Teacher bailing 8 weeks into the school year

[Lorelei Lee]

I am not a teacher. My mother taught high school for many years. My father was a teacher and then a principal. My ex is a high school special ed teacher.


My daughter is a special ed paraprofessional and is working on a Master's so she can get her teaching certification.


The profession my daughter is entering is very different from the profession her father and grandparents practiced.

I can well understand your concerns, OP, about how the transition will be handled and how your child will be affected. That's to be expected.

But as for your judging the teacher who is leaving . . .


My daughter has worked as a camp counselor every summer since she was 17. She came home one day abd said "Now I know why some of my kids are so crazy. I met their parents."

 

[Hrhpd]

No, I would not expect a 3 year commitment. I was expecting her to fill out the school year, though.

We've had various resource room teachers, speech teachers, OTs, subs, etc. etc. etc. etc. I've not complained in the past.

This will leave the 12 students she is responsible for to be rather on their own until a new teacher is assigned, and then also after that until the teacher is acclimated. (Our school has it set up so we are only able to message the caseload teacher.) So as of next Thursday, I have nobody to communicate with at the school.

Are you sure this is not the real reason for your anger, that you will have a momentary lapse in communication? Since you can e-mail the principal, I am sure he/she will be there if there is anything really pressing. Minor stuff to communicate may be an inconvenience to have to wait, but it won't affect the quality of your child's education.

I do call foul on the claim that the children will be left on their own. Does the case manager not have a boss?

In our district, when a teacher goes out on maternity leave (oh the shame that they did not plan to have jr on the first day of summer vacation) our director and asst director of special ed, who have all the records of the kids, makes sure things run smoothly, as does the principal. The principal usually knows just as much as the sped teacher, if not more, of what is going on with each kid.

Give the rest of the school some credit.

 

[ctinct]

Just want to chime in that I personally know of a case where the district itself has offered a teacher a different job midway through the year.

My older daughter started teaching over 15 years ago in California.
During her second year, she left on maternity leave with every intention of returning to her sixth grade classroom. She loved those kids. They had some huge challenges to overcome. One day she asked her kids who knew someone who had been shot, and virtually every hand went up. There were a few occasions when the class was put into lockdown because of gunfire nearby. Still, she was eager to return to her kids. But----while she was on leave, the district offered her the chance to teach in an alternative school which had much shorter hours. She agonized over her decision, but as a new mom, she felt it was the best choice for her. She did not seek this job; her employer offered it to her. I guess my point is, leaving mid year may not be as uncommon as you think.

Were there disappointed kids and parents? You bet. But, she also got some lovely letters from some of her students and parents thanking her for the time she taught them. If you liked the teacher while she was there, op, and through the bitterness it sounds as if you did, why not write a note thanking her for the time she dedicated to your child? Who knows? Maybe she will cherish that note for years to come.

 

[aaarcher86]

Update: I didn't speak to the teacher but I did speak to the principal in order to understand what happens next for his class -- and I wasn't the first person who called. Other families have already set up meetings with this as yet un-named incoming teacher. I now have all the background on teacher's motivations, etc. (And I did not ask for it; it was volunteered.) Nothing remotely tragic; more along the lines of a "dream job." The good news is that this was no temporary job, as so many speculated; and since it was posted on Friday, there have been more than 60 applications for it. There should be over 100 by the time they start interviewing. There will be much less time with a sub that I was anticipating; they will be able to move fast. I am hopeful that this time they are able to fill the role with a dedicated teacher who actually wants THIS job and isn't just using it as a mere steppingstone to the next job. Since there are so many applicants, I want it to be his/her "dream job" for the sake of the new teacher and all the kids in her class. For those who tried to understand, even a little bit, thanks! And thanks to those who offered unique perspectives.

Good for her! I wouldn't pass up a dream job either. There is also a strong possibility that out of all those applicants many of them are hoping to get any job at all... So they'll probably be looking for another at some point as well.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

A teacher died yesterday in Nevada, protecting his students. How many teachers died in Sandy Hook last year?

We literally expect their blood, don't we?

 

[Southernmiss]

Update: I didn't speak to the teacher but I did speak to the principal in order to understand what happens next for his class -- and I wasn't the first person who called. Other families have already set up meetings with this as yet un-named incoming teacher. I now have all the background on teacher's motivations, etc. (And I did not ask for it; it was volunteered.) Nothing remotely tragic; more along the lines of a "dream job."

The good news is that this was no temporary job, as so many speculated; and since it was posted on Friday, there have been more than 60 applications for it. There should be over 100 by the time they start interviewing. There will be much less time with a sub that I was anticipating; they will be able to move fast.

I am hopeful that this time they are able to fill the role with a dedicated teacher who actually wants THIS job and isn't just using it as a mere steppingstone to the next job. Since there are so many applicants, I want it to be his/her "dream job" for the sake of the new teacher and all the kids in her class.

For those who tried to understand, even a little bit, thanks! And thanks to those who offered unique perspectives.

I hope no one went in to talk to the principal with a disgusted 'attitude'. I am sure I would have gone in to ask about what happens next, but not with an attitude.

I truly believe most all in the teaching profession are there for the right reasons, it's certainly not for the money.

It is natural to be your child's advocate, but you can catch more flies with honey.

 

[Hrhpd]

A teacher died yesterday in Nevada, protecting his students. How many teachers died in Sandy Hook last year?

