A Little Something for Me: Go Ahead… FIRE Her

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Go Ahead… FIRE Her

In case you haven’t heard, this teacher was re-instated. The long and short of it was – she blogged. For awhile, this story put FEAR right in the center of my gut. FEAR. I mean… how long until my blog got me fired? Then I read a little more about her blog and realized … I’m not her / and she SHOULD be fired.
Let’s start with what she said. She called her kids out … and not in a nice way. Some quotes from HERE are:

“Am concerned that your kid is going to come in one day and open fire on the school. (Wish I was kidding.)”
“Just as bad as his sibling. Don’t you know how to raise kids?”
“Nowhere near as good as her sibling. Are you sure they’re related?”
“Shy isn’t cute in 11th grade, it’s annoying. Must learn to advocate for himself instead of having Mommy do it.”
“I called out sick a couple of days just to avoid your son.”
“Rude, belligerent [sic], argumentative f**k.”
“Too smart for her own good and refuses to play the school ‘game’ such that she’ll never live up to her true potential here.”

Let me tell you – that woman has no place in education. I’m not kidding. U.N.B.E.L.I.E.V.A.B.L.E. It is not unbelievable that she wrote it. It is unbelievable that she thought it. If you feel that way, get a new job. Period.
Let me go ahead and lay it on the line here. Teaching is more than a profession. It is a calling. If you are not called to TEACH the youth of today… then don’t teach.

I hate the phrase, “Those who can – do. Those who can’t – teach.” That is an insult to a job that I take very seriously. Ask any one of my students… I love them. Seriously. There is not a phone call I won’t make, an extra minute I won’t put in, or a distance I wouldn’t travel for my students. What if I am all they have? What if I am their last stop? What if I am the last person … who hasn’t given up on them?

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That doesn’t mean every student likes me. Sometimes my rules seem a little too harsh. Sometimes my expectations seem a little too high. Sometimes our personalities just clash. SO WHAT. We all get over it. That is what life is about. You have to learn to work with people even when you disagree with them. But, I have 180 days to show them that I will not give up on them. And it doesn’t take 180 … because if you genuinely care about your students they will know it.

Do you know what my most “reported” discipline issue is? Tardiness…. a school policy. Not – Disrespect, disobedience, rudeness, argumentative … any of those things.
Why? Because I care about my students. Because I would never write that garbage… much less on a blog.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t ideas to be passionate about or life lessons that are learned every day (HERE)and (HERE) and (HERE)… and I will confess - I wrote one real post about students.

The “Letter to the hypothetical Ungraduate” was the post of my heart. I stand behind those words – because quitting on a FREE EDUCATION just makes life so much more difficult. Watching a student give up on themselves is heartbreaking – because I won’t give up on them.

If you really want to be a teacher – you had better love the job. If not, you will be doing a disservice to all the lives you touch. You have a chance – to make a difference – one student at a time. Take it seriously – or go home.

Today I’m also linking up with Shell @ Things I Can’t Say

So… What do you think about this woman’s blog and teaching? Or mine… for that matter? As I head back into school – any tips to keep me out of the hot seat?

new to the blog? - don't forget to follow me! (shameless plug)

Labels: Blog, life, Teaching

19 Comments:

At August 17, 2011 at 9:08 AM , MEL said...: Interesting post and full of passion!

Though I wonder if you have to love every kid that comes through your classroom. Pointing out the problems with kids doesn't mean you don't have the urge to teach, it just means you're fed up with the self-entitled/spoiled/whatever sort of behavior is an issue.

Should she have written it on a public blog? Of course not, that just shows an astounding misconception of the digital age. Can she have those feelings and still be qualified to teach? I would venture to say it's quite possible.

But, I probably wouldn't want her teaching my kid!
At August 17, 2011 at 9:38 AM , BNM said...: I agree!! Its not a lot of money, and it takes a lot of love, patience, and compassion.. if you're not doing it for the kids get out. The kids are what matters!! Ive always said if you dont like your job find a new one.
At August 17, 2011 at 9:51 AM , Tara R. said...: My son had a teacher in middle school much like the one who blogged such hateful things about her students. I couldn't agree more - if you hate what you do, hate your students - get out before you do irreparable harm to one of those kids. Emotional/psychological abuse is still abuse

(stopping by from PYHO)
At August 17, 2011 at 9:59 AM , Unknown said...: I can't imagine teaching. You and your fellow teachers are amazing. It scares me as a parent that they won't get teachers like you but one like that blogger. And obviously if they are that bad then she isn't controlling her class, that's her fault. Also if the kid's shy or can't play "the game." then help them work on it, then cowardly bitching on a blog. Great post.
At August 17, 2011 at 10:35 AM , Unknown said...: I cannot even imagine, as a parent, entrusting my child to a teacher and seeing such hateful things written. She should be ashamed of herself..
At August 17, 2011 at 10:37 AM , Kristin @ What She Said said...: As the daughter of a teacher and the wife of a teacher/administrator, I have to say I agree - fire her! What she did was incredibly unprofessional and inappropriate.

