution. State constitutions are rarely enforced. I went through four years of college and 6 years of teaching before I actually looked it up. That's the conspiracy in education if there really IS one. I was told by several administrators that they could not remove troublemakers from my classroom bc it might violate their non existent right to a free and public education--and their parents might sue. No such lawsuits had ever been brought against those schools yet we were made to think that we were continuously on the brink of defending ourselves in court.
1 Zap_Powerz 2018-02-17
we need to reject, punish and shun weakness and failure or we will just get more of it.
1 mastigia 2018-02-17
Removed for encouraging violence.
1 setadoon177 2018-02-17
I think they are tired of having to teach kids who have grown up in a ghetto/gangster rap/hiphop culture. Now more then ever I think it's looked upon as being cool to be stupid/ignorant. When kids see the "value" or utility in being quirky or funny on Snapchat and all the "fame" (think those "famous" you-tubers) and all the praise that comes with it, they're rather act out and be ignorant, with hopes of getting filmed and "liked". It has slowly eroded the will to succeed, at least in traditional ways.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Didnt think about that point! Yes the music has great influence, too.
It is hard to explain but kids are so careless with language today (and I know I was like that too as a kid). It is sort of culture that nothing matters.
Common expression: "I am going to kill myself."
If that is jusr hyperbole now...well are you getting my point?
1 Entropick 2018-02-17
Betsy devos needs to get the fuck out of the way and put pdg (you) in her place.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Aww...it would never be allowed!!
1 RunsWithRaptors 2018-02-17
This deserves to be on the front page, excellent work thank you. I often have felt a huge divide between my friends and myself growing up because I have always been interested in human history and how it's created the world we inhabit today. Unfortunately, if you tell people something disturbing that goes against the narrative they are fed by authority figures they don't even just disagree, they legitimately lash out at you for challenging their inane thoughts. I've stumbled upon this nearly anywhere I go. If I talk about anything seemingly important, not pro sports or video games, people either attack me or retreat and refuse to hear anything that challenges their beliefs.
The only reason I consider myself well informed today is because of a handful of teachers I had in school that challenged me to think for myself and make my own conclusions, not simply stuffing my mind with useless facts only to regurgitate them for a test.
It's incredibly obvious that dumbing people down has worked especially in light of these indictments of Russians who supposedly influenced the election. Everyone takes the government's explanations at face value, doesn't challenge them or question anything, mostly because these people have zero critical thinking skills.
I think this is how they steal elections and maintain control over the population. Everyone is either too dumb or entirely apathetic to consider the fact that things are not quite what they seem. It's embarrassing that so many of the people in this country are in poverty and can't even recognize the system that is screwing them over.
I think this country has been in decline since the Vietnam war and the degradation of education in this country is an attempt to maintain control over the population so that those really in power can rob us of everything. We're slaves in our own country.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I feel for you! This is not anything new, as you note, we we are seeing how well the system actually works.
When somebody does conform well, they become dumbed down in a different way. It is almost a lose-lose situation.
Many of us are here on this forum because, quite simply, we cannot relate to people today! Why? They are like mechanical robots.
I really appreciate you reading. What I write is not hyperbole!
1 RunsWithRaptors 2018-02-17
Thanks for responding to my comment. Obviously you are doing very important work regardless of how difficult it may be, keep it up, you never know what kind of impact you will have on any one individual. Education is our only salvation.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
In the end, you are absolutely right. Our minds are all we have! ♡
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
@polkadotgirl: I hope you will crosspost elsewhere. here on /r/conspiracy, your post will get ignored. perhaps even put this somewhere other than Reddit.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I know. I did want to post it to teaching forums but I know how the majority of the population is about conspiracies.
Let me try /r/c_s_t at least.
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
I do not believe at all, even a little bit, in a conspiracy to degrade the US educational system*, but I still think your post had value. so, please, post!
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Confused by your comment. I did post it to /r/teachers. As to why:
1) control the masses by dumbing them down
2) replace family with school (it is really happening)
3) deprofessionalize every profession (like teaching) and get as many computers and robots as you can.
You CANNOT teach well without humanity. I use computers daily in my classes, so I am not against technology. Still, no robot (or computer) can replace a good teacher.
