Sunday, November 3, 2013
I have people coming to me in tears daily. I feel at a loss as to how to make it better .... Submitted by a member.
Everyone is at the end of their rope. Many are seeking medication. I am in support of any and all actions that will help unify teachers and empower them to stand up for themselves. Even our principal has had a personality change. Our school is full of anger, frustration, and disgust. Time to do something before everything falls apart.
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12 comments:
I am one of those who has become frustrated, and now suffer daily panic attacks and extreme anxiety. It's gotten to such a degree that I now take xanax simply to be able to get through the day. Does that benefit my kids? No. I spend most of my day frustrated and focused on the issues in the high school, instead of throwing myself into a lesson for my students.
It's so sad that this is what it's come to. The mayor should have to work under these conditions so that he could understand what is being done to the teachers. I feel for all of you. How do they think they will turn around the school system, with sick teachers? or teachers working in a panic?? or fear?? that 's not how it will be done. People need to feel validated, respected otherwise nothing will change.
This blog is on fire! Let's change the conversation in this city.
The mayor is so out of touch! It's almost as if he lives in a bubble! We have so many wonderful teachers in this district who cannot do this alone. We also have a lot of great parents in this district and we have parents who really don't seem to care about their child's education. The teachers need the parents support because as we all know, the administration is not backing the teachers up.
I have been working in our school system for well over a decade. I BELIEVE in our system because I was once educated by our elementary schools and high school. I have not only 1 but I have 2 college degrees along with a Masters. You would think treating us as professionals would go without question because as teachers we jumped through the collegiate years and "rigorous" teacher tests. We did this for the love and passion we have for the children of our future, to make a difference, and for the love of our profession. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that as teachers we would be treated with such unprofessional views, demoralizing treatment, and with such complete disregard and disrespect. If such treatment is not changed quickly the district will have an even bigger problem on their hands and I'm not certain WHY some members of our school committee, mayor, and our new superintendent cannot foresee it. The teachers are screaming for what we need to be successful and time and time again are given excuse after excuse. WE are in the classrooms!!! Teachers are dusting off their résumés, taking medications so they can survive their days without panic/anxiety attacks, crying on the shoulders of fellow teachers and or family members. Teachers will have no choice but to take sick leave for the management of this stress/anxiety provoking climate. These teachers shoes will have to be filled!! By whom you ask? A long term substitute who, in 9 out of 10 cases (not all) have no interest in education and just need a "paycheck" and, might I add, have no certification, interest, or stake in raising the level of the distric/ the classroom scores!!!! So, where will that leave us?
I also think it is necessary to take a look at the Parker school situation. Last year the state came in to "fix us". Hmmm.... Interestingly enough the state not only failed at raising the level of the school but as of a year later is now a level 5 school????? Just wondering: if the state and all of it's "trained" personnel, along with added funding and resources were not able to turn this school around ----do you think we should blame them just as teachers would be blamed??? Obviously this problem goes beyond the classroom at many levels. Teachers need parental support and follow through.
We are being asked to be mom, dad, counselor, nurse, planners (with no planning time), data scrutinizers (when?), I can go on and on. We do this on three 40 min. Periods every 2 weeks and then thank goodness on Fridays when children leave at 1:00. Did I mention work is not done yet.... Let me bring my bag home and work rigorously for another several hours until I force myself to put things away. 8:30 most nights- I also find it AMAZING that I have 2 children who are EXCELLENT students and know the expectations of them in school, support the teachers, and check their homework/ study for tests etc. Success is not magically given, it is earned through hard work whether you are a child or an adult. THIS IS THE REAL WORLD.
So yes, I am one of those who actually do have to take medication now for panic attacks- I never would've believed I would need to take such a measure although I feel I am in a "survival mode".
If only people understood teachers love their jobs and always go above and beyond when we feel appreciated and supported. I also believe in accountability for teachers- supportive accountability (non threatening) as opposed to the current accountability motivated by fear. It is abusive. Our numbers are enormous as teachers in the system. With these numbers we could have a HUGE VOICE that could not be ignored.
Believe it or not, I am a quiet person and very rarely speak out. Thank you for letting me vent.
