primalmommy on sat 4 sep 04
Tony Clennel wrote:
>I think it is important that students of all ages
>know that you like them and like being
>back at school to be with them.
Assuming, of course, that you do... Of all the teachers lounges I have
spent breaks in, I have seen a wide range of teachers, teaching for a
wide range of reasons. "Because I like being with the kids" was usually
limited to parttimers, newcomers and the rare indomitable teacher with
the permanent perkiness of Mary Poppins. Also making the list is
"because my husband ran off with some bimbo and this is the degree I got
before I married"... and "I have been doing this since the one room
school house and don't know how to do anything else".
>Like dogs the students know who is afraid of
>them or don't like them and they bite them.
>On Tuesday some teachers will return to school with a boil on their
arse.
>They would rather be anywhere else than back to school. they will have
a bad
>year. The other fine teachers have probably already been at school and
>anxiously await the new crop.
>I start out having them know i like them and what I do and then earn
their trust.
I don't doubt you, Tony. Teaching college kids and potters might not
lead to burn out like some other teaching jobs, and I hope you still are
as enthusiastic when you have been doing it several years. I suspect it
takes years in the trenches to develop a "boil on your arse". It may be
too high a standard, though, for burned-out, long term veterans,
especially the ones currently getting busloads of kids from parents
thanking God that summer vacation is over.
Yours
Kelly
At the lake for the long weekend, gathering wild plums, hickory nuts and
abandoned farm pears in the woods today... helping kids make terraria
with moss and mushrooms... swimming and canoeing, hanging with my
grandma (89 this week) and eating my mother's luxurious dinners.
Tomorrow morning I pull the Brent out of the back of the van, set up on
the deck and get back to work.
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Earl Brunner on sun 5 sep 04
Come to my inner city school and let the kids know you want them to like
you............We've got a new young 5th grade teacher, he's going to have a
hard time. He wants to be "nice". It's not that you can't BE nice, it's
just that you have to know HOW to be nice with these kids, or they think you
are weak, and will take advantage. It's the kind of neighborhood and
environment they come to school from. I'm not disagreeing with you, it's
just that you have to know HOW, it's not the same in all schools.
Earl Brunner
Las Vegas, NV
-----Original Message-----
Tony Clennel wrote:
>I think it is important that students of all ages
>know that you like them and like being
>back at school to be with them.
Wood Jeanne on sun 5 sep 04
Schools and teachers have long been the societal
whipping boy for people sitting in judgement from a
cushy and distant chair, but I find it sad to hear
this position from someone whose posts are usually as
thoughtful and intelligent as Kelly’s.
Having been in teacher’s lounges, trainings,
conferences, and after hours bars ;-). I have found
only a tiny minority of teachers who are so negative
about their professions and children.
Try this (IMHO) more common reason for teaching:
“Because what I teach positively impacts children’s
lives.” Or for adult education: “Because people’s
lives are improved by my teaching.”
I *know* that many (not all, however :-(), kids will
have a better life because of my classes, the same way
I know when I’ve made a good pot no one has to tell
me. I also watched my own highly artistic children
being influenced and inspired by their public school
teachers; and I also believe many (most?) other
teachers have helped even more children’s lives than I
have.
Ordinarily I don’t put a lot of worry into others'
opinion of what I do. But when some of the most
effective, undervalued, and best people I know are
criticized for the good they do, we have to speak up.
Yrs,
Jeanne W
(not a Mary Poppins either goddammit)
p.s. see page 378, August Museum Preview "Art in
America" to see a small pic of oldest son's art. :-D.
I wrote to tell his Jr. Hi & Senior Hi art teachers
because of their influence on him.
--- primalmommy wrote:
> Tony Clennel wrote:
> >I think it is important that students of all ages
> >know that you like them and like being
> >back at school to be with them.
>
> Assuming, of course, that you do... Of all the
> teachers lounges I have
> spent breaks in, I have seen a wide range of
> teachers, teaching for a
> wide range of reasons. "Because I like being with
> the kids" was usually
> limited to parttimers, newcomers and the rare
> indomitable teacher with
> the permanent perkiness of Mary Poppins. Also making
> the list is
> "because my husband ran off with some bimbo and this
> is the degree I got
> before I married"... and "I have been doing this
> since the one room
> school house and don't know how to do anything
> else".
I suspect it
> takes years in the trenches to develop a "boil on
> your arse". It may be
> too high a standard, though, for burned-out, long
> term veterans,
> especially the ones currently getting busloads of
> kids from parents
> thanking God that summer vacation is over.
>
> Yours
> Kelly
> At the lake for the long weekend, gathering wild
> plums, hickory nuts and
> abandoned farm pears in the woods today... helping
> kids make terraria
> with moss and mushrooms... swimming and canoeing,
> hanging with my
> grandma (89 this week) and eating my mother's
> luxurious dinners.
> Tomorrow morning I pull the Brent out of the back of
> the van, set up on
> the deck and get back to work.
>
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