The Guidance Counselor

She became a counselor because she hated being in the classroom.  Her behavior management skills were lacking and she gradually started hating the kids.  Guidance was her way out.

Too bad she still hated the kids she was entrusted to help, the kids who were the neediest in the building.   The kids knew how she felt about them and so did their parents.  Many adults in the building knew too.

She will read this and know it is about her.  She will be angry.  She'd be a fool to say something.  No names are used and no school mentioned.  But she will probably complain anyway, outing herself to everyone, even the people in charge.

Have You Heard Anything?

Julio is a sweet boy who does very little work in class. He has yet to hand in a test paper although he appears to be working on it all period.

Julio also converses in a mix of English and Spanish which makes me wonder if he can even separate the two languages in his head. He seems very comfortable conversing that way and I have been using my limited Spanish with him but I really think the problem extends to more than his comfort level. I just looked at his report card and was shocked at how he did in all his classes except for Spanish and gym.

Please look into this and try to help him before it is too late.

It is now three weeks since I wrote this note. Please leave a comment if the counselor got back to you because he hasn't gotten back to me and I am concerned.

Exploding Heads

The new semester has started and I feel as though I should move a cot into the guidance office. I'm spending so much time there trying to get my kids in the right classes.

Today I walked into a meeting of the guidance department and their AP. I waited for them to finish before I approached anyone. The counselors were agitated and the AP in charge looked like she was about to blow a gasket. They saw me and glared. "The math department is driving us crazy", they said. I wanted to run. The Bronx in me held my ground. "I come in peace", I said. "I just want to put in a request for Mila to be put in my college now class. Please don't hurt me, I only work here." The counselor, a sweet young thing, said she would do it but her brain was fried. She asked me to write down the information. She even found me a pen and paper so I didn't have to search through the three bags I was carrying. (She came to me later and said she made the change.) I approached another counselor about one of the geometry kids I was trying to get back. He was not as pleasant, and roared. "I can't take this anymore. I'll do whatever you want and sign Mr. AP's name." He looked like he might get violent any moment so I ran. (I saw him later and it was all straightened out.)

I have made myself quite noticeable in the guidance office. They either feel ill when they see me or give in to my request immediately. These poor people are over worked and over stressed. Their case loads are huge. I know at least one AP that is driving them crazy. My being a pain has gotten my kids what they need. So, I'll take my chances with their voodoo magic. I'll watch my back and I will keep on going.

Cry For Help

Joe wanted to be on the varsity basketball team more than anything. As a freshman and a sophomore he played junior varsity but he knew how good he was and yearned to play with the big boys. His happiest day was the day he made the team.

Joe became the number one forward on the team. He led the team to victory and everyone was sure he would lead the team to winning the city championship. Unfortunately, report cards came out and Joe failed four subjects and was dropped from the team. Every teacher said he was missing homeworks, was excessively late and that he had poor work habits. Even his basketball teacher said his work habits were poor. Yet, Joe was taking a full load of classes, classes that only a bright kid would take.

I was the teacher responsible for handing Joehis repot card. When I saw it I felt ill. I knew he was not doing well in my class and had many discussions about this with his mother, grandndmother and guidance counselor. I had no idea he was doing so poorly in all his classes. I photo copied the report card and walked into the counselor's office. I wanted to make sure he was aware and would try to help. "Ms. POd", he said, "Joe is just lazy. Besides, he is overwhelmed with work since basketball started. He is glad he is off the team and will have more time to study." I just said "I have never met a kid who wanted to flunk off the basketball team. There must be something else going on. He is too good a kid and too smart a kid to get grades like this." The guidance counselor promised to look into it and to bring his mom to school for a conference. I am still waiting for the conference to happen.

By the third marking period Joe passed enough subjects to get back on the team. He's in my class again and up to his old tricks--no homework, lateness, etc. I told him if he's not careful, he will be off the team again. He told me not to worry. Report cards come out after the season is over.

Joe is a member of the ethnic group Principal Suit is so eager to help. I gave Suit Joe's name earlier this week and asked him to do something for him. Joe is too bright to be failing. Why is it that no one in the school will do anything to help a kid like Joe? Maybe its just me. Maybe those grades aren't a cry for help, they are just the grades of a kid too lazy to do any school work.

Only The Shadow Knows

Suit's weekly announcement said that since many guidance counselor's have never actually taught they were going to shadow a student on their caseload this week. Teachers shouldn't think they are being observed. (I am sure some will love reporting everything they see.) The purpose is just to let the counselor know what a kid's school day is like.

Doesn't this say something about the lack of preparation of today's counselors? Years ago, a counselor had to teach for at least three years. That way, they knew the job they would be taking from all ends. They could understand the frustrations of the teacher and the student. Now, the "teenie bopper" counselors sit in an office equipped with a phone and a computer. When they need something, they see nothing wrong with calling a class and interrupting. Or, if a teacher speaks to them, the response is "put it in writing" which is hard to do when you are walking from room to room with three bags of books and there is no place stop and write.

