Re: Why is Arizona so bad for teachers??

jamil

Posted on 1/03/11

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Listen .. this is Arizona. There is a reason why it ranks at
the bottom in rankings in the country. Try some of the states
up north and you might find a different culture regarding
teachers. Unions are stronger too. There is a reason for
unions and it is to protect good teachers from being fired just
on a whim. Teachers do get more respect. Leave this state. It
can become the 3rd world state that the legislators seem to want
to make it. We might compare favorably with Mexico. AZ
certainly cannot compare with schools in the North.

On 12/29/10, dm wrote:
> I will tell you this....teaching is only 50% teaching
> children subject matter and skills - the other 50% is
> managing their behavior. Also, many go into teaching
> because they have a caring demeanor, they want to make a
> difference, and use their creativity. The reality
> is...it's ALL about test scores and data (even though the
> child himself will remember more about you than what you
> taught!). Good luck in whatever you end up doing!
>
> On 12/28/10, Julia wrote:
>> I've been going to school for the past 4 years part
>> time and just got my AA-
>> EE. I am planning on going to NAU fall 2011, but I am
>> hesitant. I have always wanted to be a teacher and I
>> have dedicated so much time and work into the field,
>> buty I'm worried I'll graduate and unable to find a
>> job. Plus, no benefits. Would any of you change your
>> degree if you could go back? What else can you find
>> with and education degree? Thanks, Julia
>>
>> On 12/23/10, dm wrote:
>>> Too right on points f and g :)
>>>
>>>
>>> On 12/21/10, Lynde wrote:
>>>> This country is sick. How did we ever get (or maybe
>>>> we've always been like this, it's just getting more
>>>> obvious?) to the point where teachers of all people
>>>> were treated with such incredible disrespect? We
>>>> are teachers because a) we want to be
>>>> teachers--love our content, want to teach it, care
>>>> about the students we're going to teach it to, and
>>>> believe in those same-said students; b) we have a
>>>> fairly well- developed work-ethic specifically
>>>> required to meet the slave-like conditions of our
>>>> profession; c) we have extensive knowledge of our
>>>> content areas; d) we have extensive knowledge of
>>>> hundreds of teaching strategies to choose
>>>> from--whether they work or not is another issue; e)
>>>> we have at least a baseline of talent at
>>>> communicating to and with students from which
>>>> hopefully we will use the ensuing years of
>>>> experience to hone still further; f) we have almost
>>>> inexhaustible energy; g) we're willing to sacrifice
>>>> our money, our personall time, and in all too many
>>>> cases, our personal lives, relationships and health
>>>> to be teachers. If anything, every single parent,
>>>> and government so-and-so should be bowing down to
>>>> us, grateful that there is anybody at all who is
>>>> willing to do this job. Ed profs sure as the devil
>>>> don't want to do it--they get the heck out of Dodge
>>>> at the first available opportunity and then try to
>>>> tell US how to OUR job; politicians don't want to
>>>> do it--they won't even talk to us in a meaningful
>>>> kind of way; and the general public isn't willing
>>>> to take on the job--they won't even show for simple
>>>> parent/teacher conferences.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 12/15/10, marie wrote:
>>>>> On 12/15/10, marie wrote:
>>>>>> On 12/14/10, benefits? tenure? wrote:
>>>>>>> Besides the low salary, has anyone else
>>>>>>> noticed a distinct lack of benefits? It would
>>>>>>> have cost me $850 a month to insure myself
>>>>>>> and family on district health insurance this
>>>>>>> year...that's half of my take home pay! Yes,
>>>>>>> literally half.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> As other posters said, no support. No money.
>>>>>>> No job security. Years of service count for
>>>>>>> nothing. Every year we're being told to do
>>>>>>> more and more with less and less.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> At my school, this new "no tenure"
>>>>>>> law has made a huge difference. It sounds
>>>>>>> good on paper...Yes, we can get rid of bad
>>>>>>> teachers who are just counting the days down
>>>>>>> until retirement. But here's the other side
>>>>>>> of the coin: Principals now have an
>>>>>>> incredible amount of power to
>>>>>> hire and
>>>>>>> fire at will. Teachers at my school are
>>>>>>> watching the principal and district implement
>>>>>>> things that are bad for kids, and we are
>>>>>>> being treated like garbage (being talked
>>>>>>> about behind our backs to other colleagues
>>>>>>> and being pitted against each other and
>>>>>>> against parents)...and nobody will stand up
>>>>>>> and say anything because we all need our jobs
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> The lack of tenure, poor unions &
>>>>> principals/districts who are uncaring & run
>>>>> things like a giant corperation-- running over
>>>>> everyone & getting rid of problems through
>>>>> intimidation-- are reasons AZ is in trouble. I
>>>>> just got forcebly retired by my district because
>>>>> they didn't like the fact I was going out on a
>>>>> medical leave for stress for perhaps 2 weeks. I
>>>>> was afraid I was going to lose it in the
>>>>> classroom so I took myself out, got a drs. note,
>>>>> signed FMLA papers(but had sick time I wanted to
>>>>> use).I had been with them for 21 years! They told
>>>>> me I had 3 options:Go back to the classroom
>>>>> tomorrow,see a psychiatrist by the next day, or
>>>>> take retirement. I took retirement. I couldn't
>>>>> work for the principal or district that treated
>>>>> me that badly. Everyone at my old school is in
>>>>> fear it will be them next--seems to me they want
>>>>> younger teachers, plus I said something the
>>>>> principal didn't like, so this was his solution.I
>>>>> could fight in court, but can't stand the stress.

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