Just T
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Post by Just T on Jul 29, 2022 17:41:53 GMT
Sheesh, my daughter just can't catch a break. I feel so bad for her right now! If you remember my other threads, she has been dealing with some pretty severe stomach issues, and she still doesn't have a diagnosis. She also finished her first year of teaching, in a job that she was greatly misled about. She was hired about this time last year and was told she was going to be an "interventionist" in an elementary school, mainly helping kids who had gotten behind because of Covid and home learning. The job was in a school district that is not great, very low socioeconomic area, but she went into it excited, thinking that she would really be able to help kids who needed it. Then, she found out on the first day of new teacher orientation, that her title was Behavior Specialist. She is NOT a special ED teacher. She still kept an open mind, but had a terrrible, horrible very bad year. Mainly because the administration of the school just dumped kids in her room who were trouble makers, and she had no training for that. I felt so bad for her; she was in tears all the time, and just kept biding her time until she could apply for a classroom teaching job in the spring. She was offered a job right away, at a school district that is not great, but her particular elementary school was supposedly the top rated one in the district in the best area of that suburb. She has been sooooo excited about it all summer. She has been involved with a chat group of other 2nd grade teachers in the school and has gotten to know them all, and the principal, it is literally 5 minutes from where she recently moved in with her boyfriend. She has been buying things all summer to fix up her classroom. The first day for new teachers is this coming Monday. She called me yesterday in tears. The principal of the school, the one who hired her, called her to tell her that due to a shortage of teachers in that district, they are moving her to a different elementary school. It is literally in the worst areas of the district. Where it is was considered a not so great area when I was in school in the 70s and 80s, so you can imagine what it's like now. She literally JUST signed her contract on Wednesday, then the very next day, they tell her this. Is this a common tactic??? She keeps telling me, "Mom, I can't do it!!" I am pretty sure if she knew before she signed her contract that they were moving her to this school, she probably wouldn't have signed it. Mainly due to her experience last year. I am trying to encourage her, remind her that they are just little kids (still 2nd grade which is her favorite age of kids). I tell her it will be different this year because she is the classroom teacher, not just the teacher they get sent to when they are in trouble, etc. I feel so terrible for her. She has been sooooo excited all summer. And now, she is going into a school where she has never been and doesn't even know the principal. My daughter is the sweetest thing. She adores little kids and has been so excited for her first real teaching job. She was so disillusioned last year that she almost didn't even apply for a new job for this year. I hate that she is only going into her second year of teaching and is already so down. Can anyone give me some tips, or resources, I can share with her? I know she will do her best no matter what, she is just really upset right now, and I hate that for her. Last Friday, we met for a walk and breakfast, and she was just giddy and so excited for the school year to begin. UPDATE Saturday:She texted me a bit ago to show me pics of her classroom so far. I asked her if she was able to meet the principal or any of the teachers, and she said she did meet the principal, she seems very nice and very involved with the school. It is only going to be her second year, but she said she loves the school. My daughter said yesterday she was working around the school and today, she was outside working on landscaping stuff. She is fixing up her classroom so cute, and She said she is definitely feeling better about it. 8/4 UPDATE: Thought I would let you know that my daughter is definitely feeling really good about her new job.  This week during new teacher orientation, she met two teachers who are also new to this school, who applied for a job there just so they can work at the same place as the principal. They used to work at a school where she was Assistant Principal, and they loved her so much that they waited for there to be openings at this school so they could work with her again. They said she is wonderful, and my daughter said that everyone she has met is SO nice, and seems like they really just love this school. I am relieved, and so is she. Thanks again for all of your advice and comments. 8/12 UPDATE: Thought I would give one last update. LOL I spent a day with my daughter helping her in her classroom this week, and I was very humbled by the school. It's obviously old, but clean, freshly painted, etc. It is in semi-rough looking neighborhood, but not as bad as I was expecting. My daughter has met most of the teachers, she says they are all so nice, and the teachers who aren't new all seem very dedicated to the school and tell her she is going to love it there. I met the principal who was going to all the new teacher's classrooms the day I was there to see if they needed anything. She seems very sweet. Most of the teachers my daughter has met and talked to say that the majority of the parents are great and very involved in the school. It's a small school--in fact, my daughter just got her class list yesterday, and as of now, she only has 13 kids in her class. She is doing so many cute/fun things in her room and for her students, and I can tell that she is genuinely excited for the school year. She has some cute things planned for next week when it is meet the teacher night, and her room looks so good. I'm really proud of her, and I have a good feeling that she is going to have a fantastic experience at this school. |
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Post by malibou on Jul 29, 2022 18:07:20 GMT
That totally sucks and I understand her disappointment. I truly wish for her that something epic comes from this.
