I really have no comments about this that would not get you in touch with my redneck roots, so I will let the action speak for itself.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358956,00.html
On the positive side, I am one week removed from our own Ms. Drama as of today....nothing like summer vacation!
Showing posts with label public school has issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public school has issues. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Drama Follows Me Around
Ms. Drama (The boy's 1st grade teacher) is at it again. Last Friday she said he threatened to rip a child to shreds with the safety scissors. I was told to not let him watch TV. Uh-huh. He also said we had a baboon at home that would do the dirty deed. Guess Animal Planet is now a really bad influence! Yesterday, he told three 3rd graders he was going to "chop their heads off." Wow, sure is brazen of a 1st grader cornered in the boys bathroom by a posse of 3rd grade homies. Guess that was all his 6 year old brain could come up with. Of course, this warranted a visit to the principal's office and additional threats to my sanity on the behalf of Ms. Drama.
"But Desperate," you say, "why can't the teacher deal with the boy by herself? Doesn't she have a plan in place?"
Uh--no. Classroom management? Has she never heard of it?!? Fuh-get about it! Ms. Drama doesn't have the energy or will to work with her class. After all, she has too many discipline notes to fill out. She would just rather throw the wild, unruly, nasty little buggers another worksheet to bore them to tears and go gossip to the teacher aides and other parents.
Thing is, I know teachers. I work with hundreds of teachers every day. I know the difference between a teacher who genuinely loves her job and one who just got stuck in it. I also know how easy it is to get your teacher license. After all, I did it. And I am very, very lazy! I know how easy it is to get a "A". I also know that "A" doesn't count for squat when you get out into the real world. There is a dirty little secret in the foo-foo world of teachers. Those with relatives or friends on the school board get first preference--and the most job security. Those who kissed the principal's arse so much their face is permanently imprinted on said butt are second choice. Those who kept their nose to the grindstone, learned about solid research based teaching practices and have the child's best interest at heart--well, those are last choice. And did I mention the clique going on amongst our teaching staff? You think high school was bad--man, oh man, they have nothing on a group of educators with their apples on their lapels and their buns on their heads.
Teachers of the world, do not get your panties into a wad. I simply speak from experience. There are exceptions to every rule. But I can tell you, as a supervisor to teachers, I see a total lack of professionalism, tact, courtesy, concern and common sense on a daily basis. And that my friends, describes Ms. Drama to a T!
"But Desperate," you say, "why can't the teacher deal with the boy by herself? Doesn't she have a plan in place?"
Uh--no. Classroom management? Has she never heard of it?!? Fuh-get about it! Ms. Drama doesn't have the energy or will to work with her class. After all, she has too many discipline notes to fill out. She would just rather throw the wild, unruly, nasty little buggers another worksheet to bore them to tears and go gossip to the teacher aides and other parents.
Thing is, I know teachers. I work with hundreds of teachers every day. I know the difference between a teacher who genuinely loves her job and one who just got stuck in it. I also know how easy it is to get your teacher license. After all, I did it. And I am very, very lazy! I know how easy it is to get a "A". I also know that "A" doesn't count for squat when you get out into the real world. There is a dirty little secret in the foo-foo world of teachers. Those with relatives or friends on the school board get first preference--and the most job security. Those who kissed the principal's arse so much their face is permanently imprinted on said butt are second choice. Those who kept their nose to the grindstone, learned about solid research based teaching practices and have the child's best interest at heart--well, those are last choice. And did I mention the clique going on amongst our teaching staff? You think high school was bad--man, oh man, they have nothing on a group of educators with their apples on their lapels and their buns on their heads.
Teachers of the world, do not get your panties into a wad. I simply speak from experience. There are exceptions to every rule. But I can tell you, as a supervisor to teachers, I see a total lack of professionalism, tact, courtesy, concern and common sense on a daily basis. And that my friends, describes Ms. Drama to a T!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Resolution #2
As I sat at that table, listening to the "experts" tell me what was best for my boy, I wanted to explode. Explode in anger, expletives, tears, wails--you name it, I wanted to make it happen. Nine reported "professional experts" telling me my son was too smart for the school system to take care of anymore. Nine virtual strangers--who don't really know my boy--who don't understand or recognize his needs--deciding that because he is intelligent and scores well on standardized tests that he does not need any school services other than speech. I know my boy. I understand what he needs. I understand that cutting out his OT service is devastating--and I tell them.
From the back corner I hear a voice pipe up--a new lady--the first time she has ever been to one of the boy's IEP meetings. A woman who doesn't know my boy at all--only by name. And she says to me, "If you take nothing else out of this you need to understand this is a good thing. You need to celebrate his success." Wow. Celebrate his success. After numerous calls from the Principal's office about his behavior; after his teacher spewing her dislike of him to other parents; after he has been forced into the back corner of his room to keep him quiet, now I need to celebrate is success. He is smart--no kidding. I already knew that. His speech is improving--no kidding, tell me something I don't know. Let me tell you something new-you just yanked the only service that was truly helping him. But hey--let's celebrate!
My boy is likely on the Autism spectrum--having a preliminary diagnosis of Asperger's. And let me tell you what I celebrate. I am so happy my boy is NOT like all the others. He is independent. He is creative. He is expressive. I have no reason to believe that once he graduates and enters the world on his own, he will be successful at whatever he chooses to do. I celebrate his uniqueness every day. But he has an impairment. Would you take glasses away from someone with a vision impairment?
I concordance with New Years Resolution #2, we will be pursuing our own avenues for therapy and related services. As the girl would say, "You go get 'em, ok?"
From the back corner I hear a voice pipe up--a new lady--the first time she has ever been to one of the boy's IEP meetings. A woman who doesn't know my boy at all--only by name. And she says to me, "If you take nothing else out of this you need to understand this is a good thing. You need to celebrate his success." Wow. Celebrate his success. After numerous calls from the Principal's office about his behavior; after his teacher spewing her dislike of him to other parents; after he has been forced into the back corner of his room to keep him quiet, now I need to celebrate is success. He is smart--no kidding. I already knew that. His speech is improving--no kidding, tell me something I don't know. Let me tell you something new-you just yanked the only service that was truly helping him. But hey--let's celebrate!
My boy is likely on the Autism spectrum--having a preliminary diagnosis of Asperger's. And let me tell you what I celebrate. I am so happy my boy is NOT like all the others. He is independent. He is creative. He is expressive. I have no reason to believe that once he graduates and enters the world on his own, he will be successful at whatever he chooses to do. I celebrate his uniqueness every day. But he has an impairment. Would you take glasses away from someone with a vision impairment?
I concordance with New Years Resolution #2, we will be pursuing our own avenues for therapy and related services. As the girl would say, "You go get 'em, ok?"
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