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
because I said that before you had re-edited your post.
about the conspiracy issue itself, I believe in conspiracies (plural), such as the DNC having decided on Clinton, colluded with the MSM and put on the contest between HRC and Bernie Sanders just for show.
but I do not think you have to come up with any conspiracy (or rather Conspiracy) to explain what you describe in your post. Hanlon's (actually Heinlein's) razor:
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hanlon%27s%20Razor
and it does not even have to do with stupidity, exactly. it has to do with a complex world with many interlocking subsystems. it also has to do with the ideology of intersectionality and intersectionality-adjacent ideas (commonly called "political correctness") having permeated professions like education and politics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality
as to your point 2, that has to do with family not doing a good job.
as to your points 1 and 3, if you wanted to do that, you would want social inequality to stop, not make it worse. you would also want to curb the population like China with its one family per child policy. you would want the population docile and comfortable and small, not angry and growing. you also would not permit the spread of intersectionality, which promotes division and dissatisfaction.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Hey, I am not trying to be disrespectful but is English perhaps your second language? I am having difficulty trying to understand what you are getting at.
If not, maybe I am just tired.
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
I speak English as a first language but I sometimes have trouble communicating online. I take certain things as a given which others might not.
I meant the complexity of whole countries and the complexity of the world, not education per se.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I honestly think I am really tired. So sorry! I will re-read your comments nowm
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
if you do not understand particular points, just ask. or maybe tomorrow when you might feel less tired? (I hope that did not come off as condescending.)
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Ok, yes I will.
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
thanks for doing that.
1 rockytimber 2018-02-17
Agree, but the traditional public schools k-12 are being set up to be phased out, essentially privatized, replaced by charter schools or something else called public schools but operated by private contractors who will profit handsomely.
Reforming education has been a hopeless task for decades, "liberal" unions have already been decimated, but they are still in a position to limit reforms both bad and good.
Americans have been radicalized, both right and "left" but the left is the side right now that is showing the highest level of dysfunction imaginable.
My ex-wife is a teacher for 30 years who many years ago broke out of the box in terms of how she handled her kids. She teaches the kids other teachers have failed with, and makes them perform beyond the level of the classes they were removed from for failing to learn to read, do math, etc. How, I am not sure, but she has been targeted for years because the administration hates that she exposes their incompetence and the incompetence of the teachers who can't do what she does. Seriously targeted, to where she has filed lawsuits to prove that the system is still inherently discriminating and racist. Which she has convinced me is true, and has recently also been exposed in the newspapers that some schools are as segregated now as they had been before busing was mandated by the feds in her district.
I am not disagreeing that kids are out of control. My nephew was going to be a teacher but his student internship/training showed him all he needed to see that his ideals would be crushed.
Thanks for listening.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Thanks for writing this! I have also found ways to reach the kids that no one else can handle.
But what good does that really do? So, 1 out of 50 teachers in their lives will know how to work with them?
You are right though. It all goes back to psychology.
Still, I think most teachers do not know what they are really up against
1 rockytimber 2018-02-17
On a side note, have you followed the Ghulam ownership of one of the largest players in the charter school movement?
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&q=Ghulam+ownership+of+one+of+the+largest+player+in+the+charter+school&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiey6eNpK7ZAhVGvVMKHVLnAUQQBQgmKAA&biw=1366&bih=654
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I have not but now I will!
1 rockytimber 2018-02-17
Sibel Edmonds is one of the biggest experts on Ghulam (and Turkey/Erdogan/Ghulam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFFFOkuEBzc
https://veblr.com/watch/341894987d31/us-cultivated-financed-isis-fbi-whistleblower-sibel-edmonds?lang=od
1 orangearbuds 2018-02-17
Great analysis.
I'd like to add about the lazy parenting:
Back in the day we used to have two-parent households and often one of them was a stay-at-home mom. Now kids go to daycare starting at 6 weeks and our institutionalize their whole life. The parents are just struggling to work, get home, and do some chores and don't have time to actually talk to their kids and enjoy their company.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Yes! After I wrote I realized it can come off as blaming everything on parents, and that is simply not the case.
I think most are trying the best they can with what they have.
2 jobs is not even enough to support a family at times : (
Most parents I work with are AWESOME, but that does not mean there are not issues!
Also, I do not have kids myself, but I know parenting is one of the most important and difficult jobs in the world.
