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by Debra Karr
Dec 2, 2011
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, > but the silence of our friends." - Dr. Martin Luther King > Jr. > > Student Teaching Bullying By: Debra Karr > > It was 11:00 AM on this Thursday morning, one month into my > student teaching semester. I had just finished teaching > Charlotte Evensen’s freshman ...See More"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, > but the silence of our friends." - Dr. Martin Luther King > Jr. > > Student Teaching Bullying By: Debra Karr > > It was 11:00 AM on this Thursday morning, one month into my > student teaching semester. I had just finished teaching > Charlotte Evensen’s freshman English class at Warren High > School in the Downey Unified School District. Evensen was > one of two master teachers who supervised me and had been > in the room during my entire lesson. The students had just > left the classroom and Evensen called me to her > desk. “Please come back and see me at 6th period” she said. > 6th period was nearly three hours away, so I presumed that > what she needed to tell me wasn’t that pressing. I obliged, > and came back to see her during 6th period. > It was now roughly 2PM. Evensen and I stood in her empty > classroom. She began, “You will no longer be doing group > work in my classroom.” > “Fine” I said, “but may I ask why? The group work was a > teaching strategy strongly suggested by my teaching > credential program at California State University Long > Beach (CSULB) and I was just implementing it.” > “Well you will not be doing it here”, she > continued, “Because while you were teaching with group work > this morning, students were being sexually harassed and > bullied.” > I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Really?” I > asked, “Which students were being bullied and sexually > harassed ? And where were they sitting?” > Evensen did not give me specific names-just gestured > vaguely to one side of the room and barked, “those kids > over there.” > I then said, “Let me get this straight… if students were > being bullied and sexually harassed almost 3 hours ago, as > you allege, why did you sit there and let it happen?” > Like a politician that dodges a question, she responded > with some general rant about how she was trying to help me. > I wrote down this conversation between her and I > immediately and put it into my journal, which is required > by CSULB’s credential program. I then went home and copied > this conversation into an email to my University Supervisor > Dianne Vipond. > I then received an email from Vipond telling me that I > would no longer be working with Evanson, but to continue my > student teaching and report to work on Monday. > That Monday I sat in an English Teacher meeting with my > other Master Teacher-Monica Shulman. 20 minutes into the > meeting, there was a knock at the door. The principal of > the school John Harris and the English Department Chair > Shirley Stewart stood in the door jamb. Ms. Stewart > said, “Ms. Karr collect your things and come with us”. I > went outside with them, and Harris said, “We need you to > leave campus until this thing is straightened out. We’ll > call you when it’s time to come back.” Feeling > criminalized, I went around the corner to the Starbucks. > Two hours later I received a call from Vipond telling me > that I should just go home and that I’ll be hearing from > her later. > 7PM that evening I was told by Vipond that I am no longer > allowed on the Warren Campus and that I’m not allowed to > contact any staff member, student or parent of Warren HS or > the Downey Unified School District. > I wrote an email to Dr. Karen Hakim Butt the now interim > Associate Dean of the College of Education at CSULB > requesting further clarification and all I got back was an > email from Downey Unified and CSULB saying that I was “not > a proper fit”. In sum, they kicked me out of student > teaching with no investigation, no inquiry as to what > transpired; no due diligence, no recourse. > I tried to get my money back for the last student teaching > semester, but the accounting office told me they needed > some special code from Dr. Hakim Butt who was out of the > office during the refund period, so CSULB still charged me. > 3 years of blood, sweat, tears, precious time and a > mountain of student loans with no teaching license to show > for it all (I've been told that Lesson Planet has me listed > as having one- that's an error, I only have a Certificate > of Clearance and a Master of Arts). Unfortunately, my > experience is not the only > one. This is how these corrupt academics earn their bloated > salaries. > >
by Joseph Rinaldo
Dec 27, 2011
Called "a must-read for every school teacher in America, and certainly for every coach" by Amazon reviewer Linda Hawley, Hazardous Choices tells the story of Darnell Jackson, a young African-American man living in a gang- infested area of Chicago. To save his life, he joins a gang and is forced to do things he abhors. When an opportunity to escape ...See MoreCalled "a must-read for every school teacher in America, and certainly for every coach" by Amazon reviewer Linda Hawley, Hazardous Choices tells the story of Darnell Jackson, a young African-American man living in a gang- infested area of Chicago. To save his life, he joins a gang and is forced to do things he abhors. When an opportunity to escape this deadly world is offered to him, he accepts gladly. A football scholarship to a small rural Kentucky college could be his ticket out and a life free of violence and fear. But will his gang let him go, and worse, when they find out he lied to them to break away, will they retaliate? Find out in my new ebook release at [link removed].
