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General Education Chatboard

Welcome to the General Education Chatboard!

by Bob Reap (Teachers.Net)

Jun 23, 2011

Welcome to the General Education Chatboard. This chatboard is for teachers to discuss general education issues - all topics broadly related to education, and any specific topic involved in education. Teachers.Net features hundreds of chatboards for educators - while you may find teacher chatboards more precisely focused on a given topic, this chatboard may provide you a wider exposure to teachers across the board, giving you a broad perspective from teachers across the spectrum. Issues of interest ot educators, whether theoretical or practical, are welcome and encouraged on the general education discussion chatboard.

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sybil Students seem to think that much of what we are teaching is irrelevant. They want to fast track learning- just tell them what they need to do. I've heard many students say they have been learning the same stuff since sixth grade. I think many students think they could do a job without all the stuff they have to do in school and that schoolwork is j...See MoreStudents seem to think that much of what we are teaching is irrelevant. They want to fast track learning- just tell them what they need to do. I've heard many students say they have been learning the same stuff since sixth grade. I think many students think they could do a job without all the stuff they have to do in school and that schoolwork is just jumping through hoops. So, I think the bigggest challenge is to make the curriculum more relevant, practical, and show them how what we are teaching is needed by connecting it to industries. I thknk this can be accomplished through problem-based learning and constructivist lesson design (which is difficult, but I'm trying it).

On 6/24/11, Stellaluna wrote: > Great responses..... good things to think about. Here are what I > see as our biggest challenges. > > Technology - someone posted that kids are distracted by technology > and all of the other distractions. Just 5 yrs ago I could not > have imagined what is available today. To me... the challenge is > how do we USE this in a proactive and meaningful way. I spoke > with a teacher recently who said that she wishes there were no > computers in K rooms because kids need to be actively playing and > not sitting at a computer.... and I partly agree.... but on the > other hand this stuff is NOT going away (and I love my tech in my > kinder classroom) so how do we use this to better teach kids? > I've also heard how tv shows and tech are affecting kids brain > development and their attention spans. Again.... no matter how > much we complain this isn't going to change. How do we adjust our > teaching style to how kids are changing? > > Politics - I am SOOOO tired on non-educators making decisions > about schools because it is what gets them votes and of educators > (admin) who do things that maybe aren't best for kids because it > is what parents want or because of the (duh-duh-duh ~dramatic > music~) TEST. > > This is a pretty broad vent.... but I feel that we spend so much > energy on trying to please everyone instead of doing what we know > is the best way to teach kids. Politicians spreading the lies > that there are vast amounts of overpaid terrible teachers and > powerful teacher unions who are destroying education. Huh? And > then we have to defend ourselves and our paychecks (as I drive > around town flaunting my 8 yr old Honda Civic and my new outfit > from the clearance rack of Target) when all we really want to do > is the best job we can with what we have. > > How dare you teach music and art when we have the test to prepare > for? Get that fluff out of the classroom. (But Mr. > Principal/School Board Member/Politician, there is compelling > evidence from years of brain research that music and art help > children develop mathematical and