Do you believe this .....

[supershingler]

the school my kids go to has a policy that if you get caught using a cellphone during class time it a 3 day suppension the first time, 7 days the second time and two weeks the third time.
parents are giving their kids cell phones way before they are responsible enough to use one.  i made all my kids wait until they turned 16 and they had to have a part time job to help pay for thier phone.  if they quit their job  i took away the phone.

i cant believe the school would suspend this teacher.  they should suspend the student for disrupting the class

just my nickles worth (2 cents just doenst go far today)

kendall

[marmoh]

Thanks Gabby for your response.  I could say a mouth full too,but .....We must watch the same news outlet..
Kendall, bravo to you..
The problem is things are going to get worse before they get better.
The reason I love the saw so much is it can "take me away" for a period of time.

[mainberg]

Hey, it happened in California! Sometimes it's a little different out there.
Pat B

[Chachi]

I agree with all that is being said here and I spoke before but I am going to chime in again.
  My 16 yo newphew was telling me the "STRESS" he is under at school so I asked him what kind he told me the Teachers they make the students life stressful because they (GET THIS) Make them write things down from the chalkboard, they have to figure out thing's in their heads like math, they have to know how to spell or they get docked points on their work and the best thing they have to write in cursive and NO CELL Phones allowed in class cause they may use it to get the answers from their friends.
  Dang Here I thought all this time that was going to school wow You see people we were taught very wrong all this time. I say the Country started to fall when they put Child protective service in charge of making the rules now don't get me wrong there is a fine line and way to many cross it and we need them to do something but come on. We can't tell our kids no because we may hurt their feelings or ground them because they did wrong...

I remember the day I called my Mother a B***h I belive I said Your such a Bitthats all I remember getting out before I got the back hand from nowhere Nowadays these call the Parents that and much worse. and we have to stand their and say yes child your right I am sorry.......Yeah Not in my house I am a father of 5 children and 4 step children Grandpa to 5 grandkids (so far) and I will be ummm Danged if I will allow them to do what they want when they want. If anyoof you have seen the show Parenthood on NBC I am so that dad I say Don't spare the rod use on that kids Backside that way they will know what we as parents mean when we say NO!

[Crabbyboater]

My 90 YO aunt was a teacher for years, and was once assigned an unruly class that no other teacher wanted.  On the first day, she walked in, laid a 2' paddle on her desk, and introduced herself.  Didn't have to tell the kids what the paddle was for... they knew.  Says she never had a lick of trouble with them.

My big fear while in school wasn't of the teachers, although I did respect them, it was that they would tell my Dad whatever I had done, and he'd take care of it.  That's one of the big problems today I believe.  The parents aren't backing the teachers, aren't truly parenting at home.  It's nice that they believe their child and support him/her, but they're being very naive when they do. 

[mrsn]

I teach mostly middle school, and my kids are usually great. (although I think they somehow knew that I wanted to write about how great my students are and made me think twice about it today, lol)

This post got me thinking about how many cell phones and such they have on them so I decided to take a survey of my high school kids. I have one small high school class with a range of sudents freshman through seinors, 15-18 years old. This semester all 14 of my students are male. I teach in a fairly rural, small town in Wisconsin. 3 of my students do farm chores before coming to school, 1 more does them after school. 6 of my students have part time jobs. Of my 5 seniors 4 are going to college next year. Generally a nice group of kids.
So with 14 kids, how many cellphones and/or mp3 players were in the room this morning? 

19.....2 kids didn't have any, and several had 2 devices. 1 kid even had 3, but he goes against the rule of "generally nice kid".

[tj]

Hey GB,
I'm new to the forum but not to teaching. I've probably seen it all after 40 years in the classroom. I am middle school math teacher and fight the cell phones ringing on an ongoing basis. There are days that I long to back to the 70's when the kids came to learn and I was was allowed to teach. Like mrsn I teach in a rural community ( not quite as rural as her ). The cell phone has become part of the students clothing routine.

[yyyyyguy]

Our governor here in Wisconsin (who I voted for) at a time when all this is going on is trying to lower the teachers pay and trying to outlaw union representation, so on top of all that is said here even more will go to the private sector and leave our children/grandchildren with fewer teachers.

[Gabby]

yguy, I'm not really sure what you are trying to say. Please clarify.
Gabby

[yyyyyguy]

Sorry Gabby, I think our governor is taking away pay and benefits and trying to eliminate unions which will cause teachers to go into the private sector ie. computers and math especially, at a time when we need better - qualified teachers not fewer

[Gabby]

Sorry Gabby, I think our governor is taking away pay and benefits and trying to eliminate unions which will cause teachers to go into the private sector ie. computers and math especially, at a time when we need better - qualified teachers not fewer

My understanding of the situation, and I may be wrong.
Is the benefits are so expensive that they are bankrupting the state and corporations. Which is happening all across the country and not just the teachers. The strangle hold created by tenure which makes it impossible in many places to fire those who are doing a mediocre job is forceing the hiring of more people in order to make up for those not doing their jobs. What ever become of competition in the work place? This country was built on competition, not complacency! Through out my working life I knew that if I wasn't up to the job I would be replaced which made me try and do my best. I don't see how we can expect less than that of anyone, without producing shody products at greater expense. I believe my analogy fits no matter what line of work is being done.
Respectfully to all,
Gabby

[Chachi]

Where have you been Gabby the work force isn't what it used to be anymore because now if you fire the kid you will hurt his feelings and have the cops called on you lol


The times they are a changing and we must change with them like it or not I blame Wal-Mart for it all.

[chief]

Thers really no such thing as a bad kid, just bad parenting.  Parents are not raisingtheir kids anymore.  I am somewhat guilty of this myself.  We dont spend enough time with our kids, and watching TV doesnt count.

[yyyyyguy]

OK, I think we need to take this conversation to a "real" coffee shop.We do not need to be taking pay and benefits away from teachers when we're having a hard time hiring and keeping the ones we have. Yes it is unfortunate that there are teachers out there that chose the wrong profession, and by all means if we had better parents we'd have better students which would make it easier on the teaching situation. That having been said - it seems the first place everyone always wants to cut taxes is education. I think it was JFK that said "You can't progress as a nation until you can progress in education". Does anyone think this nation is "progressing" in education? You name the place I'll buy the coffee.

[Gabby]

yguy
That would be great except for the logistics. I'm afraid this is the only coffee shop we all can get to. Besides if everyone showed up you would be bankrupt with coffee over a buck a cup.
Do any remember when coffee was a nickle and donuts 10 cents, pie a quarter? I do!
I'm very happy to see everyone keeping our responses civil even though we might not agree. I'm really saddened by what I see on the news. Not everyone is as respectful of the other guy's rights or opinion as this group. I hope we keep it that way.
We all need to keep an open and discerning mind in order to evaluate what is going on around us, much of which contains quite a bit of slight of hand used by those who would misrepresent their goals. I'm not pointing to just one faction, we have to use our brains for something other than to keep our ears from bumping into each other. We need to study what the results of their actions will lead to no matter who they are.
Respectfully,
Gabby