Educators with PRIDE Unite

Martina · 10-15-2012, 10:28 AM

Soon · 10-15-2012, 05:47 PM

Martina · 10-15-2012, 07:16 PM

I totally agree with the second guy's comment about undergraduate science education. I used to teach English -- as a TA -- at Michigan, and the freshman Chemistry and Physics classes were not about teaching to mastery, but about paring down the number of students who would someday apply to medical school and to graduate school in the sciences. Students who really wanted to learn Chemistry would take those classes at community colleges and transfer the credits. People blame the public schools because our students aren't prepared, but they can pass community college science classes, which cover much of the same material. A final in a Michigan Chemistry class typically has questions on material not even covered in the class. That's fine at MIT or Caltech, but that's absurd at Michigan, whose students, it's fair to assume, are there to learn things they don't already know.

And Michigan students are already privileged. They have had decent public or private school educations. So what happens when you bring kids in from other backgrounds? They don't make it, at least not as science majors. A friend of mine has a BA and MSW from Michigan and has had a good career as a social worker. However, he started Michigan hoping to become a doctor. The freshman math and science classes ended that dream. It made no sense. Bright guy, hard working, but from Flint public schools. He could not compete. Lots of universities teach lots of remedial classes now, but in my opinion, if they taught their freshman and sophomore classes well, the students would not need that much remediation. A hardworking student who is literate and has passed Algebra II should be able to pass a freshman Chemistry class. Freshman and sophomore science courses are abysmally taught, and a lot of folks in the sciences seem almost proud of that.

And if they are still counting on secondary education to make up for their failure, then they better move fast and start doing something about the end of course exams that are being instituted in so many states. Teaching to those tests will kill any teacher's ability to inspire students.

Re the visa issue and science in the U.S., totally true.

Martina · 10-15-2012, 10:00 PM

I was in a meeting with a deranged mom today. Fortunately the kid just turned 18 and now legally makes his own decisions. If she had had any power, we would so have been screwed. She arrived 40 minutes early, a full half an hour before anyone else showed up. So for a half an hour, she directed all her craziness at me. It wasn't abusive, or I would have shut it down. But crazy and annoying. Her agenda wasn't about her kid either. It was all about her anger at her ex-husband.

I don't get paid enough.

txdoc · 10-15-2012, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martina

I was in a meeting with a deranged mom today. Fortunately the kid just turned 18 and now legally makes his own decisions. If she had had any power, we would so have been screwed. She arrived 40 minutes early, a full half an hour before anyone else showed up. So for a half an hour, she directed all her craziness at me. It wasn't abusive, or I would have shut it down. But crazy and annoying. Her agenda wasn't about her kid either. It was all about her anger at her ex-husband.

I don't get paid enough.

You didn't have to send her my way when she was finished with you...

bkisbutchenuff · 10-16-2012, 03:34 AM

The second 9 weeks starts today...all in all, I consider the 1st 9 a waste....I still have 71 beginners - hoping I can drop 11, get new general music students today - not looking forward to them - and the 'let me test this woman' period, but at least my 7th and 8th grade students are playing and will begin to work on Holiday music....moving forward the best I can.

ummmm - Is it Friday yet?

spritzerJ · 10-16-2012, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martina

I was in a meeting with a deranged mom today. Fortunately the kid just turned 18 and now legally makes his own decisions. If she had had any power, we would so have been screwed. She arrived 40 minutes early, a full half an hour before anyone else showed up. So for a half an hour, she directed all her craziness at me. It wasn't abusive, or I would have shut it down. But crazy and annoying. Her agenda wasn't about her kid either. It was all about her anger at her ex-husband.

I don't get paid enough.

No you don't get paid enough! Holy cow the deranged ones can really put you over the edge. Sometimes warranted (the system and meetings can make anyone nuts) and most of the time not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkisbutchenuff

The second 9 weeks starts today...all in all, I consider the 1st 9 a waste....I still have 71 beginners - hoping I can drop 11, get new general music students today - not looking forward to them - and the 'let me test this woman' period, but at least my 7th and 8th grade students are playing and will begin to work on Holiday music....moving forward the best I can.

ummmm - Is it Friday yet?

Best of luck BK... I wonder after all the years do you hate holiday music?

10-15-2012, 05:47 PM	#2
Soon Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: femme Relationship Status: attached Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: . Posts: 6,896 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 29,046 Thanked 13,093 Times in 3,386 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	for those who are from the USA and are Science teachers...what do you think of this?

10-16-2012, 03:34 AM	#6
bkisbutchenuff PPoA - Southern Gentle Butch How Do You Identify?: BOI/Butch/Daddy Preferred Pronoun?: she, her, he, him, handsome, Daddy Relationship Status: Single. 😉 Join Date: May 2011 Location: GA Posts: 2,398 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 14,071 Thanked 10,845 Times in 2,247 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	The second 9 weeks starts today...all in all, I consider the 1st 9 a waste....I still have 71 beginners - hoping I can drop 11, get new general music students today - not looking forward to them - and the 'let me test this woman' period, but at least my 7th and 8th grade students are playing and will begin to work on Holiday music....moving forward the best I can. ummmm - Is it Friday yet? __________________ BK "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." Randy Pausch.

10-15-2012, 10:28 AM	#1
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,284 Times in 4,167 Posts Rep Power: 21474854

10-15-2012, 07:16 PM	#3
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,284 Times in 4,167 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	I totally agree with the second guy's comment about undergraduate science education. I used to teach English -- as a TA -- at Michigan, and the freshman Chemistry and Physics classes were not about teaching to mastery, but about paring down the number of students who would someday apply to medical school and to graduate school in the sciences. Students who really wanted to learn Chemistry would take those classes at community colleges and transfer the credits. People blame the public schools because our students aren't prepared, but they can pass community college science classes, which cover much of the same material. A final in a Michigan Chemistry class typically has questions on material not even covered in the class. That's fine at MIT or Caltech, but that's absurd at Michigan, whose students, it's fair to assume, are there to learn things they don't already know. And Michigan students are already privileged. They have had decent public or private school educations. So what happens when you bring kids in from other backgrounds? They don't make it, at least not as science majors. A friend of mine has a BA and MSW from Michigan and has had a good career as a social worker. However, he started Michigan hoping to become a doctor. The freshman math and science classes ended that dream. It made no sense. Bright guy, hard working, but from Flint public schools. He could not compete. Lots of universities teach lots of remedial classes now, but in my opinion, if they taught their freshman and sophomore classes well, the students would not need that much remediation. A hardworking student who is literate and has passed Algebra II should be able to pass a freshman Chemistry class. Freshman and sophomore science courses are abysmally taught, and a lot of folks in the sciences seem almost proud of that. And if they are still counting on secondary education to make up for their failure, then they better move fast and start doing something about the end of course exams that are being instituted in so many states. Teaching to those tests will kill any teacher's ability to inspire students. Re the visa issue and science in the U.S., totally true.

10-15-2012, 10:00 PM	#4
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,284 Times in 4,167 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	I was in a meeting with a deranged mom today. Fortunately the kid just turned 18 and now legally makes his own decisions. If she had had any power, we would so have been screwed. She arrived 40 minutes early, a full half an hour before anyone else showed up. So for a half an hour, she directed all her craziness at me. It wasn't abusive, or I would have shut it down. But crazy and annoying. Her agenda wasn't about her kid either. It was all about her anger at her ex-husband. I don't get paid enough.