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1877. arkymalarky - 5/6/2016 11:15:18 PM Thanks! So excited. I'll text you an ultrasound. It makes it easier for me to decide next year's my last, in addition to the fact that I'm not happy with my administration right now. In fact I'm mad. Which is awkward, because I've known them for decades and taught their kids and siblings, but I do not like important things they're doing, and I'm about to show myself the door and let them know that on the way out, I guess. I told everybody else who matters, and there are a lot of really good people at that school. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my last year with my kiddos, who have been stupendous! 1878. Ms. No - 5/8/2016 7:23:29 PM What's your admin been doing? 1879. Ms. No - 5/20/2016 2:22:22 AM grrrrr! Had a totally pointless and frustrating common planning time meeting today with our Junior English teacher.
All (ha!) we needed to do was to simplify the district benchmark rubric for Argument Writing. Instead we spend nearly the entire hour debating just what is formal writing and do kids really need to learn how to do it.
Yes, a philosophical and semantic debate where he's going to insist on repeating "Well, it's just my opinion but..."
Okay, great, That's your opinion, and much of it I agree with, but we were hired to teach according to the state standards and we don't get to decide all on our own that they're just worthless and throw them out the window to teach any damn thing we want.
I'm a full proponent of "Teach the kids what I know they're going to need IN ADDITION to what the District requires." I'm not a traditionalist by any means, but I also don't think writing objectively is a worthless, souless endeavor.
You'd think that someone in his first year of teaching might assume he could learn something from folks who've been doing it a little longer than him. Except that he's the kind of first year teacher who thinks --- truly believes -- that he's far and away better than most veteran teachers.
Okay, great. Go be better, but don't waste any more of my time in meetings. I'm here to get shit done. If I wanted to talk philosophy I'd do it with a beer in my hand and people I enjoy hanging out with a hell of a lot more than you. 1880. Ms. No - 5/20/2016 2:23:44 AM I'm am irritated all to shit for various reasons about this dude, but I don't dislike him on a personal level. He's a nice guy and entertaining, but he rubs me the wrong way professionally.
Fuck, running late for the gym.
Maybe I'll go work off some of this snit. 1881. arkymalarky - 5/20/2016 6:04:26 PM Can't stand meeting-hogs who use them as a stage for their opinions. Put it in A blog and let's move on. I'm sure I've been guilty of it, but I'm sure I annoyed the he'll out of people. 1882. Ms. No - 5/21/2016 8:04:35 PM Yes, but you were probably at least right. This guy has his head up his ass insisting that learning to write in a formal style is a waste of time because it isn't used in college anymore.
Uh...in what universe is that? Especially since most of our students want to pursue science and medicine. They need to learn to write not just academically, but scientifically, and boy-wonder doesn't find any of that valuable because it bores him personally.
Arg! Anyway, he applied for a position at the school he did his student teaching in last year, so maybe they'll take him back.
1883. arkymalarky - 5/21/2016 9:29:37 PM Yes, that's just wrong. For one thing, now more than ever it's important for students to learn the importance of precision and logic and reasonable processing of info and research. Exactly what does he think most people use formal writing for? 1884. arkymalarky - 5/22/2016 3:26:26 PM Reasoned processing.... 1885. Ms. No - 5/22/2016 4:17:59 PM To his credit he does require that they have evidence to support their opinions, and he counts spelling and grammar, but I think he's just philosophically opposed to any kind of writing that doesn't have the soul of the author in it. He was on about how there's no such thing as objective writing because everyone has bias.
1886. arkymalarky - 5/22/2016 7:50:37 PM I don't count spelling 1887. arkymalarky - 5/22/2016 7:50:37 PM I don't count spelling 1888. arkymalarky - 5/22/2016 8:04:55 PM ObjectiviTy isn't absolute. It's not an all or nothing process to reduce bias. 1889. arkymalarky - 5/22/2016 8:06:15 PM Prospect....
Summer needs to get here. Wed is it. 1890. arkymalarky - 5/25/2016 11:19:39 PM Out. My last cycle of teaching starts today. This time next year I'll be done. 1891. Ms. No - 5/26/2016 12:31:35 AM And I will envy you!
1892. arkymalarky - 5/26/2016 2:46:40 AM I don't know how I'm going to feel about it when the time comes, but I'm very ambivalent about it now. People are walking on eggshells around me at the moment, but my basic request was not honored, so I'm going to be interested to see what happens by the spring of next year. They told me that they're looking to hire an extra English teacher next year but not this coming year. I'll believe it when I see it. What they do will determine how I end up leaving. If it goes well, I'll come back and help and help transition the new people, and the kids, but if they don't do what they need to do I'm going to let the board know in my resignation, walk away, and not look back. I will keep close to my friends who came to work there and to my students no matter what. 1893. arkymalarky - 5/26/2016 2:51:19 AM I am very grateful to have gotten the Delight magic and my old friends back. Never thought that would happen. 1894. judithathome - 5/28/2016 11:59:29 PM Wishing you the best whatever comes down!
You can always take the train and come here for a visit....HA! (inside joke!)
Seriously, as we both know, we'll be happy to pick you up half way....;-)
(and bring you back that way....waving at the empty train tracks all the way!) 1895. arkymalarky - 5/29/2016 1:43:59 AM Awwww thanks! I'm definitely retiring after next year no matter what, and it'll make it easier emotionally if they don't fix their issues. I just hate it for the kids, and I'm going to fight for them up to the last day. These people need to adjust their priorities, and that is going to be my one note for a whole year. I told them that's what's going to happen, and I'm not kidding. They've known me long enough to know that.
I would love Amtrak to get its act together by the time I retired. I really enjoyed the little bit of time I got to be on the train. 1896. judithathome - 5/29/2016 5:22:30 PM As you know, my across the street neighbor is a teacher (PE) in a very "at risk" school....new adminstrators have come in and they are systematically getting rid of all the "older" teachers...she is 2 years from early SS and her husband is on dialysis twice a day....she is worried sick.
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