Re: Why is it so bad? Always were bad apples

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On my fourth time out (5 outings each 2 weeks over the 8 months
degree course) the host teacher said, "Why do they send me such
people?" when the door closed and the principal left me with
her. She spent minimal time with me, gave me constructive (but
not overly negative) feedback when warranted and gave me an
outstanding rating. She told me she was amazed by my
organization and how I juggled her myriad of subjects (business
in those days had shorthand, typing, office practice,
organization and management, etc.). But I found that atmosphere
stressful. Unlike the two placements where the teachers were so
grateful to get a student teacher they hugged me the minute they
saw me. I guess some of these people are pressured by their
heads and principals to take students. Anyways, one of my
friends had to pick up the mail and coffee for her host teacher
each morning! And this host teacher was a department head! She
also went on to train teachers in our district and at the local
university. She would get the student teacher teaching almost on
the second day and then abscond to work on her Master's degree
and other projects necessary for her promotion. This is not
unusual. You have folks taking student teachers as if they're to
relieve them while they do course work. And I've often heard
kids say (they said it decades ago too when I was a student)
that it was the only time they actually got some real teaching
and one-on-one help. Sometimes the planned placements are in
short supply, some fall through, some are bad because other
training institutions have creamed off better prospects.

On 9/28/10, Denise wrote:
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> I laughed out loud at your horror story about taking the kids
> outside for a lab! I'm sure you laugh at it now, too, but I'm
> sure it wasn't so funny at the time!
>
> I agree with just about everything that you said. I forgot
> that I had to use a curriculum that she had written, i.e.
> worksheets, readings, etc. but I was to create new lesson plans
> that incorporated them. This was nearly impossible as I did
> not understand how she wanted them taught. I had to have
> lesson plans in two weeks ahead, and I had 3 preps. She would
> go over my plans each Tuesday, the same day she knew I had 5
> hours of class following school, and would expect the rewritten
> plans the next day. I don't know how I did it. She would
> rarely say my ideas were poor, but she couldn't just say, "Hey,
> I think you are on to something here!" So she would pick out a
> word choice and demand I change it. Just enough to remind me
> who was in charge.
>
> I know that many teachers are fantastic mentors. I just wish
> that mine would have been more patient with me. As I began,
> she told me she expected me to take on one class each week, but
> by my 2nd week, she pushed me to teach all day. It's
> definitely better being a teacher!
>
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> On 9/28/10, Catsister wrote:
>> I also had a horrid experience, and this was back in the
>> Compuserve days! I had no other stories of mean CT's.
>> Fortunately, I was backed up by my college (they were
>> annoyed when she demanded to read the "Private diary"
>> section of my ST looseleaf and demanded I take out anything
>> negative about her.) I got my revenge when I didn't invite
>> her to the dinner at the end of the year. Fifteen years
>> later, she wouldn't say "hello" to me when I had an
>> interview at the school. To this day, if I see her around
>> town, I feel sick.
>>
>> So I guess the bigger question is: why does ST go wrong so
>> often? My hypotheses: 1. Conflicting expectations. ST wants
>> a mentor, CT wants a personal assistant, and many women
>> (usually) attack personal assistants when they can't please
>> them perfectly enough.
>>
>> 2. College ed depts. and real schools have very different
>> ideas about teaching. I heard nothing but brainstorming,
>> coop learning, etc. for years n grad school--but none of
>> this existed at this time in the real world. My CT did
>> nothing but make the kids copy overheads. Creativity was
>> not welcome.
>>
>> 3. No interview process. There's no attempt to match anyone
>> with someone they'd be compatible with. Even if my CT's
>> nickname weren't "The Bitch," we would not be a good match.
>>
>> 4. Discipline. Kids know the ST is temporary, and will not
>> take discipline from them like they will a "real" teacher.
>> Little kids may not know the difference, but by middle
>> school or high school--fugetaboutit! Even if she is well-
>> meaning, an ST does not have classroom management
>> experience and will experience problems. It's inevitable,
>> unless you're in a class of angels. A good CT will
>> understand that some problems will occur and not
>> overdramatize them. A bad one will make a federal case out
>> of every bad kid.
>>
>> 5. Control. A ST will not have any say over grading
>> policies and even some assignments. You're forced to do
>> stuff you wouldn't do otherwise.
>>
>> I was swamped when my CT made me grade every little thing.
>> When I was a real teacher, I cut down on the assignments
>> and never graded homework. I almost broke down from all the
>> grading. Also, I had an incident where I had to take the
>> kids outside to do ecology projects. While I was there, one
>> girl started smoking, one flirted with some guy and a
>> deranged kid who was cutting class started screaming at me,
>> saying I had a fat ass. The smoking/ flirting/derangement
>> never would have happened with their regular teacher, who
>> everyone feared. I never would have taken the kids out of
>> the building, though.
 

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