"...be judged not by the color of your skin but by the content of your character." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"...the truth will set you free." John 8:32
This Could Happen To You BY: Debra Karr
It was 11:00 AM on this Thursday morning, one month into my student teaching semester. I had just finished teaching Charlotte ...See More"...be judged not by the color of your skin but by the content of your character." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"...the truth will set you free." John 8:32
This Could Happen To You BY: Debra Karr
It was 11:00 AM on this Thursday morning, one month into my student teaching semester. I had just finished teaching Charlotte Evensen's freshman English class at Warren High School in the Downey Unified School District. Evensen was one of two master teachers who supervised me and had been in the room during my entire lesson. The students had just left the classroom and Evensen called me to her desk. "Please come back and see me at 6th period" she said. 6th period was nearly three hours away, so I presumed that what she needed to tell me wasn't that pressing. I obliged, and came back to see her during 6th period.
It was now roughly 2PM. Evensen and I stood in her empty classroom. She began, "You will no longer be doing group work in my classroom."
"Fine" I said, "but may I ask why? The group work was a teaching strategy strongly suggested by my teaching credential program at California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and I was just implementing it."
"Well you will not be doing it here", she continued, "Because while you were teaching with group work this morning, students were being sexually harassed and bullied."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Really?" I asked, "Which students were being bullied and sexually harassed ? And where were they sitting?"
Evensen did not give me specific names-just gestured vaguely to one side of the room and barked, "those kids over there."
I then said, "Let me get this straightŠ if students were being bullied and sexually harassed almost 3 hours ago, as you allege, why did you sit there and let it happen?"
Like a politician that dodges a question, she responded with some general rant about how she was trying to help me.
I wrote down this conversation between her and I immediately and put it into my journal, which is required by CSULB's credential program. I then went home and copied this conversation into an email to my University Supervisor Dianne Vipond.
I then received an email from Vipond telling me that I would no longer be working with Evanson, but to continue my student teaching and report to work on Monday.
That Monday I sat in an English Teacher meeting with my other Master Teacher-Monica Shulman. 20 minutes into the meeting, there was a knock at the door. The principal of the school John Harris and the English Department Chair Shirley Stewart stood in the door jamb. Ms. Stewart said, "Ms. Karr collect your things and come with us". I went outside with them, and Harris said, "We need you to leave campus until this thing is straightened out. We'll call you when it's time to come back." Feeling criminalized, I went around the corner to the Starbucks. Two hours later I received a call from Vipond telling me that I should just go home and that I'll be hearing from her later.
7PM that evening I was told by Vipond that I am no longer allowed on the Warren Campus and that I'm not allowed to contact any staff member, student or parent of Warren HS or the Downey Unified School District.
I wrote an email to Dr. Karen Hakim Butt the now interim Associate Dean of the College of Education at CSULB requesting further clarification and all I got back was an email from Downey Unified and CSULB saying that I was "not a proper fit". In sum, they kicked me out of student teaching with no investigation, no inquiry as to what transpired; no due diligence, no recourse.
I tried to get my money back for the last student teaching semester, but the accounting office told me they needed some special code from Dr. Hakim Butt who was out of the office during the refund period, so CSULB still charged me.
3 years of blood, sweat, tears, precious time and a mountain of student loans with no teaching license to show for it all. Unfortunately, my experience is not the only one. This is how these corrupt academics earn their bloated salaries and fund their pensions.