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Post by leannec on Jul 29, 2022 18:07:33 GMT
Well, that just royally sucks for your dd ... big time!
I'm a junior high teacher who was pretty much forced into a very challenging school a few years ago as well ... it has been an up and down experience ...
My only advice to your dd is to just hang in there ... look to other teachers for support whenever possible but also keep a low profile, kwim?
I have many years of experience and it is still difficult ... I wish her the best!
ps: My oldest dd is in her last year of university and will become a teacher the following year ... we both know she could face a situation like yours
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quiltz
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Jun 29, 2014 16:13:28 GMT
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Post by quiltz on Jul 29, 2022 18:07:45 GMT
My friend, who is an educational assistant (who needs to wear a Kevlar vest due to the actions of kids) applied to be a custodian as it would be less physical for her.
She was told at the interview that she would never be hired as a custodian as they are so short of ed asst. She is now working from home for the federal government.
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Post by pantsonfire on Jul 29, 2022 19:17:19 GMT
Just T a contract is an intent to return and guarantees employment. But it doesn't guarantee which site you will teach at. Just that you have a paid position within district. At least that is how it is here in my area of Ca. I hope she changes her attitude about the school. Dh works in an inner city, socioeconomic, low income district and loves it. He takes pride in helping his students succeed. He loves to hear from them after graduation. In his first few years teaching he was such a great support for his students that an EL student was able to get a great SAT score and get accepted to a top state University on full ride. She was the first of her family to 1. Finish high school and 2. Go to college. She has since graduated and is doing quite well. These kids need an advocate and positive voice in their lives. Sure it's not for everyone but they will tell day 1 that she isn't in it and that will hurt them. She needs to ask for a mentor at her new site and ask as many questions as she can. Build repore with the kids. Be fully involved. It may be the best thing she has ever done.
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Post by quinlove on Jul 29, 2022 19:31:40 GMT
Just T - my dd is an elementary teacher in a very low socioeconomic area. She’s been there almost 20 years, and loves it. Her first year teaching was in a completely different area. Her students’ parents were um… very involved. For a new teacher, it was almost too much for her. The next year she took the job where she is now. The school was brand new, in a completely different part of town.
She loves teaching these children. They are first graders and alot of them look to her as a mother. Their home situations are usually extremely compromised. For teacher gifts, they bring her stuff, from their house, that they think she would like. She really tries to make a difference in their lives, without getting too close. She says it’s a tight rope situation, but she has been there for a long time and finds it very rewarding.
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Just T
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Posts: 6,145
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Post by Just T on Jul 29, 2022 19:37:30 GMT
Just T a contract is an intent to return and guarantees employment. But it doesn't guarantee which site you will teach at. Just that you have a paid position within district. At least that is how it is here in my area of Ca. I hope she changes her attitude about the school. Dh works in an inner city, socioeconomic, low income district and loves it. He takes pride in helping his students succeed. He loves to hear from them after graduation. In his first few years teaching he was such a great support for his students that an EL student was able to get a great SAT score and get accepted to a top state University on full ride. She was the first of her family to 1. Finish high school and 2. Go to college. She has since graduated and is doing quite well. These kids need an advocate and positive voice in their lives. Sure it's not for everyone but they will tell day 1 that she isn't in it and that will hurt them. She needs to ask for a mentor at her new site and ask as many questions as she can. Build repore with the kids. Be fully involved. It may be the best thing she has ever done. I think you have read things into my post that aren't there. She is understandably upset right now. She has spent the last three months excited about the school she thought she was going to teach at, where she has gotten to know teachers and the principal. She is nervous because of her experience last year, that frankly was terrible. She will of course do her best. I called her about an hour ago to see how she is feeling today, and she and her boyfriend were moving things into her classroom. She sounded more upbeat than she did yesterday. She will absolutely NOT have an attitude that will hurt her students. She is just a new teacher who had a horrible experience her first year and was looking forward to where she was going to be. It's literally been less than 24 hours since she found out there is a change of school and plans. |
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Just T
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Post by Just T on Jul 29, 2022 19:47:27 GMT