spatial reasoning which will > make them better thinkers and learners later on....Errrrr....you > want me to give my kinders test ready worksheets instead? > Alrighty-then) > > Resources - Also broad. I think it is shameful that teachers feel > the need to purchase their own supplies for their classrooms...and > this happens EVERYWHERE. We need to stop subsidizing public > education with our shrinking paychecks and let Joe Public know > what public education REALLY costs. (and when I say shameful.. I > don't mean shame on the teachers... I mean shame on the schools > that expect classrooms with all kinds of materials and decorations > but not provide them. I once had an admin. who used one teacher's > class as a model of how a classroom should look. It did look nice > and the teacher did work hard. She also spent a ton of her own > money ~and could afford it as her husband had a very high paying > job and she didn't need to work. My admin. had written up a > teacher on her classroom environment and brought her to the other > class to show her an example of what a class should look like. > But (with the help of our site union rep) it was pointed out that > everything that the principal liked in the room was store bought > out of the teacher's own pocket - posters, pocket charts, > alphabets and number lines - and the principal had a big a-ha > moment. Realized (he was a first year principal) if he wanted his > school to look like a kodak moment, he would have to find the > funds... and did actually get some money for materials to the > teachers... not much... but the point was made. > > I see teachers buying tissues and copy paper all the time. You > can bet that your superintendent who makes 2-3 times your salary > is not buying his own tissues... never mind for the 30 kids in > your room! > > And give teachers more INPUT on the resources that are purchased. > My school spends $$$$ on materials that sit on the shelf. There > would be more money for resources that would be used if money was > spent more wisely. My current and wise admin. spent money on > technology and bundled it with TRAINING so that the teachers would > actually know how to use it. Training is on going rather than a > one-day-song-and-dance-and-then-forget -everything-they-showed-us. > > Parent Support - This was mentioned a few times. I am lucky that > I usually have pretty good support but not always. But I teach in > a low income school so I go in with the attitude that I may be the > only supportive adult in each of my students' lives, so I am going > to do the best I can and not expect support from home. I can only > control what happens from the time the students walk into my > classroom until they leave. Then any support I get is a bonus. > > Class size - This is a biggie for me. I am in CA where the budget > crisis is hitting us hard, and the first thing many districts... > mine included.... did was raise class sizes and lay off teachers > to save money. Hmmmm... we still have the same number of > administrators but we have 20 % less teachers. My class went from > 20 students to 32 students so my workload increased and my salary > decreased. The admin. workloads actually decreased (less teachers > to supervise) and their salaries stayed the same. What is wrong > with this picture?... oh... and it will be the teachers' fault if > test scores go down with the bigger classes. > > I like having the support of my Vice-principal.... and I quite > like him.... but I don't NEED him to do my job. Yes, it would be > more work for my principal to not have a VP... Hmmmm.... kind-of > like when my class size was increased by over 50%!!!! welcome to > my world! > > I think if districts are really putting kids first, all staffing > cuts should start at the top, and leave class sizes as a last > resort... not a first resort. > > Hmmmmm.... if you read my whole post.... thank you! haha.... > Sadly I could go on and on about other challenges. It is a good > thing I love my job! :)

