I teach in north Jersey. There were threats around Halloween that the Bloods were out to shoot girls. A girl in my school announced that she would not be in school the next day because her brother, who is a gang member, told her that girls wouldn't be safe if they were out on the street. There were also mass emails sent out via the board office to inform us of the expected problems that week.
Does your district by any chance use Success for All? Mine doesn't, but my sister is also a teacher (she's in an Abbott district) and they use the Success for All program. Talk about having no freedom in the classroom
Don't let your current situation get you down. First of all, it's very hard when it's not "your classroom". It is frustrating at times, but there are moments that you will realize why you do what you do.
I had a student on Wednesday come up to me at lunch and say, "you know, you're a really good math teacher, nice too" This child is one of my lowest students. He scored a 126 on the NJASK last year in math (200 is proficient) and told me the first week of school that he hates math. His mother even told me that when I met her. He is now making little successes. At this point in the year, with testing in May, I doubt that he will get to the proficient level, but I can see something changing in him as he is learning new skills. When this kid pumped his fist in the air and yelled out "yes" on Wednesday in my class because he was able to do a subtraction problem correct on the board, that is what reminds me of why I do what I do.
My goal is not to finish the book, my goal is to make sure my students know what they are doing. We are getting ready to do multi-digit multiplication and division. The problem is, many of my students don't know their basic facts. I take time out of math to practice with them, even though that is "forbidden". I guess that makes me a lousy teacher.
I'm in an Abbott District in s.Jersey. (you've heard of it, I'm sure). I feel that I am considered a lousy teacher because I want to make sure they get the concepts.
The LAL curriculum is a joke. It's scripted down to the T, but my cooperating teacher said "it's a guide". Then the next day, she tells me that all the workbook pages have to be done. It's sucking the life out of me.. and the kids. They have 10 workbooks to deal with on a daily basis. 3 math, 4 language arts, science, social studies and handwriting.
All I am doing is telling them --get out your reteach workbook, get out your grammar workbook, etc....