1 buhbuhbweee 2018-02-17
You say true freedom is education. But true freedom is not being legally compelled to attend shitty public schools. The government does not have a constitutional mandate to enforce compulsory schooling. The Internet and other social developments have made information so accessible that the classical school system is now obsolete. Any semi intelligent child can learn the math and reading skills sufficient to get by in a developed society by the age of 13. Additionally, kids are evolutionary developed to be outside and running around and being physical and creative. Forcing kids to sit in a box all day and behave like drones is the reason why they all fucking hate school. That's why I hated school. You won't have school shootings if you don't force everyone to go to these shitty child prisons where their whole free existence is wasted.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I am actually not disagreeing with you.
The modern school does not fit the needs of the modern student.
Kids are bored out of their minds, and education needs to be completely revamped. Will it?
Likely not.
In a way, yes, school can be like prison. In an even sadder way, schools are preparing many for prison.
1 wwwwho 2018-02-17
Well those are your complaints; what are your solutions?
1 buhbuhbweee 2018-02-17
Get rid of compulsory schooling
1 wwwwho 2018-02-17
Well that'll work for the majority of people. Many of whom have not graduated high school or attended college.
1 buhbuhbweee 2018-02-17
Well working for the majority of people is the point of democracy, no?
1 xxaos 2018-02-17
Some kids in middle and high school are scum. The get a bad grade or get in trouble for being an ass in class, and decide to get revenge on the teacher. The student and maybe some of her friends make false complaints against the teacher. Administration doesn't really ask questions or investigate, just file a report and depending on the accusation call the cops. Teacher may lose their contract, may be fired/forced to resign, could end up with a record and serve time in prison.
Add in students who don't care and parents who are worse than the students. You have students with emotional issues. A noticeable percentage of kids on mood altering/focus altering drugs with side effects that can include suicidal thoughts, anger, homicidal ideation.
There are problems with bullying. Inability to have a respectful classroom environment. Lack of classroom supplies. Too many students per class. Lack of respect from students, parents, administration, community, and other teachers.
This is a trend spanning decades. And we will get out of our educational system what has been put into it.
And yes, this is generalized and not specific to one individual of school system.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Good points. This trend started decades ago. This was not always how school was...
1 parasite99 2018-02-17
I used to work in a school with elementary aged kids (kindergarten-5th grade). I was astonished by how the kids wouldn't care about getting in trouble, would lie straight to my face and their parents face.
And the parents just eat it up, fully believing little Johnny boy could never do anything wrong. For every 10 idiot parents I dealt with, there was only a single good parent who would discipline their child right then and there. It's so odd to me that the children of today act so differently than how I remember acting as a child. They don't care about getting in trouble. They don't care about the repercussions of the things they do, because there usually isn't any..it's crazy. Are these parents just stupid? Do they not remember being children themselves?
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I am glad I am not alone. They always believe little Johnny.
I have come to the conclusion that we were actually different. Sure we may have messed around, but there is something really off about this generation and the upcoming ones..
1 varlogmessages 2018-02-17
Society has kicked father's to the curb. If these kids had father's they wouldn't be acting out of control.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Absolutely. Children need male father figures!
1 mjschreff 2018-02-17
I left after 12 years of loving teaching. I hated the way we were treated, disrespected, seen as the problem.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I am glad to hear teachers speak up. I am not alone!
1 elevenhats11 2018-02-17
What are you doing now instead?
1 mjschreff 2018-02-17
I retired. I am a stay home mom. I also deal with fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, on a daily basis
1 RealUncensoredNews 2018-02-17
Today this statement rings true more and more: "Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach."
I live in an area of some of the highest paid teachers in the US, the highest in my state, and they are lackluster. There are some great ones, but the overwhelming majority are lazy and whine about everything. Even these teachers complain about wages, claim they don't get enough time off, and that they do not have enough shit to use to teach with.
Our schools have computers out the ass, smart boards in all the class rooms, and supplies necessary for teaching. The reality is the students need a text book, paper, and a person that wants to teach them. Today they make wild claims that we have to cater to all these teaching styles for students to learn, but the reality is colleges teach the same way they always have--lecture, read the books on your own, and get tested and it still works.
