Learn to code

Apparently the new direction I should take is to create a class to teach people losing their jobs how to code. It is what Rham thinks is necessary. Rham Emmanuel : "Learn to code. Those jobs aren't coming back."

I am getting fed up

Today I created a sign for my room. For a class of Gen Ed seniors. PUT YOUR NAME ON YOUR PAPER.

Really?

I got an email from a parent. I wrote her son up for skipping my class, because he didn't come to my class or tell me a teacher he was with. Apparently (according to the mom) I didn't investigate enough. I repeat: gen ed senior.

Really?

Stupid Choices

In NYC you can be fined for calling an illegal alien an illegal alien.

My school is teaching us "functional Spanish" once a month, for less than 10 minutes, in the faculty meetings so we can call non-English speaking parents to talk with them about their children.

And (and I think this is related to the above) the state is not requiring teachers be certified because it is too difficult to get certified teachers.

Oy vey!

My name does not matter

I have been in this school for years. Last year they hired someone with a similar but different name. And, then, suddenly - they couldn't tell us apart. And I started getting her phone calls.

This year I pointed that out. Now I get her emails as well.

My theme song follows.

Mister Cellophane

If Someone Stood Up In A Crowd
And Raised His Voice Up Way Out Loud
And Waved His Arm And Shook His Leg
You'd Notice Him
If Someone In The Movie Show
Yelled "Fire In The Second Row
This Whole Place Is A Powder Keg!"
You'd Notice Him
And Even Without Clucking Like A Hen
Everyone Gets Noticed, Now And Then,
Unless, Of Course, That Personage Should Be
Invisible, Inconsequential Me!
Cellophane
Mister Cellophane
Shoulda Been My Name
Mister Cellophane
'Cause You Can Look Right Through Me
Walk Right By Me
And Never Know I'm There...
I Tell Ya
Cellophane
Mister Cellophane
Shoulda Been My Name
Mister Cellophane
'Cause You Can Look Right Through Me
Walk Right By Me
And Never Know I'm There...

Ethics

I was talking with a friend and mentioned an EOC (End of Course) teat (not given by the state) and mentioned how we, as teachers, cannot see it and the information we are given doesn't really match the test.

She said that once the test is given once, the teachers will know what it looks like.

Not really, I said. You monitor tests form other departments and cannot see your own.

She insisted that teachers will know.

Shades of the Atlanta Cheating Scandal from five years ago.

It told me a lot about her. My silence should have told her a lot about me - but I will bet she didn't hear it.

She's sensitive

I got a lecture from a friend (Dawn) the other day about my reaction to another teacher, we'll call that teacher Annabelle. Dawn said I need to cut Annabelle slack, because she's sensitive and I am apparently intimidating.

Annabelle was in a position to make my life significantly easier but, because she was sensitive and hurt by the principal, she packed up her mitt and ball and went home and never answered a single request for information.

Now I am supposed to work with her. Sarcasm aside, understand I don't care that she is sensitive. If she asks me for something, I would probably give it to her. But I am not going to volunteer. The year she had her feelings hurt by the principal, I had the worst working year and working environment since I started work at 15.

I read something recently that you shouldn't compare pain. As in, well you had a broken leg but I had that and a broken arm as well. I get that.

The year she was here was probably her worst year. I know it was mine.

But she made herself irrelevant to my life. I dug out everything that I needed for the next year, some by myself and some from other people. And like the little red hen said, I will eat the bread myself.

Funny, I don't even care if Annabelle thinks I'm rude.

Setting the bar low

A group of our students went on a field trip last week - a play then a meal at a restaurant. Six of the lovely darlings decided it would be fun to skip out on paying for their meals.

I wonder when we will get to have field trips again.

Friday - another view

Friday, I was in my car and ready to leave when I saw a teacher who teaches in another part of the building so I rarely see him. I waved and he came over to talk.