Just T - my dd is an elementary teacher in a very low socioeconomic area. She’s been there almost 20 years, and loves it. Her first year teaching was in a completely different area. Her students’ parents were um… very involved. For a new teacher, it was almost too much for her. The next year she took the job where she is now. The school was brand new, in a completely different part of town. She loves teaching these children. They are first graders and alot of them look to her as a mother. Their home situations are usually extremely compromised. For teacher gifts, they bring her stuff, from their house, that they think she would like. She really tries to make a difference in their lives, without getting too close. She says it’s a tight rope situation, but she has been there for a long time and finds it very rewarding. This is what I keep telling my daughter. She can be a bright spot in their lives. Her main issue is the shit she had to put up with last year. Like the mom of a 5th grade boy who told her, "You are the behavior specialist, what do you expect ME to do if you can't control him?" Or the girl who every time she got sent to my daughter's room would scream at her and say, "You hate me because you are racist!!" (The school my daughter was in was mostly AA). There is no way my daughter is racist, but she was told that more than once, and that really upset her. I really do hope and pray that things will be different this year when she is their main teacher. At least if she has kids who are indeed troublemakers, she will have others that will offset that. Last year, all she had were kids who got in trouble for various reasons. |
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kate
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Post by kate on Jul 29, 2022 19:49:40 GMT
I was going to come on and say that she should say buh-bye and go elsewhere - there is such a teacher shortage right now that she will find another job in a minute. But if her area is like where pantsonfire is, and they can move you around wherever they want, then maybe that's not the best idea, especially if she has a partner who may not be flexible about moving elsewhere. My school will move teachers to different classrooms within the school, but that's it. Please send my best wishes to her. I 100% understand her disappointment in being uprooted from a school just as she was building her nest! |
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Just T
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Post by Just T on Jul 29, 2022 19:54:18 GMT
I was going to come on and say that she should say buh-bye and go elsewhere - there is such a teacher shortage right now that she will find another job in a minute. But if her area is like where pantsonfire is, and they can move you around wherever they want, then maybe that's not the best idea, especially if she has a partner who may not be flexible about moving elsewhere. My school will move teachers to different classrooms within the school, but that's it. Please send my best wishes to her. I 100% understand her disappointment in being uprooted from a school just as she was building her nest! She can't just go somewhere else as she signed a contract. And she moved in with her boyfriend who already owned his house, so they will not be moving. I think the situation in her district is probably dire. It's in an area of St. Louis that isn't the best. But she was excited about it anyway. I hope it goes well for her. |
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 29, 2022 20:05:26 GMT
I was going to come on and say that she should say buh-bye and go elsewhere - there is such a teacher shortage right now that she will find another job in a minute. But if her area is like where pantsonfire is, and they can move you around wherever they want, then maybe that's not the best idea, especially if she has a partner who may not be flexible about moving elsewhere. My school will move teachers to different classrooms within the school, but that's it. Please send my best wishes to her. I 100% understand her disappointment in being uprooted from a school just as she was building her nest! And she moved in with her boyfriend who already owned his house, so they will not be moving. I think the situation in her district is probably dire. It's in an area of St. Louis that isn't the best. But she was excited about it anyway. I hope it goes well for her. That's not entirely true. She can give notice (different states require different amounts) and hope to get a job elsewhere, however she will likely never get hired in that district again. It was complete bullshit what they did to her last year. Speaking as a sped teacher and a behavior "expert" students with ED need a specific type of teacher. Really, you either have the temperament for it or you don't. You have to have a supportive admin and you need tools and training. Finally, every student with bad behavior does not have an emotional disability. It sucks that she is heading to an undesirable school. I'd recommend that she take some time and really dig into some social emotional learning elements, trauma informed teaching, maybe some books on students living in poverty. If she wants some recommendations, let me know. Then take a deep breath and remember they are 2nd graders and need a teacher who cares. She can do this! If she gets overwhelmed and wants to reach out, I'm at the hs level now, but I taught elementary kids in a separate school setting (think locked down, severe behavior issues, just one step from jail) for years before I moved the hs. |
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Post by leannec on Jul 29, 2022 20:13:46 GMT
Or the girl who every time she got sent to my daughter's room would scream at her and say, "You hate me because you are racist!!" (The school my daughter was in was mostly AA). There is no way my daughter is racist, but she was told that more than once, and that really upset her. I had to shut a student down in front of the entire class last year when he tried to accuse me of being racist towards him ... my classes are filled with students of every colour and there was no way I could let it go ... he apologized after I explained my position on the whole racism issue ... |
