Comments on: Is This Normal? http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/ A Blog About Teaching in Tough Schools in the UK Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:38:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: lilyofthefield http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-657 lilyofthefield Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:15:38 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-657 "seem like motiveless cruelty" LOL at that one! It's so well-observed. I see it in their faces, the blank incomprehension of a small dog that you've just kicked. From a previous response: "kids who don't want to be there". Correct. They'd rather be on the streets, in bed, wired up to some electrical no-effort amusement device, anywhere. At which point did that start being described as "the system failing them"? It has in the past been regarded at best as a bit of hard luck and at worst a charcter flaw that might be beaten out of them, but recently it seems to have become positively validated. “seem like motiveless cruelty”
LOL at that one! It’s so well-observed. I see it in their faces, the blank incomprehension of a small dog that you’ve just kicked.

From a previous response: “kids who don’t want to be there”. Correct. They’d rather be on the streets, in bed, wired up to some electrical no-effort amusement device, anywhere. At which point did that start being described as “the system failing them”? It has in the past been regarded at best as a bit of hard luck and at worst a charcter flaw that might be beaten out of them, but recently it seems to have become positively validated.

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-656 oldandrew Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:14:34 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-656 I take it you don't teach in England? In my career every school has been like this and 5 out of the 6 headteachers I've worked for ran things exactly as described. I take it you don’t teach in England?

In my career every school has been like this and 5 out of the 6 headteachers I’ve worked for ran things exactly as described.

]]> By: Pat http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-655 Pat Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:56:34 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-655 I'm sorry that you are in this kind of situation. I guess I've been lucky over the past 29 years and things were never this bad. I believe that it all depends on the administration you have and the communication involved. If I ever felt this way I met with the administration and discussed my frustrations. I was able to enlist the help of many parents also. My constant communication with parents kept me from having to involve the admin too much so it made life much easier for me. I think it would be time to move on to greener pastures if I had to teach in this environment. I don't believe every school is like this because I have taught in 5 different schools and hadn't faced this. I’m sorry that you are in this kind of situation. I guess I’ve been lucky over the past 29 years and things were never this bad. I believe that it all depends on the administration you have and the communication involved. If I ever felt this way I met with the administration and discussed my frustrations. I was able to enlist the help of many parents also. My constant communication with parents kept me from having to involve the admin too much so it made life much easier for me. I think it would be time to move on to greener pastures if I had to teach in this environment. I don’t believe every school is like this because I have taught in 5 different schools and hadn’t faced this.

]]> By: Eileen http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-654 Eileen Sat, 27 Oct 2007 11:32:38 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-654 The comments about how schools are managed are true at our school in the Middle East, as well. I can tell you teach secondary just from your comments about students. When I taught secondary, that was true where I was in America, and is true in our school now. But in elementary (where I currently teach third grade) they are still so excited about learning that they won't stay home even when sick! I'm lucky this year to have a class where every single kid comes to school excited about school, and excited about learning (eight-year-olds). Eileen Dedicated Elementary Teacher Overseas (in the Middle East) elementaryteacher.wordpress.com The comments about how schools are managed are true at our school in the Middle East, as well. I can tell you teach secondary just from your comments about students. When I taught secondary, that was true where I was in America, and is true in our school now. But in elementary (where I currently teach third grade) they are still so excited about learning that they won’t stay home even when sick! I’m lucky this year to have a class where every single kid comes to school excited about school, and excited about learning (eight-year-olds).

Eileen
Dedicated Elementary Teacher Overseas (in the Middle East)
elementaryteacher.wordpress.com

]]> By: Anony http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-653 Anony Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:44:36 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-653 "those who genuinely wish to learn and advance have been relegated to the back of the room while we are forced to spend all of our time dealing with criminals, idiots, clowns, and the parents who spawned them, almost exclusively" Well said. Who do you want to work with? The child who is trying hard to write a coherent sentence, but is struggling to do so. Who do you spend time with? The child who does not want to be in, does not want to learn, and sees you as an imposition on their otherwise busy routine of hair curling and texting. sad isn't the word. It's all the teacher's fault. “those who genuinely wish to learn and advance have been relegated to the back of the room while we are forced to spend all of our time dealing with criminals, idiots, clowns, and the parents who spawned them, almost exclusively”

Well said. Who do you want to work with? The child who is trying hard to write a coherent sentence, but is struggling to do so.

Who do you spend time with?

