Today I hate my job

[Veronica]

Thom got up this morning and asked me what I was reading. It was my book on Cooperative Learning. Yeah, I'm already formulating a plan. I'm calling it FATSS. F@#$ Academics, Teach Social Skills. I've got two years with this crew and I cannot come home feeling this way too many more times. They're like puppies who need socialization. I can't really move on to the advanced stuff, until they learn to get along. Their test scores from last year were horrible, and I have been so focused on cramming the academics down their throats because we live and die by our test scores. And I need to just let that go, no matter what my principal says. Although, he has acknowledged that there is not much brain power in my group. Most of my problem kids have been tested for Special Ed and don't qualify because they are working to their potential - 4 out of my 6. The other 2 are new to the school - Program Improvement transfers. Parents moved them from under performing schools to our school.

Veronica

[Crankin]

This is what my school did when they wanted a total change of culture (including the teachers...). We implemented the Responsive Classroom model, which I now believe is called something else. It's a lot more than morning meeting. I loved it and this is actually what made me start thinking about changing careers. Although I really did enjoy teaching writing and literature, teaching social and emotional skills was much more rewarding to me. And most of the other teachers hated this.

[Veronica]

One of our teachers is really into Responsive Classroom. It doesn't resonate as well with me as Kagan's Cooperative Learning. Either way, it's not something you can really "force" teachers to do. They can go through the motions, but if they don't believe in it, it won't be successful.

My plan is step back from the academics a bit and really teach and reinforce the cooperative structures. I need to turn them into cohesive groups of 4. I'll still be doing academics, but the focus will really be about learning to work together.

Veronica

[girlontheroad]

When I started reading the thread my first taught was that you were describing my college and grad students. I have the same concers. As I read to the end of the thread I commend you for the self control in junk food and wanted to say the focus on social skills. I work with schools with kids with autism and the thing most likely to trip individuals with autos. Up later in life is the social piece not the academics. I believe this must be true for many of the learned without disabilities as well. The fact that you are already formatting a plan indicates that you are clearly a great teacher and an excellent problem solver. Please hang in there. We need more teachers like you.

[Crankin]

I was already using Kagan's model when we implemented RC. So were most of the other teachers.
You can't really have one teacher doing RC. It's whole new way of thinking and looking at kids, so the whole school needs to be on board. Yes, it was forced, but by the time we had fully implemented it, we had had tons of training, preparation, observing, and coaching. And the biggest nay-sayers were gone, which was the long term plan, anyway. I was hired about 3 years before we implemented this, as part of a vision by our superintendent to focus more on social-emotional learning as a way to improve academics. It started with community service learning in the high school, and then the other stuff came along. Amazingly, we became a community where people wanted in to our district through school choice, instead of us losing a good deal of students to surrounding systems. Our test scores went up, too.
Of course, nothing is perfect, but I was very glad I went here for the last 8 years of my career. How many places will hire a teacher with 22 years of experience and "find" the money to make up the loss in salary I would have taken? The first 2 years were tough. I cried almost every day, either from the horrible kids or the teachers. My curriculum specialist, who then became the principal kept telling me to hang in there, and I did.
Now, when I talk to the one colleague I was actually friends with, it all seems so petty; not the kids, but the things that teachers "fight" over. You know, the things you've described about your colleagues, Veronica.

[Veronica]

Okay - here's hoping for a day free from extreme frustration.

Veronica

[jobob]

Okay - here's hoping for a day free from extreme frustration.

I'll munch to that.

[Veronica]

I must have terrified them on Friday, because they were fantastic today. Worked well with partners and groups, got everything accomplished that I had planned. They even got a little extra recess time.

Veronica

[Wahine]

I must have terrified them on Friday, because they were fantastic today. Worked well with partners and groups, got everything accomplished that I had planned. They even got a little extra recess time.

Veronica

Yay!! I'm so glad that today was better for you.

[azfiddle]

Veronica, so sorry you are coping with a tough class. At least in middle school, it's not a whole day, usually just one hour with a tough group.

I've used some of the Kagan Strategies- it's definitely something my district likes. I don't use it all the time, but it might be the right thing for your class.

[Veronica]

My students are not bad, just very immature and not very bright. I think some of therm are just not ready to connect the dots. I have to keep reminding myself of that. After two days of very intense Kagan use, it seems to be going well. I've always done a little bit, but I pretty much dove right in on Monday using Kagan for nearly everything. I rearranged my room to get a large central space. It means my groups are all right next to each other instead of totally separated, but it's much easier for me to get around to monitor EVERYONE. And the open space will make it easier to do some of the silly games. I've got groups moving to the floor for cooperative work to get a little separation at those times. I think the extra movement is helping them and they like getting to lie down on the floor to work.

They really like the cheers. I need to learn some more.

Veronica

[Crankin]

Extra movement is a good thing.

[Dogmama]

Veronica - I so feel your pain!

I did volunteer work with girls in your age group. The focus was self defense. It was at a boys/girls club. Most girls came from very rough backgrounds. Violence, drugs, cops circling the neighborhood were all standard. I had some girls who really wanted to learn. But about 1/3 of the group were just not capable. No focus, always acting out to get attention, basically just in the class for the free food. I had to take one of them aside and tell her if she didn't stop, she would be expelled from the class.

It was heartbreaking.

Your good news is that your principle seems to understand and backs you up. Plus, haven't you been there like - forever?? So your track record is very good (in many different ways - not just the classroom - pun intended.)

So, take that frustration to your next personal training lesson. And be sure to let us know how many burpees/pushups/whatever you did!