Comments on: 23 – What’s the Point? http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/ ...and she's so snarky! Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:43:39 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: msfriendly http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-200 msfriendly Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:54:59 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-200 Gail - Good for you! I am still dawdling in the field because I feel compelled to work with kids...but I also know that I detest the system and the restraints of the classroom! Your husband is soooooo right! I have had friends and a boyfriend make the same observation about me during the summer months...in fact, I can feel me becoming me again during the summer...kind of like waking up out of a haze! I have considered joining Big Brothers/Big Sisters in the area I just left...I actually, believe it or not, love those kids I just left...but on a personal level. I can't help them as a classroom teacher, and I would not any of my children (if I had any) to attend public school, either...just because of the state it's in...which is why I hope the public will at least begin to see what is REALLY going on for what it is. And you're right, only the big G can change that...I wonder how many of our voices it will take before the big G listens? Thank you for your comment. You have helped me put a lot of my career goals into perspective. Gail – Good for you! I am still dawdling in the field because I feel compelled to work with kids…but I also know that I detest the system and the restraints of the classroom! Your husband is soooooo right! I have had friends and a boyfriend make the same observation about me during the summer months…in fact, I can feel me becoming me again during the summer…kind of like waking up out of a haze!

I have considered joining Big Brothers/Big Sisters in the area I just left…I actually, believe it or not, love those kids I just left…but on a personal level. I can’t help them as a classroom teacher, and I would not any of my children (if I had any) to attend public school, either…just because of the state it’s in…which is why I hope the public will at least begin to see what is REALLY going on for what it is. And you’re right, only the big G can change that…I wonder how many of our voices it will take before the big G listens?

Thank you for your comment. You have helped me put a lot of my career goals into perspective.

]]> By: Gail http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-199 Gail Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:44:05 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-199 I got out of teaching exactly five years after I started and I have never once regretted it. I am still involved in education at my new job, but I am not in a classroom or in a public school system. The best part is that I no longer take the stress home with me. My husband used to say that he could tell a difference in my behavior during the school year versus the summer. I didn't want to have my own children raised in that kind of environment, so I got out before having them. I do miss the students occasionally, but I got involved in Big Brothers/Big Sisters and visited my "little" at her school once a week to have lunch with her and hang out. I also volunteered in her classroom and helped the teacher as much as possible. But, after everything I saw in the classroom for those 5 years, I still am not sure if I will want my future children to attend public school and suffer through that. I guess it will depend what the school are like when we move this summer. Good luck to all of you teachers! You should get combat pay and only have to work 20 years before retiring like the police officers do. Until the government recognizes the stress and problems in schools, nothing will change. I got out of teaching exactly five years after I started and I have never once regretted it. I am still involved in education at my new job, but I am not in a classroom or in a public school system. The best part is that I no longer take the stress home with me. My husband used to say that he could tell a difference in my behavior during the school year versus the summer. I didn’t want to have my own children raised in that kind of environment, so I got out before having them. I do miss the students occasionally, but I got involved in Big Brothers/Big Sisters and visited my “little” at her school once a week to have lunch with her and hang out. I also volunteered in her classroom and helped the teacher as much as possible. But, after everything I saw in the classroom for those 5 years, I still am not sure if I will want my future children to attend public school and suffer through that. I guess it will depend what the school are like when we move this summer.
Good luck to all of you teachers! You should get combat pay and only have to work 20 years before retiring like the police officers do. Until the government recognizes the stress and problems in schools, nothing will change.

