And if you ARE good with “behaviors” guess which students you get assigned? I even got them sent to my room by other teachers! Why? They received real consequences and brief counsel. Why not send them to admin? 😂 😹 😃 They’d return to class in five minutes with a snack!
So true, "Admin is afraid of parents, parents are afraid of their children and children are afraid of nothing." 100% Just left after teaching HS for 17yrs. The exact same problems are throughout our country.
@Laura G Admin fears parents because parents can pay for lawyers. I have never seen a school actually following the letter of the law, they usually get away with it. But 1 parent who gives a damn can hit admin in the pocket and worst of all "Make the administration look bad"
@da midwif O well, won ours easily. But it seemed easy to win from my perspective early. They went against protocol. But honestly I'm not a lawyer so idk.
Honest opinion from a teacher 👩🏫 I worked in a public school with LOADS OF SUPPORT… I still left mid school year. Why? Kids are currently being raised to be entitled and disrespectful. Point blank. Period. The pay has always been sub par, teachers have always been asked to do entirely too much, etc. Ultimately, teachers are leaving the profession because the appeal of teaching (making a difference in the lives of kids) is long gone. Plainly, parents are giving children too much control. Kids are being taught before ever entering a school building that they have no consequences, they can speak to whoever in any way they please. It’s not the child’s fault, so I’m not speaking ill of children. I just feel that parents are so busy working, on phones, scrolling social media, etc. that children aren’t being taught valuable morals before entering school. Teachers can’t teach children anymore because children aren’t treated like children anymore.
My overwhelming urge while teaching was to spirit these spoiled brats off to some brutal Canadian canoe tripping camp where the guides were permitted to beat them with their six foot paddles in order to teach them some humility. In other words a camp just like the one I attended from 1969 to 1972, or the now defunct Northwoods Camp, Lake Temagami, Ontario, where we spent seven weeks sleeping on the ground while paddling 25 miles per day, carrying heavy loads on portages, and getting eaten alive by black flies and mosquitoes.
“If you want to see the poor remain poor, generation after generation, just keep the standards low in their schools and make excuses for their academic shortcomings and personal misbehavior. But please don't congratulate yourself on your compassion.” ~Thomas Sowell
yes society thinks they're being compassionate by making all these excuses for misbehaviours yet they're just making matters worse by allowing that child to grow up like that.
It’s use to be where teachers can teach one new lesson or concept each class period. Now that same lesson takes five or more days to teach. It’s so ridiculous, it’s like teaching them how add 1+1 = 2. for 5 days. So basic. the standard has been wash down so much.
I'm almost at that point. This is my 13th year as a teacher and I'm looking for a new position. If this doesn't work out, I will more than likely leave teaching. The abuse and toxic environment is not worth it anymore.
I am a veteran teacher and finally just had it. When I started in the field of education it was so different. Teachers had support, unions meant something and I loved teaching. In the past 15 years there has been a complete turn around. There used to be special education classrooms or 1:1 aides for students who needed more support. Now they are dumped into a general education classroom. This is happened to me. I'm not a special ed. teacher and am not qualified to meet the needs of the students who have been put in my classroom. So many reasons I resigned, including horrible pay and pretty much the fact that this country does not value it's educators. I am so happy to see young teachers who are standing up for themselves and not allowing themselves to be gaslighted. Being made to feel that you are responsible to deal with behavior issues, students with IEPs. Teachers should not be crying because of their job. I talked to another veteran teacher and she said, "Do you remember when teachers laughed and talked in the hallway"? It's sad and everything you have discussed is spot on. Thank you!!
Do you have any advice or career recommendations for a young teacher who is trying to find an alternative to teaching so they have the option to leave?
I'm not a teacher so I don't care what I say. My opinion is that they should throw the thugs out of the class for continued mischief. What becomes of them? Who cares? They don't care about their classmates or the teacher. Change the law and get rid of the rot.
When I see a parent struggling to control her children in the grocery store. I just laugh and think, “If she thinks 1 or 2 of her OWN kids is hard, just magnify that difficulty to 20+ kids all vying for your attention. And then try to get them to be productive and learn with no TVs and cell phones for relief. “
I love your video. Before I go any further, I am an adult on the autism spectrum and one of the keys to my success was my mother believed my autism was NEVER AN EXCUSE FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEAHVIORS, EVER!!! In other words, my mother along with my teachers believed in consequences for my actions. As a man on the autism spectrum, it really infuriates me on how many excuses are made for behaviors of individuals with special needs.
@@ijustteachherepodcast3533 I forgot to mention I have recorded eight RUclips videos this past year on how my mom helped me overcome many obstacles to where I am today.
yes I love this comment. A teacher told me a student who is labeled special Ed punched his head and told the AP "I'm going to kill you and your family." Excuses were made for that student just because he is labeled special Ed...
I have missed ONE day in the last eight years. This was another perfect year. I got a shirt; last year it was a Yeti coffee cup. I was given a pen for teacher appreciation week. The ink has run out. Help me understand how these are signs of respect for what I do.
15:55 I had constant behavior problems in a third grade class. The existing school procedures were not working, so I went to admin for help. I was told that the procedures DID work, and I just needed to "be consistent". So I did that. The result was a school record for phone calls home and lunch detention. Admin then told me to stop doing those procedures because the numbers were making the school look bad.
To be honest, teaching sounds like a profession in which there is constant gaslighting by everyone -- parents, students, leadership. A principal telling a teacher that it's her fault that a student assaulted her is off-the-charts insane.
don't forget how titles/jobs are created at the top and the bottom (teachers, t.a.'s etc.) are left to pick up the pace and slack in the guise of "new initiatives".
By default, since academic training is not reserved for those with at least some modest talent, like in every other field of endeavor, the schools are really only in charge of daycare for everyone at the same time doing the same thing at the same time, which only works for babysitting, which is why teaching is really only babysitting. Were it really academic training then all of the stupid kids, or actually two-thirds of them, would be assigned to trades apprenticeships after the primary grades, or in other words at the age of eight. Considering how the average adult really only has a sixth grade education, all they typically know is their own limited job.
Holy crap! The part where they discussed the kid getting a lollipop from the office after displaying inappropriate behaviour seems like a very common behaviour in so many schools that I know! Kids getting treats in the office after misbehaving. That’s so scary that this has become like a pandemic internationally, not just an isolated incident! Why is this happening though?
It’s happening because the administrators aren’t teachers. The notion that teachers require supervision by non-teachers is an indication that teaching kids is considered a labor job rather than a professional job and this is because the vast majority of the kids have no academic talent, so it is understood that what they do is merely busy-work to keep them occupied and train them to be obedient workers some day. And after all, anyone can perform such a modest job of work, which is why my own school district now only requires a GED for substitute teachers. Eventually anyone with any kind of degree will be permitted to teach as a permanent teacher, since virtually no one will any longer be interested in being abused like that. And then at that point the average new teacher will last perhaps two years. So even that won’t really work. I am not going to pretend that I know what might eventually work. But I do know that most people don’t really care. Most people already know that most people are uneducable and that school is really only busy work and make believe presided over by idealistic twits and dupes. After all, some people never wise up.
Everything you say is true. I was a teacher for over 25 years and this is not just a problem in the US. It is a problem everywhere --be it private or public schools. I not only taught in the US, I also taught in Latin America. I taught from pre-school to college level. The most challenging were k-12 systems. The kids are just not willing to support it. We have a system that was developed for the beginnings of the industrial age, and it has not changed since I was in high school --1972! It is worst now because teachers get no support from administration nor from the parents, and so children just become difficult to manage. I was glad to leave the system and started my own private programs and it was great! I would not get caught in the traditional classroom ever again. The way I see it, let the parents deal with their children. Many parents realized the frustration of having THEIR own kids around all day long during the covid shut down and many people would say, those poor parents, but for me, I was thinking, let them get a taste of what it's like to be a teacher. Since parents "know" everything about education, pedagogy and teaching, let them deal with their kids. I had a student throw a desk at me. That is when I left the traditional teaching field for good and have never regretted it. Also, when they (administration) tell you that they are using innovative methodologies, don't believe them because if they are not spending the money to improve the system by making classroom groups smaller and paying teachers more along with taking teachers seriously and respecting the profession, it's a big lie. I honestly believe that all of this craziness in our educational system will not change. The way that kids are learning today is no match for the transitional systems of teaching, and the teaching educational programs at our universities are not dealing with the problems in the system. This is why new young teachers that enter the profession have no idea how bad it is, and the public does not want to believe how bad it is either. It's a huge problem. I don't even think that paying teachers more will fix the problem. If I had children today, I would not send them to traditional schooling systems. Not at all!
After 23 years in public K12 I left in January 2022. Too many chiefs, not enough Indians, parents and kids aren’t being held accountable, poor poor poor administration, subjective evals, no resources, etc.
A separate issue that ties into behavior issues is the lack of fathers. Most of the more difficult kids don't have a father figure. Society should encourage fathers, rather than pretend they are irrelevant.
Oh thank you thank you I could shout it from the rooftops except so many women thing. They don’t need the fathers around well I’m telling you we needed our fathers around. They are not irrelevant.