I think the truly broken part is teachers don't love their jobs and worry about metrics instead of teaching. Standardized tests have made teachers believe those scores are what makes them a good teacher and it's just regurgitation instead of critical thinking. Parents worsen the issue by not disciplining these children to behave because everybody has this made-up ADD/ADHD bs nowadays.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
I grew up in a very wealthy area. I see the contrast!
Yup! Most teachers are now rated on scores and very little else!
1 Upupabove 2018-02-17
Kids are assholes and pay is low.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
For those too lazy to read.
1 HackQuack 2018-02-17
Another (middle school) teacher here. Seems like getting shit on for attempting to involve your heart and soul (and money from your pocket) in your work is par for the course. I get death stares from fellow staff whenever I embrace kids. Some look to be on the fence regarding my approach, but just can't seem to shed the stigma that I'm somehow violating some sacred disciplinary gospel.
Another thing, your mentioning a literal tying of teachers' hands by placing low(er) functioning students in with the rest really shakes me to the core. Firstly, all you're doing is handicapping that child even more. I literally had an experience where an evaluation of a child was done and the results were for that student to not be made to take notes, read aloud in a classroom setting, write complete sentences, etc. I read the e-mail and fumed for days. Like, WTF?! Secondly, as you mentioned, it's simply not fair to the rest.
I probably spend 70% of class time getting the kids to open up about issues they're facing and challenges and difficulties that lie in the road ahead. I was even brought before the Board by Admin. Where I'm genuine and sincere with my students, everything is tongue-in-cheek in front of the higher-ups. They're beyond incorrigible.
In the end, the sacrifice and suffering is worth the satisfaction. I actually get sick to my stomach whenever I think what lies beyond teaching.
On a side note, I did have a run-in with a parent. He seemed to have his way with everyone at the school. He made me realize why some kids are the way they are. He came in verbally abusing staff and hurling false accusations. I guess I was the first person he's ever encountered who stood up to him. Even my colleagues were taken back. I was lauded by some. Others took me to be some vigilante who broke the "teachers are human welcome mats" code. I was forced to amend the code to include a "not on my watch" clause. It's quite strange, but human psychology is such that students AND parents will have more respect for someone with a backbone.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Let's just say many of the teachers do not like that students like me!
I agree. Kids are being lied to. We are teaching them the world is some fairy tale that will cater to them?!
1 HackQuack 2018-02-17
The new principal had no idea I spilled my guts during an assembly a few years back. Virtually everyone knows all the gory details of my life story. A desperate student sought leverage for a consequence and the obtuse principal decided to use some details from that assembly and my many in-class lectures against me. In the most passively-aggressive manner possible, I made all the excuses I could for the principal during our meeting. The Board was quite dumbfounded. She was supposed to have rewritten and reworded the reprimand. Instead, I haven't heard a single word since then. Again, it was more tongue-in-cheek "I'm your superior and don't forget it" type stuff. With the people-pleasing nature of our job, sincerity and genuineness can get lost. Keep your guard up.
1 BiggishGaff 2018-02-17
Holy shit, are you me? These points hit all the same conversations I have as a teacher nearly daily. For the past decade, I've vacillated about so many things concerning my field of work. My teacher friends as well. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find much support outside of other teachers who I've directly worked with. I used to date a woman who taught at a nearby private school, and her (and her friends) could care less about my complaints; they had zero sympathy, but probably because they taught Kennedys and foreign diplomats' children. My friends who aren't teachers get bored by my political rants about education and just want me to tell them stories about "how hot the students are" and "how messed up are the kids?" My fiancee wanted to be a teacher until she met me. Now she finds the job detestable and sees what I see, but at the same time thinks my stress is unfounded. A lot of distractions and doublethink concerning education in this country...
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
All I can say is that I am glad I am not alone but sadly that is not a good thing : (
1 BiggishGaff 2018-02-17
I agree. It's nearly all my teacher friends and I talk about. I'm sure you have a million and one stories about how ridiculous things have gotten over even the past few years...
1 BiggishGaff 2018-02-17
I had a friend who had trouble getting a job as a Social Studies teacher in California. He ended up teaching Technology at a mostly Latino charter school, and slowly worked his way up to being "allowed" to teach a Film History class to the high schoolers after 3 long years. He has a few more years experience in teaching than I do, and has an incredible resume. But the charter school was hesitant to give him an elective course?
