Maybe #TeachStrong can answer this question for me.
At what point in the “non-traditional” teacher’s preparation, over the course of the five-week summer camp, does it say in the syllabus that it is acceptable for a young woman to fireman carry an elementary student throwing a tantrum up two flights of stairs?
Would it not be more appropriate to triage the student, to de-escalate the situation, before the student suffers the indignity, and lack of safety I might add, of being carried up two flights of stairs by someone barely larger than the student?
I get it. As teachers, we take it deeply personal when a fully autonomous human being doesn’t follow directions. We shouldn’t, but we do. However, own it and try to handle the situation. Don’t try to hide it and run for cover by carrying a student up the stairs.
Where was your mental health team to assist? Where was your co-teacher to assist? Where was administration?
Oh charter schools, when will you have any answers?Maybe #TeachStrong can answer this question for me. | @ THE CHALKFACE:
There was nothing particularly remarkable about the visit, other than the truck getting two emergency calls during their visit, leaving and coming back each time. That was great of them so we could get to see the truck.
At one point, when we were all outside and the kids were trying on the equipment by the truck, one of the firefighters asked me how long I’d been at the school and if I came from Teach for America.
I said, “Helllllllllll, no. I can’t stand them.”
He chuckled.Firefighters visited our Kindergarten
Simple question. What do other teachers do in the morning?
Over a decade ago, when I taught fifth grade in Silver Spring, MD, I recall getting to school between 7:30 and 8:00 before my students walked in at around 9:10. For the first year at that school, I taught in a “learning cottage” out back. Conceivably, I could go the whole morning without entering the building and seeing another adult. I can’t recall any regular meetings or other activities taking place. I had the time to myself to prepare and do what I needed to do.
When I started supervising student teachers for about eight years, on the days I arrived before students, I recall teachers being in their classrooms entire mornings. There were no meetings.
In DC, we have these things call “morning collaboratives.” They are technically scheduled between 8:10 and 8:40 each morning. Language in the teachers’ contract is fairly specific on how those times are to be used. Yet a frequent bone of contention between teachers and administrators is the use of this time. Most teachers are hard at work preparing for their day. For me, I create and arrange all of my materials for The mysterious “morning collaboration.”