We have four teachers who were hired with stimulus money to act as liasions (among other duties) between high school departments and middle school departments. For some reason, they are all former middle school teachers.
Do you notice that middle school teachers talk differently to their students (and other teachers) than high school teachers do? We had a long discussion about that this morning. We feel that HS teachers talk to students as adults (and therefore other adults as adults). Middle grades seem to talk down to kids - and adults.
Do any of you have opinions?
Additional comment: Please note that it is not all middle school teachers who are condescending. Just the 4 that were hired to work with us. And maybe one or two others. Seriously, there are some teachers with issues who condescend to students and adults - and some fabulous teachers who treat their students as they should be treated (sentient human beings). I was skewered for what I wrote. We all exaggerate just a bit. If I read you enough to comment favorably on your blog, I obviously don't mean YOU because why would I waste my time. Seriously!
My intent was to lambast the district for hiring people who are not helping us improve.
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9 comments:
Oh, DON'T even get me STARTED. My coworker (there are only two English teachers at CHS) SO belongs in a middle school. I can't bear to be at my desk when she's teaching (she's all about "sacred writing time" and "we" this and "we" that - it's excruciating) and it's hard for me to have a conversation with her; she insists on explaining things to me that I'm pretty sure I understand better than she does.
I have it on good authority that her contract is not being renewed. I feel guilty in saying that I'm glad.
We had one like that last year - we haven't missed her this year.
She kept asking for material from the teachers who are known for doing a good job - and "fixing" them to make them "better".
Again - middle school background.
Do administrators not see that there is a difference?
This post is kind-of offensive to me. I work hard to be professional and positive to both my students and my fellow staff members. I chose not to teach an older grade level, because I believe there is an unfair stigma attached to both middle schools and middle school teachers.
Many of the middle school teachers I have met are passionate, positive people who love their students despite the fact that many people in society are scared of middle school students.
John, I have taught Middle School and I talked to the students the same way I talk to my Seniors.
You have to grant me that there seems to be a group of teachers who choose to teach younger students who talk down to everyone. Or maybe it is that there is a group of teachers who talk down to everyone.
My experience right now is that the ones I am running into in my life who treat me as if I am a blank slate have only middle school credentials.
I love your blog. I would have loved your class when I was that age. My 6th grade teacher treated me like an adult and accepted nothing less than everything. We discussed hard subjects in class - and I remember him in a way I don't remember the dozens of other teachers I had.
I also remember in another way a few of the ones who were on the other end of the spectrum. Those teachers may have had something valid to teach me but their condescension got in the way.
Thanks for clarifying your point. I have run into certain middle school teachers who are the same way. They tend to be the middle school teachers who don't want to be there - they either want to teach younger or higher and they are bitter.
When I started teaching, I wanted nothing to do with middle schoolers. I had my heart set on elementary. That's not the way things worked out. I've taught ONLY in middle schools--and I have no desire to teach anywhere else!
As a retired middle school teacher, I agree and disagree with you. I have always talked to students as adults. The funny thing is that I now teach adult parenting classes at a hospital. My interactions with them are the same except for the subject matter. I do think that some middle school teachers move up from elementary school and continue treating students like much younger children. Not all middle school teachers do this!
I was with John on this one. I teach middle school. I LOVE teaching middle school. I do not talk down to my kids (usually....though I do catch myself saying, "We don't use that word" when they call something gay or retarded. That's about it though).
I think what it comes down to is when you said "there is a group of teachers who talk down to everyone." Some of them are in middle school, some are in elementary, some are in high. You either believe kids are people and talk to them as such, or you don't. But please don't put that on all middle school teachers.
I say "we don't use that word" but it's the "n" word.
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