I'm not a teacher but have watched a few videos on youtube about the teacher quitting movement. I keep hearing problems about administration who make more than teachers but don't put in any effort. I have even noticed this in the normal work place. My supervisors and managers were much better 20 years ago. I have had run ins with upper management and gave them good ideas of what makes good leadership and morale , which in turn will lead to better motivation! Leadership in America seems to be the problem , many people are put into upper positions who lack many skills , which are really just common sense of how to treat people with respect!
When I left the school districts I taught in and found community college adjunct teaching I love it. Pay is less stable, but it's much more flexible. You can teach ALMOST however you want, just as long as you meet what needs to be met. The students CAN come first and there is almost close to ZERO behavior issues when they are paying for their education. Community colleges need adjunct instructors. If you leave high school/ middle schools and still want to teach look into the colleges.
6:02 There's a problem with requesting admin for help. When the admin is unable or unwilling to assist, they will use that request against you as evidence that you are ineffective. "If you were a good teacher, you wouldn't be having this behavior problem"
This could be my story but I was lucky enough to find a better position in my district or I would have left. You completely hit the nail on the head. We are blamed for everything but then kids are not held accountable at the middle or high school level. And what is up with elementary teachers being given multiple grade levels without a conference period. Total bs. One thing I never felt guilty about was taking a sick day. I needed them to recover and rest. The reason I left my position is inexplicably the administration was covering for a severely emotionally disturbed student and would block documentation. The student was also abusive. My gut told me to leave so I did.
I was in a specialized school with 3 counselors for 6 classrooms and they were worthless because their point of view was too soft. Basically they enabled no work and no accountability because the child had trauma. Classes were under 20 students, but it was still out of control behaviors where I couldn't even say 1 sentence without interruption for the entire day.
I just quit teaching and I am so relieved for it to be over! I found your channel becouse I wanted to know...is just me or are other teachers having a hard time? I listen to you guys and am in awww I was never as organized and confodent in my teaching.
Right on!! I just came across Honest Teacher Vibes a few weeks ago and I reacted to her video as well. My heart hurts however, becasue there are so many teachers who feel really called to teach and don't want to go to corporate. I def didn't. I started my own small school and I encourage teachers who feel like me to do the same. We all need to conintue to use our voice so things can change!!!!
My school doesn't use substitutes as a network. This means that if my coworker is absent, I automatically have to teach my class AND their classes. It's not fair, and a non-negotiable for schools to use subs. This is my last year.
I taught Kindergarten at a Title 1 school and despite our admin being amazing (always trying to help), I ended up resigning. I wish I didn't have to but a lot of what you guys talked about is why: the biggest reason is because I believe that parents are not doing their jobs (like you said). Parents need to teach their kids respect. Parents need to be present with their children and not expect other adults to raise their children and teach them basic things. I had a student throw chairs in my room and he was just in Kindergarten. Admin could not control him and had to come get him day after day, even after I was gone. I LOVED the kids in my room but the ones who had behavioral issues ruined it. The interesting thing is, once these children become adults, life will not coddle them. If an adult throws a chair in the office, (s)/he will not be allowed to come back.
Sorry, I also want to add that I had a class of 24 with zero aide and my class was the smallest class in our grade. My colleagues were way too busy to help even though I'm sure they would have if they could. The Kinder teacher next door to me did sit in one afternoon and told me straight up that I had control of my class....so I believe I could have continued teaching. But having kids throw chairs was the last straw. I really believe that unless parents step up and do their job, teachers - really , really good ones who LOVE kids and teaching ( I was SO excited to teach) - will continue to quit.
Honestly why do schools have admin. Their not at the school to help, but bully teachers and side with the parent. They are not at the schools to help and look out for the good of the kids either. Why are admin even paid for to do at the school? Also the American culture of freedom, and rights, everyone wants to do things their way, nobody tells them it’s wrong. Nobody respects authority. Everyone thinks they have rights and can do as they wish..
I would love to be a guest on your podcast! I left teaching after 12 years and published my book Tales of a Toxic Teacher: Exposing the Cycles of Abuse Within Our Schools. Once you see the abuse, you can’t unsee it - and everyone deserves to know the truth about how schools cause harm to teachers and students.
I think paddling was a healthy way to keep kids in line! I got a paddling at least 3 times a year from one principal and he was one of the greatest men I ever knew! He recently passed and when I heard as a 46yo man I cried like a baby and I have had close family member die and I didn’t shed a tear. I think all of you have bought in to this wrong idea of what child rearing is! If you guys are so right about the “no corporal punishment” way of raising children then why are things so bad today with children?
My school didn’t have corporal punishment in the 80’s and 90’s and things weren’t bad like they are describing. Your logical fallacy is post hoc ergo propter hoc. You can have discipline without beating children. My brothers kids are very well behaved and have never been hit. My nieces in law are practically angels and have never been hit. Plenty of shitty kids i grew up with got hit regularly and still acted shitty as soon as their parent stopped being around to hit them.
@@LB-yg2br my children were never sparked either and they are both awesome people! However this idea of “spanking” children not “beating” will make them evil or violent is false!
I quit after 5 years. And yes, they put admins, principles, and other staff into rooms when they can’t get a sub (subs are also quitting) or they split up classes and put pieces of those classes into other classrooms for the day.
I didn’t want to quit, but they refused to give me my teaching job back. Montebello Unified School District stole $300 million. They were even paying secretaries more than teachers because of who they slept with. I had to take my dad in the meeting with me because I was scared to go alone. Cleve Pell told me to shut up. I got the best lawyer, so I thought. I had no idea the fight is power, and political. They hate the truth and conservatives. My husband also married another woman, while we were still married. California does nothing!!! They don’t care about you!!!
The behavioral problems we see are just a reflection of the society we now live in. "Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people".
Teaching was a great profession in the past! Who changed the rules? Who's able to change the rules? Why was this done? Are they trying to ruin public education to privatize it? That would be a big mistake. A privatized educational system means the public would have no say in education.
Jess & Sabria (hope that's spelled right), THANK YOU! I'm a product of special education & inclusion. I'm college educated & work as a coach. I also have 2 kids. :) A large part of my success comes from being treated normally, including discipline & consequences. Because spoiler-alert, that's how real life works. I'm not sure how schools can support "anti-bullying" campaigns if they're unwilling to enforce COMMON DECENCY in the classroom. I never got a lollipop when I made good choices, let alone when acted up.
Your experiences as teachers sound so similar to a position I had as a mental health case manager. Management put everything on us because we were the "experts," more and more difficult cases, management only cared about billable hours, all in all a very toxic environment. I was miserable. I left that place 9 years ago, but still remember it as if it was yesterday.
So glad I found you guys! Keep speaking our truth--I keep thinking we must have hit rock bottom, but then we keep sliding even further down. This next year will be year 25 (19 full time) for me, and I'm trying to stay positive so that I can keep going to full retirement.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (2 Corinthians 7:10) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
I feel like this video was what I needed. I've been so depressed. If you talk about this people act like it's taboo. Teachers are supposed to love every aspect of everything about their job and never say anything about how horrible it can be. If I complain to anyone it's like this look of horror washes over their face,"How can you say that about working with children!?" However they have no idea that these children are sometimes bigger than you, they sometimes refuse to listen to you, sometimes they even try to threaten or intimidate you. When you try to tell a parent about what a student said or did that was disrespectful then you get told it's a lack of management skills and end up doing PD to help you learn how to succeed! So the student ends up learning nothing and the teacher ends up getting punished in a sense. That's literally what it's like. Sometimes I think it's easier to just avoid confrontation... And let the behavior go. I'm also told to make my tests super easy for the IEP students... And it's literally giving them the answers for the exams sometimes. I feel like they are telling me to just pass the kids at this point and let the behavior issues go. At what point do we hold the students and parents accountable? I'm tired of being told it's my fault in September.... When I've only had the student for a few weeks? These children learned these behaviours over years and yet I'm being told I'm just not good at class management. I'm tired of teaching middle school and I've only been teaching this grade for a month and a half. The best grade I've ever taught was juniors/seniors in highschool and college. Middle school is the hardest so far and if you complain about it people get so upset like you're the bad guy. It's awful. Don't get me wrong... I've got 144 students....I LOVE them....but 10 students that do not listen and continue to disrupt a class can really make things so difficult. People just do not get it and they often blame teachers. I used to think the same thing.... Until I became a teacher and realized what teachers deal with. I honestly miss working with my geriatric patients, cleaning up feces, doing ostomy bags, cleaning wounds, lifting patients...it was honestly easier. The only problem is that if I go back to medical assisting it's not enough to pay the bills. I want to continue my education and maybe get my medical lab degree... But the problem is I work 24/7 and the only time I could do school is during the summer. I have been thinking of ways to get out. It's sad so many teachers aren't able to speak out and be honest about how things are right now.
Great video! As a former teacher myself, I can totally relate to these mistakes. It's so important for educators transitioning into new careers to be aware of these pitfalls. Thanks for sharing!