In the course of the conversation (and this is someone I chat with, not someone I feel close to) he mentioned that he tries to remind people (other teachers) that he is there and that he is going through stuff.

I don't know what stuff, but I know we need to help each other. I think mental health issues are more rampant in teaching than is acknowledged. I've know three in the past year who end in in "the looney bin" - and that is just 3 because I am closer to them.

The system is broken.

Help is there but you have to want it

My favorite joke goes like this:

A flood is imminent. The officials go on the radio and tv and warn everyone to leave.

One man refuses and says “I believe God will save me.”

One of his friends drives out of his way during the evacuation to save the man and says “Jump in – come on!” and the man says “No, thank you. My God will save me.” So the friend drove away, shaking his head.

The water starts rising. The man goes to the top floor of his house. A neighbor in a boat comes along and says “Jump in – come on!” and the man says “No, thank you. My God will save me.” So the neighbor putters off, shaking his head.

The water continues to rise. The man moves to the roof. The authorities send a helicopter and the pilot says “Jump in – come on!” and the man says “No, thank you. My God will save me.” So the pilot flies away, shaking his head.

The water continues to rise. The house is engulfed and the man dies.

He goes to heaven and asks God “Why didn’t you save me?”

And God says “I sent a car, a boat and a helicopter.”

Help is there. You have to recognize it.

Help fell into our laps this week. A teacher with the subject knowledge who actively wants to teach in our school. Rather than call him, the principal is choosing to cover the class with Skype and a parapro.

Don’t think this will work.

How do we get away with this?

We are missing teachers this year.

Two in each of the main subjects: math, science, English, social studies.

Kids have to have 4 courses in each of these subjects, so there aren't a lot of extra classes - they are all required.

Because of the missing teachers - missing for a variety of reasons - some classes have been collapsed, pushing the student numbers higher. And some classes are being taught with subs. And some classes are being taught with teachers with interim or waived certificates. Roughly 10% do not have clear, renewable certificates.

I know they have had the option of rehiring retired teachers, but they wanted these as subs not teachers and the people chose not to do that.

How is this in the students' interests?

Document document document

Had a student today try to get in and kill a program on the school server.

I spent more than 30 minutes trying to get someone (IT) to come to my room, taking screen shots the entire time of what he was doing.

This whole thing is percolating through the ranks (up 2 levels above the principal) while they try to decide what to do with him.

He tried to tell me yeah, he looked up how to kill it but he was doing his own coding. Nope - I took screenshots of your code.

Document everything. Same thing I told a fellow teacher who is in an untenable situation.

Females lie, when it suits

Two of my students accused a male teacher of touching them inappropriately.

Then they changed it to he touched their legs.

Then they changed it to he bumped into them, walking between the desks, because their legs were out in the middle.

Not one girl, but two.

Reason: he is new to them this year and he is expecting them to work and they don't want to, so they thought they would get rid of him.

I am so disappointed in them.

Frustration

I don't believe anyone in my school reads my blog. Guess I will find out.

I co-teach in a class where they have hired a long term sub. Who has never taught. Who has had minimal math and education courses. Who hasn't even subbed that many times. And who thinks he knows everything. (And, by extension, I know nothing that could possibly be of value.

We'll call him Mortimer Snerd.

Mortimer also thinks other people can't possibly know more than he does. Like the head custodian who told him he couldn't let students eat in the room and that they had to pick up after themselves.

Mortimer pushed hard the first week to get into the grade book. He doesn't try to teach or make lessons or find worksheets (we have no books) or make the tests (or study guides) or make copies or return work. But he keeps wanting to grade the tests.

Without an answer key, he has taken it upon himself to grade all of the tests the kids took last week. Ones I was holding on to until people finished taking it. Ones I had asked him not to grade because of what I learn grading it. But his vast experience of not teaching apparently outweighs my math education degree and years of teaching. And he must be related to someone, because the Highly Ineffective Administrators are backing him up.

This year cannot end soon enough.

You know this when you run the numbers how much you get if you retire today. Next month. After Christmas. The end of this year. Hold off another year. Or a year after that.

(Actually wrote this last year. It only got worse. I didn't retire. This year is very very different, better)

The culture of the school

A parent called a kid, during class, today to tell her that an uncle had died. The kid started wailing. The parent told the teacher to deal with it.

Why I teach

I am a little OCD. Just a little.

I check transcripts of seniors whenever I can, knowing the counselors do as well. Last week I determined a boy should have graduated this year but somehow they missed it. This year I did not have time to do it, well, in time. But it is the results (diploma) that matters.

Daymare

I nodded off after breakfast. (Why the dog and cat think the day still starts at 5 am is beyond me. It's summer, kids!) and woke in mid daymare: I am taking a left turn in my car and another car is barrelling straight ahead and right at me!

Wonder what I am afraid of.

I have spent the last month mostly not thinking (cleaning house, sleeping, reading) to free my brain for planning the next year.

Hmmm.

The year is over

And the sub is gone. Most of the students graduated. And the break is here

I am surviving the most stressful year

I am not going into all of it, but, since August I have been doing two people's jobs. There was a small window of a month where I thought the sub they had hired would actually do the job of a teacher, the job they hired her for, since she kept telling everyone she was the REAL teacher but that passed and I continue to do her job and mine.

When I comment to the administrators that I am drowning, they tell me the end is near.

Or that this is what I asked for (going back to gen ed).

PO, I know you keep telling me to shuck it and retire, but I hate going out on this note.

I am petitioning for a job in this school in another department teaching gifted students. If I get it, I will teach another couple of years. If they assign me a single co-taught class, please join me in singing "Take this job and shove it."

And I cannot tell you how freeing that is.

Yesterday, a student warned me that two assistant principals were near (I wasn't doing 100% of what I was supposed to but they were working). And I told her, what can they do? Fire me?

Wouldn't be the worst thing that happened this year.

The unseen baggage our students carry with them

We are approaching the end of the year and I am trying to get everyone to passing. While I battle a co-worker unlike any I have worked with or even heard about. (Maleficent hates me with a passion and I have no idea why. I am, however looking forward to that day when she no longer inhabits my life.)

I am getting ready for that arduous chore of calling parents for those kids who are failing, mostly because they don't come.

Some kids are special to other teachers. You know, the teacher has taken them under a wing. So I have been checking with my friends before I call.

This one was thrown out of his house by his mother and can't get to school. (No car and not on the bus route.)

That one lived with grandma but grandma died. Not sure how the kid is taking care of basic necessities - and school is not one.

This one's parents are in jail waiting for trial and possible prison.

That ones mom lost her job and he is having to work to hold everything together.

This one is behind because she was stolen by sex trafficers and got away but isn't the same anymore.

I hate just passing them but knowing the circumstances and knowing a diploma might make all the difference in life, how can you not?

"Is there another room?"

Today I had an iep - and for the first time this year I had it in my room because there was no reason not to. I have had them in the Head Evaluator's room when we had an RDM (redetermination meeting) or on the main hall when I wanted to get specific teachers to come. My room is in the way back.

So a teacher came - we'll call her Ms. Teacher. She's been at the school a couple of years now.

She stood in the doorway for a bit and said she had another meeting to go to. I said it would be quick. Then she asked if we could have the meeting in another room.

I had forgotten.

In August a teacher attempted suicide in my room - then that teacher's room. Ms. Teacher had not been in the room since. I had forgotten because I had seen her on my hall, talking to another teacher.

Now, we have held class in that room every single day since THAT DAY. We have had kids in that room. I tried to get the room changed - nope. I have helped the kids deal. But we have been there every day.

And a forty year old professional doesn't want to step over the threshold.

It's been an interesting year and I will write more about it later. Much later.