Either way, he taught his heart out in that Film class, but found that the students were not responsive to much of what he taught. His assignments were essentially one page film reviews due every Friday, and the students needed to assess what they watched in class. He had a long list of classics and modern popular movies, things like Seventh Seal, Jurassic Park, and Dr. Strangelove. But the kids never turned in the few assignments he gave, never showed up for extra help, never took responsibility to borrow the movie from him if they missed a class, and never willfully participated in class discussions. So, he did what you're supposed to do in those situations: he started failing kids.
By the third marking period, he had a failure rate over 30%. This was enough to have him called to the headmaster's office, where he had to speak for the failures. My friend stood his ground, but the headmaster dumped on him a series of emails that were never once forward to him. Emails from parents saying that the kids complained about the class, were "bored" with the movie selections, and didn't "get" the assignments. He was told by administration that he needed to start showing movies kids would be familiar with, like Avengers or the new Star Wars, and giving them easier assignments. This was a senior elective and many of these kids were already accepted to college; them failing an elective some needed to a History credit was "unacceptable." My friend still stood his ground and began to put together a "report" in his defense. He went to other teachers and asked how much writing they assigned. Turns out, the answer was "not much." Without much ground to stand on, he went back to administration defeated and they broke him down. He started giving the kids time in class to write their reviews, and cut the assignments down to a single paragraph. He started showing movies like Inside Out and Force Awakens -- movies the kids wanted to see. Parents were happier, administration was happier, and my friend phoned it in for the rest of the year.
June came around and he was in the headmaster's office once again. He asked what courses he would be teaching in the fall, expecting he may lose the film class but be given something else. Instead, they cut him lose. He spent the next six months living on his savings and dancing with depression. It was not a fun time. He eventually found a new job at a private school, but is having issues there too. Apparently the new complaint is that he's teaching Middle School World History and "focusing too much" on research projects and Asian/African history, when the curriculum doesn't allow pacing for that. He also has been giving "too many B's and C's" to the children of "well-paying and respected families," despite the students overall not turning in assignments (yet again) and not passing tests. The dude also now has to get certified for teaching English as a Second Language, as apparently this is a requirement for his school? Even though he's not bilingual and will likely never teach an English course for second-language learners? But a high percentage of his students, even at this private school, are first generation Latinos and Asians who know little to nothing of American culture or history. This poor bastard is their first real foray into any of that subject matter, and he's at the whim of a larger power that won't let him work freely. And those poor kids will never know the difference. Teachers are the eternal victims in these situations.
1 Kisaaa 2018-02-17
One of my friends is a teacher for 8-9 year olds and she is baffled with how many kids do not know basic common sense or courtesy skills at their age. It was when she met the parents of her newest class that nearly made her want to quit on the spot.
One parent, Indian who has just been in the country for a few months, told her (Australian) that her child can not understand her accent and to not speak with an Australian accent.
Another parent said she wanted to remove her child because the class had too many Indian kids and she doesn’t want her child around them.
Yesterday we were having dinner and a 13 (or so) year old girl refused to cross the road with her father and two maybe slightly older brothers (15/16?) before the pedestrian light went green - when she crossed they made fun of her for being a baby and a pussy.
It’s not children I hate, it’s bad parenting. These are the kids that grow up rebelling and shooting up schools or getting in trouble with the law.
When I was a kid I played fighting video games. Still do now. But because of how respectful my parents raised me and taught me that actions have consequences etc I didn’t grow up to be violent. I also play racing games but was taught to drive properly and obey the rules no matter what dickheads do on the road.
I’ve not been in trouble with the law, never lost my license, etc. it’s not what the kids watch on tv or games they play or weapons they get ahold of. It’s how you raise them.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Thanks for writing this. I am shocked by the things I have to teach students on a daily basis.
This is how you enter a room.
This is how you talk to others.
Say please and thank you.
These skills are not being learned at home.
1 Kisaaa 2018-02-17
And that’s why the kids of this generation are the ones who are going to make the world collapse. Kids are the future and I refuse to have a child if this is the world I have to raise it in.