I hate to be gone from the classroom, NOT because guilt from being away from stude,re. It's because for every 1 day gone from the classroom is equal to 6 hours of work to prepare for a sub. Most times it's not worth being gone
Behavior? Phone call then write up. The middle school kid usually gets the picture. I just check the boxes. It's caused me to care less and I'm leaving. I'm a 28 year vet band director and I have the best kids in the school! The band kids have been negatively affected by the general population kids. I had a heart attack on 5-1-22. And I don't have most of the risk factors except stress. I was even exercising 3 or 4 times a week. It doesn't take a bright person to see that nothing is really happening to the criminals so why not be a criminal today? (Meaning the kids). It's a plan to fail. Look at how many more adults have jobs "intervening". It's total BS. It's like "what you see happening really isn't happening." The school has to look good on paper so the principal gets a feather in their cap. Remember, all one has to do to be a principal is take the classes. Thank you ladies for have this forum. The truth has to get out.
Speaking as a retired 35 year elementary teacher, I would have quit too with all the weirdness of the teaching situation young teachers need to face today. Of course, kids were easier when I taught 25 years ago. (I taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.) Salaries were ridiculously low. ( My annual yearly salary on the year of my retirement was $45,000.) Kids now are no longer the peaceful kids I taught. Most kids now are neglected and can be aggressive! Cell phones have given kids a stronger relationship with their friends and, so, ganging up on teachers is commonplace. Parents tend to neglect their kids and hate having to deal with their kid's problems. They tend to support their kids over teachers and refuse to realize that the problem is their kids! Sexuality has added to the younger kids' problems and while this is not a classroom problem, it shows that kids are no longer focused on their studies! Poor, poor teachers!!!
A couple of things you mentioned struck a memory. Kids are mostly afraid of each other or a specific few others, and restrooms are places where adults aren't supervising. Who wants to go to the bathroom when the stall door is likely to get kicked in.
I am a former supervisor in adult residential settings, and I agree one hundred percent about how we sell people short when we have So few expectations surrounding behaviors. I have seen it all. The parents that set boundaries and gave clear and consistent rules regarding what was acceptable gave their children a great opportunity for their future. It’s a big handicap in life to go around biting people. It limits their potential and invites negative reactions from others to a population that needs extra support. I know that challenging behaviors leave parents exhausted and they need extra support too. Especially single parents. They usually are just trying to get through their day. Additional support for struggling parents would go along way also. That being said, I also experienced being a shadow for a student at a school where rocking and pacing stem behaviors) which ironically calmed the student preventing an outburst, was not tolerated by the classroom teacher. We each have so many different ideas about what is acceptable and what is best. I am certain this is very confusing for our students! Love your discussion and thanks for being willing to be open about these controversial topics. Shalom❤️
I have seen so many of these things especially Middle School, which is hard for this age to begin with, compounded when there have not been consequences all along. The kids do not learn how to manage their emotions. Many schools I have worked in counselors are being asked to do many things that are not related to counseling due to funding problems.
I hope you keep up your youtube channel. Even though I've already resigned, teachers need to here from you. You hit so many problems with the field of education and the inept administrators, and school boards who are idiots.
29:22 hit on a point that at times goes overlooked. I'm in my first year teaching and our school has over 900 students, and two guidance counselors. Our counselors are really good but overloaded having to handle 6-8th grade with just two people. The misbehavior and lack of respect for authority is off the chain. The kids act out and think school is a playground all day everyday, and the parents aren't helping.
I really wanna know what school counselors do? Because my understanding is that they really cant do much but talk to the kids. School psychologists are the ones more appropriately equipt to do something about it since they are the ones writting up the IEP's. Imo there has been a shift away from punishments since they are proven to be less effective than positive reinforcment/negative reinforcement. But the problem now is what are the real consquences? Punishments are much easier and quicker to implement than natural consequences, restorative practices, counseling, iep meetings, etc. That takes lots of planning, meetings, and staff to be available to address these issues. Its creating alot more work and it spreads people thin. Theres only so much you can do and only so many hours in a day.
Well I guess I’m not going to get my credential after all! Just subbing was enough to make me realize it’s not a good work environment. Grateful for these videos of teachers sharing their stories and raising the awareness.
As a behavioral support staff I can't express the amount of stress I went thru this school year . Although it was my job, I really felt like so many responsibilities are put on us without behavior plans and a system to modify behavior. We just sat there and got punch all day. Weird thing is. Gen ed Teachers I worked with didn't know alot about autism ....so they would reward and give attention to the WRONG THINGS just to control the class
I just had to chime in. We have no counselors at our school of about 900 students. None! There is no funding for them unless we want to take a pay cut/cut health benefits. So we have to choose between a living wage and health benefits or those “extra” supports for the kids.
Not only feeling guilty for asking for help, but knowing that if you do get "support," it's going up be in the form of extra work or lost preps to meet with a "coach" who hasn't been in their own classroom in years.
Students are now being put into the general classroom, Australia is following suit, it's integration not inclusion. To me it's the same thing when they introduce differentiation - meaning, funding cuts.
Many kids don’t have IEPs, but many parents want you to personalize individual services like an IEP for their kid like they are entitled to it. But how do you personalize services for over 200 kids, with all individual needs, how is that possible?
The answer to helping students through lack of self regulation, depression, is always to create better lesson plans that ‘crosscut’ social emotional and life skill. It’s basically impossible, waters down everyone’s real education. Kids who display violence, suicidal tendencies need to be out of general class. School counselor not gonna fix a depressed angry child with 2-3 Aces. The term chill pill comes to mind
There was a parent yelling and raging at the administrative assistant in the lobby, the principal literary stood up from his office chair and shut his door leaving the parent to continue raging at the assistant. I'm so sure!
I left teaching months ago, and I'm still being contacted with, "Oh hey, can you tell us how this IEP kid made progress throughout the year? Oh hey, can you tell me where to find x, y, and z in your classroom?"
As a counselor: we have our own full, exhausting teaching schedule and are being treated like crap by kids bc our classes are a “special” (aka recess) in some districts, with NO GRADES. And don’t get me started on the CPS calls and random subbing/duties on top of our own duty. I’m quitting this year.
By the time my dad retired as head custodian of a public middle school, his school had multiple daily fights between students. Teachers had no control over the students, there was no support from the principal, very little learning was going on, and the teachers were getting reprimanded for low test scores. In addition, the students were breaking fixtures and having sex in the bathrooms. The school resource officer sometimes needed to call for backup. The school system had a second middle school and it was more of the same going on. All of these things were kept quiet from the public. I had just started my education to become a teacher and I dropped out when I found out how bad it was. My dad's school system wasn't even an inner city, it was an old New England mill town.
I worked in the UK and had an OFSTEAD inspection and questionnaire. The questionnaire was suppose to be confidential - rather naively on my part, I answered honestly. My comments were raised in the follow up meeting with the principal. He got his leadership team together and tracked the comments back to me. I got called into the office and got in trouble for my honesty. The principal was in complete denial to the needs of not only teachers but the needs of students. I have since REFUSED to ever do any teacher surveys again. I will not do them. I've been threatened the loss of my job etc but I will not do a teacher survey or participate in staff meetings to hear what teachers have to say. NO WAY. Get yourself legal representation, paper trail EVERYTHING, even if you HOD doesn't respond to emails like mine didn't and date everything. Protect yourself and stand up for your rights.
I found this discussion affirming. Loneliness is a big part of being a teacher because you feel unsupported, misunderstood and taken for granted. I have taught primary school children for 28 years (with a couple of periods of time outside of education) and I'm also a qualified psychological therapist. I totally agree with all the points made. I believe that the toxic education system is a symptom of wider cultural toxicity. We need to address the cultural context of education, especially the true meaning, nature and purpose of education for human beings. Dr. Gabor Maté's superb book; 'The Myth of Normal' talks about to this subject and offers some realistic solutions. I've recently decided to leave teaching (for the 3rd time) and have an interview in 4 days for a completely different job. Good luck to all teachers who are choosing to leave their toxic jobs behind. Joe. UK.
Part of my brain said, "Bridge class? Aren't they 'Go fish' level? I didn't learn bridge until I was an adult. They are going to be card sharks! Oh! Sorry, bridge is a dirty word for shoving all those grades together? Damn. I preferred picturing you starting a group of mini card sharks." Anyway, hope you had a laugh about my mistake. Also, I am so sorry about these teaching issues. I really don't know that IEP's are working. Too many kids with IEP's seem to be screwing up our system. What would you guys replace it with? More teacher's yeah, but also, not making every kid get "special" attention.
What ya'll fail to see is the issue with administration. They are incentivised to give as little help as possible for monetary reasons, and any parent who tries to hold them accountable to actual laws, such as the one regarding IEPs are met with wasting tons of hours and money, and the only "win" in that lawsuit is the school being forced to give the services they were supposed to in the first place. They don't want you to report because it might be in court. If it is, you are required to show you did everything per the guidelines that ensure kids are being treated fairly, teachers almost never do. You are an employee to them, you will be thrown under the bus like another employee anywhere else. (Teaching feels noble to you, but to your boss you might as well be working at Target) I just got done with fighting my sons school in court. They disregarded his IEP and fought us tooth and nail on getting an aid that literally the entire IEP team agreed he deserved and needed, along with more therapy coming out of the pandemic. After nearly an entire year of them dragging feet and trying to placate us, they now have to give him an aid and therapy, that's it. No money for me, no "Our bad" nothing but them actually doing their jobs. And yeah, the teacher at first said it was my sons fault, and he did have issues (Though not physically possible at the extent she explained) but when we got a lawyer it became the "Teachers fault" and she was pissed, understandably. She of course jumped on our side, just because she didn't expect her admin to turn on her, but they did because she's just another employee. Admin protects money, Teachers forget they are employees and they shouldn't. Get a lawyer always. Make Record of every single thing your supervisor says, PROTECT YOURSELF
Side note: My child and myself have ASD, he has more functional needs than I do. However, we shouldn't have to deal with a school of all places not following the rules to the T. If the rules were always followed, it wouldn't be so easy to win against a school administration in court.
