I haven't published on the new blog yet. I'm still going to write here. If I haven't responded to you yet, I might have missed the post or you didn't include your e-mail. Give me 48 hours and then just write again. The responses have been overwhelming. I had no idea so many people read this blog. That one will just be saved for the down and dirty stuff.I don't care who reads this post. Rush-in teachers are being used all over the city and our children are being hurt. The policy has to be advertised and stopped.
To save something, I'm not sure what, except for space, many resource room kids only see their resource room teacher in their history or English class. These teachers are "push ins". Their mission, whether they chose to accept it or not, was to work with these students in the mainstream environment. Now they might be doing better in this history or English class but they are not being serviced in math or reading or anything else that matters.
Personally, I can't imagine this type of system working in my classroom. I don't think I would like an extra voice talking while I am talking (the kids do enough of that without assistance.) If the students spent the period working individually, or in groups, an extra body in the room would be great. My feeling is that they come to school to be taught. I am paid "big bucks" to teach. I want to earn my check. Having them work individually all period is not something I am being paid to do.
10 comments:
At least your "push ins" actually show up. Ours don't do a damn thing! We got rid of all our self-contained sped classrooms a couple of years ago (thanks, NCLB!) so now the sped teachers don't really do anything. Other than hang out and socialize with each other all day, that is :(
We also have an RSP teacher who comes into classes. Sometimes instead of the teacher, we get an instructional aide. The problem is, I too often need to teach most of all of the period. What are they to do then, to support their students? Once the RSP people see they can't do much in my room, I suppose they service other students in other classrooms. Add to that, the teacher is only on my campus part of the week. It is uneven service at best.
We were told we must provide lesson plans in advance for our push in teachers- essentially, taking all responsibility off of them. What irritates me the most is these chosen few have practically zero accountability. They are distracting, and some are practically worthless.
A few of my co-workers have told administration not to have these people come into their classroom. I wish I could do the same with one of mine.
It really depends on the push-in. But to have to give them lesson plans is a slap across the face for all teachers. They should be provided with an overview of what you are teaching.
I personally like the push-out program better because, if the SETTS teacher is worth his/her weight, the students will make progress.
As for you new blog, I will send you an email. But it really is ashame if you give up this blog. This is a place where students come first.
I wonder just how many of your readers are from your school? Has Suit been following closely (and still not learning a thing posted)
If New Suit truly appreciates the value of what you have written, he will make the necessary changes that value students and the working conditions of teachers.
At this point in your career, it may be a mistake to stop what you are doing. Did New Suit give you the impression he was not pleased?
If he'd bother to read older posts, he learned more from those readings than he learned from Suit, AP (who must also be a reader) and from any admin courses he has taking. The bad thing is that he will still have to be under the pressures of Klein thanks to Randi not standing up to the City Council. But, if he is more interested in standards rather than a bonus, he may be the best thing that ever happened to those students.
I hope you reconsider.
I'm not going to stop writing this blog. I'm just going to keep some of my more controversial thoughts private.
Principal Hula seemed okay with blog but you never know. He did tell me to speak to him about anything and so far he has done the two things I asked. I don't trust administrators. As for Suit, I don't know and who care if he knows.
"My feeling is that they come to school to be taught. I am paid "big bucks" to teach. I want to earn my check. Having them work individually all period is not something I am being paid to do."
I couldn't agree with you more. If the kids could teach themselves everything, why do we still have schools? I'm so sick of my only observation complaint being that I teach too much!
As a "push-in" teacher - I really resent that phrase. I have a legal obligation to provide services in the GEE setting to these students.
The phrase itself sets up bad feelings between the GEE teacher and myself. Yes I need lesson plans ahead of the time I walk into your classroom because I need to know what's going on so I can make whatever modifications/accommodations are required from the IEPs.
You resent us coming into your classroom - imagine how we feel - we completely LOST our classrooms and ALL control over our students and their curriculum.
We need to work together and quit this "your kids my kids" stuff.
Well, I suppose I care if Suit and AP know that their stupid, self-centered policies are not in the best interest of students and teachers. And I suppose I care that educators can look to this blog and see how an administrator can ruin a student's success and know other educators have little regard for Suit's legacy and AP's policies.
So yes I hope Suit was a daily reader--not that it made a difference to him, but in the long run, I think it will.
I have no problem with the teachers. My problem is that my students not being provided the services they need.
Push in resource room is an elementary school model being foisted upon needy high school learners. It just doesn't work, and is probably illegal in terms of IEP mandates. Just because XXX High School uses this "model", doesn't mean that Packemin has to follow "suit" (sorry I couldn't resist). It's an expeditious "solution" to the overcrowding problem. Less small classrooms are required if someone "pushes" in to another classroom rather than the SETSS program students having a separate class and room another period. This arrangement clearly violates IEP's that state that the child is supposed to get an 8:1 class; of course, anyone could change that, from what I know of IEP writing.
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