]]> By: msfriendly http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-197 msfriendly Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:31:34 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-197 Christopha! - Yes, I have considered that! I will still be in education next year...I'm a glutton for punishment. I am not sure in what capacity as of yet...but there will be at least one more year. Charter schools are few and far between where I am! We JUST discovered electricity over here! ;-) Christopha! – Yes, I have considered that! I will still be in education next year…I’m a glutton for punishment. I am not sure in what capacity as of yet…but there will be at least one more year. Charter schools are few and far between where I am! We JUST discovered electricity over here! ;-)

]]> By: msfriendly http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-196 msfriendly Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:29:06 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-196 Tom - Well, one thing I can say is that I am disappointed that his campaign seems to include room for more of the NCLB madness! A lot of the items listed on his educational platform are things that already exist in the world of education...I'm not sure if his intention is to tweak these things and improve them, or list just them so that the unsuspecting public will think he's really hot shit. I know one thing is for sure...America doesn't have many choices when it comes to Election 2008! So it's either him or the other guy!...coke or pepsi...coke or pepsi...OMG! They're BOTH colas!!! I don't know...I'm a cynic who only has patience for children and animals!!! Education is one of those platforms that reaches the forefront because the people who REALLY "matter" ;-) in the world (i.e. Obama, Clinton, Bush, etc.) send their children to private schools! I am in full agreement with you. I whole-heartedly believe that there are more people out there who would like to send their children to thug-free schools! Perhaps the answer is not to continue to remove the working student...remove the thug!!! If he/she doesn't want to be there, then send them to a trade school. But see, it's not their problem...the policy makers that is... Oh...but we can't because we have No Child Left Behind!!!!!! Tom – Well, one thing I can say is that I am disappointed that his campaign seems to include room for more of the NCLB madness! A lot of the items listed on his educational platform are things that already exist in the world of education…I’m not sure if his intention is to tweak these things and improve them, or list just them so that the unsuspecting public will think he’s really hot shit.

I know one thing is for sure…America doesn’t have many choices when it comes to Election 2008! So it’s either him or the other guy!…coke or pepsi…coke or pepsi…OMG! They’re BOTH colas!!! I don’t know…I’m a cynic who only has patience for children and animals!!!

Education is one of those platforms that reaches the forefront because the people who REALLY “matter” ;-) in the world (i.e. Obama, Clinton, Bush, etc.) send their children to private schools!

I am in full agreement with you. I whole-heartedly believe that there are more people out there who would like to send their children to thug-free schools!

Perhaps the answer is not to continue to remove the working student…remove the thug!!! If he/she doesn’t want to be there, then send them to a trade school. But see, it’s not their problem…the policy makers that is…

Oh…but we can’t because we have No Child Left Behind!!!!!!

]]> By: Christopha! http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-194 Christopha! Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:01:47 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-194 You are exactly the kind of person charter schools are looking for. Maybe you'd consider a lateral move? You are exactly the kind of person charter schools are looking for. Maybe you’d consider a lateral move?

]]> By: tom http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-192 tom Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:55:36 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-192 MsFriendly - what do you make of Obama's ideas on education? I think they are interesting - though i was annoyed when he mentioned that his daughters go to the private Chicago Lab school because it was 'convenient' Maybe more people would like the choice to send their children to thug-free schools. MsFriendly – what do you make of Obama’s ideas on education? I think they are interesting – though i was annoyed when he mentioned that his daughters go to the private Chicago Lab school because it was ‘convenient’ Maybe more people would like the choice to send their children to thug-free schools.

]]> By: msfriendly http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-190 msfriendly Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:38:23 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-190 Kevin...Yes, Grasshopper...Do as the river and not as the rock! LOL! Okay...it was funnier when the other person said it to me, but the point is that you ARE getting MY point (and every other teacher's point)! NCLB is not really about serving the student...if it were, then I would jump on the bandwagon and sing its praises (and it would ACTUALLY work)! That is ridiculous! I can't believe you were called on the carpet like that THREE YEARS later...the temerity! I believe your paperwork found a more suitable home inside the loving arms of that trash can...I really do ;-) Kevin…Yes, Grasshopper…Do as the river and not as the rock! LOL! Okay…it was funnier when the other person said it to me, but the point is that you ARE getting MY point (and every other teacher’s point)! NCLB is not really about serving the student…if it were, then I would jump on the bandwagon and sing its praises (and it would ACTUALLY work)!

