Just got done reading the PE thread in the main room, and find myself thinking how often teachers seem to have a martyr complex. Anyone else with me on this?
There’s a main room?
With those kinds of responses, you’re going to start acquiring a martyr complex soon:)
Seriously, though, in my limited experience (just looking at the first grade and preschool folks so far), I frankly don’t get why they all aren’t completely insane having to deal with those little hooligans every day. My daughter’s teacher in Michigan had been teaching for over thirty years. There was one kid in her class whose mom was also taught by this lady. She was no martyr, but she sure was tough – in a nice, freaky first grade teacher kind of way. Nat’s teacher here in Colorado is 28 and a really nice gal who is always willing to take on extra work. We’ve been pretty lucky so far.
** I frankly don’t get why they all aren’t completely insane having to deal with those little hooligans every day.**
Oh, I hear ya. I wouldn’t last a half hour, myself.
Still, it seems to me that teachers are like the kids in Lake Wobegon- they’re all above average. Every teacher is made out to be some crusader for kids, opening minds, educating the future generations of the world, blah blah blah. And yet, somehow, I just don’t think their results justify the hype. If all the teachers are so great, why aren’t more people better educated?
you found yourself thinking?
And wouldn’t you know, it’s the last place I looked, too. 
Perhpas they don’t feel they get support from home, then are blamed for the children’s failures.
Are you referring to Americans? If so, I wouldn’t blame the teachers, but the parents and the culture. All but one of my daughter’s teachers have been phenomenal human beings and she goes to a Florida Public School. 
How many books does the average American high school kid read in the summer? I’d bet the national average is less than 1.
Also, by the time the average Japanese kid gets out of high school he/she has spent more time in school than our average COLLEGE graduate. U.S. citizens historically score among the lowest among the industrialized nations on tests of their understanding of basic biology concepts, as another example.
How many high school kids would know a “Keatsian Grape” if they “ate” one? Why are so many of the finalists in the math and spelling competitions orientals? Are the teachers to blame for that as well?
Just my .02 farthings worth.
-Robert
I’m suprised they don’t have the suicide complex or perhaps the homicidal maniac complex. You couldn’t pay me enough to teach some of these modern super brats.
I think their “martyr complex” is somewhat deserved. They have one of the toughest and most important jobs in our society. They get very little credit when things go right and too much blame when things go wrong. I can only imagine how that would tear you down after years of teaching.
D.
I taught high school for a year. And its not a complex, teachers really are martyrs.
Half an hour??? you wouldn’t last 5 minutes in a classroom full of inner city 14 or 15 year olds Vitus. Teaching is the hardest, most challenging, worst paying job I’ve ever had. I got home every day and slept on the sofa for an hour I was so tired.
Matt:
My son’s wife lasted a year in the D.C. school system. She felt bad quitting after a year, but I told her D.O.E. and the D.C. School System should give out medals to every one of their teachers. The challenges in the inner city are huge, and the psychic and financial rewards are few. Those who stay are incredible human beings. Thank God someone is willing to do it. Otherwise this country would be in very very bad shape.
Congrats on lasting a year!
-Robert
Teachers complain about other teachers face-to-face or behind closed doors (more often face-to-face). The fact that everyone gets paid the same based on experience and education rather than performance is not something many teachers are for … but the union … well, the union …
In other words, it’s okay for teachers to point out the faults and shortcomings of other teachers, but when an “outsider” does … teachers rally. Just like it’s okay for you to beat the crap out of your little brother … but when someone else does …
The teachers that are bitter and walk around with a disgruntled attitude need to do the profession a favor and get out. I know a few teachers that abuse their power by hassling students that don’t fit their ideal mold … and frankly, it makes me want to kick the teacher’s ass. Some teachers make things personal out of situations that are not personal. Some teachers also forget what they were like (or have a distorted memory) when they were a teenager.
I caution one of doing what happens in other situations … where the extreme represents the average. Most teachers are good, and work hard at a (knowingly) thankless job. There are a few that are not interested in improving and complain about everything, but they are in the minority and should not represent the whole.
