Teacher bashers

[fireheart17]

I am really getting sick of it lately.

Every single time the word "teachers" and either "schools" "curriculum" or "wages" are mentioned together in the media, the teacher bashers start to come out in full force. Criticizing that teachers are stupid, kids won't go through life with the necessary skills, public schools are TEH evil and that private school teachers actually do their job^, teachers just want their 12 weeks holiday* and have a short day etc. Frankly I'm sick of it.

What is it that the teacher bashers want?! Their child to become a doctor or a lawyer so they can show them off? Their teacher to give their child straight A's?

The only example I can see of a failure in the school system at the current moment is a coworker of mine that I've mentioned on CS.com, who speaks to me as though I'm 10 years younger than I am. When I told him today that he was being condescending, he looked at me and asked what "condescending" means. (this guy is 15)

^=for the non-Aussie folk, public schools are government run and funded. Parents usually pay a materials and services fee of about $200-$300 for primary school kids and up to $800 for high school kids, but they have to be approved by parents first. Private schools are government funded to an extent, but are primarily paid for by parents. These schools are primarily religious. (and there are quite a number of cases where parents are trying to enrol their kids in private schools while they're still in the womb -thankfully most schools won't start enrolling the kids until they're 20 months old so they're guaranteed a spot when they're 5)

*=the school year in Australia starts in January and ends in December. It's split into four terms, consisting of the following number of weeks for each term: 11-10-10-9 or 10-10-10-10.

[Rebel]

I hate this!
Both my dad and my older sister are teachers at public schools.

Apparently they get criticized for everything. The homework is too hard/too easy. The teacher doesn't spend enough time with little Billy; they spend too much time with him. How dare you give little Billy a D grade! I don't care that he never does his schoolwork! He's my special little guy and he can do no wrong!

And the things teachers are now expected to do each day. They have to keep an eye out for abuse. If they don't report it, they can lose their jobs. They have to keep an eye out for apparent drug abuse/usage. They have to break up fights, but they can't touch the kids to do so coz that's obviously some sort of sexual attack on them.

And that whole wage/short day/long holiday argument? Guess who has to get a summer job every 'holiday' just to keep themselves afloat until the new year rolls around?

Though I must admit that I would look forward to my dad coming home each day. He would greet me with "You wouldn't believe what this moron/little shit did today".
Funnily enough, he was usually referring to a parent

[jackfaire]

And that whole wage/short day/long holiday argument? Guess who has to get a summer job every 'holiday' just to keep themselves afloat until the new year rolls around?
:

In my area this argument makes sense because teachers on average make around 40 grand a year twice what I make and I live on what I make.

[McDreidel09]

In my area this argument makes sense because teachers on average make around 40 grand a year twice what I make and I live on what I make.

One question for you though. Do you have to buy the materials for your job? Teachers sure as hell do.They have to buy their own chalk/eraser board markers, writing utensils for them to use, plus the writing materials for students to borrow because they aren't prepared and teachers will get in trouble if they don't (seen it happen. Often times, teachers would never see those utensils again, unless they did a collateral system), calculators for the students to use (Math teachers), the paper for the assignments and tests, staples, staplers, decorations for the room, resources for the students, thumbtacks,tape,paperclips,grading book,reading books in bulk (English teachers), and other things that I can't think of right now that also depend on the subject they are teaching. That is on top of all of their bills, food, taking care of families they may have,clothing, etc. Plus, they have that summer break, where they may not have income unless they get a summer job.

Sorry for the wall o' text.

[Rageaholic]

Wow, it sounds like some of these people really are too hard on teachers. They're expecting way too much out of people who are only human. Of course I do think part of the problem is the public schools, but it's not like the teachers have any control over that.

My only bias against teachers is this know it all attitude some of them have.

[jackfaire]

Sorry for the wall o' text.

That's fine actually no I don't neither do the teachers in my area. The schools are pretty well funded they do a lot of tax deals with area residents. It's why I am glad I moved over here the quality of my education took a big jump.

Oh and so you know I myself never bash teachers just not every teacher all over the country is underpaid and having to pay for things out of their own pockets.