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Post by christine58 on Jul 29, 2022 20:23:18 GMT
If I were her and she doesn’t like it continue to look for another job and find out what kind of notice she has to give at that school. Any large school district can move you wherever they want as long as it’s within your certification area she needs to know that upfront right now. She could also go to work for a smaller district teach second grade one year and be moved to fifth grade the following year. That happens. I feel bad for her but she needs to give it a shot and if she sounds better today than she did yesterday maybe it was just disappointment that you heard. And it is a crappy thing that they did that to her but they’re well within their rights to do that . She needs to reach out and find out if she has a mentor that can help her through some of it
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CeeScraps
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Post by CeeScraps on Jul 29, 2022 22:58:50 GMT
I haven’t read all the responses. First off she is an adult who wants to teach! That’s a lot right there.
The district needed her in a spot. She got hired. She is their employee and new. If veteran teachers were offered it they’ve put their time in and could say no.
This is going to sound bad and I know it…….your daughter is of the generation where all got stickers/awards for everything. Life isn’t like that. Which is why I’ve long fought the “everyone” gets something.
Now, what she needs to do is do it for a year. She’s successfully gotten her foot in the door. She can get through a year. I was hired for 6th grade. I wanted 2nd. I wanted to teach. I would do anything to do that. So I did. I taught 6th for 3 years. After that there was a 2nd grade opening. I jumped at it. Then I taught 2nd for a long time.
It’s about 180 days….she can do it! Support her with whatever she needs. I came home with stacks and stacks of grading. My mom helped me with that. I needed stuff cut out for bulletin boards. My dad and siblings did that for me. I needed a bookcase. My boyfriend with my dad’s help built me one. So I didn’t have one more thing to do my mom packed my lunch until I moved out in December. That was a gift! I truly appreciated it. The family needs to support her. Don’t support her whining. Just listen.
This is a time where she needs to pull up her boot straps and jump in. She will learn a lot. An awful lot. That’s good. It can make her a better teacher if she is open to that. I would not of traded those 3 years in 6th grade for anything. I made good teacher friends who 43 years later are still friends.
If she sticks there she too will have a chance to say “no” once she puts her time in and earns her status.
Mom…..please allow her to go through this. She will become a better teacher for it. Will she like it? NOPE no teacher likes it all the time, especially in the beginning. It’s many, many hours and a lot of freedom of time she has given up. That’s what teachers do. They don’t always have nights, weekends and even vacations.
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CeeScraps
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Post by CeeScraps on Jul 29, 2022 23:02:34 GMT
Just T - my dd is an elementary teacher in a very low socioeconomic area. She’s been there almost 20 years, and loves it. Her first year teaching was in a completely different area. Her students’ parents were um… very involved. For a new teacher, it was almost too much for her. The next year she took the job where she is now. The school was brand new, in a completely different part of town. She loves teaching these children. They are first graders and alot of them look to her as a mother. Their home situations are usually extremely compromised. For teacher gifts, they bring her stuff, from their house, that they think she would like. She really tries to make a difference in their lives, without getting too close. She says it’s a tight rope situation, but she has been there for a long time and finds it very rewarding. This is what I keep telling my daughter. She can be a bright spot in their lives. Her main issue is the shit she had to put up with last year. Like the mom of a 5th grade boy who told her, "You are the behavior specialist, what do you expect ME to do if you can't control him?" Or the girl who every time she got sent to my daughter's room would scream at her and say, "You hate me because you are racist!!" (The school my daughter was in was mostly AA). There is no way my daughter is racist, but she was told that more than once, and that really upset her. I really do hope and pray that things will be different this year when she is their main teacher. At least if she has kids who are indeed troublemakers, she will have others that will offset that. Last year, all she had were kids who got in trouble for various reasons. Both parents and kids are nasty. Not all of them. She CANNOT allow them to get to her. She CANNOT show them if it does. If she shows it, they’ve won and there goes her year. Teaching is really acting. She has an audience she needs to perform to. She will be “on” from the time that she walks into that building to the time she walks out of that building. That’s what teachers do. Kids and parents cannot be allowed to get to her in public. |
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SabrinaP
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Post by SabrinaP on Jul 29, 2022 23:15:11 GMT
It probably depends on her contract, but here they can absolutely do that. Our contracts only guarentee us a job, not a specific school, grade, or position. I've known teachers that have had to move schools just a few days before school starting because a section of their grade level didn't make it's numbers and the other school needed a teacher.