In fact, to write such things about any job in general is incredibly unprofessional and inappropriate. I don't always like my own job; it's certainly not my passion. But I have never - and will never - blog about it. When it comes to blogging, I try to follow my mother advice - if you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything at all.

Excellent post.
At August 17, 2011 at 10:59 AM , Shell said...: Oh, I'm clapping here! :)

It is ridiculous that she even thought those things, let alone blogged them. Perhaps she thought she was being funny. But, it wasn't.

I get SO annoyed by that saying about those who can't- teach. It's not true at all. You can be an expert on a topic but have NO CLUE how to teach others what you know.

It sounds like you are the type of teacher I was. Even when I taught the kids who were labeled as "bad" by everyone else- they weren't getting in trouble in my room.
At August 17, 2011 at 11:12 AM , Tracie Nall said...: If I had been in charge of her school, I would have fired her too.

Teaching is a calling. I agree.

Your students are blessed to have someone who cares for their teacher.
At August 17, 2011 at 12:17 PM , Christine Siracusa said...: I agree that that saying is the worst. And that teacher was way out of line. I keep expecting to wake up one day and feel called to teach. So far, no dice. It is such a hard job. And, frankly, I can't imagine having the patience. I lose it with my own children. How would I manage with a room full of someone else's? So happy people like you are out there teaching though.
At August 17, 2011 at 12:38 PM , My New Normal said...: I think she was foolish to publish her blog in a public way and not expect a negative response. Plus it doesn't seem like she enjoys teaching so I also wonder why she continues to do it.

We all have the right to talk about what we want to on our blogs, but we don't blog in a vacuum. So if we put it out there then we have to expect a reaction and in this case, a response.
At August 17, 2011 at 2:59 PM , Unknown said...: There are far too many teachers who are "teaching" that are not called to do it. One of the many reasons we homeschool. That article is crazy!

I totally agree with you on this. She should not go back.
At August 17, 2011 at 3:01 PM , Unknown said...: I really had to read this again. I LOVE your passion for teaching! I wish you were the norm and not the exception! Great post!!
At August 17, 2011 at 7:36 PM , Kristen said...: Mel - I totally agree. I think it is sort of like your kids: You love them all the time, but you might not "like" them for a moment or two.

Shell - I think we would've ROCKED at the same school!

And thanks for the compliments. I really do love my job.
At August 18, 2011 at 2:41 AM , Teresa K said...: She should have used "teacherese", then it'd be OK. You know what I'm talking about- things like "student-led large and small group gross motor activities", what went on one rec leader's lesson plan when her boss disapproved of playground free time. If blogger teacher had written, "Student shows remarkable aptitude for debate and an ardent self confidence" instead of "Rude, belligerent, argumentative f**k" no one would have said a thing. Let's face it, as parents we take any criticism of our children VERY personally... yet we don't bat an eyelash when WE contemplate selling them to the zoo for a quarter. I, as a mother who is primarily responsible for how my kid is turning out, don't appreciate every single attitude and action that comes forth from my offspring. Why should I expect more from anyone else?
At August 18, 2011 at 2:53 AM , Jessica {Team Rasler} said...: I've had bad days and thought some aggravated things about my students, but always felt guilty, rarely said them out loud, and would NEVER blog about them. Awful! People like that are the reason that the public starts to get frustrated with teachers and teacher tenure. The rest of us would LOVE to be rid of these people! We don't want them teaching our children, either, and we don't want to work with them. Bravo for you for being a passionate teacher who sticks by her kids.
At August 18, 2011 at 5:26 AM , The Drama Mama said...: So what can I do to get you to move and teach at my daughter's school? ;)

Thanks for stopping by my place today and sympathizing with me. I certainly wouldn't want this lady teaching MY kids. It just doesn't seem to me like she would be very compassionate at all.
At August 18, 2011 at 9:58 AM , championm2000 said...: Oh, wow. I had not heard this story, but ITA...she should have known better.

As a former teacher (and someone who still works in education), I know better than to post anything like that about my students (not that I would even *think* such things). But if I did, I wouldn't post it on the web. Who seriously thinks that anything we post online is anonymous or doesn't have the potential to get back to our boss??

PS_Thanks for your comment on my post yesterday. If you have any questions about scoliosis, feel free to email me.
At August 18, 2011 at 1:00 PM , Jennie said...: I SO agree with you! One thing that really rubs me the wrong way is a teacher who hates kids and hates to teach. And I do NOT think this woman should be aloud to again. I think the students are right for requesting not to be in her class. I think if you have such a career, there are just certain that go along with that--things you cannot do. Like blogging publicly about how you feel about the kids, etc. Great post!
At August 18, 2011 at 9:42 PM , Hilary said...: Love you!

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A Little Something for Me

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Go Ahead… FIRE Her

If you really want to be a teacher – you had better love the job. If not, you will be doing a disservice to all the lives you touch. You have a chance – to make a difference – one student at a time. Take it seriously – or go home.

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