Nearing The End

Two weeks from today I will be off for the summer. Often I ask what I like best about teaching. I always say, "Three things.. June, July, August." Of ourse now school begins earlier every year and most of August is being taken over.
The "State" decides to add more time to school, make the grading system easier, and give every student an "IAP," wich means; an Individual Avademic Plan. Theese plans are to be desgined by the teacher to find ways of "reaching out" to every student in their "own unique way." Basicly this says that since parents do not educate their children and the netr school unable to read, we are playing catchup all year. In stead of working them harder, we are supposed to use kid's gloves and hope the catch up. In the words of Bart Simpson "Let me get this strait. We are supposed to catch up with the rest of the kids by going slower... Kukoo.. Kukoo."
Now here are some of my beefs:

1. This program mostly hurts good teachers. The state gives each teacher a list of required topics to be covered, the school board then adds a few more topics, and finaly the principal of the school can add more if he/she desires. Good teachers can tear through this material and have the children learnging in the 18-36 week (depedning on the schools) time period. I myself was ecsaclty half way done with my 18 week requirements at the 8 week mark. Being a week ahead I had my students watch a movie. To make the movie last 5 forty-three minute periods, I would pause and discuss things. This being the end of week 16 right now I have met all requirements, and am forced to create work for my students the next two weeks.

2. The states new aproach to learning has given imensce power to the students. Instead of mearly failing like in days of past, students are transferred to an isolated classroom with no more then five other students. These five student have one teacher "helping" them catch up. The rsult is that the average size of classes still has to be twenty-two, to make it work, teachers with high succes rates get more students.

3. The "Touchy Feely" children of Hippies are now in the center of focus at schools. Most teahcers who are in thier mid twenties are the children "50's and 60's" parents. Our folks belived in doing the right thing, loving the country, and good morals. These hippies babies seem more concerned about personal persuits. Now at least the hippies sought "spiritual enlightenment," these idiots cant even read a computer error message.

Now while I could go on forever. My need to vent has passed and any more points would not have the same passion.

What has my first year of teaching tought me?

Get my masters and become a school board employee.