The Teacher Thread

Originally Posted by iammatt

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That sounds good. I think, obviously, that there are levels of understanding of any of these subjects. She spent 5 years in grad school learning them, so she has a different understanding than a teacher would, or would even need. Still, what kills her is that there isn't even the first understanding of this stuff in CA schools, so there is no ability to communicate, and since it isn't part of the teachers' knowledge base, they tend to write of differences as complainers and not take them seriously. It just ends up as a huge clusterfuck, and it isn't limited to the "bad" school districts. What is probably necessary is for you guys, teachers, to have more information, better training and better access to people who are experts in related fields. You are right. That takes legislators getting their acts together, and it takes better administrators. It also takes a higher caliber of teacher, better raw material and better priorities. Nobody wants to hear that, because we like to paint teachers like saints. Same with doctors. Problem is, that isn't the case around these parts. Luckily, there are some very good organizations pushing real changes, or at least ideas for real changes, but teachers, unions and administrators all hate those ideas, because it shines the light on the fact that they all suck balls.
Yeah, I've got an elementary understanding of these concepts at best, as I haven't really had the experience to be able to see them implemented over time. That said, I feel like I understand the concepts well enough to have a good conversation or to try them out for myself/construct lessons/units/etc. A few friends of mine are doing their masters in different areas- one's doing his in "Teaching Games for Understanding" which is basically a modern Phys Ed pedagogy centered around differentiated learning, choice, developmentally appropriate concepts, blah blah blah and one who's doing his in educational leadership. They usually toss me their hand-me-downs. I'm basically constructing all this stuff from what we were doing during our undergrad, teachers college and the efforts of my practicum advisor (who's a go-getter) and collaboration with other teachers via stuff like twitter pro-d conferences and discussions. Professional development for teachers is designed horribly. From my experience it's generally sitting at a desk having an 'expert' read a loaded powerpoint slide at you. lolz because they're usually talking about 21st century learning.

Originally Posted by CBrown85

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Yeah, I've got an elementary understanding of these concepts at best, as I haven't really had the experience to be able to see them implemented over time. That said, I feel like I understand the concepts well enough to have a good conversation or to try them out for myself/construct lessons/units/etc. A few friends of mine are doing their masters in different areas- one's doing his in "Teaching Games for Understanding" which is basically a modern Phys Ed pedagogy centered around differentiated learning, choice, developmentally appropriate concepts, blah blah blah and one who's doing his in educational leadership. They usually toss me their hand-me-downs. I'm basically constructing all this stuff from what we were doing during our undergrad, teachers college and the efforts of my practicum advisor (who's a go-getter) and collaboration with other teachers via stuff like twitter pro-d conferences and discussions. Professional development for teachers is designed horribly. From my experience it's generally sitting at a desk having an 'expert' read a loaded powerpoint slide at you. lolz because they're usually talking about 21st century learning.
Don't take this the wrong way... However much of an ass I think you seem to be in other ways, you seem like a very dedicated teacher, and, unlike most teachers I know and have dealt with, both professionally and personally, in the US, you don't seem to be borderline moronic. Keep up the good work, seriously.

Anybody here teach in low income, poverty stricken areas?

I teach at a magnet school for international studies - we have a lot of gifted students and very few with any learning disabilities. It seems like most district school offer a lot of good support for the latter students and nothing for the former.

Originally Posted by Dinhilion

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How quick was your placement after finishing classes?

I landed a job about two weeks prior to finishing the classwork, then had a couple months over the summer to relax.

Originally Posted by Rambo

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Anybody here teach in low income, poverty stricken areas?

My wife does, as we had discussed before in PMs.

Anyone know anything about education consulting? She has an interview for a school in Boston that is run by some outside consulting company. I'm a little fuzzy on the details of it TBH. It seems like a really good opportunity to network with these individuals and be near a place with much better grad schools nearby.

Originally Posted by Bhowie

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My wife does, as we had discussed before in PMs.

