2002-11-22 - 9:58 a.m.
And finally�the weekend is in sight.
I find it ironic that people are so quick to tell teachers how to do their job. If these folks have all the answers, then WHY THE FUCK ARN�T THEY TEACHING? Oh yeah, because they can�t. Most of em wouldn�t last one day, let alone the years that it takes to become a truly competent instructor. They have no earthly clue of what really goes on in the classroom day after day. They have no idea how frustrating it is to spend more energy disciplining children, calling parents, having conferences, and pissing into the wind, than you do actually teaching. Oh yeah I forgot�their little angels would never be a bother in your class�and if they are, if they are failing, if their feelings are bruised, if their self confidence takes a few bumps, if they can�t find a date for the dance, then it has to be your fault. Cause remember as a teacher, it is your job to�OH HELL NO! As a teacher it is your job to teach these kids. It is your job to give them the opportunity to succeed in a safe environment . Not to hold their hand, not to let them do what ever the fuck they want, not to shirk responsibility for their actions.
When I taught�if you didn�t do your homework�you failed my class. END OF STORY! Yeah, even if you could pass your tests. But I told each and every one of those little darlins that homework was a VERY important grade in my class�and if you didn�t do it�you WOULD fail. I often gave them time at the end of class to begin their homework (which I gave EVERY day), I allowed them to turn it in late (minus one grade level), and my assignments were often fairly short 20-30 minutes of work tops. This policy of mine lasted 2 grading periods, and then my administrator informed me that I was no longer to enforce my homework policy in class. No longer was I allowed to fail a child for not doing their work. And why? Cause my Principal had gotten SO many calls from parents complaining that it was not fair that their child HAD to do their homework. It was not fair that I gave them homework every day�even Fridays. Cause ya know their kids had things other than school to worry about. Oh yeah�and failing made them feel bad. Then there were the Special ED kids that I had in my class�they made it 3 grading periods with me before they were removed from my class�and why? Because I was failed them as well. I followed their IEP to a T. I made every effort to help them�I played by all the rules�with the exception of the one unwritten one. You don�t fail Spec Ed kids. These kids they were so used to getting away with not applying themselves, knowing that they would pass regardless of the effort that they put forth, that they suddenly didn�t know what to do when they were required to WORK for their grade.
I wasn�t a cruel teacher. I wasn�t out to make these kids lives miserable. Shit, it was just the opposite. I made my life miserable. You ever grade that much work EVERY FUCKING DAY? But why was I doing it? Because for the kids that put forth the effort�it worked. They learned their stuff�and they learned something more�If you apply yourself, if you work hard at something you get BIG rewards. A�s in my class for example. And ya know what�I always had a few of those little darlins come up to me after grades went out and say �Hey Mr. Grimm�thanks for giving me an A!��and I always took pride in saying right back to em��I didn�t GIVE you anything�you did that all on your own! You earned that grade!�
When did it become the responsibility of the teacher to coddle children. When did the focus become less on education and more on babysitting? Do these parents think that we are doing their kids a favor by treating them like this? By letting them do what ever the fuck they want? Ya know, in the REAL world things don�t work that way. All we are doing is teaching our children that it is ok to be selfish, helpless, and lazy. And when they leave High School�they are going to find a cruel world that doesn�t give a shit about them. They are going to find a world that could give two tugs of a dead dog�s cock if their feelings get hurt when they are fired from yet another job because they felt that it was too hard, or interfering with their �life�, or when they fail outta college cause they don�t have the discipline to go to fucking class, or do their homework that could take HOURS to finish, or get discharged/beat down in the military cause they don�t know how to shut the fuck up and just do something cause they were told to. We are doing our children a disservice by not holding them responsible for their choices and actions. We are hurting them by blaming the teachers for their failings instead of having the stones to go to the root of the problem and deal with it there. If a child is pulled from class 4 times in one week for being a disturbance, or rude, or a threat to another student (or teacher) WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY BACK IN CLASS THE NEXT DAY, OR WEEK! Do you really think that they won�t do �it� again? No, they are going to keep �it� up cause they know nothing is going to happen to them. Why can�t we just put em out? Why can�t we treat them just like the real world will in 10 years (or less)? Because tossing their sorry asses out will cause an uproar from the community for not meeting the needs of these kids, for not understanding them. Well ya know what. If you think you have all the fucking answers�you take the reigns of a classroom for a week. And if you can �fix� things�I will the very first person in line to shake your hand and tell you that you are a better teacher than I am. In fact, I will even go as far as to never teach again. But if you run screaming from that classroom, or go home and bawl your eyes out, or swear that you will never go back to that little hell ever again�then shut the fuck up�and welcome to our world. But don�t you dare tell me that it is my fault that you child failed a class, or that they got their feelings hurt, or any other bullshit. I don�t fucking tell you how to do your job�why the fuck should you get to tell me how to do mine? I am here to TEACH your kids�that�s it.
Our schools are impotent because the students are not held accountable for their actions/choices. We instead blame our education system and our teachers. It must be their fault after all. And people wonder why I don�t teach in schools any more. I got tired of feeling like I was a bad teacher. I got tired of feeling responsible for raising everyone else�s children. I got tired of being told that I am a cruel and uncaring person. And I will tell you right now. It is a real shame�cause I am not the only one good teacher that feels this way. I am not the only one who left�who got tired of the bull shit�who was fed up with putting so much work, energy, and love in to a job where I am viewed as nothing more than a glorified babysitter.
Why are there so �few� good teachers out there? Why are the Educaits and the Minivan Samurais so few and far between? Why is the quality of teachers declining? Why? Well if you don�t know now�I don�t think you will ever understand.
GrammaCait�I am so sorry that the world does not realize how lucky it is to have a person like you teaching our kids. You�re the bomb�I only wish that I had what ever it was that you have. Perhaps someday the world will realize that it is teaches like you that really make the difference.
It looks like the SHO will be coming home today! I am very excited. It will be nice to have a car with a working clutch again. The amazing thing is that aside for the half shaft the entire job went really really smooth. There were no other unforeseen problems, and everything else seemed to be in great shape. This is good news indeed. Perhaps now I can get back to driving instead of working on my car. (the left to do list includes getting the window re-tinted, a stereo put in, the swaybar endlinks replaced, and the mystery check engine light checked out. Woo hoo! I am almost there!!!)
So, just wondering�have you learned anything today?
�
�
