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Forum
-> Working Women
-> Teachers' Room
justcallmeima
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Mon, Apr 20 2015, 7:12 pm
Fox wrote: | OP, where is the principal or supervising teacher in all of this?
If the answer is that you were given an outline, a book, and a wish for hatzlacha (which seems to be the case in Science), then the only people who should be ashamed are the leaders of your school.
First year teachers, no matter their educational attainment or other qualifications, are not equipped to develop curricula, remediate past deficiencies, provide individuated instruction, do ongoing assessment, and, oh yes, prepare kids for standardized tests.
Ideally, you would have been working under daily or at least semi-weekly supervision and review of your lesson plans, classroom skills, and outcomes. Your principal or supervising teacher should know *exactly* where you are in the curriculum and why.
At this point in the game, you need to resist the temptation to borrow trouble. Maintain a calm, professional attitude. Schedule a meeting with your principal and matter-of-factly present what your students knew at the beginning of the year; what they know now; and your concerns for their performance on standardized tests. Document everything with classroom test and assignment scores.
Ask to see their previous standardized test scores. Were they at grade level when last tested? What was done in terms of remediation? If they answer is "nothing," then this is a systemic problem, not the failing of an individual teacher.
When preparing a report for next year's teacher, focus on what was accomplished along with specific suggestions for what skills are needed to bring the students up to grade level in all subjects.
Rome was not built in a day, and the details in your description sound to me like the land hasn't even been cleared. |
This.
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rachelbg
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Mon, Apr 20 2015, 10:46 pm
The administration is who did a disservice to everyone - giving a first year teacher the responsibility of teaching (in your words) one of the hardest classes in the CITY.
You were not given the mentoring, guidance and support that you needed in order to teach effectively.
This particularly needy group should not have been placed with a first year teacher; they clearly need someone with more experience and expertise to deal with them properly.
I can understand why everyone involved would be upset, and I think it's the administration who is to blame.
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DrMom
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Tue, Apr 21 2015, 2:16 am
rachelbg wrote: | The administration is who did a disservice to everyone - giving a first year teacher the responsibility of teaching (in your words) one of the hardest classes in the CITY.
You were not given the mentoring, guidance and support that you needed in order to teach effectively.
This particularly needy group should not have been placed with a first year teacher; they clearly need someone with more experience and expertise to deal with them properly.
I can understand why everyone involved would be upset, and I think it's the administration who is to blame. |
It does seem that the school was negligent about putting an inexperienced teacher in front of the most difficult class in the school.
However, did you raise your concerns to the administration earlier than mid-April? IMO it is your responsibility to raise a red flag if there are serious concerns such as not being able to complete the curriculum you were assigned to teach, and the flag should be raised early enough so there is time to do something about it.
I understand how you as a first-year teacher are unsure of how to deal with such a challenging environment, but as a parent, I admit I would be annoyed if my child was not learning all year because children who needed extra help were forcing the teacher to teach at a very low level all year to the neglect of pupils who are capable of handling the regular material. You need to escalate this issue to someone who can help organize a solution (tracked classes, a tutoring program for students who need it, etc.).
I know you have a very difficult job. I hope it gets better next year.
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Fox
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Tue, Apr 21 2015, 12:58 pm
amother wrote: | Taking your post at face value, OP has no choice but to get another job. That may well be her best option, but if she stays where she is, she needs to find a way to prevent this from happening again. As I said in my post, maybe she could find a mentor, or a more experienced teacher to advise her. Maybe there are forums for newbie middle school math/science teachers that she could frequent. |
I would *definitely* advise the OP to look for a new job.
While I'm a big believer in professional growth and development -- something that far too few teachers take seriously, BTW, this isn't really about that.
The OP was given a class that was acknowledged to have various difficulties and was given no guidance or support whatsoever. Not to be cynical, but this school will repeat their behavior again and will throw the OP under the bus if parents complain.
So we have a situation in which the administration clearly is incompetent or uncaring about grade level performance and assessment; students who are likely in need of varying degrees of remediation; and a teacher who, with zero resources, is doing her best to be all things to all people.
Given those circumstances, preventing a future occurence of this situation seems like a pipe dream.
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amother
Amber
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Tue, Jun 02 2015, 9:57 pm
OP here:
I'm not getting a second chance. I'm being replaced next year.
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amother
Red
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Tue, Jun 02 2015, 10:47 pm
amber, you can get another chance in another school. Try putting on you resume that you developed a curriculum.
As a teacher, I have to tell you that your mistake was focusing too much on the weakest element in the classroom. Its easiest and most productive to teach just below the top in the B+/A- range. This way the 75+ students have a prayer and the best are not totally bored and behavioral.
FOX- I have never heard the true problems in schools said so well. Like in Corporations, the environment starts at the top, but the lower levels are always blamed.
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DrMom
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Wed, Jun 03 2015, 1:38 am
amother wrote: | amber, you can get another chance in another school. Try putting on you resume that you developed a curriculum.
As a teacher, I have to tell you that your mistake was focusing too much on the weakest element in the classroom. Its easiest and most productive to teach just below the top in the B+/A- range. This way the 75+ students have a prayer and the best are not totally bored and behavioral.
FOX- I have never heard the true problems in schools said so well. Like in Corporations, the environment starts at the top, but the lower levels are always blamed. |
Yup. The fish stinks from the head down.
OP, in the long run, you'll be grateful you left that place. Find employment in a more professional atmosphere.
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tigerwife
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Wed, Jun 03 2015, 7:32 am
Sorry, Amber, what a disappointment!
Do you plan on looking for another reach job? The first year is always the hardest.
Good luck in whatever you choose.
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