The child who does not want to be in, does not want to learn, and sees you as an imposition on their otherwise busy routine of hair curling and texting.

sad isn’t the word.

It’s all the teacher’s fault.

]]> By: Mister Teacher http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-652 Mister Teacher Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:08:19 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-652 Yeah, normal is abnormal when it comes to the field of education, apparently. But that's how I was able to write my book! All of your points are well made and dead on correct. Oh, and by the way, credit cards instant approval poor bad credit cards... hehehe Yeah, normal is abnormal when it comes to the field of education, apparently. But that’s how I was able to write my book!

All of your points are well made and dead on correct.
Oh, and by the way, credit cards instant approval poor bad credit cards…
hehehe

]]> By: Mamacita http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-651 Mamacita Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:58:28 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-651 You are absolutely spot-on correct, and I agree with every word you've written. Sad, isn't it. Somehow, our schools have been allowed to deteriorate to the point that the inmates are in charge of the institution, and those who genuinely wish to learn and advance have been relegated to the back of the room while we are forced to spend all of our time dealing with criminals, idiots, clowns, and the parents who spawned them, almost exclusively. You are absolutely spot-on correct, and I agree with every word you’ve written.

Sad, isn’t it. Somehow, our schools have been allowed to deteriorate to the point that the inmates are in charge of the institution, and those who genuinely wish to learn and advance have been relegated to the back of the room while we are forced to spend all of our time dealing with criminals, idiots, clowns, and the parents who spawned them, almost exclusively.

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-650 oldandrew Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:48:03 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-650 "I don't agree with the above comment (about you being crap not the 3 pages of Spam nonsense)" Apologies, I appear to have deleted what you were replying to along with the spam. With regards to moving to a "high-minded establishment", I may reach a point where I find it too much effort to make a difference where I am. But as things stand I have chosen to be where I am. I'm not sitting helplessly on the sidelines musing about how terrible it is, I am fighting it. I am doing my bit to provide a genuine education in a tough school. My blog is here just to make other people realise that they are not alone, it is this bad and we should be fighting it. “I don’t agree with the above comment (about you being crap not the 3 pages of Spam nonsense)”

Apologies, I appear to have deleted what you were replying to along with the spam.

With regards to moving to a “high-minded establishment”, I may reach a point where I find it too much effort to make a difference where I am. But as things stand I have chosen to be where I am. I’m not sitting helplessly on the sidelines musing about how terrible it is, I am fighting it. I am doing my bit to provide a genuine education in a tough school.

My blog is here just to make other people realise that they are not alone, it is this bad and we should be fighting it.

]]> By: Anonymouse http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-649 Anonymouse Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:57:31 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-649 I wanted a clever response ... but my comment is invalid. It lets spam in though ... sigh I wanted a clever response …

but my comment is invalid.

It lets spam in though … sigh

]]> By: Geoffrey http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal/#comment-648 Geoffrey Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:53:44 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/21/is-this-normal-2/#comment-648 I don't agree with the above comment (about you being crap not the 3 pages of Spam nonsense)I wonder if the above comment was made by a teacher or an armchair pundit who cannot comprehend how demoralising 17 groups of non compliant teenagers per week can be. You do, it seems, sound like a high minded individual who has or is working at schools with difficult pupils and an unsupportive SLT. My current employer, although not a paradise, does have systems of sanctions and support which are followed through and a slight majority of civilised pupils. Perhaps a high minded individual is better off taking your values, impeccable subject knowledge and attention to detail to a high minded educational establishment not zookeeping in the bottom end of the state sector. Quite often the least dilligent and most feckless seem to thrive in tougher schools. (Sorry if that sounds like unsolicited careers advice) I don’t agree with the above comment (about you being crap not the 3 pages of Spam nonsense)I wonder if the above comment was made by a teacher or an armchair pundit who cannot comprehend how demoralising 17 groups of non compliant teenagers per week can be. You do, it seems, sound like a high minded individual who has or is working at schools with difficult pupils and an unsupportive SLT. My current employer, although not a paradise, does have systems of sanctions and support which are followed through and a slight majority of civilised pupils. Perhaps a high minded individual is better off taking your values, impeccable subject knowledge and attention to detail to a high minded educational establishment not zookeeping in the bottom end of the state sector. Quite often the least dilligent and most feckless seem to thrive in tougher schools. (Sorry if that sounds like unsolicited careers advice)

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