Failure

[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

[Biciclista]

why is the twilight series inappropriate?

[Veronica]

16 year old girl in love with a vampire. It's way too sensual for ten year olds. It deals with emotions that they should not be thinking about yet.

[beccaB]

I'm really upset about the elementary kids on my bus being allowed to play "Call of Duty" . It's a violent war game-rated mature. There seems to be no sensitivity about anything. It's like parents have given up, and kids are allowed to do "whatever" because everyone else does it.

[salsabike]

16 year old girl in love with a vampire. It's way too sensual for ten year olds. It deals with emotions that they should not be thinking about yet.

Yes. I had a conversation with the mom of a 5th grader just yesterday about that. She was being teased by some other girls in her grade because her reading level wasn't quite up to reading "Twilight". 5th graders are too young for the content and feel of that series.

[derailed]

You don't have to engage every student. Work with the ones you can, let the other ones get engaged someplace which won't steal learning time from the kids who do care.
I didn't click with every teacher, and I certainly don't hold them at fault for that. We got a variety of classes, we were exposed to a variety of instructional mannerisms. Some worked better for some kids than others.

Wishing you strength, and appreciating your fortitude.

[uforgot]

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.

Veronica

Hey, you know my Geometry students! And you gotta love how so many people have the answers, starting with the legislators, and they have never even worked in a classroom. I've been teaching 30 years and I have nothing to add to what you already know other than "I understand.".