We literally expect their blood, don't we?

That does bring up another thought of how things have changed.

25 years ago, teachers did stay for a whole year.

BUT...25 years ago, parents always backed the teacher first. If Johnny came home and said he got in trouble by the teacher, the parents would say "you must have deserved it."

These days, if Johnny comes home and says he got in trouble by the teacher, many parents are calling and complaining.

Not all parents are like this, but these days, more and more are. I hear it from my friends. They will run to the principal or a lawyer if their kid receives any kind of discipline in school. If they receive a bad grade, it is always the teacher's fault, not that Johnny didn't open a book.

You see it here on the DIS, the constant complaining about teachers.

Some parents want their blood when it comes to protecting their kids, but when they have to teach, they can never do it right.

 

["Cinder" Ella's Mom]

It is really unusual for a teacher to leave mid-year. They are under contract presumably. If that happened around here, no one nearby would hire that teacher. Maybe she has some special circumstances.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

It is really unusual for a teacher to leave mid-year. They are under contract presumably. If that happened around here, no one nearby would hire that teacher. Maybe she has some special circumstances.

Around here they DON'T have individual contracts. They have the union contract. And I don't think it requires them to stay on the job all year.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

That does bring up another thought of how things have changed.

25 years ago, teachers did stay for a whole year.

BUT...25 years ago, parents always backed the teacher first. If Johnny came home and said he got in trouble by the teacher, the parents would say "you must have deserved it."

These days, if Johnny comes home and says he got in trouble by the teacher, many parents are calling and complaining.

Not all parents are like this, but these days, more and more are. I hear it from my friends. They will run to the principal or a lawyer if their kid receives any kind of discipline in school. If they receive a bad grade, it is always the teacher's fault, not that Johnny didn't open a book.

You see it here on the DIS, the constant complaining about teachers.

Some parents want their blood when it comes to protecting their kids, but when they have to teach, they can never do it right.

My dad loves to tell the story . . .

He was principal of the junior high. A teacher was having a lot of trouble with this one particular student. She sent the boy to my dad. My dad looked at the boy, handed him the phone and said "Call your mother and tell her what you did."

The kid cried.

My dad sent him back to the classroom.

The ither students assumed the boy had been severely punished. None of them misbehaved for the rest of the year.

 

[Aladora]

I'm glad you're satisfied. Speaking for myself, I understood your concern and disappointment, it was when you said you were disgusted, mad, entitled to judge, and implied you were owed a reason that crossed the line.

My thoughts exactly.

I have a special needs child and this is his 3rd year with the same aide. If she suddenly left, I would be sad and disappointed and even concerned about what was going to happen in regards to a new aide for my son. But disgusted? Mad? Owed a reason for her leaving? Hell no.

They are employees, plain and simple and even though teachers and aides become so close that they feel like members of our family, they are not and should not be held to employment standards that are outside of the norm.

I really hope that your child has a smooth transition with the new teacher and that this whole thing is merely a bump in the road of this school year.

But yeah, mad, disgusted and entitled to judge...no way.

 

[1000HappyWishes]

Nobody is entitled to judge others unless they are in a Court of Law. That's a big problem with today's society. They judge others because other people don't conform to their standards.

As for the teacher, I wish her good luck in her future endeavors.

 

[Ceila]

Around here they DON'T have individual contracts. They have the union contract. And I don't think it requires them to stay on the job all year.

Our union-negotiated contract requires a certain number of days notice, but if we comply with that notice we are permitted to break our contract.

 

[WowLookAtThat]

While I understand your frustration,I would just wish the teacher good luck.Kids are resilient and I am sure your son will be fine.

 

[GotLabradors]

We got a letter from my son's caseload teacher that she's leaving next week for a new job in a new district. She's been in our district a bit over a year. This will be incredibly disruptive to this class of special needs kids.

When I was in school, no teacher left midyear other than for pregnancy.

Frankly, I'm disgusted. But then I'm not one to quit in the middle of things.

egocentric much?

 

[Allison]

There are a lot of unemployed teachers in this state. I hope it's one of them.

What if it's not? What if this is the dream teacher for your child and the dream job for the teacher but they are currently in a teaching position? I'm curoius if you think they should turn the job down or that only an unemployed teacher should apply.

 

[Janepod]

egocentric much?

I take issue with the "bailing" in the thread title. The poor woman is leaving to advance her career -- it's not like she's throwing in the towel on teaching.

 

[ILUVALASKA]

A teacher died yesterday in Nevada, protecting his students. How many teachers died in Sandy Hook last year?

We literally expect their blood, don't we?

well said.

 

[Peachkins]

I take issue with the "bailing" in the thread title. The poor woman is leaving to advance her career -- it's not like she's throwing in the towel on teaching.

I completely agree. Honestly OP, I sympathize with the situation- it does stink that your child is going to have to change teachers in the middle of the year and I appreciate that there may be challenges. On the other hand I don't understand the animosity towards the teacher. Her moving onto another position doesn't mean that she hated her job or the kids or saw it as nothing more than a "stepping stone" as you called it. She's just any other person trying to move forward in their career. It's unfortunate that the chance to do that came at this time and not while school was out, but I certainly can't blame her for taking what is apparently an amazing opportunity for her.

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

Best of luck to the teacher...has to be such a difficult job and I can't imagine having to deal with some of these parents...