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D.C. Teachers Chatboard

Saturday School

by Kim

Aug 14, 2008

I am interested in volunteering at a Saturday School. Does anyone know a contact person?

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DC wanted for postcard exchange! FREE LABELS!

by Diane

Aug 16, 2008

lease email me directly if you'd like to participate.

I will mail YOU FREE ADDRESS LABELS of our exchange list!

Email your name, grade, school name and school address to:

[email removed]

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Redskins Tickets as a Fundraiser

by Bulldog - Duplicate post from the main board

Aug 25, 2008

We had several Washington Redskins tickets donated to our International Club and I was wondering the best way to sell them to help raise enough money to help pay for our kids to go to Europe next year. I know the whole StubHub and EBay route, but I was wondering if anyone had another idea. Also, if you know of anyone that would want 4 tickets to a ...See More

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Are you willing to raise your voice for positive change?

by Rosanna Pittella

Sep 1, 2008

Everyone, if you are an educator who can clearly identify the issues we face in education, ready to stand up, be counted, and actively speak out and raise our voice for the changes we all KNOW must be made - there is a movement making its way across the country to NY this November you should know about ([link removed]).

The One Voice Inst...See More

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ethel johnson

by zabrina anthony

Sep 1, 2008

seeking to get knowledge of ethel johnson who taught at seaton elementary school in wash dc during the 1971 1975 years. thanks

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Free Teaching Media Literacy Workshop September 27

by Deirdre Evans-Pritchard

Sep 12, 2008

Everyone might like to think about attending the stimulating conference and film festival at the University of the District of Columbia September 26-27: Kidding Around: The Child in Film and Media, with panels, leading academics, great films for students, teachers and families and especially a TEACHING MEDIA LITERACY WORKSHOP FOR EDUCATORS: 4:30-6:...See More

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WE WANT TO PUT YOUR STUDENTS ON TV!

by ANGIE GOFF of 9NEWS NOW

Sep 24, 2008

SEND US YOUR HALLOWEEN COSTUME PICTURES! Througout the month of October I will be sharing pictures of people and kids dressed up on TV!

Send your picture (It can be from last year too) along with your name and where your from to Angie Goff at: [email removed]

Visit her daily blog for more details. Teachers send us your photos too!...See More

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Voice Teacher Seeking Students

by Alexandra Phillips

Sep 28, 2008

rofessional Clasical Singer is currently recruiting voice students. Alexandra teaches all ages, and levels. She creates a nurturing environment so that you may explore and find your voice. She teaches in vienna, Va, and in Georgetown.

Please contact her at (703)867-9524

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New Teacher (Fall 2009) looking for advice

by Raquel

Oct 14, 2008

Im an AA female HS English Teacher in Houston, planning on teaching in DCPS next fall. Everyone ive talked to so far says "DONT DO IT!!", but im determined to at least try. Not coming with any high hopes & ive read about the horrors. I would love to chat with any new HS DC teachers to get a more well rounded idea of what to expect. Ill also be ...See More

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not a teacher Hi, thanks for your comments. As a matter of fact in our schools students who should not pass still pass, but with very bad grades, so the majority of the kids makes an effort to avoid the shame of passing this way. (Our grades are public. I guess shame is an important part of the education process:)))

And just out of curiosity, what are t...See MoreHi, thanks for your comments. As a matter of fact in our schools students who should not pass still pass, but with very bad grades, so the majority of the kids makes an effort to avoid the shame of passing this way. (Our grades are public. I guess shame is an important part of the education process:)))

And just out of curiosity, what are the discipline imposing tools at teachers' disposal in this country? Understanding, caring and inspiring kids is all fine but, if I remember correctly, people in their 14s-17s are more inclined to fight rules and authority than to seek kindness and inspiration, and the teacher nicely fills their need for a common enemy. So what's out there to protect the teacher from these very energetic and indefatigable young people?

On 12/23/08, american schools wrote: > I'm not sure that being from another country even eastern europe > would prepare somebody for the brutality of D.C. schools. The > population you will teach there is majority black and poor. There > is an overwhelming attitude of disrespect for the teacher and even > violence. > > Correct me if I am wrong, but my impression of most european > education systems is that they are largely merit-based. By this I > mean that students are promoted based on proficiency of ability. > Students who are unable to do advanced math are tracked into > vocational programs and not allowed to continue to higher levels of > schooling unless they have very rich or very powerful parents. Is > this not how your education system runs? > > I think it will be an enormous shock to you to find that the > american educational system refuses to recognize that some > students do not have the ability to do mathematics. You will be > expected to be able to teach math to every student you are > teaching. You will be blamed when you cannot. You will have many > students who refuse to do any work, try to talk to each other in > class, try to sleep in class, threaten you verbally or physically, > skip class, steal things from your classroom, and so on. All of > their bad behaviors are your fault for not motivating them to want > to learn. If they fail to learn, it is your fault. > > Most of the students you will teach will not understand even basic > math but have been passed from level to level anyway. > > The administration will be no help. The worst subject to teach is > math. Most of the administration will be people who were never > good at math themselves and hate math teachers because they blame > them for their own inabilities in math. They will also blame you > when most of your stupid, lazy, rude students do badly at math. > > Do yourself a favor. Do not take this job. Especially not somewhere > like Washington, D.C. > > > > On 12/22/08, A'm not a teacher. Yet.? wrote: >> Hi, so can you tell me more about being a teacher in DC. >> I'm not a teacher, and I've never spoken to a teacher in this >> country. >> It seems you already answered my question, which was should I >> become one, but still.. >> >> I'm a foreigner, I (almost) have a PhD, so I should be >> qualified teaching math or science. I saw some "fast track" >> teaching certification program at: >> [link removed].

