Re: Behavior of Students in Eastern TN?

Thank you so much for your insights! I really appreciate you
taking the time to respond with your opinions. Hopefully I will
be able to experience teaching in TN very soon!

On 12/29/09, JaimeK wrote:
> On 11/23/09, SouthFLTeacher wrote:
>> Hi! I am a teacher in south Florida, and the behavior of
>> the students down here is terrible. I know other teachers
>> who have moved elsewhere in central FL, and they say how
>> much better behaved the students are, and they have so many
>> more involved parents compared to those in Broward county.
>> What is your opinion about the students in TN? I am
>> seriously considering moving to Eastern Tennessee, near the
>> Knoxville area. I just wanted to get your opinions about
>> the overall behavior of the kids in your classes. I know
>> that kids are not perfect anywhere, but I am just wondering
>> if the kids in south FL are just at the worst extreme
>> (which would not be surprising, considering we have really
>> rude adults down here too!). Thank you so much for your
>> thoughts and opinions!
>
> Born in Palm Beach, having a mom that taught in Belle Glade
> and then up here in Chattanooga, an aunt who taught in the
> Space Coast for over 30 yrs, etc.... I can say that kids are
> kids, but I will say you will find more pleasant students up
> here than down there simply b/c our state hasn't handed over
> all the teachers rights to the parents...which makes FL
> students respect the teachers less.
>
> I've worked in 4 schools now in my district and found that
> overall the kids are pleasant, even in my inner city schools.
> BUT, here's the big BUT, the kids in the inner city act just
> as bad, if not worse than some that you might find in the
> Miami-dade area.... Now near Knoxville, you'll have several
> good areas that are affluent, though I don't think you get
> paid even as much as we do in Chattanooga. And it depends on
> the age of the kids you teach.... I think TN teachers have it
> far easier than FL teachers for the most part, but you have
> better pay, support to do National Board Certification, and
> other things we don't have.