Comments on Cal Teacher Blog: 100: Be Not Deceived?

Hi everyone,What makes a good teacher? It seems th...

2008-03-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,
What makes a good teacher? It seems that Schools, universities and colleges have been struggling with this question for years and have continually experimented with new techniques, theories, and equipment in an effort to answer the question. For those of us who have been through one or two generations of students, the answer we know, is not in techniques, theories and equipment or in changes in curriculum, for many concepts used today are now a part of the system for the second time. Good teaching lies in the ability to reach students and motivate them to learn, good teachers are for the most part, born, not made. It is the teacher who is the key to good teaching. The young people who will be in that teacher’s care need the best educator possible. You simply cannot afford to hire the wrong people to teach your children.
Experience has shown us that a teacher should "work with what you have not what your given". This is the advice I give to all new teachers.

http://www.omarsinc.com

Hey, I am one of those new teachers you mention an...

2008-01-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

Hey, I am one of those new teachers you mention and yes I will be part of the statistic ... it's 50% quit in the first five years. I cam from the corporate world, teaching is my second career.

I love the teaching. It is very rewarding and yes it has its ups and downs - doesn't every profession? I also do an after school club, where I volunteer my time.

But the lack of income, lack of resources, and sloppy administrative practices are pains I am tired of. In the classroom I am energized by the work I have to do in content and classroom management to keep the learning occurring, but I've had enough.

check out my blog and web site if you want more info. cheers, steu

http://www.educationreporting.com/

http://educationreporting.blogspot.com/

As an experienced teacher with an as yet unused ad...

2008-01-03T19:35:00.000-08:00

As an experienced teacher with an as yet unused administrative credential, I say to you "newbies", "Please forgive us. We have done you a disservice."

I find it abhorrent that we place our most vulnerable teachers in the most undesirable positions. It is not fair to the teachers, the students they teach nor the profession as a whole. I have pledged to myself and to my colleagues that I will never allow a 1st year teacher in my grade level/district to take a combination class nor will I dump my behavior problems on an overflow teacher hired late in the year.

We as experienced teachers need to step up and nurture the future of our profession rather than selfishly standing by with our arms crossed over our chests in our "I've already done my time" posture. We need to take the difficult classes and assignments from 1st year teachers even if the administration doesn't ask and in some cases can't require it. What we refuse to do as educators might just say more about who we are than what we choose to do.

I'm nervous about this too. I moved to Southern CA...

2007-12-27T19:19:00.000-08:00

I'm nervous about this too. I moved to Southern CA from Philadelphia five years ago. I previously taught as an intern teacher there for two years in a rough elementary school. So, I can say that I'm pretty thick-skinned. However, I've slowed down a bit since and took an extended credentialing program (thanks to marriage and two kids).

Therefore, I hope to avoid this statistic. However, I've heard about BTSA from teaching friends. Boy, oh boy, oh boy!

Hi there, I am one of these new-ish teachers you s...

2007-12-24T08:42:00.000-08:00

Hi there,

I am one of these new-ish teachers you speak of. My first teaching job was taking over for my Master Teacher for one semester when she went out on maternity leave. After that I looked and looked for jobs. I even decided to move back home to L.A. from San Diego because, as everyone knows, L.A. is in need of teachers.

In need of teachers? It was a bit challenging finding a job here. Odd right? You hear all the need for teachers but then you constantly are told, "We really would love someone like you on our staff. However, you just don't have the experience".

As a matter of fact, my current job went just like that. I was second choice but the teacher who got the job pulled out last minute and so I got a call. I was in San Diego, the school in Los Angeles. The call came 4 days before the start of the year, over 4th of July weekend. I said "YES"! and proceeded to drive up to LA to find an apartment. Amazingly, I got the job, an affordable place 1.5 miles from work. I live in a funky cool neighborhood. My school is considered one of the better in L.A. BUT...it's still an urban city school with all the elements.

On average apx. 8 kids per class fail. Absences are ridiculous and our discipline code on these things is simply not there. My first semester I had 2 preps and five classrooms. I moved room to room (luckily in the same hall) using the rooms of teachers who had a prep period that period.

Oh, one more thing, I'm sorry this had gone on so long...As a new teacher at a year round school, we all seem to get placed on B track, which notoriously has the rougher kids, lower test scores, and a crappy schedule. New teachers tend to get the lower grades and Sheltered courses too. To top that off, a new high school is opening soon, taking some of our teachers and students. This is based on choice and then seniority. Seniority means most new teachers will get moved or displaced. And if that's not enough?

New teachers have to do California's infamous BTSA program. I'm going into my 3rd year trying to finish it even though I'm already permanent at my school I'm not clear because of freaking BTSA~!

(sigh...I ranted...) But truly, I do love teaching, I connect with my kids, I make a difference...if only I didn't have to grade so many papers!