I do agree somewhat though, especially about teachers needing resources, but this will only change when admin has no reason to not spend the money. Currently they have every reason to withhold and hope no one says anything. Also, they reason they don't seem to care even though they used to be teachers, is because their new jobs makes alot more money and they don't get promoted by being good and fair toward the teachers.
19 year teacher you guys are spot in yes, having classroom management you are expected to deal with it! Asking for help an end up meaning dings in appraisals which shouldn't happen the fact that it does is why teachers try to be SUPER HUMAN and take and take and deal and deal affecting their health!!! I'm sorry but 33 kids in a classroom without iep's let alone those situations is TOO TOO MUCH PERIOD!!!
And I think this is the problem with constantly validating kids emotions/feelings is that it can teach them that their emotions are the most important thing in anything & everything, to hell with everyone else. As opposed to letting them learn to self soothe and sit with unpleasant feelings/emotions.
in Australia we don't seem to have a test or a way to properly diagnose IP students and this makes it inconsistent to implement as it's based on teachers opinion and no one else. I feel there should be some sort of proper diagnoses and written up by a someone's who only job is to write , test, diagnose and support IP students. So, I've seen most teachers won't identify those that really need extra support because it creates a huge extra work load on individual staff.
they keyboard situation... same... when the kids were stealing all of our stuff due to the devious licks trend. One of the kids stole my apple tv remote and when I asked for a new one I was told I needed to purchase it myself because replacements were not given out for any reason.
skipping right over the dehumanizing way that the word "behaviors" is being used here... 1) It is inexcusable to introduce a child into a classroom without all appropriate IEP and 504 information. It sets everyone involved up for failure. 2) Even when you have the IEP and 504 information, a remotely sane system would involve a re-evaluation of support/assistance/personnel every time a teacher has to incorporate a new IEP or 504 into their classroom procedures. 3) And schools are highly incentivized to NOT cooperate with diagnostic procedures, so you are likely to have a LOT of kids who don't even have IEPs or 504s but who really, really, really should. I was one of these: two neurological variations that weren't diagnosed until my 40s... but were handled as behavioral defiance in school, because neither the teachers nor I had the beginnings of the information we needed to handle it in a way which didn't cause a ton of damage. And yes, a ton of damage was done -- to me for sure, and likely to the educators who cared and found themselves unable to help me. And I have seen this same thing with my friends' kids just within the past 5 years. 4) So teachers are stuck with children with too many conflicting needs, many of whom have not had those needs acknowledged by school personnel, and with not remotely enough time/attention to catch the kids who administrators don't want to admit need help. 5) Consequences are necessary. It is also necessary to be able to establish and maintain an environment in which children are able to act in accordance with their values, community values, and in their best interest (which they can identify based on expected consequences). 6) And the fact that a lot of kids think that they can get away with anything, also predisposes teachers and administrators to assume that the children are acting based on what they think they can get away with, blinding them to the times when the child is honestly trying to comply and is simply unable to... which is how you miss that a kid needs an IEP in the first place. what needs to be done: Smaller class sizes. (cannot stress this enough) Fund counselors, social workers, nurses, paraeducators Back teachers and administrators when parents are problematic Cooperate fully with evaluation/diagnostic processes; if asked about a behavior, don't enter "rarely" or "never" if it's not observed; that is a "not observed." If the for doesn't give you the option, WRITE IT IN. Increase education about neurological variation, learning disabilities, trauma response (particularly cPTSD), mental illness ACROSS STAFF -- whenever possible, involve adults who have/have had these conditions in these trainings. all current school rating/ranking systems need to be replaced, and the only tie to funding should be INCREASED funding for struggling schools.
Tell me about it… I been working in a rsp classroom and I know how much behavioral problems can take a toll on a teacher… My coworker literally left us 2 months ago because she fell into this spiral negative affect.. and hasn’t came back.. I literally had to keep shit going and making things work … even emailing about progress on students and make sure all minutes were being met and having to explain all the shit to a NEW sub every other day!!!!! And I get paid minimum WAGE. Can u say “fml” with me… It’s so infuriating!! Didn’t even get a chance to move up to the spot that opened up in our site.. because they want me to stick around and pick up the slack that my bisch ass coworker left me with. Second year … she’s done this… I hope she isn’t asked to come back. I hope we get a teacher with more experience…& who wants & can actually be there with us 150%!
"Boundaries." When we were kids, we had hard and fast RULES. And this kind of behavior was was inconceivable. Children are too young to understand the nuanced concept of boundaries. That's for adult relationships, not adult-child relationships. There's so much wrong with contemporary thinking on teaching and child-rearing.
I think a big reason behind some teacher’s experiences is a lot of parents being triggered by their past schooling trauma (of being harassed/ not supported by staff or peers) and making sure that their children don’t share those negative experiences. It definitely doesn’t excuse the lack of support, but I think a lot of the “crazy” parents are just trying to advocate for kids the way they wish to have been advocated for…
I hear that. I was definitely one of those kids getting bullied by adults back in the 80s and 90s and it truly had a bad effect on me. I’m now a mom of a soon to be kindergartner with autism. The flipside of this is that I’m married to a teacher who has gotten bullying, Karen-esque emails from parents while on Xmas break. These emails are ridiculous: “My daughter didn’t appreciate your tone. She feels that you’re singling her out.” Are they serious??? My child isn’t even 6 yet and I will always expect him to behave himself and be respectful to the best of his abilities. He knows when he’s misbehaving and so do we. We’re going to work *with* his teachers, not against them. Parents keep expecting miracles from people who can barely support a family on their income. Suggest teachers need more of *anything* and the public scoffs. They wouldn’t even last a day as a teacher.
Yeah someone commented kids are “suddenly” acting bad. Yes they’re parents are possibly raising them to be more disrespectful but kids have always behaved that way. It’s only talked about now because teachers can no longer turn their heads
The girl on the right has no fear in saying the truth over and over. Seriously, everything u said was my whole 1st (and only) year teaching. When the wrong kids get an IEP/504, they stay the same. They behave bad on purpose to keep their plan. If they did well, they’d be expected to perform, and these plans seem to trap them in this mindset of doing poor so they have an excuse to act out. It’s a shame really, but the best way to face it is to quit. So many employers were former teachers, or someone in their family was, so it’s pretty easy for teachers to move on to a whole new career. The same type of mindset problem-the guilt, which is weaponized by admin-is what keeps teachers from realizing their own true potential. It’s a toxic career nowadays. Quit now.
and guns, PRESIDENT TRUMP, and Russia keep being blamed...when in reality is the family system is very broken which leads to an increase in mental health
You really need to understand there are at least two sides to every situation. Talk about solutions like funding for counselors, nurses, social workers, and crisis teams.
Even when you’re good at dealing with behaviors it is still exhausting day after day, it’s just exhausting.
exactly! people will never understand teacher tired unless they are a teacher!!!
And if you ARE good with “behaviors” guess which students you get assigned? I even got them sent to my room by other teachers! Why? They received real consequences and brief counsel. Why not send them to admin? 😂 😹 😃 They’d return to class in five minutes with a snack!
Yes! And it can feel like you’re truly stuck riding out the days.. just surviving.
@@mariekatherine5238 I hated that
Where's my violin....?
So true, "Admin is afraid of parents, parents are afraid of their children and children are afraid of nothing." 100% Just left after teaching HS for 17yrs. The exact same problems are throughout our country.
You have never lied
@Laura G Admin fears parents because parents can pay for lawyers. I have never seen a school actually following the letter of the law, they usually get away with it. But 1 parent who gives a damn can hit admin in the pocket and worst of all "Make the administration look bad"
@da midwif O well, won ours easily. But it seemed easy to win from my perspective early. They went against protocol. But honestly I'm not a lawyer so idk.
No consequences for bad behaviors. Administrators resort blaming teachers for "lack of classroom management skills."
This is the one.
Bingo!
That is 100% Truth, blame the teacher, not the kid, not the parents, no the administration. Only the teacher's fault.
Yes... Thank you.
True story of what you said up above
Honest opinion from a teacher 👩🏫
I worked in a public school with LOADS OF SUPPORT… I still left mid school year. Why? Kids are currently being raised to be entitled and disrespectful. Point blank. Period. The pay has always been sub par, teachers have always been asked to do entirely too much, etc. Ultimately, teachers are leaving the profession because the appeal of teaching (making a difference in the lives of kids) is long gone. Plainly, parents are giving children too much control. Kids are being taught before ever entering a school building that they have no consequences, they can speak to whoever in any way they please. It’s not the child’s fault, so I’m not speaking ill of children. I just feel that parents are so busy working, on phones, scrolling social media, etc. that children aren’t being taught valuable morals before entering school. Teachers can’t teach children anymore because children aren’t treated like children anymore.
