I have no way of knowing who looks at this blog and I can't control that and today I really don't care who reads this....
My job as a special ed teacher has been peed on by whoever is responsible for the changes made to the GAA -- I'm not even going to explain what this is, but the gist of it is this: I took this job because I love my students, period. My first principal, God love her, Jean, told me that if that was #1 on my reasons for teaching then I'll probably do ok. She taught me that all else after that falls into the "other" category. At this stage of my life, I wish I could afford to quit. Apparently the bureaucrats who made these changes could care LESS about who is teaching these kids -- why should they? Their kids, I'm sure, have IQs above 70. If they cared one teeny bit, they would come visit our school, come to work with me one day and realize that TEACHING MY STUDENTS PHYSICS IS THE CRAZIEST THING YOU'VE EVER HEARD. The entire point of an IEP is the operative word "individual" which means that due to my students being unique in their abilities/disabilities, they need to be taught what is FUNCTIONAL, not what society thinks that all kids should know. "Oh yeah, we forgot about those retarded kids. Whatever." Does anyone else see the insanity in this? I spent half my day working on this paperwork that is completely meaningless and it is making my head hurt and my back hurt and makes me want to quit my job. We are all made to lie in order to please the administration and THEN we have to sign a document stating we have not lied. I might as well go back to working with lawyers.....
I think of the faces of my students and it makes me want to cry. Music and silliness and swinging and songs make them love school and want to stay awake for our lessons, not the History of Western Civ. In the meantime, Frannie is doing great -- she has two kidneys, thanks be to God and Kevin and I have our health. Have a nice day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Amen!!!
From another teacher!!
Sorry you are having a bad day. I hear what you are saying though and I sympathize.
Doug
I too agree with you. I am a special education teacher with students in the moderate range. I have 6-8th grade. I feel that we spend WAY more time on this than what they really need. I thought I was doing good until I realized that there were more changes than I thought across the board. I am also waiting to adopt from China, but it feels like that will never happen. We have been waiting about 16 months.
Speaking as a mother of an IEP child I can't agree more. My son has these STUPID timed readings that absolutely terrify him! He hates them! Hates going to school if he has a test coming! It makes me NUTS! I have really, really, really thought about homeschooling him. If I hear no child left behind one more time.............
Hey Ellen -- Give me a call -- sorry about your bad day. That is part of why I hung up my teaching "hat" 14 years ago! L
I know you and know that you are there for the KIDS! You have a heart of gold to teach these kids and have the patience of a saint. I trust your patience will come through dealing with all the crap as well so you can get to the real stuff that matters to you and to God- the beautiful children that you touch everyday! Hang in there, those kids need you :)
Ellen! Can I send this to the St. Augustine Record? Or the Atlanta Tribune? This is SO TRUE and needs to be brought up to the public, not just the stupid beaurocrats!
Oh Ellen, I know EXACTLY what you mean. We here in PA have similar "laws" and we feel like all we do is paperwork and so little time actually working with the kids who need us the most. I am constantly re-thinking if I want to stay in the school systems because of the amount of paperwork that goes into IEPs and ERs...
Big hugs, I know you are wonderful teacher!
AMEN on the GAA!!!! What an absolutely STUPID idea from the state of Georgia. As a Lead Teacher for Special Education I hear my teachers pain over the GAA all of the time, I so wish we could go back to doing what is right for kids. Parents???? NOTHING will change without you....
Post a Comment