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katybee
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Post by katybee on Jul 29, 2022 23:51:36 GMT
She can't just go somewhere else as she signed a contract. And she moved in with her boyfriend who already owned his house, so they will not be moving. I think the situation in her district is probably dire. It's in an area of St. Louis that isn't the best. But she was excited about it anyway. I hope it goes well for her. That's not entirely true. She can give notice (different states require different amounts) and hope to get a job elsewhere, however she will likely never get hired in that district again. It was complete bullshit what they did to her last year. Speaking as a sped teacher and a behavior "expert" students with ED need a specific type of teacher. Really, you either have the temperament for it or you don't. You have to have a supportive admin and you need tools and training. Finally, every student with bad behavior does not have an emotional disability. It sucks that she is heading to an undesirable school. I'd recommend that she take some time and really dig into some social emotional learning elements, trauma informed teaching, maybe some books on students living in poverty. If she wants some recommendations, let me know. Then take a deep breath and remember they are 2nd graders and need a teacher who cares. She can do this! If she gets overwhelmed and wants to reach out, I'm at the hs level now, but I taught elementary kids in a separate school setting (think locked down, severe behavior issues, just one step from jail) for years before I moved the hs. I don’t know about Missouri, but in TX, if you break your contract, they can take your teaching certificate for a year or more, preventing you from teaching anywhere else. In the past, they rarely followed through and most districts would release you. But these days, with huge teaching shortages, districts are holding on to their teachers. One of my good friends just got surplussed from our former school and wanted to move to a district closer to home, and our district would not let her out of her contract. Period. Luckily, she did end up getting a position that she is excited about. |
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moodyblue
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Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Jul 30, 2022 0:19:06 GMT
Of course she was disappointed and upset. She’d been thinking about and preparing for one set of circumstances, feeling good about the new year, and then had things abruptly changed for her. It takes a little time to adjust to the new plan, but it sounds like she is getting there. Anyone who is leaping to think she won’t do her best or won’t have her heart in it is being pretty critical and judgmental.
This can and does happen to teachers all over, in all kinds of positions, and with no or many years of experience. For me, with 41 years in, for my last year (they knew I was retiring and I believe the superintendent hoped I wouldn’t come back for that last year after my husband died) I was switched to full time at the junior high after splitting my time between elementary and junior high for several years and being exclusively at the elementary for most of my career. It turned out for the best as working with the junior high principal was a million times better than the mediocre one at the elementary, who had been new the year before.
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Post by KiwiJo on Jul 30, 2022 0:30:44 GMT
I suspect her first reaction was “oh no, not again, not like last year, please!”, and that is absolutely understandable as a first and immediate reaction.
As she has more time to think about it all, I think she will come to realise it is not a given that her first year’s experience will be repeated, and another of your posts does seem to suggest she is becoming more upbeat about it all.
The thing is, she had such a horrible year because she was given a role that she was not prepared or trained for, and which she did not want. She trained as a teacher, not a behavioural specialist. Yes, it was in a low socioeconomic area, but that is really beside the point, it was the actual work of dealing almost exclusively with children who have behavioural problems.
So let’s look at what is happening now…
This year, she will be a teacher.
She got to know some of the other staff at the school she thought she was going to, through online chat groups.
It was a “good” school.
She has been moved to a different school, where she doesn’t know anyone, and it is in the “worst” area in the district.
Right so far?
This year, she will be a teacher. That’s what she wants, what makes her excited.