I can honestly say I wake up every morning miserable and I leave my school every single day wanting bash my head into my own car window. I don't teach - I babysit middle schoolers. Ones who abuse me free of consequence. I'm nothing but a piece of meat to put in a room. God for bid if I'm not a "rigorous" piece of meat though...
Teachers, sadly very good teachers, really are walking out of of their jobs every single day on the verge of either having a mental breakdown or wanting to rip the doors of their own cars off the hinges. It really is true. I feel the exact same way. It is absolutely that bad. At this rate I cannot fathom what it would take for a student to get expelled at any given NB school. Honestly? What. Would. It. Take? Because dangerous and abusive children who thrive off of fighting and who verbally trash honest and hard working teachers day in and day out - students whose only incentive to pick up a pencil is to try and throw it across the room and hit someone (preferably in the eye) - are 150% allowed, and I will repeat myself, ALLOWED to do so. There is no consequence. If you think a few 30 minute detentions and a 2 day vacation - I'm sorry, "suspension" is really doing anything then you are not living on the same planet I am.
From last year to this year I truly wanted to believe that there might be a shred of hope for change. Well, it started with Pia showing us all a very nice clean cut film of students proclaiming that they wanted their teacher to "challenge them" and "make them think". Thats all well and dandy because if you looked you'd see they were interviewing kids from MILTON. Because Milton and New Bedford as a whole just have strikingly similar cultures, atmospheres, aspirations, etc. I see so much we can take and bestow unto our students because hey - it works for Milton. Pia, that is the moment you lost me. You don't show a video of Milton school systems to an a entire body of teachers that are attempting to teach in an impoverished, violence ridden, gang affiliated, drug dealing and street-life mentality driven urban city. I'll bet you my salary that in the time it took me to write this more fights were posted to Facebook from New Bedford students than Milton has had in the past decade. Rule #1 - Know your surroundings. HOW this woman got hired is just beyond me. My son who works construction could do this woman's job better than her. Why? Because he doesn't turn a blind eye to problems or pretend they don't exist. She has the Napoleon complex. Rules with an iron fist in that tiny body. I feel like she's taken the Patriot Act into her own hands because she is entitled because she is Pia and Pia knows all. Don't like it? - find a new job. Going to work is WONDERFUL day in and day out.
If NBEA members want to be taken seriously as a unit more than 40 people need to weigh in on any one topic listed on this blog. There are many topics or opinions that we can share but as a group we are nothing but a mere itch to the powers that be if we do not come out in force either by writing or meeting as a group. Tell your peers to view the blog and contribute so our numbers will give its members confidence that we are all in this together and pulling for the same outcome; the education for our students in a humane fashion. The bus is coming, we read it, we can hear it, and pretty soon, you'll see the headlights, and then the tail lights. Lets put the burden of parent involvement and disciplinary consequences on our leaders, and the burden of getting high tech and higher paying jobs in the area on the mayor. Being the number one fishing port in the country is impressive, but is it the industry that I want my children to necessarily work in. Our children need more options.
The public has no clue what is going on in this school system. It's up to us to get the facts out and put an end to this façade of an administrator. We are not Attleboro and we're not going to take it anymore!
I started this journey with high hopes and a positive attitude. It was a blessing to do what I loved to do; to teach. I was making a difference and giving all that I could. I took nothing for granted, and my students' academic success was a top priority. I had faith in my administrators which is no longer the case. This district broke me. I am no longer the same person. Is this what education is all about: money and data, incompetent leadership, and broken spirits? I did not learn this in my educator prep programs, but it does exist. Now, I question all that I once embraced. This profession is tainted by corruption and greed. We no longer trust or believe.
I can no longer stay silent as I listen to Durkin lie to the school committee and the public. She now has us believing that our union cannot protect us as she has authority from the state. Our housemasters are belittling, scaring and threatening us. They do not take our concerns seriously, and are perpetuating unhealthy work environments. I don't feel safe or secure. I worry about how this transmits to my students. We are all frightened about the unjust consequences. How can we all be wrong? Why is our best not good enough when we try to make the best of it with the little resources we have? They are the ones who are failing us and threaten us with Durkin's rigorous expectations. As if that will produce better results... It has the opposite effect.
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