I'm Already Ready To Quit !

I recently read a post on Linked In - High School Chemistry Teachers Group - it was as follows:

"Came into a teaching situation 8 weeks ago and am ready to quit already!
I was hired to teach chemistry at a local high school.
I have previous experience teaching the subject (to a student body with similar demographics)
plus a number of years of actual lab work. I had been working in this district for a year and
a half as a sub while in grad school so I thought I was familiar with the climate of the school
and that this endeavor would be something I could handle. After 8 weeks, I have discovered that
many of the students apparently have been conditioned to "not care" so they think it is ok to eat,
use cell phones, sleep etc no matter what I attempt to do to correct the problems. I've had AP's
come through and obviously the problem corrects itself momentarily but nothing permanent. I am so
frustrated with one class in particular, I nearly walked out today. I've never seen such apathy in
students in my life and am wondering if anyone has similar experience and/or suggestions as to how
to at least make it to the end of the school year. Thanks!
Lorraine"

 I sent my reply -
"The sad part is that the "educrats" that run the public schools keep telling teachers that they must
be "engaging" and "make the subject fun" in order to be a "good teacher".
I did forty years of chemistry and physics teaching and performed many exciting demonstrations such
as the dust explosion, the wax explosion, etc.
After these events I would always ask the class - "Why do you think that happened?" and the constant
reply was "Let's see it again!" and rarely an attempt to explain why.
Essentially then, the students wanted more entertainment, not more understanding !
I think children have been convinced that the teacher's job is to entertain and cajole them into
learning on a daily basis and if the teacher can't do that he is a "poor teacher" and undeserving of
their attention.
My concluding comment about this situation is "If you can use a piece of chalk and make pH as interesting
and exciting as a Rolling Stones concert you certainly shouldn't be a high school chemistry teacher, you
 should be on Broadway !
Walt"

What do you think?

A New Approach to Classroom Discipline

Why We Should Expect Disrespect !

This memo was distributed to the staff at a local suburban high school was posted on the town's Internet message board.

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Folks- oversight on my part - but an important piece from Mr. F as we move to the mid-point of the year.

Quoting Mr. F

"As many of you are aware we have had an inexcusable number of fights and events in our building over the last few weeks. As Dave and I work together to manage discipline I have been experiencing a number of extremely disrespectful students. This behavior is not acceptable on any level. If you confront a student who is disrespectful please send them down and they will be dealt with accordingly. To help alleviate discipline problems please aim to plan lessons and activities that begin and continue through the bell. Also, your presence in the hallway between periods is recognized by the students and so I ask that you assist us as much as possible. Thank you!"

I would like to add that you should not have to deal with consistent surliness in your classrooms--- Send them down-- we will send them out.

D W

Principal

High School

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Some replies to this post, blamed the Governor amongst other things for the increase in disrespectful and aggressive behavior at the school.

Some other subsequent posts defended him.

I replied as follows:

"It disturbs me that you are finding a way to blame the Governor for this" (A quote from one of the posts)

Here's how the Governor and all those who constantly bash teachers are to blame.

Kids are not stupid!

When they see public officials and the public in general show little or no respect for teachers they figure, why should they?

How can you expect children to respect someone who is continually referred to as "greedy, lazy, poor performing, a leech, overpaid, under worked, in it strictly for the time off, etc."?

Additionally, teachers are frequently chided for not making it "interesting enough".

If only they did, all children would learn and flowers would bloom in every classroom.

In other words, we want teachers to be entertainers for forty two minutes every class period.

If the child doesn't pay attention, do the work and learn, then it must be the teacher's fault because he hasn't been entertaining enough.

If the child isn't entertained sufficiently, the teacher is doing a poor job and the student has the right to act up and be disruptive.

If the child is sent out of the class for poor behavior then the teacher is labeled as "not being able to control the class".

Trust me, Socrates couldn't teach a disruptive class!

If the student refuses to participate in learning, it is the teacher's fault because he hasn't "engaged" the student.

This mentality has been foisted on public education by politicians and educational "experts" many of whom haven't been in a classroom in decades (if ever) but continue to pontificate and dictate.

The saddest part of all is the public continues to believe it.

At a later point in the message board conversation I wrote:

Teachers and schools have little authority and what little they have is becoming less day after day.

If a child is given a poor grade, it is because the teacher is a poor teacher.

If a child is disciplined, he is being bullied.

If a coach requires a child to do an extra push up because of poor performance, he is the victim of corporal punishment. (Believe it or not asking a child to write "I will behave" fifty times is considered corporal punishment!)

If the child does poorly on a state test, it is because he hasn't been taught well.

If a child is disruptive, it is because the teacher hasn't made it "interesting" enough.

And to top it off, every one has an Uncle Joe who is a lawyer eager to pursue all these injustices!

Additionally, to address the fight issue.

If a teacher intercedes in a fight and a child claims injury, the teacher is punished.

If a teacher intercedes in a fight and a child claims any sexual infringement, the teacher is fired or worse.

If a teacher does not intercede in a fight and a child is injured, the teacher is neglectful.

If the teacher is injured - well tough luck for him (or her).

Talk about no win!

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What are your thoughts on student behavior, how it affects classroom learning and manner in which discipline is handled at your school?