Teachers

[TeeEye7]

I've had 17 days off (I earned a snow day on the last day scheduled--December 19th) and 11 work days off (which is 2 less than what my brother receives for the whole year). Now I and Tee Eye's wife will be back in grinch mode.

....and all too soon, my friend!
I'm breaking out my helmet and Kevlar as we speak.........

BTW: Good luck to all of you returning to the grind.

Life is MUCH better with a happy Mrs. TI7 and LBC!

[Jedi_Master_Guyute]

I somehow have another week of vacation left. I don't know how it happened, but UT gave us more time than usual, which is nuts! I haven't taught a class since late november, if that!

Next sunday will be rough, but i still have a week to worry about it. hehehe

[JetsAndHeels]

I have to go back tomorrow, but it is a teacher workday. The students do not return until Tuesday.

Still, it should be an interesting day. It will be the first official day on the job for our new principal. We have a breakfast/meeting with him first thing to discuss some matters. Hopefully it will be a nice, smooth transition.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I'm curious: how many of you teachers either LOVE ( ) or HATE ( ) to miss work? I got my pay stub from the 1st, and I have 49 days of off-time left. Our district doesn't divide them into sick/personal/miscellaneous categories; you just have to call/type in your reason when making the request. Not sure how long I can keep roling over unused days.

I've missed one day in the last year and a half, and probably no more than 10 days in my 6 1/2 years teaching. I really have never liked missing school, work, or other scheduled tasks in my life.

[Maradona]

Maybe I should preface this by stating that I'm not married nor am I a parent, but I hate missing work. This is my 8th year in the classroom and I have missed 8 days that whole time (5 of which came the first year when I caught pneumonia). We get 10 days a year for sick time, so I've got a bank of 72 days to spend. Even when I feel ill, I go to work because the kids make me feel better. Once I'm a husband and father, this habit will likely change, but neither of those roles are coming anytime soon.

[TeeEye7]

I'm curious: how many of you teachers either LOVE ( ) or HATE ( ) to miss work? I got my pay stub from the 1st, and I have 49 days of off-time left. Our district doesn't divide them into sick/personal/miscellaneous categories; you just have to call/type in your reason when making the request. Not sure how long I can keep roling over unused days.

I've missed one day in the last year and a half, and probably no more than 10 days in my 6 1/2 years teaching. I really have never liked missing school, work, or other scheduled tasks in my life.

Mrs. TI7 has missed a few more days than you, but not many more. She LOVES her kiddies and goes to school sick more often than not (against my wishes).

Like BCJ, she's very dedicated to her work; and I'm very proud of her. (Just as I'm impressed by BCJ's dedication). I think they both do it for the love of the job. It's certainly not because of the money! (ZILCH!)

[Bel-Cam Jos]

Like BCJ, she's very dedicated to her work; and I'm very proud of her. (Just as I'm impressed by BCJ's dedication). I think they both do it for the love of the job. It's certainly not because of the money! (ZILCH!)

But, don't the $50 cover charges, come final exam time, make up for that? Whoops! Wasn't 'posed to mention that...

BTW, it's final exam time this week. Two classes down today, three to go. So far, essays seem okay.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I have kept statistics on students' grades in connection to numbers of missing assignments, and even though I put up the updated charts on the board (with quite clear meanings and causes), the pattern stays pretty much the same. If you will excuse an English teacher some time for math and science...

GRADES EARNED BY NUMBER OF ASSIGNMENTS MISSED
(over a 6.5 year period)
0 missed:
A = 107
B = 25
C = 2
D = 0
F = 0

1-5 missed:
A = 178
B = 222
C = 69
D = 8
F = 0

6-9 missed:
A = 21
B = 84
C = 118
D = 42
F = 9

10+ missed:
A = 0
B = 32
C = 150
D = 190
F = 264

Striking results? No As earned if missed 10+ in the semester, but also no Fs earned if missed 0-5 assignments.

Here's to a great spring semester here, and in all your schools and classes!

[TeeEye7]

At dinner tonight, my wife was complaining that her 3rd grade class may only be able to go on one, maybe two, field trips this year because her school district has been deemed a "Program Improvement District"....meaning her school district is not maintaining the (unattainable) test scores the state has decreed they should be achieving. (That's because her district has the audacity to have a large enrollment of lower economic kids...not to mention migrant kids...instead of rich, whitebread-given-every-opportunity kids). Although her school site is meeting the goals, the district as a whole is not. So let's spank everybody!

Translation: the state is taking away educational opportunities (i.e. field trips) from the kids in order for the kids to excel in their studies by always remaining at the school site. Yep. Let's penalize the kids by restricting their education. That will give them incentive to learn!

Thank you, No Child Left Behind!

The state-sponsored Dumbing-Down of America continues.......

[Mad Slanted Powers]

That's probably as many or more field trips than what I went on in elementary school. I would think that would just mean more class time to focus on improving the kids' skills. You seem to be saying that low income and migrant kids aren't as intelligent. If not, then their situation should be more motivation to do well so that they can improve their situation.