She WILL get to know the other teachers at the new school - almost everyone starts every new job without knowing anyone and most quickly find that it doesn’t matter, they soon get to know the others.
A school being in the “worst” area does not automatically mean a terrible experience as a teacher there. Young children are pretty much the same regardless of where the school is; most young children want to learn things, they are hard-wired to do so.
Yes, quite possibly some of the parents may be ‘challenging’ (depending on what the “worst area” means), but she will be working daily with the children, not the parents, and she will have the support and experience of the other teachers and staff to lean on and to learn from.
Just hearing that she is already more upbeat means that I think she is going to be ok. She is going to be teaching young children - just what she trained to do and what she wants to do. The rest depends on her attitude and it sounds as though she is already coming to terms with her initial disappointment. Last year has gone - ahead is a whole new year.
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Post by mollycoddle on Jul 30, 2022 0:32:36 GMT
I worked in a very low income district during my career-not a classroom teacher, an SLP-and I can honestly say that I don’t regret it at all. She can do this. Yeah, she will have a challenging year, and she will work her tail off. But I wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up loving it. She has a chance to make a huge difference, and to develop a lot of skills like differentiation that will stand her in good stead later on.
I wish her the best of luck.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 30, 2022 2:39:45 GMT
That's not entirely true. She can give notice (different states require different amounts) and hope to get a job elsewhere, however she will likely never get hired in that district again. It was complete bullshit what they did to her last year. Speaking as a sped teacher and a behavior "expert" students with ED need a specific type of teacher. Really, you either have the temperament for it or you don't. You have to have a supportive admin and you need tools and training. Finally, every student with bad behavior does not have an emotional disability. It sucks that she is heading to an undesirable school. I'd recommend that she take some time and really dig into some social emotional learning elements, trauma informed teaching, maybe some books on students living in poverty. If she wants some recommendations, let me know. Then take a deep breath and remember they are 2nd graders and need a teacher who cares. She can do this! If she gets overwhelmed and wants to reach out, I'm at the hs level now, but I taught elementary kids in a separate school setting (think locked down, severe behavior issues, just one step from jail) for years before I moved the hs. I don’t know about Missouri, but in TX, if you break your contract, they can take your teaching certificate for a year or more, preventing you from teaching anywhere else. In the past, they rarely followed through and most districts would release you. But these days, with huge teaching shortages, districts are holding on to their teachers. One of my good friends just got surplussed from our former school and wanted to move to a district closer to home, and our district would not let her out of her contract. Period. Luckily, she did end up getting a position that she is excited about. interesting. Here you have to give at least 30 days notice or they can go after your license. They rarely do, but I have known a district that required $ to break your contract. The hiring district will often know that the person has to give 30 days and will make the start date at that time. |
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Post by worrywart on Jul 30, 2022 3:15:17 GMT
I'm sure she is in shock - that totally stinks! However, I don't think it is uncommon. Sometimes, teachers actually start at their school and then when they level everything out, they move people!
It will take time for your dd. Teaching is hard and stressful - first few years and more, anxiety is part of the mix. There can be so much uncertainty and change.
Not sure how it will be at her new school but words of advice that I had to learn the hard way a) don't take anything personally and b) never argue with a student (no power struggles!). Hoping that this year is better for her than last, she will learn a lot and in the end it will make her a better teacher!!
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seaexplore
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 30, 2022 3:20:11 GMT
She can't just go somewhere else as she signed a contract. And she moved in with her boyfriend who already owned his house, so they will not be moving.  I think the situation in her district is probably dire. It's in an area of St. Louis that isn't the best. But she was excited about it anyway. I hope it goes well for her. That's not entirely true. She can give notice (different states require different amounts) and hope to get a job elsewhere, however she will likely never get hired in that district again. It was complete bullshit what they did to her last year. Speaking as a sped teacher and a behavior "expert" students with ED need a specific type of teacher. Really, you either have the temperament for it or you don't. You have to have a supportive admin and you need tools and training. Finally, every student with bad behavior does not have an emotional disability. It sucks that she is heading to an undesirable school. I'd recommend that she take some time and really dig into some social emotional learning elements, trauma informed teaching, maybe some books on students living in poverty. If she wants some recommendations, let me know. Then take a deep breath and remember they are 2nd graders and need a teacher who cares. She can do this! If she gets overwhelmed and wants to reach out, I'm at the hs level now, but I taught elementary kids in a separate school setting (think locked down, severe behavior issues, just one step from jail) for years before I moved the hs. In CA, they can strip you of your credential if you break your signed contract! |
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Post by Merge on Jul 30, 2022 3:46:15 GMT
I’m so sorry. I can just imagine how shocked she was. But a regular classroom environment, even in a “tough” school, is going to be light years away from the behavioral class situation she was in last year.
