Demoralized

[proud2BlibKansan]

I think I pay attention and know what's up but every once in awhile I get a surprise. This week, I found out that in the state where I teach, you can take a test and become a teacher. All you need is a college degree. It could be in basket weaving (and as a child of the 60s I do believe there are colleges out there that offer degrees in basket weaving - if there are not, please don't destroy my illusion:)).

Anyhow, we have a new employee in our school. She was hired as a para but is a recently certified new teacher. She applied for a teaching position but there is a hiring freeze for teachers so she was hired as a para. She has decided that my job looks easy and so she is taking a test in January and if she passes, she too can be a sped teacher.

So my masters degree means nothing other than a few dollars more in my paycheck. I'm thinking of burning my thesis this weekend. When I think that I spent an entire summer working on that masterpiece, which was mandated for the degree I was seeking, which was also mandated for me to be certified in sped . . . . :grr:

Next week I will be evaluated for the 4th time in 3 years. I get to put on a dog and pony show while my principal sits and watches and takes notes. One of the components of our new evaluation (another new form - woopee!) is use of technology. I have 3 computers that work sort of, one that doesn't work at all, an overhead that is not worth turning on, and a tape recorder. Oh and a few Leap Pads. I'm thinking of deliberately NOT using any technology and failing that portion of the evaluation just to make a statement. Because seriously, my score on this evaluation is meaningless to me. Regardless of the number on the paper, I will still show up every morning, feed breakfast to the kids who have to pay and don't have the money, teach for a few hours, feed lunch to the kids who can't afford to pay, read a chapter of a good book to the class, teach for a few more hours, stay after school to work on paperwork and then go home. Next day, repeat. I won't do any of these things with any more or less effort because someone comes in and watches me teach a lesson and then gives me a magic number rating.

The number on my evaluation is meaningless to me. Besides, now that I know that anyone with a degree can take a test and do my job, what's the point?

Not long ago, Diane Ravitch said you can't reform education by demoralizing the very people who will be doing the work necessary to enact the reforms.

Well guess what? I'm demoralized.

[griffi94]

1. what do you teach exactly

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Special ed exactly

[griffi94]

4. well as the parent

of a pretty autistic 16 year old boy, all i can say to the inexperienced under educated teacher is good luck, because she's going to need it.

when my son started middle school he was in the class of a second year teacher who was real sweet & real enthusiastic, and in way over her head. this was hard for us to take because for 4 years his elementery school teacher had a masters and over 20 years classroom experience.
night and day.

i know it's maddening to have your hardwork dismissed, but take it from a needs parent, it falls apart without people like you.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Thank you. That's very nice of you.

I thought about discouraging this woman but just didn't have the nerve. She'll find out soon enough that it really isn't an easy job. And to quote my para (who is wonderful and I wouldn't want to do my job without her) the reason it looks easy is because I am good at my job.

I know that sounds arrogant but I don't get many props these days so I give them to myself. :)

[griffi94]

8. we've had some great paras

the middle school teacher who was new wouldn't have made it without the 2 excellent ones she had.
we have great teachers now. he's in a lifeskills class and has been since 3rd grade.

our overall experience has been great. we haven't had any issues with his teachers in spite of the inexperienced one.
i did notice that some of the most qualified teachers with advanced degrees didn't always stay in the classroom, but were moved into administration jobs.

thank you for your dedication and nobody does your job who doesn't love it.
if you don't love it, it would be unbearable imo.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Bernie Sanders made a point in his filibuster of noting the disparity between

income of what is really important in our country - entertainers/athletes vs teachers, for example. I consider nurses and teachers true heroes in our country - and it is embarrassing in terms of how they are treated/considered.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. None of us go into teaching for the money

I accepted a long time ago that this career would not make me rich. But the current climate where bashing teachers is the norm rather than the exception is almost too hard to take some days. I used to be admired for what I do. Now I am criticized for having tenure and low test scores.

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. well, hang in there, this little dot in Raleigh holds teachers in the highest regard.

:hi: :thumbsup:

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Thank you so much.

[MichiganVote]

9. Well you know what, I know what I do and I know what others in education do

and as far as I'm concerned NO ONE in this half assed administration can say that. So anyone who wants to criticize blindly can stuff it.

A test does not make a person a teacher anymore than a birth makes a person a mother.

In my lifetime I've been "bad" for so many reasons according to whatever half wit administration is in power. I think I've lost count of the "rules" I've broken by following my own path and ignoring the pricks by the side of the road.

Do the same. Ignore the pricks. If your heart is to teach, teach.

[Hannah Bell]

10. hang in there. this other little dot on the west coast sympathizes too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. I know you do, Hannah

and I am grateful for your support. :hug:

[tavalon]

11. Special Ed = easy?!

I think not. My son is in Special Ed and the teachers are amazing.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. As a parent, do you want teachers who have been trained in education schools

or teachers who can pass a test and get certified with no background in education?

[tavalon]

19. The former without question

[Starry Messenger]

12. ((vibes))

Another sympathetic dot here. :hug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I do appreciate the friendships here

[Reader Rabbit]

13. Something similar just happened at my school.

One of our SPED teachers moved away, so a new one was hired a few weeks ago. The were two experienced SPED teachers and one Para who is still working on her teaching degree. The one SPED teacher on the hiring committee wanted one of the teachers with experience, but the district office told the committee to hire the Para. (Scuttlebutt has it that she's related to someone high up in the DO.)

So now this woman who doesn't know how to grade/assess students, use our computer system, or fill out an IEP is working full-time with SPED students, while trying to finish her teaching degree program at night. Needless to say, the poor woman is barely keeping afloat. She cries quite a bit, and the other SPED teachers and the school psychologist are having to take on a great deal of her work load. If she makes it to the end of the year before quitting, it will be a miracle.

But somewhere down the road, when the program is assessed by outsiders, it'll be the teachers who get the blame, and not the administrators whose decision created the situation.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. I didn't mention my co-worker

who has problems negotiating the computer programs so I am delegated to do HER work for her. No extra pay of course. I am also her sub when she is absent, which is quite often (probably from the stress since she has a horrible class).

I don't know about where you are but in my district there is virtually NO on the job training, we are just expected to figure out how to use these computer programs, etc.