I have gone to the CCTC, talked to 4 attorneys (even the office of Gloria Allred), written letters to Michele Obama, Ms. Biden, the Department of Education, and many others. Legally, they get away with this crap. Just letting you all know. Have a Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Debra K. Karr
From: [email removed];
by Rachel Martin
Jan 19, 2012
How can we use technology (such as Facebook/ smartboards)to help studentts and their peers become aware of bullying so we can decrease the statistc?
by Rachel Martin
Jan 19, 2012
How can we use technology (such as Facebook/ smartboards) to help students and their peers become aware of bullying so we can decrease the statistc?
by subteacher86
Jan 20, 2012
Well,
I'm certified to teach middle school and high school in my state, and one thing I've seen that kind of bothers me is the amount of blatant bullying that goes on in some of the places I serve. Unfortunately, sometimes the rudeness and disrespect even gets directed toward me. Some students frequently make fun of my appearance. I will ...See MoreWell,
I'm certified to teach middle school and high school in my state, and one thing I've seen that kind of bothers me is the amount of blatant bullying that goes on in some of the places I serve. Unfortunately, sometimes the rudeness and disrespect even gets directed toward me. Some students frequently make fun of my appearance. I will admit that I look pretty young and could be mistaken for a teenager. I'm also female and have problems with acne and visible facial hair. Also, perhaps I don't take the best care of my clothes. Although I purchase quality suits, it's common for me to show up in something a little wrinkled.
This wouldn't bother me a lot, but some of the students make a really big deal out of it. I don't think I should have to look like I stepped out of a magazine to get their respect, but I do want to be trusted and taken seriously. I work pretty hard, and I'm frequently frustrated that the students don't seem to see it and just decide to run over each other and me. Does anyone have any advice? If you think I should work on my appearance, how? I work and go to school, so I don't have a lot of time.
by englishteacher
Feb 20, 2012
Throughout my K-12 experience, I was mercillessly taunted, teased, and ostracized. Elementary school was the worst. I remember barely being able to bond with any of the students; I had only one friend my age all of those years, but I had plenty of enemies. My parents were very busy trying to work and meet basic needs. There were a few times when I ...See MoreThroughout my K-12 experience, I was mercillessly taunted, teased, and ostracized. Elementary school was the worst. I remember barely being able to bond with any of the students; I had only one friend my age all of those years, but I had plenty of enemies. My parents were very busy trying to work and meet basic needs. There were a few times when I wanted to talk, but I was made to feel like it wasn't that important, even though I hated my life. I got a little relief from my teachers, so I set to work to try to please them, but after second grade, they stopped showing a lot of support and left me to fend for myself. I found comfort then only in my studies and hope that the future would be better.
Middle school, ironically, was at first a relief. I wasn't subject to the stigmas and rumors that accompanied me in primary school. People were a little more mature there. I changed middle schools, though, and was again subject to a bit of bullying and ostracism; it was still better than primary school, though.
Then, I went to high school, and the nightmare started all over again. Not a year went by without someone reminding me how sub-par I was when compared to the others. I endured more ostracism, and, at this point, I was sort of afraid to reach out to people. I kept my conversations very short and developed a disinterest in most social activities. I distrusted people, especially my peers.
Afterwards, I went into the working world, a fast food restaurant, where I endured more taunts and teasing by my coworkers. I got tired of the teasing, sought revenge, and got fired.
Then, I went off to college. At college, things were different. I learned to socialize again, if only just a little, and I found a passion for something, teaching and writing, that I continued to work toward. Eventually, I graduated and got my teaching license.
Now, though, I'm behind the teacher's desk looking at students who are very likely where I once was, and I don't know how to help them. I nottice teasing and taunting, and sometimes it's even directed at me. I've started taking action, standing up for myself, and reminding these hecklers that I'm the adult in the room, but how am I supposed to help my students? Can I take a toxic environment and make it place where people actually respect each other, instead of making mindless hurtful comments? How can I turn this situation around?
Click below for a complimentary Anti-Bullying Activity for children. Also see, Resources, DVDs, to view excerpts from a DVD on bullying.
We teach kids in kindergarten to take turns and raise their hands, right? What happens by the time kids get to high scool?
I've generated some conversaton about what they're watching on MTV --
but y'all, we're losing them
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