Ventura County Star Accounts

in response to luv2teach:

THANK YOU KIMBERLY!! We need MORE teachers who have left the profession to speak out against what is happening to our public schools. You are the only ones who can be completely open and honest about just how ridiculous things have become.

I'm in my 14th year of teaching (all in Elementary School). I become more frustrated and disgruntled with each passing year.

While working toward my Master's in Education (the only reason teachers pursue their MA in education, btw, is to make a couple thousand extra a year.) a new class requirement was introduced: Mainstreaming in the regular ed classroom. This course was to teach us how to make modifications for and meet the needs of Special Education students. Yes, that's right. Developing lesson plans, teaching standards, and creating a "toolbox" of behavior management techniques was no longer enough. Special Day Classes were being restructured so that the regular ed teacher must now become a special needs teacher as well. Okay, I did it.

Fast Forward to my 10th year teaching. The new state requirement was CLAD certification. On top of fulfilling my yearly 21 hours of professional growth requirement, I now had to sit through 20 hours of classes (UNPAID). I also had to study for and pass three ridiculous tests (no reimbursement for study time or expense to take these tests). This was all to prove that I was capable of teaching children who speak English as a second language. Forget that I've been successfully teaching these students for years. Besides, what then, do we expect the ESL teacher to do?

Teachers are forced to spend thousands out of pocket for necessary materials (like books), deal with entitled students as well as parents who think they can do a better job, attend countless meetings uncompensated (staff, committee, team,etc.), grade papers, clean the classroom (It's now my job to empty the trash, disinfect and wipe down furniture, and vacuum - unless once a week will suffice.), hang bulletin boards, prepare lesson plans/materials, and the list goes on and on... But this is not enough.

Today's public school teacher is EXPECTED to be a Regular Ed teacher, Special Ed teacher, English as a Second Language Specialist, Counselor, Administrative Assistant, and Custodian. We perform all of these jobs only to be rewarded with minimal respect and inadequate compensation. No wonder our State is losing so many gifted teachers. Most of us begin to burn out after 5 years.

For now, I stay. I have job security, but more than that, I adore the little ones I teach. Their progress is my reward. Seeing that light go on is enough...for the moment.