Jun 25, 2011

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Rin On 6/24/11, Becky wrote: > On 6/23/11, Stellaluna wrote: >> It won't let me post a new post yet... too new I guess... :) >> >> So here is my question.... What do all of you think the >> biggest challenge is today to educators and education overall? > Two of my biggest challenges I faced this past year were the lack >...See More

Jun 25, 2011

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Rin This seems to systemic to our society. Most parents lack focus, so how can they teach/model how to focus. The other challenge is they don't know how to support us.

> Two of my biggest challenges I faced this past year were the lack > of focus on the students' part and not having support from > parents.

Jun 25, 2011

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parents talk On 6/24/11, Stellaluna wrote: > Great responses..... good things to think about. Here are what I > see as our biggest challenges. > > Technology - someone posted that kids are distracted by technology > and all of the other distractions. Just 5 yrs ago I could not > have imagined what is available today. To me... the challenge is ...See MoreOn 6/24/11, Stellaluna wrote: > Great responses..... good things to think about. Here are what I > see as our biggest challenges. > > Technology - someone posted that kids are distracted by technology > and all of the other distractions. Just 5 yrs ago I could not > have imagined what is available today. To me... the challenge is > how do we USE this in a proactive and meaningful way. I spoke > with a teacher recently who said that she wishes there were no > computers in K rooms because kids need to be actively playing and > not sitting at a computer.... and I partly agree.... but on the > other hand this stuff is NOT going away (and I love my tech in my > kinder classroom) so how do we use this to better teach kids? > I've also heard how tv shows and tech are affecting kids brain > development and their attention spans. Again.... no matter how > much we complain this isn't going to change. How do we adjust our > teaching style to how kids are changing? > > Politics - I am SOOOO tired on non-educators making decisions > about schools because it is what gets them votes and of educators > (admin) who do things that maybe aren't best for kids because it > is what parents want or because of the (duh-duh-duh ~dramatic > music~) TEST. > > This is a pretty broad vent.... but I feel that we spend so much > energy on trying to please everyone instead of doing what we know > is the best way to teach kids. Politicians spreading the lies > that there are vast amounts of overpaid terrible teachers and > powerful teacher unions who are destroying education. Huh? And > then we have to defend ourselves and our paychecks (as I drive > around town flaunting my 8 yr old Honda Civic and my new outfit > from the clearance rack of Target) when all we really want to do > is the best job we can with what we have. > > How dare you teach music and art when we have the test to prepare > for? Get that fluff out of the classroom. (But Mr. > Principal/School Board Member/Politician, there is compelling > evidence from years of brain research that music and art help > children develop mathematical and spatial reasoning which will > make them better thinkers and learners later on....Errrrr....you > want me to give my kinders test ready worksheets instead? > Alrighty-then) > > Resources - Also broad. I think it is shameful that teachers feel > the need to purchase their own supplies for their classrooms...and > this happens EVERYWHERE. We need to stop subsidizing public > education with our shrinking paychecks and let Joe Public know > what public education REALLY costs. (and when I say shameful.. I > don't mean shame on the teachers... I mean shame on the schools > that expect classrooms with all kinds of materials and decorations > but not provide them. I once had an admin. who used one teacher's > class as a model of how a classroom should look. It did look nice > and the teacher did work hard. She also spent a ton of her own > money ~and could afford it as her husband had a very high paying > job and she didn't need to work. My admin. had written up a > teacher on her classroom environment and brought her to the other > class to show her an example of what a class should look like. > But (with the help of our site union rep) it was pointed out that > everything that the principal liked in the room was store bought > out of the teacher's own pocket - posters, pocket charts, > alphabets and number lines - and the principal had a big a-ha > moment. Realized (he was a first year principal) if he wanted his > school to look like a kodak moment, he would have to find the > funds... and did actually get some money for materials to the > teachers... not much... but the point was made. > > I see teachers buying tissues and copy paper all the time. You > can bet that your superintendent who makes 2-3 times your salary > is not buying his own tissues... never mind for the 30 kids in > your room! > > And give teachers more INPUT on the resources that are purchased. > My school spends $$$$ on materials that sit on the shelf. There > would be more money for resources that would be used if money was > spent more wisely. My current and wise admin. spent money on > technology and bundled it with TRAINING so that the teachers would > actually know how to use it. Training is on going rather than a > one-day-song-and-dance-and-then-forget -everything-they-showed-us. > > Parent Support - This was mentioned a few times. I am lucky that > I usually have pretty good support but not always. But I teach in > a low income school so I go in with the attitude that I may be the > only supportive adult in each of my students' lives, so I am going > to do the best I can and not expect support from home. I can only > control what happens from the time the students walk into my > classroom until they leave. Then any support I get is a bonus. > > Class size - This is a biggie for me. I am in CA where the budget > crisis is hitting us hard, and the first thing many districts... > mine included.... did was raise class sizes and lay off teachers > to save money. Hmmmm... we still have the same number of > administrators but we have 20 % less teachers. My class went from > 20 students to 32 students so my workload increased and my salary > decreased. The admin. workloads actually decreased (less teachers > to supervise) and their salaries stayed the same. What is wrong > with this picture?... oh... and it will be the teachers' fault if > test scores go down with the bigger classes. > > I like having the support of my Vice-principal.... and I quite > like him.... but I don't NEED him to do my job. Yes, it would be > more work for my principal to not have a VP... Hmmmm.... kind-of > like when my class size was increased by over 50%!!!! welcome to > my world! > > I think if districts are really putting kids first, all staffing > cuts should start at the top, and leave class sizes as a last > resort... not a first resort. > > Hmmmmm.... if you read my whole post.... thank you! haha.... > Sadly I could go on and on about other challenges. It is a good > thing I love my job! :)

Read the whole thing! :) It's a good thing we love our job.

Jun 26, 2011

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VET Thank you for this chatboard, Bob.

On 6/23/11, Bob Reap (Teachers.Net) wrote: > Welcome to the General Education Chatboard. This chatboard > is for teachers to discuss general education issues - all > topics broadly related to education, and any specific topic > involved in education. Teachers.Net features hundreds of > chat...See More

Jun 27, 2011

report post