At this point I’ve taught in every environment from very low income title 1 to high-end private school. Let me tell you, the kids in the “good” areas are not better or easier. They are a different kind of hard. Personally I prefer the urban public school environment.
She has an amazing opportunity to build a classroom community and have an awesome year. Second graders are so bright and eager to learn. They want love and lots of it - no matter what their background. They want structure. They want a safe place. And she can easily provide all of that!
Yes, there will be challenges. I’m not going to sugar coat it. But unlike in a wealthier school, they probably won’t come from the parents. Give me a seven year old with some behavior issues over a parent determined to make your life miserable every day of the week.
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Post by leannec on Jul 30, 2022 4:47:53 GMT
Give me a seven year old with some behavior issues over a parent determined to make your life miserable every day of the week. Yup! I have high needs kids and low needs parents ... that's how I like it!  |
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,467
Location: Dallas Texas
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Post by SabrinaP on Jul 30, 2022 4:57:55 GMT
I agree with Merge. This will be a totally different situation than the “behavior class” and is more in line with what she trained for. She will have her own students that she can build a little community with. I started in a title 1 school then moved to a more affluent school and now I’m back in a title 1 school. All schools have their issues. Even though she may be disappointed, I hope she will give it a chance and pray that she has an amazing principal. A supportive and strong principal makes all the difference in a challenging school! I hope she has a great year! |
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Post by PenandInk on Jul 30, 2022 12:39:47 GMT
She has an amazing opportunity to build a classroom community and have an awesome year. Second graders are so bright and eager to learn. They want love and lots of it - no matter what their background. They want structure. They want a safe place. And she can easily provide all of that! Yes, there will be challenges. I’m not going to sugar coat it. But unlike in a wealthier school, they probably won’t come from the parents. Give me a seven year old with some behavior issues over a parent determined to make your life miserable every day of the week. I didn’t start out to write an essay here, but I guess I did! I was a special ed teacher back in the day— most of my placements were similar to your DD’s, or worse. I did teach in a few regional centers where the really “bad” kids were sent because it was cheaper than creating a class for them in the public school setting. Getting a 5 year old who was deemed “too impaired” for a traditional self contained special Ed classroom was heartbreaking. 5 years old!! Gosh, I loved every one of those kids! They weren’t bad at all, they just had specific needs and learning styles that weren’t being met. Foe this age group in particular, structure is the single most important thing. If the kids can walk into the room and know that we will do circle first, and sing the same welcoming song, and then move on to.. well you get the picture. It can be boring for a teacher, but it helps the kids feel SAFE. When they know exactly what will happen, they can relax and enjoy the day. A consistent behavior management plan is also key. Each child needs to know, if I do this, then x will happen. Every time. No emotion from the teacher, except perhaps disappointment. The consequences for behavior are always consistent, even if it’s just receiving or losing a sticker. Then back to business. A hug or high five at the end of the day means no matter what happened today, tomorrow is a fresh start. Never hold over a disciplinary action for the next day. The single biggest message to these kids is that you are safe here, and I will like you no matter what you do. I may not like a behavior, but I like YOU. Somebody upthread said that teachers are actors. It is so true. When the classroom door opens in the morning, you slap on that happy grin and welcome in your little group of adventurers in a way that each one believes they have made your day just by showing up. School is for learning, and the first thing kids need to learn is that they are safe, appreciated and valued. I’m going to pass on my special secret tip to your daughter. Don’t laugh! Once they’ve settled in, and personalities begin to develop, there will be that one kid who hates doing math/reading/whatever and acts up instead of finishing an assignment. I discovered by accident one year that this particular age group will do just about anything for you if they think you might FAINT with excitement when you see their work. I started out by just learning back on a desk with my hand on my forehead and saying, “oh my gosh, this is so wonderful, I think I might faint!!” It is so silly but they just loved it. The most hardened of my students would rush to finish their work and hand it to me with a shy smile…hoping that I might faint. Hilarious. One year my class included a severely autistic non-verbal 10 year old. He was placed in my class of 5-8 year olds because he couldn’t speak. He was actually quite advanced, and could read at a very high level, but just wasn’t comfortable with verbal language. One day he spoke a couple of words, and I was so excited, I “fainted” right down onto the floor. He really needed that over exaggeration to realize his speech had an impact on the world around him. By the end of the year, he could, and did, speak in short sentences. But the bigger takeaway was that all the other kids would also work their tails off to get me to faint on the floor. Lol. Fun times. Your daughter is embarking on a wonderful adventure. It does stink that she was switched at the last minute, and it will be HARD, but she’s going to be the captain of a very amazing ship! |
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Post by Really Red on Jul 30, 2022 13:32:21 GMT
My niece teaches 2nd grade in the inner city of St. Louis. This will be her 3rd year teaching. Each year, one kid in her class was murdered. Murdered. Can you even imagine? These little 7 or 8 yo kids were murdered. My niece also had a child who disrupted her class to such an extent that none of the kids could learn. Days when he wasn't there, they advanced so much. He was finally removed from the school, but it seems incredible that one kid can cause so much distraction. My niece is pretty stinking amazing and very calm. How she continued, IDK.
My point is that she has had many other offers and chose to stay with this school again this year because she knows she is helping. Even if she only helps one kid, how amazing is that? I think often of this author, Regina Calcaterra, who wrote: Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island. There is no reason she would grow up and do anything with her life it was so very horrific. And one teacher told her she was worthy. ONE teacher. She lived on that praise.
I know your DD is devastated. What we do not know is frightening. Sometimes what we know is, as well. But these kids deserve someone who will be great and it sounds like your DD is very dedicated. I hope she's able to help these little people who don't deserve the life they have.
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Post by chances on Jul 30, 2022 14:35:45 GMT
Or the girl who every time she got sent to my daughter's room would scream at her and say, "You hate me because you are racist!!" (The school my daughter was in was mostly AA). There is no way my daughter is racist, but she was told that more than once, and that really upset her. I had to shut a student down in front of the entire class last year when he tried to accuse me of being racist towards him ... my classes are filled with students of every colour and there was no way I could let it go ... he apologized after I explained my position on the whole racism issue ... What do you mean “shut down a student front of the entire class”? What’s the “racism issue”? All of that sounds horrible but maybe I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying. |
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,145
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Post by Just T on Jul 30, 2022 15:06:22 GMT
Thank you all so much! You have given me some words to say to her to encourage her above and beyond what I have already said to her. I think it's a good sign that she didn't call me yesterday. When I called her, she was in the middle of moving into her classroom, and she said she would call later. But she didn't. I know she will make the best of it. She truly is a sweetheart who loves little kids and always has. I think right now she is just scared. And it seems like they waited purposely for her to sign her contract before telling her of the switch, which seems skeevy to me. LOL The cool thing is that in this particular district, the schools are divided up PreK-2nd grade, then 3-5. The kids she had the most issues with last year were some 5th grade boys. I know it will be much different because she will have a chance, like someone said, to form her little community. She told me about her plan for the first day, based around a really sweet book she bought, and she is really excited about that. I am sure she will be fine, now that she has had a chance to get used to it. Anyway, thank you all again. I will go back and try to respond to some specific comments. ETA this is the book I was talking about. She has some really cute, fun things she is doing on the first day. www.amazon.com/Our-Class-Family-Shannon-Olsen/dp/0578629097/ref=asc_df_0578629097/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459616993353&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15858219285872802485&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9022906&hvtargid=pla-911595602603&psc=1 |
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This week during new teacher orientation, she met two teachers who are also new to this school, who applied for a job there just so they can work at the same place as the principal. They used to work at a school where she was Assistant Principal, and they loved her so much that they waited for there to be openings at this school so they could work with her again. They said she is wonderful, and my daughter said that everyone she has met is SO nice, and seems like they really just love this school. I am relieved, and so is she. 
I think the situation in her district is probably dire. It's in an area of St. Louis that isn't the best. But she was excited about it anyway. I hope it goes well for her. 