That is ridiculous! I can’t believe you were called on the carpet like that THREE YEARS later…the temerity! I believe your paperwork found a more suitable home inside the loving arms of that trash can…I really do ;-)

]]> By: Kevin http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-189 Kevin Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:10:53 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-189 Ah, I think I'm starting to get it about NCLB... I once worked in a job where there was so much legal compliance paperwork that you hardly had time to do the actual job. All of it intended to ensure I wasn't a crook ... which I wasn't, anyway. THREE YEARS after I quit that job the company looked me up and requested that I fill out some paperwork to justify a recommendation I'd made for a client years ago. Bwa-ha-ha I laughed all the way to the trash can on that one. Now I'm in a career blissfully free of any "compliance" except making my clients happy. BTW, SinRo, I hope you weren't an ENGLISH teacher.... Ah, I think I’m starting to get it about NCLB… I once worked in a job where there was so much legal compliance paperwork that you hardly had time to do the actual job. All of it intended to ensure I wasn’t a crook … which I wasn’t, anyway. THREE YEARS after I quit that job the company looked me up and requested that I fill out some paperwork to justify a recommendation I’d made for a client years ago. Bwa-ha-ha I laughed all the way to the trash can on that one.

Now I’m in a career blissfully free of any “compliance” except making my clients happy.

BTW, SinRo, I hope you weren’t an ENGLISH teacher….

]]> By: msfriendly http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-188 msfriendly Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:24:53 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-188 Hey D!!! Yes...you remember the days, right?...And for the record people, D was one hell of a teacher!!! I respect that woman!!! She believed in the same things I do - the STUDENT FIRST mixed with a little bit of tough-love (i.e. discipline and parameters). Teaching AND learning were occurring in her room...the English faculty didn't always care for her out-of-the-classroom approach because she didn't play their bullshit games! NCLB should really be called NTLB...No Teacher Left Behind!!!! Hey D!!!

Yes…you remember the days, right?…And for the record people, D was one hell of a teacher!!! I respect that woman!!! She believed in the same things I do – the STUDENT FIRST mixed with a little bit of tough-love (i.e. discipline and parameters). Teaching AND learning were occurring in her room…the English faculty didn’t always care for her out-of-the-classroom approach because she didn’t play their bullshit games!

NCLB should really be called NTLB…No Teacher Left Behind!!!!

]]> By: msfriendly http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/23-what%e2%80%99s-the-point/#comment-187 msfriendly Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:18:25 +0000 http://msfriendly.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-187 SinRo...First of all, thank you for visiting! Don't stop venting about the bullshit!!! We need multiple acts of venting in order to get people to open their eyes about this situation because it is not just about education...it's about our culture as Americans...it's about parenting and citizenship...it's about raising the next generation under the watchful eye of a united community/effort (there I go getting all lofty again). And you're right...I,too, usually get the same remarks you do...people are incredulous once they KNOW about what is truly happening. As far as your extended stay in the teaching profession is concerned, I would say "Get out as soon as you realize it is not for you!" I did not do that...I was not sure where I belonged because I found something rewarding within education...something that I knew I was good at, but equally I discovered the despicable things about education. I no longer have the heart for public school education, but I know that I belong within th realm of education somehow. If you know you're ready to leave...go and don't look back! And as you decide what it is you want to do...I wish you luck!!!! SinRo…First of all, thank you for visiting! Don’t stop venting about the bullshit!!! We need multiple acts of venting in order to get people to open their eyes about this situation because it is not just about education…it’s about our culture as Americans…it’s about parenting and citizenship…it’s about raising the next generation under the watchful eye of a united community/effort (there I go getting all lofty again).

And you’re right…I,too, usually get the same remarks you do…people are incredulous once they KNOW about what is truly happening.

As far as your extended stay in the teaching profession is concerned, I would say “Get out as soon as you realize it is not for you!” I did not do that…I was not sure where I belonged because I found something rewarding within education…something that I knew I was good at, but equally I discovered the despicable things about education. I no longer have the heart for public school education, but I know that I belong within th realm of education somehow. If you know you’re ready to leave…go and don’t look back! And as you decide what it is you want to do…I wish you luck!!!!

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