I don't see what the counselor's will learn by shadowing the kids. The halls are crowded. Classrooms are dirty and overcrowded. The kids are so diverse in some of the classrooms that learning is difficult. They already know that. And now the counselors have been pulled away from their desks for a full day. They have huge caseloads and an inordinate amount of work. This time could be better spent. But, the idea of a counselor shadowing a student sounds good. Quality review is coming. Maybe Suit thinks this is something that will raise his score.

Forty Year Old Baby

I have become friendly with a 40 year old woman in my night class. Toby is repeating the class. I gave her an absent grade last term because there was no way she would pass the final. This way, she could repeat the course without having to pay for it. I was hoping the second time would be the charm and she could do it. The course is not overly difficult and my exams don't vary much from term to term.

Toby's personal life was a mess last semester. She was constantly moving from one major disaster in her life to the next. This term started out better. She seems happy. We talk after class. She has some medical problems but has a good doctor and seems to have that problem under control. She has a job she likes. She has a guy who makes her happy. So, what is her problem? She is having unprotected sex with him. She says it is okay, since she knows him since high school. I asked her if they were each other's firsts? Of course the answer to that was no. I tried to convince her that she was now having sex with everyone else he had had sex with. After ten minutes, she agreed I was right and told me they would both get tested. We also discussed pregnancy. She felt that since she had never gotten pregnant in the past, she was safe from this too. Smartness comes with age? Not in this case.

Last week Toby told me she wants to have a baby with this guy. Since she has a job with no great future, I told her she better get a ring first. She answered that they weren't ready for marriage. I told her a baby was a bigger responsibility and even if they didn't want a big ceremony, they should at least go to a judge and have a legal ceremony. Toby told me her family was religious and they would never go for that. I then said religious people won't go for the baby before the wedding either. Again, she had to agree I was right.

I've had similar conversations with my high school kids for years. I'm always careful about what I say to them, they are minors and I don't want to get in trouble. I never would have imagined having the same conversation with an adult. I guess the saying "age is only a number" is true. In this case, forty is more like fourteen. I hope things work out for her. She is sweet, but, she needs a reality check. She needs to grow up.

Welcome Back!

The first day of school. They were ready for us! The bathrooms were not all open and the ones that were open did not have toilet paper or paper towels and the floors were disgustingly dirty. Nice way to be welcomed back.

Principal Suit flew into the meeting and stuck his thumb out at the people sitting in the last row and yelled "move up." We all thought that was an especially nice greeting. He then began his address to us with the words "Welcome home." We all have places we call home, this school is not one of them. After shushing us, he told us he had a good day planned for us and we were going to continue the fun we have here, singing and laughing, just like camp. He told a bad joke and then showed some Civil War movie that I think was supposed to pertain to leadership, but I am not sure (the auditorium was so hot that I walked outside for most of it.) After what seemed like a 24 hour period, we continued in the student cafeteria which, is air conditioned. We sat in groups and talked about resilience. We heard how he was resilient and became principal--lucky us. The only thing I learned is that one of the teachers I like has a really cute lower back tattoo.

My friend and I sat with some of the young teachers, and told them to pay attention, since they did not have tenure yet. One of them came up with this:

You can be mediocre and not get fired because there are not enough teachers around to replace us.

Being a math teacher, she is 100% correct. What a sad commentary. What a sad fact that someone so young has picked up on this already.

The highlight of the day was lunch at Subway, since it is one of the only places within walking distance. At least we all got to sit around and BS in peace and in quality air conditioning.

After lunch we looked at some paper explaining some guidance stuff. The kid's guidance counselors are coded in their homerooms. Some counselors use first name initials, some use last name initials and one uses a final letter of her last name. Nice system. Easy to remember.

The afternoon ended with departmental meetings. My AP rambled on as usual. He made his usual derogatory comments about a colleague that retired in January (a good teacher who he just did not like.) He contradicted everything he told us to do last year. Before handing out programs, he said:

It is not my job to program to the UFT contract. I program for what is best for the school.

My program is fine. I wish people whose program is not would grieve, but most are too timid. That is why he gets away with this stuff. He finally handed out programs but did not go over what the course codes mean. I am not 100% sure of the courses I am teaching. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

This post is dedicated to a good teacher in my school who is currently out sick. He is recovering from the treatment he received for a cancer on his tonsils. I know he feels terrible about missing this exciting day. Hopefully he can experience some of the pleasure he missed through this post.

Mr/Ms Guidance Follow-up

Well, she go my point. She actually made the trip to my trailer to apologize. Now I feel bad that I made such a big deal about the whole thing. Bad, but not that bad. I'm too old to take crap from anyone anymore!

Note From Guidance

I received the following note today:

Dear Mr/Ms. POd,
I am adding T. J. to your class now. Sorry to do it so late in the term. Your consideration is much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Guidance Counselor with 15 minutes work experience

To which I responded:

Dear Mr/Ms Guidance Counselor,

PLEASE EXPLAIN!!!!

I know the counselor doesn't know me, but almost everyone else does. She could have at least figured out my sex if she wanted my consideration. Also, a little elaboration on the reason for the change might not have been a bad idea. I hope she got my point if and when she read my reply!