Failure

[Wahine]

((((((HUGS))))))

I couldn't do your job. I get frustrated trying to get through to some of my adult clients that at least made the first step of walking through the door.

[rocknrollgirl]

I had an email this morning from the mother of an 18 year old AP Biology student that was saddened and surprised that he failed the second marking period with a 53.

Saddened and surprised???? After the 4 emails that I send through the marking period to keep you updated on his lack of effort and the 8 zeros that he had?

Saddened and surprised by the progress report that was sent that said in danger of failing????

She wanted to know if I had a plan to help him pass the third marking period.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

And this is an 18 year old, college bound senior...

IT IS NOT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OakLeaf]

Aw girl.

Vent here all you like, just remember it's not you. Unless you're a completely different person in your classes than you are here.

Thank you again for the work you do. Not many of us would take a job trying to teach pigs to sing. Just hang on to the memories of students who've actually made the effort to learn something from you (do you have any at all this year?).

[bmccasland]

V - It most certainly can be the student and their parents. They need to take responsibility for their lives. You are not there to entertain the students, they are there to learn, it is their job too. They have to meet you half way, or at least somewhere in the middle. Do they expect their entire life to be delivered to them on a platter? What does your school admin have to say? I hate writing off students, having been written off myself by a teacher (I was NOT a slow reader, it was my EYES!).

Is there other help for the student (s)? What does interest them? Is there a way to tease from what does interest them into a learning situation? Once you disengage the IPOD, and cell phone?

Big Hugs to you.

[SheFly]

V - don't give up. As others here have said, this is NOT your fault, and you definitely don't suck.

I applaud all of you on the board that do the hard work of teaching today's children. I know that I could never do it, so hats off to all of you.

Hang in there - you're doing a great job.

SheFly

[Ana]

Veronica,

I am neither a teacher nor a parent but through my own life experiences, I have learned two important things regarding the alleged failure of which you speak:

1) You cannot expect something from someone who has not already demonstrated that quality or behavior. Firstly, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and secondly, it is somewhat unfair. Although there is a small difference in supporting and encouraging another person to fulfill his or her own potential, it is not prudent to expect achievements beyond that person's capability.

2) Change which we wish to see in others is impossible without the will of the individual. Even if he or she claims they want to change, the possibility will not even come about without them actually wanting to change themselves.

I hope this situation is resolved soon.

[Biciclista]

Funny, when my younger son finished the 4th grade, his teacher said the same thing to me "I failed" she said, "I failed him, I'm so sorry" (she wasn't talking about his grade)

The fact is, my son was not ready to be a good student. Now he's in a master's program - pure mathematics. But when he was 9, he wanted to run jump and climb trees. He read like a demon, but the rest of the time he was wiggling, throwing things and being annoying.

Get them all on bicycles and take them riding. Then you won't fail.

[Veronica]

What's a school counselor?

Seriously, I know I don't suck as a teacher. That actually started as an email to my principal, which I decided not to send.

But I am at my wit's end. It's that time of year when parents realize that their child is heading to middle school next year and the kid is nowhere near ready. And they start besieging me with phone calls and e mails, wanting to know what am I going to do about it. And I want to answer with, "I'm doing my job, when are you or your kid going to start doing yours?"

I have several students that really all they want to do all day is talk with their friends, read the Twilight series and talk about the Twilight series (so inappropriate for ten year olds) or draw. And no matter what I do, I can't seem to dissuade them from that. They miss the explanation on how to do things, so then they can't do them or they don't have the basic skills to begin with, because this tuning out the teacher is not new behavior.

And I swear it's more kids this year than ever before in this situation. Oh wait, I'm a grumpy old foggie complaining about the current generation.

Whatever...

Veronica