[PenultimateManStanding]

I've got to meet the Personnel Director of the school district where I work this Friday. I had two complaints about me last year. A kid at a middle school walked out crying after some girls taunted him and I sent the teacher's aide out to find him. She didn't find him and they eventually found him in the parking lot out front of the school. They blamed the whole mess on me. That's the way it goes. I'm surprised I made it 15 years. I don't know if I'm going to get axed this Friday but I may. I have no idea why they want me to come in. One time I covered a pre-calculus class for a week. I brought in esoteric knowledge of the history of math. The kids loved it and gave me an ovation on my last day. But administrators are more concerned about discipline and classroom management than they are about knowledge. When I get kids who don't give a crap about learning I just shrug them off. There's more of them than the ones who value learning. That's how I get in trouble. If they don't give a crap then why should I?

[beamofthewave]

Teaching kids is so challenging, personnally there is no way I could do it anymore. I work with adults in a prison and I find that so much easier than working with kids. Hang in there.

[gnm]

Good luck PMS, maybe they're just going to tell you how many unpaid days furlough per month you need to take? Looks like CA is going down hard.

-G

[Madpaddy]

Good luck from me too PMS.

[RonMN]

Ya got ta keep oooooon smilin'...Brotha keep oooooon smilin'!

PMS, do what I did. Go into that meeting with a pleasant smile on your face & a song in your heart & let them do their worst...it can't harm you! You're bigger than they are! I even told them that if they needed any info to feel free to call me at home, I would be only too happy to help them out.

Here was their facial expressions ==>

It may not have resulted in anything more than me feeling good about myself...but DAYUM I felt good about myself!!! Still do as a matter of fact.

[MisterB]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'T')he kids loved it and gave me an ovation on my last day.

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'W')hen I get kids who don't give a crap about learning I just shrug them off. There's more of them than the ones who value learning. That's how I get in trouble. If they don't give a crap then why should I?

[PenultimateManStanding]

Some years ago I got an assignment to a detention room. The school principal came in and warned the kids they'd be suspended if they caused any problems. So I kept a strict eye out on these kids and after a couple hours spotted the one who was the trouble. A real brewing criminal, that kid. Things were getting bad and I sent him to the office. Things calmed down. Looked like the day was going to be fine. Then that mofo Principal sent the kid back into the cauldron. I got written up for that one and sent a strongly worded protest to the district office. You have no idea how much contempt I have for that principal. I did my job, stress and all. That mofo principal was scum.

[Quinny]

One of my favourite jobs was as a supply teacher on a rough estate in Manchester.

The kids were nearly all from families where there was criminal influence in the family.

I was trained as a lecturer and took the job between other jobs.

My first lesson with a new class, I did a quick ice-breaker so I new who the kids were as I would with oldr students. I got the kids to interview each other and then tell me/ the class about their partner.

Ambitions, family background and what they hoped to get out of class were questions covered.

After being told that fathers and mothers were in Prison, ambition was to own a parlour and they'd like to work out taxes on local shops, I realised my different approach was refreshingly new to them.

My approach to lecturing/education has always been 'creating students' ie motivating the desire for learning. I was more successful with this group than with any other. They were tough rough and many had been in trouble with the law, but, in their own way they were honest and had honour!

When I left to go to another school the headteacher described me as a catalyst because I encouraged massive change, but left relatively unchanged myself. The head also said that they'd never seen as much learning happen with one of the classes than with any of their previous teachers.

The next school was seen as a move up as most of the kids 'wanted' to learn and were from a middle class background and relatively easy to handle.

In actuality they 'wanted' to pass their exams and 'earn good money'!

They were the most boring class I ever taught. They did nothing wrong, but there was no challenge and the work they did although of a good standard was totally uninspiring.

I had the luxury though of it being a relatively short engagement, although I found the work with the tough kids inspiring, it was also exhausting and emotionally challenging. I couldn't have done it for more than a year!

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quinny', '
')I had the luxury though of it being a relatively short engagement, although I found the work with the tough kids inspiring, it was also exhausting and emotionally challenging. I couldn't have done it for more than a year!

[eastbay]

Without knowing you personally, I assume you work primarily for personal requests. Am I right? Few random calls through a sub-finder system? I bet this is the case.

Anyhow, if so, I bet there are quite a few full-time teachers who support you and a few of whom will go to bat for you. This will pass. I bet you're in line for a minor face-saving scolding at most. The principal probably feels as though he must cover his tail by 'having a talk with you'. They most likely want you to stay and follow the PC party line.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'W')ithout knowing you personally, I assume you work primarily for personal requests. Am I right?

[eastbay]

Ahhhh yes, 'some years ago...' could have read more carefully. The 'personnel director will most likely give you a pass. This is a whole bunch of nothing, I'm sure. If it was serious he (or she) would have called you in immediately. Or sent you a brief, curt memo.

Computer generated... yikes. No more personal touch. Too bad.

[JJ]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'W')hen I get kids who don't give a crap about learning I just shrug them off. There's more of them than the ones who value learning. That's how I get in trouble. If they don't give a crap then why should I?

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JJ', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'W')hen I get kids who don't give a crap about learning I just shrug them off. There's more of them than the ones who value learning. That's how I get in trouble. If they don't give a crap then why should I?

[TheDude]

Ack, that sucks, hope you have a soft landing PMS.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quinny', 'M')y approach to lecturing/education has always been 'creating students' ie motivating the desire for learning. I was more successful with this group than with any other.

[WildRose]

PMS, maybe the meeting isn't what you think it is at all.

A possibility?

[blukatzen]

Well, PMS I hope it's not too drastic. It may only be a slap on the wrist, so to speak, something that they're embarassed to speak with you on, but they are just following protocol and that they have to cross the "t's" and dot the "i's", that kind of thing.

That is one of the reasons I don't teach community college anymore. Dealing with *supposed* adults that CAN do damage to you is not worth it to me, and I taught Horticulture and Hospitality, and also adult continuing education in both fields. I taught at 3 different places, the first 2 were great, the 3rd one gave me nightmares.

I've moved on, as you know, to the garden centers. I've taken the best out of being a teacher and apply that to "teaching" our customers, but also encouraging and mentoring managers under me, (since I am a regional manager) and writing programs for our company.
Sometimes, you can translate that teaching experience towards other things, if you are progressive about it enough.

What are your alternatives, or options?

XO,
Blu

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('blukatzen', '
')
What are your alternatives, or options?

XO,
Blu

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WildRose', 'P')MS, maybe the meeting isn't what you think it is at all.

A possibility?