1 zippin_sizzurp 2018-02-17
Great job summing up these issues and the effect they My district will soon be privatizing six "underperforming" schools. I'm in Florida, so we've been hit especially hard by Big Testing thanks to former governor Jeb! and his horrible cronies who have made a fortune forcing their inane and utterly worthless tests on undeserving children and teachers. This has of course turned Florida's public schools into soul-crushing warehouses that exist to serve private interests. I'm glad it's becoming obvious that the inane and ubiquitous testing and the junk test prep dressed up as legitimate curricula is by design. And as you astutely pointed out, schools whose students don't test well are ripe for the picking by corporate entities who are motivated by profit. Again, this isn't coincidence; this is simply another wealth transfer from the public to Wall Street.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Well said! Testing has its place in school. This goes beyond that!
1 Nude-eh 2018-02-17
This is too long to reply to, but...
Can't you send unruly kids to the principle's office or stand them in the corner or send them to quiet time room or something?
Why don't you focus on teaching your subject, and forget about trying to right the wrongs of a fucked society? You can't end poverty in America. You can't fix little Jonny's home life. You can't fix his parents, or their relationship with Jonny.
Please do NOT buy kid's book etc for them. That is not your job. That is the parent's responsibility. You are enabling them. They have enough money for booze, so they have enough money for textbooks too.
You can't save these kids, so you should not try. You can't fix society, so you should not try.
1 NoahWebstersGhost 2018-02-17
Abolish compulsory indoctrination.
"People are less than whole unless they gather themselves voluntarily. Only slaves are gathered by others." - JT Gatto
1 HughBrisman 2018-02-17
Well, I have almost been fired for calling a parent and taking away a kids cell phone that had a D- in my very low expectation high school class. My school has ZERO control. The inmates are running the prison. Daily my classroom smells like weed, kids have 60+ period absences in my class in one semester, I have been assaulted physically twice this year (no response besides schedule change for student), verbally assaulted daily, and my class sizes are about 40 student average per class. I have a viable lawsuit against the district and the Union. The union rep told me that I should claim to have a drug addiction because she was to lazy to read the 28 pages of "investigation" against me... which was almost entirely lies told by failing students that hate a teacher with control over the classroom. To put it simply, school is about conformity even if it isn't about "education", and we are now failing on all points due to $$$$ being all that matters. I can't remember how many times I have been told that I am a "customer service representative".
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Wow! And I thought my school was rough.
I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers (hope that is okay). Feel free to message me if you ever need to vent.
1 HughBrisman 2018-02-17
Thank you, at the end of the day I can reflect and see the value in my service to the majority of students that are there to learn. It is a disappointing to see the institution of public education in decline of norms, but many still do find value and benefit despite the adverse conditions.
1 Step2TheJep 2018-02-17
That 'do' ought to be 'due'.
Other than that, brilliant post. Thank you very much for taking the time to write it.
I have read many of your posts and am surprised that you are a teacher. How have you not already gone insane in that career? You strike me as an empathetic person and the modern world, teaching, and empathy do not seem to be a good mix.
Are you familiar with the work of John Taylor Gatto? He explains how the education system is not disigned to nurture critical thinking, but to do the exact opposite -- and, more importantly, this is an open secret.
Whether or not they realise it (most don't) teachers are merely the foot-soldiers of an agenda to dumb humans down to epsilon level.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Thanks I will change it : )
Thanks for reading it!
I am very empathetic. I would even consider myself ones of those "empaths". It is really hard. I definitely often come home severly emotionally drained
Over the years though I have had to learn to keep my work at work. With teaching today, it never ends. There is always a way to be better and always more to do. At a certain point, I have had to learn to accept imperfection. I do not know if I am making sense, but that past few years I have been learning about balance.
I actually am a little! The last post I wrote a bunch of people recommended him!
Yeah, unfortunately this is true...
1 baebaebokchoy 2018-02-17
Relevant/might be enjoyed by anyone who also enjoyed this thread
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UlgSq6O8zM
1 Chance_Coal_Bear 2018-02-17
Holy Smokes.
Teacher here. Literally in the midst of trying leave the profession. OP pretty much nails it on all sides. It's thankless and now has become so formulaic and bureaucratic that there really is ZERO silver lining to the job.
The students have zero drive to do ANYTHING. They want to play on their phones. And who can blame them?? The Curriculum is crap. Parents will reward/reaffirm anything so as not to have to do any actual parenting. Administrators are wayyyyyy too worried about numbers and figures to actually get any progress done in school.
