What type of learning atmosphere do you support?...

[SuperMario]

Lemme post this little exert from a guy who subbed and got relieved of his duties.

The next day, the regular teacher returned, and quietly began grilling the inmates on what had transpired in her absence. In every class for which I subbed, including hers, the kids told me that I was the best sub that they ever had, and every group asked me if I could be their teacher permanently. She gave them enough rope to hang me. She drew them out, and discovered that I had given them piggy-back rides, among other things.

That was all that she needed to approach my boss and get me relieved of duty on grounds of "behavioral problems".
When I was confronted with this at the hearing, I denied having any behavioral problems; I thought the kids behaved well, and they learned their lessons and a bit more.

However, it seems that some of the other teachers said that my classroom sounded like a wild party. Compared to theirs, I guess it did. Since when is the stillness of a tomb the only atmosphere conducive to learning?

A dear friend told me that I made two mistakes: the kids learned and they had fun.

I personally think (if the kids really were learning) that that guy would have made an awesome teacher. I personally am against the sit and be quiet type of learning atmosphere schools and teachers seem to favor. I believe a fun learning envirorment would be much more beneficial for kids as it would make them want to learn and want to go to school. What do you guys think?

 

[Kaytee]

I agree, I can care less how my child learns as long as she learns what she needs to know.
If that involves playing games then, yes play games!!

 

[Trina]

<I>I had given them piggy-back rides, among other things. </I>


This part concerns me. We're only getting one side of the story here. As a former teacher myself, I think piggy-back rides are inappropriate in class, and what exactly were the "other things"?? I'm all for making learning fun, but since we don't know the entire story, it's possible this substitute teacher did cross the line.

 

[ntbuddy]

I feel it should be what ever the teacher feels works best. I gone through the sit and be quiet, the active participation, and a combination of the two. I personally enjoyed the active participation as I felt I learned better but the teach is the one that chooses how they wish to structure and run their class.

 

[Kaytee]

<I>I had given them piggy-back rides, among other things. </I>


This part concerns me. We're only getting one side of the story here. As a former teacher myself, I think piggy-back rides are inappropriate in class, and what exactly were the "other things"?? I'm all for making learning fun, but since we don't know the entire story, it's possible this substitute teacher did cross the line.

yay I can understand that, but part of me thinks, 99% of the time things like piggy back rides are perfectly fine. We have such a fear of pedophiles and the like that it almost just as scary.

 

[SpitNCobra13]

As far as I am concerned, schools are worse than prisons. In prisons, you get to read whatever books you want. No child of mine will ever spend time in one of these "schools"

 

[musicmom]

I'm thinking that "piggy back rides" might be a figure of speech somehow because as a teacher we are not allowed to touch the children.
I think it depends on what you are doing. Usually a teacher will leave a note and let you know what type of class you have and you go from there.
Each school is different, each teacher next door to your class is different. So it just depends.
I also don't care how my kids are taught as long as they are learning although I would be massively pissed if I found out there were piggy back rides and I would have had him fired!

 

[ljmahr]

I am in agreement that I don't care how they learn as long as they learn what they should and need to. I do see how the "piggy back rides" could cause certain problems and were probably inappropriate. My daughter had a teacher last year (2nd grade) that did things differently. He was a great teacher and all the kids loved him. He would seperate them into different sports teams and they competed against each other in different learning things all week. He also got bean baby chairs and balls and let the kids sit on those instead of their chairs. What ever to get the kids to pay attention and learn.

 

[evilbrent]

As far as I am concerned, schools are worse than prisons. In prisons, you get to read whatever books you want. No child of mine will ever spend time in one of these "schools"

marry me.

 

[Kaytee]

aww a love match has been made

 

[musicmom]

They do seem like the perfect pair!

 

[SuperMario]

LoL you guys! The only thing that got me worried was "among other things" I do not think piggy back rides are inappropriate but that's me. I think I would much rather have my kids having fun and learning then not having fun and learning.

 

[SpitNCobra13]

haha!

 

[BethInAK]

My mom is turning 70 next month and with the exception of when my brother and I were very little, she's been a teacher since she was 21 years old. She's taught high school math and science, and then later, she got her masters to become a reading specialist. And now she's a special ed teacher. She's an awesome teacher. Even the high school special ed behavior issues love her.

In the reading specialist and special ed capacity, you'd go into her classroom and it would be loud and rowdy. Kids would be working at different stationsn with aids, or perhaps in one rowdy group. they might be playing a reading bingo game. they'd be earning goldfish crackers as rewards. in short, its not a traditional classroom.

but it works and it works well. And the parents LOVE her. the principals don't sometimes and some of the other teachers are uh....overly concerned about the lively atmosphere.

I hope monk gets to have a teacher or two like my mom.

 

[FooserX]

For whatver reason, I don't think I would want my kid getting piggy back rides from his teachers.

 

[SuperMario]

Why not? I am sure he would have fun. As long as the teacher is actually teaching.

 

[FooserX]

Why not? I am sure he would have fun. As long as the teacher is actually teaching.

I don't care, I don't want my son riding on other adults!

I also don't want him saying "I love you" to his caretakers and teachers.

I'm weird like that.

 

[SuperMario]

LoL Ooook don't worry though. You and almost the rest of America is weird like that.

 

[musicmom]

I don't care, I don't want my son riding on other adults!

I also don't want him saying "I love you" to his caretakers and teachers.

I'm weird like that.

I agree with you Fooser. There is no reason an adult should be "piggy back" riding some other person's child. I think it's wierd and boarder lines on pedophilia if the person doesn't stop.

SM, I already think you think too much about kids in an abnormal way. That's just my opinion.

 

[FionnaK]

Not all kids do well in a lax environment. And it takes a very special person to pull that off with just any group of kids. I think a lot of the tactics used by teachers come down to crowd control. If it gets out of control it doesn't work. But I will say I have had too many teachers who didn't seem to care much about their job. They would just read from the book, or do the same things over and over again. They didn't put any imagination into anything ever. That wasn't a very good experience for any of the students.