Dec 30, 2008

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american schools Students here can receive all A's even though they are very, very bad students who have no proficiency or ability in the subject. What is particularly strange in America is that it is the worst students and worst schools that usually have the most grade inflation. What I am saying is that the most grade inflation is found in urban schools that have...See MoreStudents here can receive all A's even though they are very, very bad students who have no proficiency or ability in the subject. What is particularly strange in America is that it is the worst students and worst schools that usually have the most grade inflation. What I am saying is that the most grade inflation is found in urban schools that have high numbers of minority and poor students.

The grading in better schools (not poor or minority schools) is usually more accurate.

So if you try to teach in the DC public schools, your classes will be full of students who are lazy and academically deficient. Let us say that you teach math in an inner city poor and minority school in DC or Baltimore or Los Angeles, etcetera. Your math class will be full of students who cannot even do 6th grade math. Most of your students will not be able to do long division (dividing without a calculator) and cannot add/subtract/multiply/divide fractions, but you will be responsible to teach them algebra or algebra II or even trigonometry or calculus. And their failure to learn will be considered you fault.

The reason that this problem exists so severely in poor and minority schools is because of American politics. African american and hispanic students have for a long time not done well in academic subjects in the United States. They often do not take advanced subjects in school. The American public thinks this is unfair and is blaming the schools and teachers for this. So minority students are being forced into classes they are unqualified and unprepared for. This creates a large problem for the teacher because these students are not academically prepared for this material.

So teachers have two problems if they are teaching in urban schools. The first problem is the teachers is required to teach advanced subjects to academically deficient students. The second problem is that the students in these types of schools are often disrespectful or even dangerous for the teachers. So you can see why there is a shortage of teachers in these schools and they are always looking for teachers. It is because working conditions are usually very bad for teachers so a lot of teachers quit.

And of course, the problem is the worst for math teachers because math is the hardest subject to teach if the student is lazy or stupid or unprepared. How would you like a classroom of 40 students who are a combination of lazy, stupid, unprepared, disrespectful, or dangerous?

On 12/30/08, not a teacher wrote: > > Hi, thanks for your comments. > As a matter of fact in our schools students who should not pass still > pass, but with very bad grades, so the majority of the kids makes an > effort to avoid the shame of passing this way. (Our grades are public. > I guess shame is an important part of the education process:))) > > And just out of curiosity, what are the discipline imposing tools at > teachers' disposal in this country? > Understanding, caring and inspiring kids is all fine but, > if I remember correctly, people in their 14s-17s are more inclined to > fight rules and authority than to seek kindness and inspiration, > and the teacher nicely fills their need for a common enemy. > So what's out there to protect the teacher from these very energetic > and indefatigable young people? > > > On 12/23/08, american schools wrote: >> I'm not sure that being from another country even eastern europe >> would prepare somebody for the brutality of D.C. schools. The >> population you will teach there is majority black and poor. There >> is an overwhelming attitude of disrespect for the teacher and even >> violence. >> >> Correct me if I am wrong, but my impression of most european >> education systems is that they are largely merit-based. By this I >> mean that students are promoted based on proficiency of ability. >> Students who are unable to do advanced math are tracked into >> vocational programs and not allowed to continue to higher levels of >> schooling unless they have very rich or very powerful parents. Is >> this not how your education system runs? >> >> I think it will be an enormous shock to you to find that the >> american educational system refuses to recognize that some >> students do not have the ability to do mathematics. You will be >> expected to be able to teach math to every student you are >> teaching. You will be blamed when you cannot. You will have many >> students who refuse to do any work, try to talk to each other in >> class, try to sleep in class, threaten you verbally or physically, >> skip class, steal things from your classroom, and so on. All of >> their bad behaviors are your fault for not motivating them to want >> to learn. If they fail to learn, it is your fault. >> >> Most of the students you will teach will not understand even basic >> math but have been passed from level to level anyway. >> >> The administration will be no help. The worst subject to teach is >> math. Most of the administration will be people who were never >> good at math themselves and hate math teachers because they blame >> them for their own inabilities in math. They will also blame you >> when most of your stupid, lazy, rude students do badly at math. >> >> Do yourself a favor. Do not take this job. Especially not somewhere >> like Washington, D.C. >> >> >> >> On 12/22/08, A'm not a teacher. Yet.? wrote: >>> Hi, so can you tell me more about being a teacher in DC. >>> I'm not a teacher, and I've never spoken to a teacher in this >>> country. >>> It seems you already answered my question, which was should I >>> become one, but still.. >>> >>> I'm a foreigner, I (almost) have a PhD, so I should be >>> qualified teaching math or science. I saw some "fast track" >>> teaching certification program at: >>> [link removed].

Dec 30, 2008

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