My overwhelming urge while teaching was to spirit these spoiled brats off to some brutal Canadian canoe tripping camp where the guides were permitted to beat them with their six foot paddles in order to teach them some humility. In other words a camp just like the one I attended from 1969 to 1972, or the now defunct Northwoods Camp, Lake Temagami, Ontario, where we spent seven weeks sleeping on the ground while paddling 25 miles per day, carrying heavy loads on portages, and getting eaten alive by black flies and mosquitoes.
Amen...
“If you want to see the poor remain poor, generation after generation, just keep the standards low in their schools and make excuses for their academic shortcomings and personal misbehavior. But please don't congratulate yourself on your compassion.” ~Thomas Sowell
yes society thinks they're being compassionate by making all these excuses for misbehaviours yet they're just making matters worse by allowing that child to grow up like that.
This makes so much sense. Geez,you are right
what a prophetic statement…! this is exactly what’s happening, and it’s only getting worse
It’s use to be where teachers can teach one new lesson or concept each class period. Now that same lesson takes five or more days to teach. It’s so ridiculous, it’s like teaching them how add 1+1 = 2. for 5 days. So basic. the standard has been wash down so much.
So true! Stop telling black and brown students "they can't"!
I left after 17 years after suffering a nervous breakdown. I finished the year and resigned.
I'm almost at that point. This is my 13th year as a teacher and I'm looking for a new position. If this doesn't work out, I will more than likely leave teaching. The abuse and toxic environment is not worth it anymore.
I am a veteran teacher and finally just had it. When I started in the field of education it was so different. Teachers had support, unions meant something and I loved teaching. In the past 15 years there has been a complete turn around. There used to be special education classrooms or 1:1 aides for students who needed more support. Now they are dumped into a general education classroom. This is happened to me. I'm not a special ed. teacher and am not qualified to meet the needs of the students who have been put in my classroom. So many reasons I resigned, including horrible pay and pretty much the fact that this country does not value it's educators. I am so happy to see young teachers who are standing up for themselves and not allowing themselves to be gaslighted. Being made to feel that you are responsible to deal with behavior issues, students with IEPs. Teachers should not be crying because of their job. I talked to another veteran teacher and she said, "Do you remember when teachers laughed and talked in the hallway"? It's sad and everything you have discussed is spot on. Thank you!!
This sounds so exhausting and draining damn.
Thank you for your post. What you say is so true.
Thank you for sharing your experience as a veteran teacher. You're seeing the big picture.
Do you have any advice or career recommendations for a young teacher who is trying to find an alternative to teaching so they have the option to leave?
I'm not a teacher so I don't care what I say. My opinion is that they should throw the thugs out of the class for continued mischief. What becomes of them? Who cares? They don't care about their classmates or the teacher. Change the law and get rid of the rot.
When I see a parent struggling to control her children in the grocery store. I just laugh and think, “If she thinks 1 or 2 of her OWN kids is hard, just magnify that difficulty to 20+ kids all vying for your attention. And then try to get them to be productive and learn with no TVs and cell phones for relief. “
I love your video. Before I go any further, I am an adult on the autism spectrum and one of the keys to my success was my mother believed my autism was NEVER AN EXCUSE FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEAHVIORS, EVER!!! In other words, my mother along with my teachers believed in consequences for my actions. As a man on the autism spectrum, it really infuriates me on how many excuses are made for behaviors of individuals with special needs.
YES!!! Thank you for sharing!! We never allow that as an excuse for inappropriate behavors!!!
@@ijustteachherepodcast3533 I forgot to mention I have recorded eight RUclips videos this past year on how my mom helped me overcome many obstacles to where I am today.
yes I love this comment. A teacher told me a student who is labeled special Ed punched his head and told the AP "I'm going to kill you and your family." Excuses were made for that student just because he is labeled special Ed...
@Laura G That is wonderful, thank you for sharing :-)
I have missed ONE day in the last eight years. This was another perfect year. I got a shirt; last year it was a Yeti coffee cup.
I was given a pen for teacher appreciation week. The ink has run out.
Help me understand how these are signs of respect for what I do.
You are a wonderful teacher!
You had a perfect year? I'd like to teach where you teach
@@mtymama6598 Nope, I am an idiot for believing that any that makes a difference.
15:55 I had constant behavior problems in a third grade class. The existing school procedures were not working, so I went to admin for help. I was told that the procedures DID work, and I just needed to "be consistent". So I did that. The result was a school record for phone calls home and lunch detention. Admin then told me to stop doing those procedures because the numbers were making the school look bad.
To be honest, teaching sounds like a profession in which there is constant gaslighting by everyone -- parents, students, leadership. A principal telling a teacher that it's her fault that a student assaulted her is off-the-charts insane.
don't forget how titles/jobs are created at the top and the bottom (teachers, t.a.'s etc.) are left to pick up the pace and slack in the guise of "new initiatives".
By default, since academic training is not reserved for those with at least some modest talent, like in every other field of endeavor, the schools are really only in charge of daycare for everyone at the same time doing the same thing at the same time, which only works for babysitting, which is why teaching is really only babysitting. Were it really academic training then all of the stupid kids, or actually two-thirds of them, would be assigned to trades apprenticeships after the primary grades, or in other words at the age of eight. Considering how the average adult really only has a sixth grade education, all they typically know is their own limited job.
Holy crap! The part where they discussed the kid getting a lollipop from the office after displaying inappropriate behaviour seems like a very common behaviour in so many schools that I know! Kids getting treats in the office after misbehaving. That’s so scary that this has become like a pandemic internationally, not just an isolated incident! Why is this happening though?
It’s happening because the administrators aren’t teachers. The notion that teachers require supervision by non-teachers is an indication that teaching kids is considered a labor job rather than a professional job and this is because the vast majority of the kids have no academic talent, so it is understood that what they do is merely busy-work to keep them occupied and train them to be obedient workers some day. And after all, anyone can perform such a modest job of work, which is why my own school district now only requires a GED for substitute teachers. Eventually anyone with any kind of degree will be permitted to teach as a permanent teacher, since virtually no one will any longer be interested in being abused like that. And then at that point the average new teacher will last perhaps two years. So even that won’t really work. I am not going to pretend that I know what might eventually work. But I do know that most people don’t really care. Most people already know that most people are uneducable and that school is really only busy work and make believe presided over by idealistic twits and dupes. After all, some people never wise up.
Everything you say is true. I was a teacher for over 25 years and this is not just a problem in the US. It is a problem everywhere --be it private or public schools. I not only taught in the US, I also taught in Latin America. I taught from pre-school to college level. The most challenging were k-12 systems. The kids are just not willing to support it. We have a system that was developed for the beginnings of the industrial age, and it has not changed since I was in high school --1972! It is worst now because teachers get no support from administration nor from the parents, and so children just become difficult to manage. I was glad to leave the system and started my own private programs and it was great! I would not get caught in the traditional classroom ever again. The way I see it, let the parents deal with their children. Many parents realized the frustration of having THEIR own kids around all day long during the covid shut down and many people would say, those poor parents, but for me, I was thinking, let them get a taste of what it's like to be a teacher. Since parents "know" everything about education, pedagogy and teaching, let them deal with their kids. I had a student throw a desk at me. That is when I left the traditional teaching field for good and have never regretted it. Also, when they (administration) tell you that they are using innovative methodologies, don't believe them because if they are not spending the money to improve the system by making classroom groups smaller and paying teachers more along with taking teachers seriously and respecting the profession, it's a big lie. I honestly believe that all of this craziness in our educational system will not change. The way that kids are learning today is no match for the transitional systems of teaching, and the teaching educational programs at our universities are not dealing with the problems in the system. This is why new young teachers that enter the profession have no idea how bad it is, and the public does not want to believe how bad it is either. It's a huge problem. I don't even think that paying teachers more will fix the problem. If I had children today, I would not send them to traditional schooling systems. Not at all!
After 23 years in public K12 I left in January 2022. Too many chiefs, not enough Indians, parents and kids aren’t being held accountable, poor poor poor administration, subjective evals, no resources, etc.
A separate issue that ties into behavior issues is the lack of fathers. Most of the more difficult kids don't have a father figure. Society should encourage fathers, rather than pretend they are irrelevant.
Oh thank you thank you I could shout it from the rooftops except so many women thing. They don’t need the fathers around well I’m telling you we needed our fathers around. They are not irrelevant.
I’m so encouraged by teachers who are finally talking out about this injustice!
I'm not a teacher but have watched a few videos on youtube about the teacher quitting movement. I keep hearing problems about administration who make more than teachers but don't put in any effort. I have even noticed this in the normal work place. My supervisors and managers were much better 20 years ago. I have had run ins with upper management and gave them good ideas of what makes good leadership and morale , which in turn will lead to better motivation! Leadership in America seems to be the problem , many people are put into upper positions who lack many skills , which are really just common sense of how to treat people with respect!
When I left the school districts I taught in and found community college adjunct teaching I love it. Pay is less stable, but it's much more flexible. You can teach ALMOST however you want, just as long as you meet what needs to be met. The students CAN come first and there is almost close to ZERO behavior issues when they are paying for their education. Community colleges need adjunct instructors. If you leave high school/ middle schools and still want to teach look into the colleges.
