(no subject)
Oh man. Ok, so I've been doing the school thing/grad school thing for a whole month now. I'm in the groove. I basically know what to expect. I don't really get nervous anymore when I get assigned a new class to sub. I know that even if I suck and screw up, hey, they're not my class and I get to leave at the end of the day and not deal with them tomorrow. Unless I get requested to cover that class agian. But that's unusual.
Classes are pretty bad. The thing about public education is that it's overrun with crazy, blood sucking liberals. I don't mind liberals. Except when it comes to education. Their philosophy is that teachers should do everything basically except teach. Case in point- Monday night in my Contemporary Issues class we had a speaker from the state board of ed come talk to us about bullying and stuff. I made some very general comment about how I think we shouldn't coddle students and that parents should be held accountable and be required to actually, um... parent. Yeah, well, that wasn't the politically correct thing to say apparently. Also, according to this crazy lady, if I ever expect to teach my content area I should just quit this program now and go get my PhD because the only place I'll ever actually teach English is at college. Huh. Oh and it didn't end there. But for practical purposes I'll stop because it just really upsets me. Standardized testing and accountability. I'm sorry, but some people just don't take tests... well. Some people (gasp!) have below average intelligence. The entire state of Connecticut is not going to pass the CMTs because A) not every person should and B) it's a freaking really hard test. But no, the board of ed says that everybody must pass. Even immigrants who can hardly speak enough english to ask "where's the bathroom?"
You know, I really do love children. I love going to school everyday. I am so excited about my job and my grad program. Most of the time I really learn a lot of useful information. But every so often someone says something like "Well if we would just buy all of the poor, minority students birth control they wouldn't get pregnant" and then I have to restrain myself. Yes, because these people can't walk into CVS and buy condoms apparently. Or take the bus to Planned Parenthood. Or, (gasp) not have sex until they are ready to embrace the consequences. No, now I'm being told that I am contractually obligated to physically hand birth control pills to my students. Where does Shakespeare fit into all of this? Anybody? Bueller?
Sorry. Here's the thing- politics do not belong in the workplace, but unfortunately I've chosen a career in which my ethics and values are tested everyday. I like to keep the peace, and yet I have to eat my lunch and be lectured at. It makes me uncomfortable. Even if these people were talking about things that I agreed with, I would feel bad for the other people who likely felt awkward. Actually, I shoudn't say that. My school where I intern is very conservative compared to other districts and the state in general. And I don't mean politically, necessarily, I mean, in terms of education. Nobody in my school thinks it's right that the adorable special ed kids who can't even remember their locker combo have to pass the CAPT. We have young teachers who are knowledgable about the current trends in education. We have inclusion learning environments. We still have music and art!!
Ok, so after all that complaining you wouldn't think that I'm actually happy. But I am. Things are going really well. My friend Emily at work is my double. She likes to eat as much as I do. She's lactose intolerant. She is into really sweet, mellow music (she made me a mix cd after knowing me for only one week!). She's been dating her bf for seven years. Chris is pretty good. He likes work. He visits me a lot and escapes home. He allows his dog to pounce on me and hump me, leaving dirty muddy paw prints all over me. I think we're going to the Fair tomorrow. He has no idea what he's in for. Tractor pulls. Frog jumping. Pig races. Fried dough. Apple fritters.
Classes are pretty bad. The thing about public education is that it's overrun with crazy, blood sucking liberals. I don't mind liberals. Except when it comes to education. Their philosophy is that teachers should do everything basically except teach. Case in point- Monday night in my Contemporary Issues class we had a speaker from the state board of ed come talk to us about bullying and stuff. I made some very general comment about how I think we shouldn't coddle students and that parents should be held accountable and be required to actually, um... parent. Yeah, well, that wasn't the politically correct thing to say apparently. Also, according to this crazy lady, if I ever expect to teach my content area I should just quit this program now and go get my PhD because the only place I'll ever actually teach English is at college. Huh. Oh and it didn't end there. But for practical purposes I'll stop because it just really upsets me. Standardized testing and accountability. I'm sorry, but some people just don't take tests... well. Some people (gasp!) have below average intelligence. The entire state of Connecticut is not going to pass the CMTs because A) not every person should and B) it's a freaking really hard test. But no, the board of ed says that everybody must pass. Even immigrants who can hardly speak enough english to ask "where's the bathroom?"
You know, I really do love children. I love going to school everyday. I am so excited about my job and my grad program. Most of the time I really learn a lot of useful information. But every so often someone says something like "Well if we would just buy all of the poor, minority students birth control they wouldn't get pregnant" and then I have to restrain myself. Yes, because these people can't walk into CVS and buy condoms apparently. Or take the bus to Planned Parenthood. Or, (gasp) not have sex until they are ready to embrace the consequences. No, now I'm being told that I am contractually obligated to physically hand birth control pills to my students. Where does Shakespeare fit into all of this? Anybody? Bueller?
Sorry. Here's the thing- politics do not belong in the workplace, but unfortunately I've chosen a career in which my ethics and values are tested everyday. I like to keep the peace, and yet I have to eat my lunch and be lectured at. It makes me uncomfortable. Even if these people were talking about things that I agreed with, I would feel bad for the other people who likely felt awkward. Actually, I shoudn't say that. My school where I intern is very conservative compared to other districts and the state in general. And I don't mean politically, necessarily, I mean, in terms of education. Nobody in my school thinks it's right that the adorable special ed kids who can't even remember their locker combo have to pass the CAPT. We have young teachers who are knowledgable about the current trends in education. We have inclusion learning environments. We still have music and art!!
Ok, so after all that complaining you wouldn't think that I'm actually happy. But I am. Things are going really well. My friend Emily at work is my double. She likes to eat as much as I do. She's lactose intolerant. She is into really sweet, mellow music (she made me a mix cd after knowing me for only one week!). She's been dating her bf for seven years. Chris is pretty good. He likes work. He visits me a lot and escapes home. He allows his dog to pounce on me and hump me, leaving dirty muddy paw prints all over me. I think we're going to the Fair tomorrow. He has no idea what he's in for. Tractor pulls. Frog jumping. Pig races. Fried dough. Apple fritters.