Thursday, May 20, 2010

Idiot Teacher


Kids are not allowed to use cell phones in class. We tell them this constantly and when they don't listen, they get their phones confiscated. A deam took one away from one of my students today.

Last week I noticed Tony, a great kid, checking a text he just received. Since he usually does not take out the phone I decided to pretend I didn't see. But, the pretense ended when Tony got up and asked for the pass. Mr. X, Tony's extra curricular advisor sent him the text because he had to see him immediately. Yes, you read that correctly, the teacher sent the student a text! Tony must have told Mr. X how angry I was because Tony came back offering Mr. X's apology.

Mr. X is one of the teenie bopper teachers and needs to learn the difference between being a teacher and being a friend to these kids. Teachers walk to the room, send a monitor to the room or call the room, they don't text students during class. Teachers should not even be texting students who are not in class.

Who would have thought that an educator needs a lesson in being an educator?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

A "younger" teacher has a different view of technology and is probably closer in age to the student than we are. This teacher needs to stop and THINK about their actions before they act when it comes to the students. They obviously do not view themselves as a role model, but as a buddy. Not too professional either.

ChiTown Girl said...

WTF? And THESE are the teachers they want to replace us veterans with, huh? Brilliant!

apple said...

why are we asking students to power down in class? why can't their devices be utilized within the classroom? students could work out a problem and text answers to the teacher. they could take surveys online via their phones, and store notes, formulas, and examples on their phone. instead of trying to pry their devices from their hands, why don't we take advantage of the fact that students are motivated by their gadgets, and start to utilize them in the classroom?

i'm sorry to disagree on this one, but i disagree with the DOE policy of no phones, as does the head of educational technology for manhattan schools. with the right support and training, we could be motivating students to go further using their devices in school.

Pissedoffteacher said...

No disagreement with what you are saying as for the use of technology but it is against the rules right now to use cell phones so teachers should not be texting students in class. Teachers and students should not be teting at all, there are other ways to use technology.

Anonymous said...

All I hear is bitter. There is more to education than what takes place in the classroom. Maybe it would do some of us some good to lighten up and stop complaining about everything.

Pissedoffteacher said...

Or maybe the teacher should learn some boundaries.

No one argues that there is more to education than what takes place in the classroom but there are ways to do it.

If I am supposed to confiscate phones that go off in the classroom, certainly a teacher should not be the cause of it going off.

If I was really complaining, I could use some words here that would identify the teacher to the teacher but I am "light enough" not to do that.

Chris Osborne said...

I'm only 23, so I'm at the age where I should be checking my phone all the time if you believe the stereotypes.

I don't. I take phones from kids who do, or write them up since the schools here give them a choice of losing the phone for a while or getting suspended for 3 days.

What that teacher did is ridiculous. He should have to give up his phone.

Math Teacher said...

I actually disagree cellphones need to be allowed into the classroom. I'm currently taking a class on how to use technology in the classroom teaching mathematics an done of the tools will be using to enhance the classroom will be cellphones and by the way the class is being taught by a retired NYC public school teacher with 40+ years of experience.

Pissedoffteacher said...

No argument as to whether they should or not be allowed, at least not here. The current policy does not allow them. A teacher can get in trouble for not taking away a phone they see out so why should another teacher be texting a student while that student is in class?