6:02 There's a problem with requesting admin for help. When the admin is unable or unwilling to assist, they will use that request against you as evidence that you are ineffective. "If you were a good teacher, you wouldn't be having this behavior problem"
This could be my story but I was lucky enough to find a better position in my district or I would have left. You completely hit the nail on the head. We are blamed for everything but then kids are not held accountable at the middle or high school level. And what is up with elementary teachers being given multiple grade levels without a conference period. Total bs. One thing I never felt guilty about was taking a sick day. I needed them to recover and rest. The reason I left my position is inexplicably the administration was covering for a severely emotionally disturbed student and would block documentation. The student was also abusive. My gut told me to leave so I did.
So glad you left that toxic environment!!!
I was in a specialized school with 3 counselors for 6 classrooms and they were worthless because their point of view was too soft. Basically they enabled no work and no accountability because the child had trauma. Classes were under 20 students, but it was still out of control behaviors where I couldn't even say 1 sentence without interruption for the entire day.
I just quit teaching and I am so relieved for it to be over! I found your channel becouse I wanted to know...is just me or are other teachers having a hard time? I listen to you guys and am in awww I was never as organized and confodent in my teaching.
You are NOT alone in this!!! Best of luck in all your future endeavors ❤️
Right on!! I just came across Honest Teacher Vibes a few weeks ago and I reacted to her video as well. My heart hurts however, becasue there are so many teachers who feel really called to teach and don't want to go to corporate. I def didn't. I started my own small school and I encourage teachers who feel like me to do the same. We all need to conintue to use our voice so things can change!!!!
wow! that is amazing. way to make a difference!!! 🧡
My school doesn't use substitutes as a network. This means that if my coworker is absent, I automatically have to teach my class AND their classes. It's not fair, and a non-negotiable for schools to use subs. This is my last year.
Do you get paid for that. In my district the teachers get paid for that. Regardless that's so many kids
@@niktour352 nope. No extra payment.
I taught Kindergarten at a Title 1 school and despite our admin being amazing (always trying to help), I ended up resigning. I wish I didn't have to but a lot of what you guys talked about is why: the biggest reason is because I believe that parents are not doing their jobs (like you said). Parents need to teach their kids respect. Parents need to be present with their children and not expect other adults to raise their children and teach them basic things. I had a student throw chairs in my room and he was just in Kindergarten. Admin could not control him and had to come get him day after day, even after I was gone. I LOVED the kids in my room but the ones who had behavioral issues ruined it. The interesting thing is, once these children become adults, life will not coddle them. If an adult throws a chair in the office, (s)/he will not be allowed to come back.
Sorry, I also want to add that I had a class of 24 with zero aide and my class was the smallest class in our grade. My colleagues were way too busy to help even though I'm sure they would have if they could. The Kinder teacher next door to me did sit in one afternoon and told me straight up that I had control of my class....so I believe I could have continued teaching. But having kids throw chairs was the last straw. I really believe that unless parents step up and do their job, teachers - really , really good ones who LOVE kids and teaching ( I was SO excited to teach) - will continue to quit.
Honestly why do schools have admin. Their not at the school to help, but bully teachers and side with the parent. They are not at the schools to help and look out for the good of the kids either. Why are admin even paid for to do at the school? Also the American culture of freedom, and rights, everyone wants to do things their way, nobody tells them it’s wrong. Nobody respects authority. Everyone thinks they have rights and can do as they wish..
Honestly, that is how it feels a lot of the time!! ☹️
@gymnut74 that’s use to be true, not true anymore.
I would love to be a guest on your podcast! I left teaching after 12 years and published my book Tales of a Toxic Teacher: Exposing the Cycles of Abuse Within Our Schools. Once you see the abuse, you can’t unsee it - and everyone deserves to know the truth about how schools cause harm to teachers and students.
I think paddling was a healthy way to keep kids in line! I got a paddling at least 3 times a year from one principal and he was one of the greatest men I ever knew! He recently passed and when I heard as a 46yo man I cried like a baby and I have had close family member die and I didn’t shed a tear. I think all of you have bought in to this wrong idea of what child rearing is! If you guys are so right about the “no corporal punishment” way of raising children then why are things so bad today with children?
My school didn’t have corporal punishment in the 80’s and 90’s and things weren’t bad like they are describing. Your logical fallacy is post hoc ergo propter hoc.
You can have discipline without beating children. My brothers kids are very well behaved and have never been hit. My nieces in law are practically angels and have never been hit. Plenty of shitty kids i grew up with got hit regularly and still acted shitty as soon as their parent stopped being around to hit them.
@@LB-yg2br my children were never sparked either and they are both awesome people! However this idea of “spanking” children not “beating” will make them evil or violent is false!
I quit after 5 years. And yes, they put admins, principles, and other staff into rooms when they can’t get a sub (subs are also quitting) or they split up classes and put pieces of those classes into other classrooms for the day.
I didn’t want to quit, but they refused to give me my teaching job back. Montebello Unified School District stole $300 million. They were even paying secretaries more than teachers because of who they slept with. I had to take my dad in the meeting with me because I was scared to go alone. Cleve Pell told me to shut up. I got the best lawyer, so I thought. I had no idea the fight is power, and political. They hate the truth and conservatives. My husband also married another woman, while we were still married. California does nothing!!! They don’t care about you!!!
That stuff really happens in the school district? Wild
@@greenlightwoody9988 oh yeah, this happens ALL the time. All the time.
The behavioral problems we see are just a reflection of the society we now live in. "Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people".
Teaching was a great profession in the past! Who changed the rules? Who's able to change the rules? Why was this done? Are they trying to ruin public education to privatize it? That would be a big mistake. A privatized educational system means the public would have no say in education.
Jess & Sabria (hope that's spelled right), THANK YOU! I'm a product of special education & inclusion. I'm college educated & work as a coach. I also have 2 kids. :) A large part of my success comes from being treated normally, including discipline & consequences. Because spoiler-alert, that's how real life works. I'm not sure how schools can support "anti-bullying" campaigns if they're unwilling to enforce COMMON DECENCY in the classroom. I never got a lollipop when I made good choices, let alone when acted up.
Your experiences as teachers sound so similar to a position I had as a mental health case manager. Management put everything on us because we were the "experts," more and more difficult cases, management only cared about billable hours, all in all a very toxic environment. I was miserable. I left that place 9 years ago, but still remember it as if it was yesterday.
Administrators are afraid to take any action! They don’t want parents coming after them so they dump it on teachers!!
So glad I found you guys! Keep speaking our truth--I keep thinking we must have hit rock bottom, but then we keep sliding even further down. This next year will be year 25 (19 full time) for me, and I'm trying to stay positive so that I can keep going to full retirement.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7)
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
This whole thing made me so appreciative of my admin. They are so supportive and always back teachers with parents. Very grateful.
I feel like this video was what I needed. I've been so depressed. If you talk about this people act like it's taboo. Teachers are supposed to love every aspect of everything about their job and never say anything about how horrible it can be. If I complain to anyone it's like this look of horror washes over their face,"How can you say that about working with children!?" However they have no idea that these children are sometimes bigger than you, they sometimes refuse to listen to you, sometimes they even try to threaten or intimidate you. When you try to tell a parent about what a student said or did that was disrespectful then you get told it's a lack of management skills and end up doing PD to help you learn how to succeed! So the student ends up learning nothing and the teacher ends up getting punished in a sense. That's literally what it's like. Sometimes I think it's easier to just avoid confrontation... And let the behavior go. I'm also told to make my tests super easy for the IEP students... And it's literally giving them the answers for the exams sometimes. I feel like they are telling me to just pass the kids at this point and let the behavior issues go. At what point do we hold the students and parents accountable? I'm tired of being told it's my fault in September.... When I've only had the student for a few weeks? These children learned these behaviours over years and yet I'm being told I'm just not good at class management. I'm tired of teaching middle school and I've only been teaching this grade for a month and a half. The best grade I've ever taught was juniors/seniors in highschool and college. Middle school is the hardest so far and if you complain about it people get so upset like you're the bad guy. It's awful. Don't get me wrong... I've got 144 students....I LOVE them....but 10 students that do not listen and continue to disrupt a class can really make things so difficult. People just do not get it and they often blame teachers. I used to think the same thing.... Until I became a teacher and realized what teachers deal with. I honestly miss working with my geriatric patients, cleaning up feces, doing ostomy bags, cleaning wounds, lifting patients...it was honestly easier. The only problem is that if I go back to medical assisting it's not enough to pay the bills. I want to continue my education and maybe get my medical lab degree... But the problem is I work 24/7 and the only time I could do school is during the summer. I have been thinking of ways to get out. It's sad so many teachers aren't able to speak out and be honest about how things are right now.
Great video! As a former teacher myself, I can totally relate to these mistakes. It's so important for educators transitioning into new careers to be aware of these pitfalls. Thanks for sharing!
I hate to be gone from the classroom, NOT because guilt from being away from stude,re. It's because for every 1 day gone from the classroom is equal to 6 hours of work to prepare for a sub. Most times it's not worth being gone
Behavior? Phone call then write up. The middle school kid usually gets the picture. I just check the boxes. It's caused me to care less and I'm leaving. I'm a 28 year vet band director and I have the best kids in the school! The band kids have been negatively affected by the general population kids. I had a heart attack on 5-1-22. And I don't have most of the risk factors except stress. I was even exercising 3 or 4 times a week. It doesn't take a bright person to see that nothing is really happening to the criminals so why not be a criminal today? (Meaning the kids). It's a plan to fail. Look at how many more adults have jobs "intervening". It's total BS. It's like "what you see happening really isn't happening." The school has to look good on paper so the principal gets a feather in their cap. Remember, all one has to do to be a principal is take the classes. Thank you ladies for have this forum. The truth has to get out.
