Wednesday, September 03, 2003
The first day of school
We had prepared the day before with teacher meetings. I had hired new teachers, held the hands of veteran teachers, ordered texts, worked on the database schedule all summer and now it all came together. The students were coming in.
Surprisingly, I didn't have many parents to deal with but I did have students that were already inappropriately dressed. One girl that had a lot of cleavage showing and a very short skirt argued with me that she had long legs and I told her to change or cover up her chest. The unfortunate fact is that most boys stay away from the vamps because they have a bad attitued of a bad socially transmitted disease.
We got another kid that was thrown out to the schools in Oregon and was sent back to "sort of relatives" in New Jersey. Another potential student was married at 17, dropped out of school last year and now wants to get an education. But most of the students liked being back, shook my hand and had a smile on theri faces. They looked forward to the school year and what it had to offer.
My new teachers went through some problems but they survived. Just getting to all the paperwork at the end of the day can take a lot of time; time I would rather take going home, but it has to be done. I have vowed to clear my desk every night before I leave. It has reduced my stress.
Surprisingly, I didn't have many parents to deal with but I did have students that were already inappropriately dressed. One girl that had a lot of cleavage showing and a very short skirt argued with me that she had long legs and I told her to change or cover up her chest. The unfortunate fact is that most boys stay away from the vamps because they have a bad attitued of a bad socially transmitted disease.
We got another kid that was thrown out to the schools in Oregon and was sent back to "sort of relatives" in New Jersey. Another potential student was married at 17, dropped out of school last year and now wants to get an education. But most of the students liked being back, shook my hand and had a smile on theri faces. They looked forward to the school year and what it had to offer.
My new teachers went through some problems but they survived. Just getting to all the paperwork at the end of the day can take a lot of time; time I would rather take going home, but it has to be done. I have vowed to clear my desk every night before I leave. It has reduced my stress.
Monday, September 01, 2003
The day before going over the top
It's Labor Day. In New Jersey that means that educators are reflecting on the summer and the impending job of trying to civilize the present generation. It's not a pleasent day because of the mental anguish. No one but a teacher can understand the emotional and psychological stress teaching can bring. I taught for seventeen years before becoming an administrator. Sometimes I think that makes me too empathetic.
The trick I have developed for spending a moderately relaxing day today is to work like crazy all summer to prepare the forms, databases, letters, schedules, and equipment for Tuesday. People think everyone has off for the summer but the custodians and maintenance men never work harder in unairconditioned rooms. The sweat drips along with the wax stripper.
I am married to a teacher, which should be a principal as well. We will both try our best to relax this day, while parents are building up the excitement for being able to drop their kids into the laps of someone else and complain about it.
My wife's family got together for a birthday and all we could talk about was the sad state of public eduation. Government wants to legislate quality education but the parents want to act like animals while we try to teach their children. They insist their child be in a higher lever than they should be, then accuse the teacher of prejudice when scores are low. They want discipline in the school as long as their little scantily clad girl can wear whatever she wants. They want the kid to pass a test they didn't study for because the teacher didn't do all they could to prepare the child for the test. It goes on and on. There are so few decent parents because those parents home-school their children. We are left with the irresponsible ones that blame everyone but themselves for the rearing of their children. (Rearing: a southern term for bringing up children. "You raise corn; you rear children")
Some parents let the Internet and the TV rear their children. And you wonder why teachers are a little apprehensive on Labor Day?
The trick I have developed for spending a moderately relaxing day today is to work like crazy all summer to prepare the forms, databases, letters, schedules, and equipment for Tuesday. People think everyone has off for the summer but the custodians and maintenance men never work harder in unairconditioned rooms. The sweat drips along with the wax stripper.
I am married to a teacher, which should be a principal as well. We will both try our best to relax this day, while parents are building up the excitement for being able to drop their kids into the laps of someone else and complain about it.
My wife's family got together for a birthday and all we could talk about was the sad state of public eduation. Government wants to legislate quality education but the parents want to act like animals while we try to teach their children. They insist their child be in a higher lever than they should be, then accuse the teacher of prejudice when scores are low. They want discipline in the school as long as their little scantily clad girl can wear whatever she wants. They want the kid to pass a test they didn't study for because the teacher didn't do all they could to prepare the child for the test. It goes on and on. There are so few decent parents because those parents home-school their children. We are left with the irresponsible ones that blame everyone but themselves for the rearing of their children. (Rearing: a southern term for bringing up children. "You raise corn; you rear children")
Some parents let the Internet and the TV rear their children. And you wonder why teachers are a little apprehensive on Labor Day?