Anyone know anything about education consulting? She has an interview for a school in Boston that is run by some outside consulting company. I'm a little fuzzy on the details of it TBH. It seems like a really good opportunity to network with these individuals and be near a place with much better grad schools nearby.
My wife taught in a serious ghetto school, for a short while, during her internship. I have too much experience with them for my liking, though not as a teacher. Education consulting can be complete bullshit, and it can be useful. I've had run ins with both types. It is not unlike regular consulting in that way.

Serious question here, just in case someone thinks it's sarcasm. NYR - As a middle school teacher, do you ever get accused of pedophilia? You sound like a teacher your students like, but there is mass marsupialedness (or 'hysteria' if you prefer that word) about men and children nowadays. Have you met someone, told him / her you were a "middle school teacher", and gotten reproached? I've spoken to a few that have encountered that kind of reaction, and it's quite disheartening. Wondering if it's just bad sampling or a true representation of public viewpoint on male teachers.

Originally Posted by deadly7

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Serious question here, just in case someone thinks it's sarcasm. NYR - As a middle school teacher, do you ever get accused of pedophilia?

A little OT, but I try to deal with disciplinary issues in the classroom. The only time I have sent a kid the the head mater's office so far was when one regular troublemaker asked why I was looking at his butt after I told him to pull his trousers up (his underwear was showing).

Originally Posted by Rambo

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Anybody here teach in low income, poverty stricken areas?

Have a friend who's an assistant principal at a school in Bed-Stuy. Stopped by the school once and a woman came to drop off her grandson for summer school. Only problem was that summer school didn't start for a week, and the kid was not actually supposed to be in summer school.

Originally Posted by dcg

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Have a friend who's an assistant principal at a school in Bed-Stuy. Stopped by the school once and a woman came to drop off her grandson for summer school. Only problem was that summer school didn't start for a week, and the kid was not actually supposed to be in summer school.
Ah, now you're talking my language. School - socialized daycare for those of us with unwanted children. Bhowie - what type of "education consulting" is she going to be doing?

As a non-professionally certified teacher who would prefer to teach University, though international schools are also a possibility, what graduate degree do you suppose would be most useful off the bat? A PGDE or MEd?

What field do you want to teach in? If you want to go international, wouldn't TESOL be a good place to start?

Originally Posted by Rambo

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Ah, now you're talking my language. School - socialized daycare for those of us with unwanted children.

Apparently one of the 5th graders has been diagnosed as emotionally disturbed and has a full time aide with him all day "so that he doesn't kill any of us."

Originally Posted by deadly7

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Serious question here, just in case someone thinks it's sarcasm. NYR - As a middle school teacher, do you ever get accused of pedophilia? You sound like a teacher your students like, but there is mass marsupialedness (or 'hysteria' if you prefer that word) about men and children nowadays. Have you met someone, told him / her you were a "middle school teacher", and gotten reproached? I've spoken to a few that have encountered that kind of reaction, and it's quite disheartening. Wondering if it's just bad sampling or a true representation of public viewpoint on male teachers.

I've worked very hard to establish a rapport with parents, kids, and leaders in my community, and as a man, I feel I've had to work doubly hard at it to get it. Female teachers can put an arm around a kid, or hug a kid at graduation without the thought crossing people's minds'. Unfortunately, its just something you need to combat as a man in this profession. You know, its not manly to care for kids, in fact, if you do, there must be something wrong with you. The thing is its not just a commentary on male teachers, but men in general.

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

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I've worked very hard to establish a rapport with parents, kids, and leaders in my community, and as a man, I feel I've had to work doubly hard at it to get it. Female teachers can put an arm around a kid, or hug a kid at graduation without the thought crossing people's minds'. Unfortunately, its just something you need to combat as a man in this profession. You know, its not manly to care for kids, in fact, if you do, there must be something wrong with you. The thing is its not just a commentary on male teachers, but men in general.

Fortunately, Korea's a little less like that. That said, to be safe I never meet a student in a room with no camera. That camera's my safety net.