💯 to everything you said!!! and wow 28 years! Thank you for all you do and for joining in our conversation. Be well!!!
Speaking as a retired 35 year elementary teacher, I would have quit too
with all the weirdness of the teaching situation young teachers need to face today.
Of course, kids were easier when I taught 25 years ago. (I taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.)
Salaries were ridiculously low. ( My annual yearly salary on the year of my retirement was $45,000.)
Kids now are no longer the peaceful kids I taught.
Most kids now are neglected and can be aggressive!
Cell phones have given kids a stronger relationship with their friends
and, so, ganging up on teachers is commonplace.
Parents tend to neglect their kids and hate having to deal with their kid's problems.
They tend to support their kids over teachers and refuse to realize that the problem is their kids!
Sexuality has added to the younger kids' problems and while this is not a classroom problem,
it shows that kids are no longer focused on their studies!
Poor, poor teachers!!!
Sounds like administrators are like politicians
Bingo! You nailed it
A couple of things you mentioned struck a memory. Kids are mostly afraid of each other or a specific few others, and restrooms are places where adults aren't supervising. Who wants to go to the bathroom when the stall door is likely to get kicked in.
Yes, so true!
I am a former supervisor in adult residential settings, and I agree one hundred percent about how we sell people short when we have
So few expectations surrounding behaviors. I have seen it all.
The parents that set boundaries and gave clear and consistent rules regarding what was acceptable gave their children a great opportunity for their future.
It’s a big handicap in life to go around biting people. It limits their potential and invites negative reactions from others to a population that needs extra support.
I know that challenging behaviors leave parents exhausted and they need extra support too. Especially single parents. They usually are just trying to get through their day.
Additional support for struggling parents would go along way also.
That being said, I also experienced being a shadow for a student at a school where rocking and pacing stem behaviors) which ironically calmed the student preventing an outburst, was not tolerated by the
classroom teacher.
We each have so many different ideas about what is acceptable and what is best. I am certain this is very confusing for our students!
Love your discussion and thanks for being willing to be open about these controversial topics.
Shalom❤️
I have seen so many of these things especially Middle School, which is hard for this age to begin with, compounded when there have not been consequences all along. The kids do not learn how to manage their emotions. Many schools I have worked in counselors are being asked to do many things that are not related to counseling due to funding problems.
I think all people who are in education are asked to do wayyyy too many things beyond their own jobs. 😢😢
I hope you keep up your youtube channel. Even though I've already resigned, teachers need to here from you. You hit so many problems with the field of education and the inept administrators, and school boards who are idiots.
Wow my wife is a teacher and she just quit to lol
29:22 hit on a point that at times goes overlooked. I'm in my first year teaching and our school has over 900 students, and two guidance counselors. Our counselors are really good but overloaded having to handle 6-8th grade with just two people. The misbehavior and lack of respect for authority is off the chain. The kids act out and think school is a playground all day everyday, and the parents aren't helping.
I really wanna know what school counselors do? Because my understanding is that they really cant do much but talk to the kids. School psychologists are the ones more appropriately equipt to do something about it since they are the ones writting up the IEP's.
Imo there has been a shift away from punishments since they are proven to be less effective than positive reinforcment/negative reinforcement. But the problem now is what are the real consquences? Punishments are much easier and quicker to implement than natural consequences, restorative practices, counseling, iep meetings, etc. That takes lots of planning, meetings, and staff to be available to address these issues. Its creating alot more work and it spreads people thin. Theres only so much you can do and only so many hours in a day.
Well I guess I’m not going to get my credential after all! Just subbing was enough to make me realize it’s not a good work environment. Grateful for these videos of teachers sharing their stories and raising the awareness.
As a behavioral support staff I can't express the amount of stress I went thru this school year . Although it was my job, I really felt like so many responsibilities are put on us without behavior plans and a system to modify behavior. We just sat there and got punch all day.
Weird thing is. Gen ed Teachers I worked with didn't know alot about autism ....so they would reward and give attention to the WRONG THINGS just to control the class
You two said it all!
thank you for watching!
I just had to chime in. We have no counselors at our school of about 900 students. None! There is no funding for them unless we want to take a pay cut/cut health benefits. So we have to choose between a living wage and health benefits or those “extra” supports for the kids.
As a retired NYC paraprofessional, students 🎯 hit and kicked me countless times, but because they had an I.E.P, NOTHING happened!
We need to bring back military boarding schools with former military vets as teachers. Make it extremely strict.
Not only feeling guilty for asking for help, but knowing that if you do get "support," it's going up be in the form of extra work or lost preps to meet with a "coach" who hasn't been in their own classroom in years.
Students are now being put into the general classroom, Australia is following suit, it's integration not inclusion. To me it's the same thing when they introduce differentiation - meaning, funding cuts.
Many kids don’t have IEPs, but many parents want you to personalize individual services like an IEP for their kid like they are entitled to it. But how do you personalize services for over 200 kids, with all individual needs, how is that possible?
The answer to helping students through lack of self regulation, depression, is always to create better lesson plans that ‘crosscut’ social emotional and life skill. It’s basically impossible, waters down everyone’s real education. Kids who display violence, suicidal tendencies need to be out of general class. School counselor not gonna fix a depressed angry child with 2-3 Aces. The term chill pill comes to mind
There was a parent yelling and raging at the administrative assistant in the lobby, the principal literary stood up from his office chair and shut his door leaving the parent to continue raging at the assistant. I'm so sure!
I left teaching months ago, and I'm still being contacted with, "Oh hey, can you tell us how this IEP kid made progress throughout the year? Oh hey, can you tell me where to find x, y, and z in your classroom?"
Gross.
I would refuse to answer my phone. Eff those people.
As a counselor: we have our own full, exhausting teaching schedule and are being treated like crap by kids bc our classes are a “special” (aka recess) in some districts, with NO GRADES. And don’t get me started on the CPS calls and random subbing/duties on top of our own duty. I’m quitting this year.
No worries. It’s only the collapse of our country into depravity , economic destruction, starvation and chaos. No biggie.
By the time my dad retired as head custodian of a public middle school, his school had multiple daily fights between students. Teachers had no control over the students, there was no support from the principal, very little learning was going on, and the teachers were getting reprimanded for low test scores. In addition, the students were breaking fixtures and having sex in the bathrooms. The school resource officer sometimes needed to call for backup. The school system had a second middle school and it was more of the same going on. All of these things were kept quiet from the public. I had just started my education to become a teacher and I dropped out when I found out how bad it was.
My dad's school system wasn't even an inner city, it was an old New England mill town.
I worked in the UK and had an OFSTEAD inspection and questionnaire. The questionnaire was suppose to be confidential - rather naively on my part, I answered honestly. My comments were raised in the follow up meeting with the principal. He got his leadership team together and tracked the comments back to me. I got called into the office and got in trouble for my honesty. The principal was in complete denial to the needs of not only teachers but the needs of students. I have since REFUSED to ever do any teacher surveys again. I will not do them. I've been threatened the loss of my job etc but I will not do a teacher survey or participate in staff meetings to hear what teachers have to say. NO WAY. Get yourself legal representation, paper trail EVERYTHING, even if you HOD doesn't respond to emails like mine didn't and date everything. Protect yourself and stand up for your rights.
Except 4 IB.... classrooms are in CRISIS. I am a SPED teacher and the children are in PTSD mode..
edit: COVID lockdown changed everyone.
I found this discussion affirming. Loneliness is a big part of being a teacher because you feel unsupported, misunderstood and taken for granted. I have taught primary school children for 28 years (with a couple of periods of time outside of education) and I'm also a qualified psychological therapist. I totally agree with all the points made. I believe that the toxic education system is a symptom of wider cultural toxicity. We need to address the cultural context of education, especially the true meaning, nature and purpose of education for human beings. Dr. Gabor Maté's superb book; 'The Myth of Normal' talks about to this subject and offers some realistic solutions. I've recently decided to leave teaching (for the 3rd time) and have an interview in 4 days for a completely different job. Good luck to all teachers who are choosing to leave their toxic jobs behind. Joe. UK.
Part of my brain said, "Bridge class? Aren't they 'Go fish' level? I didn't learn bridge until I was an adult. They are going to be card sharks! Oh! Sorry, bridge is a dirty word for shoving all those grades together? Damn. I preferred picturing you starting a group of mini card sharks."
Anyway, hope you had a laugh about my mistake. Also, I am so sorry about these teaching issues. I really don't know that IEP's are working. Too many kids with IEP's seem to be screwing up our system. What would you guys replace it with? More teacher's yeah, but also, not making every kid get "special" attention.
What ya'll fail to see is the issue with administration. They are incentivised to give as little help as possible for monetary reasons, and any parent who tries to hold them accountable to actual laws, such as the one regarding IEPs are met with wasting tons of hours and money, and the only "win" in that lawsuit is the school being forced to give the services they were supposed to in the first place.