The entire endeavor of educating 100+ kids (who actively refuse to learn about anything) a year falls into the lap of 1 - 7 teachers. It's really just not possible.
It's like OP said, we're not teaching anyone how to be/become human beings.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Glad I am not alone, and glad to see other teachers browse here!
My school does not allow phones THANK GOD.
You are correct - that is all most really care about anymore.
I try my hardest to make my curriculum as engaging as possible, but I agree, kids seem bored out of their mind.
There is so much more. I wish people could walk in our shoes for a few weeks...
1 Born2Memes 2018-02-17
Pretty much entirely a racial thing. White liberals go to teach in the city thinking they are going to make a positive change and end up being abused and physically accosted but their is never any reporting of it because if they reported how many black children assaulted white teachers, especially women, it would speed up the upcoming racial civil war.
1 craftyusernameuser 2018-02-17
Generalization city here. Every child is different, every teacher is different, every situation is different. There is no one solution that works for all. We need a multifaceted approach to education that is tailored to each child uniquely but there’s no money for that (apparently).
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Of course. Generalizations can both help and harm. For the purpose of my post I generalizex.
1 lateral_us 2018-02-17
Basically nobody has the balls to tell white trailer trash or any darker shade of ghetto scum to STOP HAVING CHILDREN WHEN YOU ARE STILL A FUCKING CHILD YOURSELF.
That's what I see. Kids raising kids. Ghetto trash get pregnant at 16 go on welfare and don't give two shits about their kids so long as the welfare keeps coming. They teach their own children the mentality of blaming the system or the white man or whatever, because they can't face up to the fact that they are a fuckup and don't want to admit it to their kids, so they pump them full of lies to make it seem like doing everything to suck the lifeblood out of society is "gettin what's mine" rather than "I'm just another piece of pond scum bottom feeder shit that should've tried to learn something rather than being a juvenile delinquent my whole life".
1 dustyh55 2018-02-17
Dam, this is a high quality posts. Sources and everything.
It's well thought out and conveys a strong notion.
This reads like a professional article.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Aww thanks! I tried : )
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
She is telling the truth!
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Confused by your comment. I did post it to /r/teachers. As to why:
1) control the masses by dumbing them down
2) replace family with school (it is really happening)
3) deprofessionalize every profession (like teaching) and get as many computers and robots as you can.
You CANNOT teach well without humanity. I use computers daily in my classes, so I am not against technology. Still, no robot (or computer) can replace a good teacher.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Yes! After I wrote I realized it can come off as blaming everything on parents, and that is simply not the case.
I think most are trying the best they can with what they have.
2 jobs is not even enough to support a family at times : (
Most parents I work with are AWESOME, but that does not mean there are not issues!
Also, I do not have kids myself, but I know parenting is one of the most important and difficult jobs in the world.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
Hey, I am not trying to be disrespectful but is English perhaps your second language? I am having difficulty trying to understand what you are getting at.
If not, maybe I am just tired.
1 ryubyssss 2018-02-17
if you do not understand particular points, just ask. or maybe tomorrow when you might feel less tired? (I hope that did not come off as condescending.)
1 buhbuhbweee 2018-02-17
Get rid of compulsory schooling
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
No he insisted on the connection between children who fail to abide by a school's strict rules, to full blown criminals and he used the word combat, saying these are the same people the police will have to combat.
1 polkadotgirl 2018-02-17
All I can say is that I am glad I am not alone but sadly that is not a good thing : (
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
Wow. Police combat using weapons such as pistols and rifles. Police combat by killing people. The word combat was used directly in regards to policing, and directly in regards to children misbehaving. Your attempt to derail my serious attempt at a conversation is futile. I've made my point. You have chosen to act deaf to it, and you've chosen to attack me personally. You've deflected my arguments. You've gone full throttle to defend someone else's words, which are clear as day to anyone. You claimed you wouldnt reply three replies ago I think, and yet you've spent a great deal of energy twisting things to fit a narrative. Please stop trying so hard. I made a fair point.
1 joshua_ray 2018-02-17
If you don't agree with relativism say why please. Just saying "we're done" is both childish, and not conducive to conversation. This isn't an echo chamber or a place to have circle jerks. You aren't the only opinion and I'm willing to bet you aren't the authority.