I am not angry … but I am a little annoyed that one person’s comments from an isolated thread would be used to categorize the profession.
I repeat, the number one indicator ofg academic success is time spent on academics OUTSIDE of the classroom. Teachers can lead the horse to water …
Breakdown of family, breakdown of community, etc … schools are forced to take on roles they are not designed to handle. In some areas, schools provide 2/3 of the students’ 3 daily meals and keep the students busy from 7AM to 5PM. How long until parents want schools to “babysit” their kids year-round, from 7 to 7? I’m guessing not that long from now.
I had some not so good teachers as a student, but still learned the material and how to think, and to learn on my own. How did I learn this? I had active parents who continually modeled and stressed the importance of learning.
Imagine how efficient businesses would be if they had to take whatever employees were sent their way (ranging from drop-outs to college degrees) and/or whatever raw materials showed up at their doors (ranging from excellent condition to severely damaged). Businesses, who get to refuse damaged materials and hand-picked their employees are used as the model to evaluate the effectiveness of schools. Hardly comparable situations.
One could really go on and on about the increased demands of schools and teachers that have little or nothing to do with teaching cognitive skills and content (we talk it about it at length as we are learning how to become administrators). It would be nice if all parents sent their kids to school with social skills, confidence, needs met, an interest in learning, and a supportive environment at home. Guess what percentage of kids nationwide come to school with that attitude and backing?
Teachers work with what they have. They know this going in, and we do the best we can. really.
You know what *really *bugs teachers?
Bumping into a useless good for nothing former student who dropped out of school, got a plumbers apprenticeship somewhere and 3 years later he is making $50K more than a college educated teacher…that and having to listen to that same good for nothing former student complain about how much teachers get paid for only working half a day.
That *really *bugs teachers.
That bugs the crap out of me, too.
Have a nephew whose job history is: bartender, cell phone salesman, junk hauler, etc. He moved to San Diego, where he’s getting married (to a bright girl whose dad is a well off lawyer). His aunt, my sister in-law, is a regional VP of a mortgage brokerage firm, big bucks. She hires him as a mortgage advisor. No experience whatsoever and in his first month, he makes $10K. I can’t wait for this real estate bubble to burst!
**That *really *bugs teachers. **
Boo hoo hoo. You’re breakin’ my heart.
Something I find ironic.
There’s a substantial portion of the country that look at media coverage of our military in Iraq and complain that there aren’t enough of the good stories. All you see are the bad stories and that doesn’t paint an accurate picture.
But then, apply the same standard to our public schools and you get a completely different response from those same people. Every day, millions of kids go to school and do get an excellent education from teachers and administrators who are dedicated and many times driven to teach kids and help them grown. Every day there are unsung heroes who stay well beyond normal hours to help kids learn higher math or practice language skills or other tasks. They take papers home and grade them over night. They wipe noses. They take money out of their own pockets to give kids lunch money.
But do you see stories like that on the news?
Every day, millions of kids go to school and do get an excellent education from teachers and administrators who are dedicated and many times driven to teach kids and help them grown.
And yet for some reason we seem to be lagging way behind in terms of education quality. Funny, isn’t it? All these teachers are unsung heros, but our kids still can’t read on grade level. Hmmm.
why would that bug teachers?
heck, I focus on teaching my students problem solving skills that they can use in any profession.
I flat-out tell mt students tha there are a lot of degrees that have poor job markets, and that most service trades are booming. I also inform them that, despite stereotypes, these professions don’t want idiots.
I also don’t like it when teachers refer to students as “good for nothing”.
Did your teacher give you extra hard homework or something?
(BTW, a while back you were debating going back to school - whatever happened with that?)
Did your teacher give you extra hard homework or something?
Yeah, but I ignored it just like I did with all my homework.
a while back you were debating going back to school - whatever happened with that?
Nothing yet. I’m still kicking it around in my head. Mrs. Vitus informed me the other day that I should go back this fall, though, so that probably means I’ll be calling my advisor pretty soon. (She was a little taken aback by how nice everyone to me in that thread, btw. “It’s like they think you’re kind of smart, or something.”)