They don't want you to report because it might be in court. If it is, you are required to show you did everything per the guidelines that ensure kids are being treated fairly, teachers almost never do. You are an employee to them, you will be thrown under the bus like another employee anywhere else. (Teaching feels noble to you, but to your boss you might as well be working at Target)
I just got done with fighting my sons school in court. They disregarded his IEP and fought us tooth and nail on getting an aid that literally the entire IEP team agreed he deserved and needed, along with more therapy coming out of the pandemic. After nearly an entire year of them dragging feet and trying to placate us, they now have to give him an aid and therapy, that's it. No money for me, no "Our bad" nothing but them actually doing their jobs.
And yeah, the teacher at first said it was my sons fault, and he did have issues (Though not physically possible at the extent she explained) but when we got a lawyer it became the "Teachers fault" and she was pissed, understandably. She of course jumped on our side, just because she didn't expect her admin to turn on her, but they did because she's just another employee.
Admin protects money, Teachers forget they are employees and they shouldn't. Get a lawyer always. Make Record of every single thing your supervisor says, PROTECT YOURSELF
Side note: My child and myself have ASD, he has more functional needs than I do. However, we shouldn't have to deal with a school of all places not following the rules to the T. If the rules were always followed, it wouldn't be so easy to win against a school administration in court.
I do agree somewhat though, especially about teachers needing resources, but this will only change when admin has no reason to not spend the money. Currently they have every reason to withhold and hope no one says anything. Also, they reason they don't seem to care even though they used to be teachers, is because their new jobs makes alot more money and they don't get promoted by being good and fair toward the teachers.
19 year teacher you guys are spot in yes, having classroom management you are expected to deal with it! Asking for help an end up meaning dings in appraisals which shouldn't happen the fact that it does is why teachers try to be SUPER HUMAN and take and take and deal and deal affecting their health!!! I'm sorry but 33 kids in a classroom without iep's let alone those situations is TOO TOO MUCH PERIOD!!!
I taught HS for 10 years. When I left I told them - I LOVE teaching. I HATE school.
Yep
What did you find as an alternative to teaching? SO agree with that sentiment!
And I think this is the problem with constantly validating kids emotions/feelings is that it can teach them that their emotions are the most important thing in anything & everything, to hell with everyone else. As opposed to letting them learn to self soothe and sit with unpleasant feelings/emotions.
Resources, yesssss. I don't need a digital whiteboard. I need 10 less students
amen to that!
List of responsibilities in a contract usually has an asterisk *and anything else we think of*
in Australia we don't seem to have a test or a way to properly diagnose IP students and this makes it inconsistent to implement as it's based on teachers opinion and no one else. I feel there should be some sort of proper diagnoses and written up by a someone's who only job is to write , test, diagnose and support IP students. So, I've seen most teachers won't identify those that really need extra support because it creates a huge extra work load on individual staff.
You got a new subscriber, ladies! I just found you; keep it up. This is really helpful, thank you. 👊🏼😎
thank you for being here!!!
they keyboard situation... same... when the kids were stealing all of our stuff due to the devious licks trend. One of the kids stole my apple tv remote and when I asked for a new one I was told I needed to purchase it myself because replacements were not given out for any reason.
Education has kolapsed. Welkome to kaumuunizm.
My school district does not have guidance counselors!!! I have not worked at a school with one in years!
skipping right over the dehumanizing way that the word "behaviors" is being used here...
1) It is inexcusable to introduce a child into a classroom without all appropriate IEP and 504 information. It sets everyone involved up for failure.
2) Even when you have the IEP and 504 information, a remotely sane system would involve a re-evaluation of support/assistance/personnel every time a teacher has to incorporate a new IEP or 504 into their classroom procedures.
3) And schools are highly incentivized to NOT cooperate with diagnostic procedures, so you are likely to have a LOT of kids who don't even have IEPs or 504s but who really, really, really should. I was one of these: two neurological variations that weren't diagnosed until my 40s... but were handled as behavioral defiance in school, because neither the teachers nor I had the beginnings of the information we needed to handle it in a way which didn't cause a ton of damage. And yes, a ton of damage was done -- to me for sure, and likely to the educators who cared and found themselves unable to help me. And I have seen this same thing with my friends' kids just within the past 5 years.
4) So teachers are stuck with children with too many conflicting needs, many of whom have not had those needs acknowledged by school personnel, and with not remotely enough time/attention to catch the kids who administrators don't want to admit need help.
5) Consequences are necessary. It is also necessary to be able to establish and maintain an environment in which children are able to act in accordance with their values, community values, and in their best interest (which they can identify based on expected consequences).
6) And the fact that a lot of kids think that they can get away with anything, also predisposes teachers and administrators to assume that the children are acting based on what they think they can get away with, blinding them to the times when the child is honestly trying to comply and is simply unable to... which is how you miss that a kid needs an IEP in the first place.
what needs to be done:
Smaller class sizes. (cannot stress this enough)
Fund counselors, social workers, nurses, paraeducators
Back teachers and administrators when parents are problematic
Cooperate fully with evaluation/diagnostic processes; if asked about a behavior, don't enter "rarely" or "never" if it's not observed; that is a "not observed." If the for doesn't give you the option, WRITE IT IN.
Increase education about neurological variation, learning disabilities, trauma response (particularly cPTSD), mental illness ACROSS STAFF -- whenever possible, involve adults who have/have had these conditions in these trainings.
all current school rating/ranking systems need to be replaced, and the only tie to funding should be INCREASED funding for struggling schools.
Tell me about it…
I been working in a rsp classroom and I know how much behavioral problems can take a toll on a teacher…
My coworker literally left us 2 months ago because she fell into this spiral negative affect.. and hasn’t came back.. I literally had to keep shit going and making things work … even emailing about progress on students and make sure all minutes were being met and having to explain all the shit to a NEW sub every other day!!!!! And I get paid minimum WAGE. Can u say “fml” with me…
It’s so infuriating!! Didn’t even get a chance to move up to the spot that opened up in our site.. because they want me to stick around and pick up the slack that my bisch ass coworker left me with.
Second year … she’s done this… I hope she isn’t asked to come back. I hope we get a teacher with more experience…& who wants & can actually be there with us 150%!
The high school I taught at had 3200 students and 3 admins who dealt with behavior issues.
"Punished for being good at something" Is what I felt for so long.
Tracking needs to come back at both the school, and classroom, levels. Asking teachers to teach reading to a room with 2+ grade levels is insane.
"Boundaries." When we were kids, we had hard and fast RULES. And this kind of behavior was was inconceivable.
Children are too young to understand the nuanced concept of boundaries. That's for adult relationships, not adult-child relationships.
There's so much wrong with contemporary thinking on teaching and child-rearing.
Parents need to step up and parent
listening to this now though.... huge shortages. not so many lined up. i hope that means change will come
The elementary school teachers are getting torn alive.
Another great episode!
I think a big reason behind some teacher’s experiences is a lot of parents being triggered by their past schooling trauma (of being harassed/ not supported by staff or peers) and making sure that their children don’t share those negative experiences. It definitely doesn’t excuse the lack of support, but I think a lot of the “crazy” parents are just trying to advocate for kids the way they wish to have been advocated for…
I hear that. I was definitely one of those kids getting bullied by adults back in the 80s and 90s and it truly had a bad effect on me. I’m now a mom of a soon to be kindergartner with autism. The flipside of this is that I’m married to a teacher who has gotten bullying, Karen-esque emails from parents while on Xmas break. These emails are ridiculous: “My daughter didn’t appreciate your tone. She feels that you’re singling her out.” Are they serious???
My child isn’t even 6 yet and I will always expect him to behave himself and be respectful to the best of his abilities. He knows when he’s misbehaving and so do we. We’re going to work *with* his teachers, not against them.
Parents keep expecting miracles from people who can barely support a family on their income. Suggest teachers need more of *anything* and the public scoffs. They wouldn’t even last a day as a teacher.
Yeah someone commented kids are “suddenly” acting bad. Yes they’re parents are possibly raising them to be more disrespectful but kids have always behaved that way. It’s only talked about now because teachers can no longer turn their heads
Admin should call parents for behavior issues always. Parents take it more seriously and really thats their job
The girl on the right has no fear in saying the truth over and over. Seriously, everything u said was my whole 1st (and only) year teaching. When the wrong kids get an IEP/504, they stay the same. They behave bad on purpose to keep their plan. If they did well, they’d be expected to perform, and these plans seem to trap them in this mindset of doing poor so they have an excuse to act out. It’s a shame really, but the best way to face it is to quit. So many employers were former teachers, or someone in their family was, so it’s pretty easy for teachers to move on to a whole new career. The same type of mindset problem-the guilt, which is weaponized by admin-is what keeps teachers from realizing their own true potential. It’s a toxic career nowadays. Quit now.
I'm weighing my options now. I'm trying to get the hell out of my building to find a new position. If the new job doesn't work out, I think I'm done.
The only way around it i can see are basically military style teaching where the teacher's word is absolute. Too much leeway has been given.
could you make a video on salary and amount of kids a SLP and teacher make and have?
and guns, PRESIDENT TRUMP, and Russia keep being blamed...when in reality is the family system is very broken which leads to an increase in mental health
You really need to understand there are at least two sides to every situation. Talk about solutions like funding for counselors, nurses, social workers, and crisis teams.