Feeling defeated and discouraged...sorry negative and lengthy rant

[klmno]

I thought some more about this and my life and difficult child's. In my life, I remember the good teachers that made a difference for me- a real difference. And many times it could be by saying something simple to me- like that I had God-given talent in a certain area. My grades shot up after that! And one- a science teacher in junior high school- she just seemed down-to-earth and "real" and not into trying to intimadate or threaten kids into doing what they were supposed to. She made a real difference ini my life, too.

With difficult child, he had a few horrible teachers in elementary school and his princip[al there was a vindictive, incompetent witch who had NO business working in a school much less being a principal. I have thought many times that she very well might have been the reason that the teachers handled things so incompetently.

But in difficult child's middle school, in spite of one asst principal who was clueless and made things worse but is no longer there, difficult child had a great principal (tough love approach- used to work in a Department of Juvenile Justice school), a teacher's aid in a collaborative class, and a teacher who taught him accelerated math/was on his IEP team/was married to a judge in the juvenile courts. These three people turned difficult child around at school (not completely as a difficult child obviously) within one year. It was the teacher who wore many hats foremost and he already says he wants to go by and say hello to her when he's released from Department of Juvenile Justice. It was his principal secondly. These people put in the time to butt heads with me at IEP meetings and we struggled through many debates, but we worked things out and were willing to try different things because we had the common goal of trying to help difficult child and get him on a better track. The teacher who wore many hats- well, she went above and beyond that and really has a knack for kids who don't fit into a box. But more than anything, she really liked difficult child and "got" him, and he really likes her because of it.

Others have already posted this EW, but you can't always see the results of your efforts. With difficult child, if it hadn't been for that teacher with the help of others, I would be sitting here preparing myself for him to quit school long vefore he ever reaches his senior year in high school.

I know you know- you can't save or help all of them. But your diligent efforts go farther than you know. Still, I'm sure it is a very frustrating job many, many days. By the time these kids are a senior it's pretty tough for anyone to get anything thru those thick heads. LOL! But I wonder if maybe a couple of your students really do want to learn and just feel out-numbered or almost pressured if the majority in your class are real hard-heads.

 

[Wiped Out]

EW,
I can totally relate to what you are saying. You are an amazing teacher and have helped many and continue to do so! I'm so glad you have the coaching and your team is doing so well.

It's easy in our profession to get discouraged; remember the good you are doing. Think of those that you know you have helped and remember that you have helped many more you do not even know you have helped.

I found this quote I thought I would share with you.

[FONT=georgia, bookman old style, palatino linotype, book antiqua, palatino, trebuchet ms, helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, avante garde, century gothic, comic sans ms, times, times new roman, serif]In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. ~Jacques Barzun

I like this one too.

[/FONT][FONT=georgia, bookman old style, palatino linotype, book antiqua, palatino, trebuchet ms, helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, avante garde, century gothic, comic sans ms, times, times new roman, serif]If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job. ~Donald D. Quinn
[/FONT]
One more.

[FONT=georgia, bookman old style, palatino linotype, book antiqua, palatino, trebuchet ms, helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, avante garde, century gothic, comic sans ms, times, times new roman, serif]Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition. ~Jacques Barzun


Hugs to you!
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[DammitJanet]

Oh Kat. I cannot imagine how hard it is to be a teacher. I know I was one of those kids that you hate. Especially in HS. In the earlier years, I was pretty good...lol.

If you want to feel better, just be glad I wasnt in your class. One time I blew the electricity out for the entire wing because I learned a cute little trick with the foil from cigarette packs. Did you know if you fold them into two thin little strips and stick them into the electrical outlet and then knock them together with wooden pencil they will spark and zap and let out a little puff of smoke and the power will go out? Yep! I did that to a substitute teacher...lmao. By the time they figured out that the power had gone out, I had my little bit of evidence back in my pocket!