[Rebel]

In my area this argument makes sense because teachers on average make around 40 grand a year twice what I make and I live on what I make.

Both of my family members have this crazy idea of paying off their mortgages.
Crazy I know.
And yes, they do have to spend a fair amount on supplies for their classes, public school budgets don't go very far.

A lot of teachers get a bad wrap because they've pretty much got one of the most unrewarding jobs out there. People expect too much out of them. They have to work for hours outside of school times without pay. So they become frustrated and disillusioned.

The thing my dad hated the most about being a teacher in Western Australia was that he had to teach in a rural school for 2 years before he could get a permanent post at a city school. He was made to live and work in a crappy little desert town where no-one likes to wash and air-conditioners do not exist.

[jackfaire]

Both of my family members have this crazy idea of paying off their mortgages.

*shrugs* I did say it but I am not bashing teachers I think they do a good job. I also believe in living within your means if your income doesn't support certain things such as buying a house, mine does not, then don't do it or find an other way to do it, in my case buy one with my mom.

[crashhelmet]

The biggest problem with education today starts with the parents at home. A lot of parents aren't disciplining their kids enough to either be respectful and attentive in class or make their kids do their homework when they get home. They expect teachers to raise their kids when the TV, XBOX, and/or internet can't.

Back when i was a HS teacher, I heard parents say they didn't have the time to sit down and help their kids with their homework. They've got time to sit down and watch TV but not help their kids? What kind of message does that send?

CH

[McDreidel09]

Back when i was a HS teacher, I heard parents say they didn't have the time to sit down and help their kids with their homework. They've got time to sit down and watch TV but not help their kids? What kind of message does that send?CH

Unfortunately, for some parents, not having the time is the truth. For instance, my mom works second shift, starting at 3pm and does not get out of work until 2 am. My sister gets out of school at 3:30pm and goes to bed at 9 pm. I may be here for her for the rest of her school year, but I'm not always going to be here, since I will be away at school.

However, for the parents who do have time, they really need to get their act together. There is no excuse for just watching tv rather than helping their children with homework

[HYHYBT]

Yes, you definitely should wait until after the child is born to send him to school

Around here, teachers generally are paid on a year-round system. Depending on your perspective you could say that a portion of what they earn during the school year is held back and paid out over the summer.

[fireheart17]

Yes, you definitely should wait until after the child is born to send him to school

To clarify, it's not that they're GOING to school, it's that they're being guaranteed a place for when said child turns 5.

i.e. if Billy's mom gets preggers in 2000, she can ring and ask for Billy to be enrolled at Brainwashing School For the Gifted to start in 2005.

[Mishi]

To clarify, it's not that they're GOING to school, it's that they're being guaranteed a place for when said child turns 5.

And that's only if you fit into the preference categories, ace the interview and impress the principal. Our kids are going to go to a private school, after many years of my personal dislike of private schools. I believe that they provide a hothouse environment for faith/beliefs, the students are never challenged and so when they finish school, they're not used to other viewpoints and end up struggling with the sudden change. *Shrugs* The school is used to the speech issues that Miss Jazzy has, the joint problems that our two are at risk of developing, the students tend to do pretty well and the school offers course options that other schools don't. Besides, Rugz went there and he turned out pretty well once I explained some of the sex ed stuff that the school hadn't.

The thing that's annoying me is the idea that a teacher's salary should be based on how well their class/es do on tests. Not all kids do well in a test situation, and not all teachers can make their class/es learn. It's not the teacher's fault that parents don't send their kids to school with basic manners or the will to learn!

[bara]

The biggest problem with education today starts with the parents at home.

I was saying this same thing when I was IN school. School is not daycare.

[Rageaholic]

The thing that's annoying me is the idea that a teacher's salary should be based on how well their class/es do on tests. Not all kids do well in a test situation, and not all teachers can make their class/es learn. It's not the teacher's fault that parents don't send their kids to school with basic manners or the will to learn!

Yeah, that bugs the hell out of me. It puts undue stress on the teachers who puts similar stress on the students. It's just like punishing cashiers for not reaching a sales goal, even though they only have so much control over whether or not a customer buys the product.