Frustrations on the job

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Got screwed at work so deciding to vent here on OS. Most of you know I'm a high school biology teacher. School begins in about 2 1/2 weeks. The chemistry/physics teacher at our school retired this past year. No skin off my nose right?

I got a call last Thursday saying that I would not be teaching ANY biology classes this year--- been assigned to physics and chemistry and honors chemistry. Keep in mind I have almost no experience in either. (couple undergrad course 13 years ago) I honestly thought it was a late April Fool's joke.

Today, the principal said they had few options to cover the chemistry and physics:
A) Hire a chemistry teacher (with no physics background) or
B) Hire a physics teacher (with no chemistry background)

soooooo....they chose to hire a 2nd biology teacher (taking my job of 4 years). Really?


Of course, they drop this on me when it's too late for me to look elsewhere for another biology job.

Called my mom b/c her best friend is the chairman of the school board. She got me a meeting with the new superintendent so we'll see how things work out.

***End of Rant***

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Frustrations on the job

And this is why our school system in this nation sucks......

How they going to make you teach a class that you have no experience in ? But yet hire a new biology teacher, which I'm hoping that person has some experience in biology.

And on top of that, they want you to teach HONORS chemistry ???? That is baffling considering you barely know enough to wing regular chemistry. Those kids going to be so screwed......

They should have just hired a new physics and new chemistry teacher. And just left you in biology.

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Frustrations on the job

And this is why our school system in this nation sucks......

How they going to make you teach a class that you have no experience in ? But yet hire a new biology teacher, which I'm hoping that person has some experience in biology.

And on top of that, they want you to teach HONORS chemistry ???? That is baffling considering you barely know enough to wing regular chemistry. Those kids going to be so screwed......

They should have just hired a new physics and new chemistry teacher. And just left you in biology.

No thought was taken of the kids going to college. Since these new regulations have come down, they only care about classes that affect the school's report card (EOC classes: biology, english, algebra and us history)

Chemistry and physics are not electives where you can insert anybody in to "wing it".

[slickdtc]

And this is why our school system in this nation sucks......

How they going to make you teach a class that you have no experience in ? But yet hire a new biology teacher, which I'm hoping that person has some experience in biology.

And on top of that, they want you to teach HONORS chemistry ???? That is baffling considering you barely know enough to wing regular chemistry. Those kids going to be so screwed......

They should have just hired a new physics and new chemistry teacher. And just left you in biology.

You would think, right? Sounds like the NHL is running GAMEC0CK's school board, completely baffling decision.

[AUChase]

Re: Frustrations on the job

I hope everything works out for you, man.

[legendkiller5]

Re: Frustrations on the job

It amazes me how teachers, who freakin educate our future, are so disrespected and under appreciated.

[Feared]

Re: Frustrations on the job

Typical a lot of employers these days only care about covering their own a**es, without a care if it's at the cost of their employees.

Honestly I would not hold it against you if you pulled the dick move and just up and quit, and left them with nothing... Why cheat the kids and add extra stress on yourself trying to wing it in a position you yourself feel you are not qualified to be in?

Either way good luck with whatever happens.

[Aggies7]

It amazes me how teachers, who freakin educate our future, are so disrespected and under appreciated.

Agreed and this is why our school system is messed up. Let the teachers that know their subject continue to teach it. Don't go throwing them into another class they don't know as much about.

Ain't fair to the students or the teacher.

[Lieutenant Dan]

Re: Frustrations on the job

Got screwed at work so deciding to vent here on OS. Most of you know I'm a high school biology teacher. School begins in about 2 1/2 weeks. The chemistry/physics teacher at our school retired this past year. No skin off my nose right?

I got a call last Thursday saying that I would not be teaching ANY biology classes this year--- been assigned to physics and chemistry and honors chemistry. Keep in mind I have almost no experience in either. (couple undergrad course 13 years ago) I honestly thought it was a late April Fool's joke.

Today, the principal said they had few options to cover the chemistry and physics:
A) Hire a chemistry teacher (with no physics background) or
B) Hire a physics teacher (with no chemistry background)

soooooo....they chose to hire a 2nd biology teacher (taking my job of 4 years). Really?


Of course, they drop this on me when it's too late for me to look elsewhere for another biology job.

Called my mom b/c her best friend is the chairman of the school board. She got me a meeting with the new superintendent so we'll see how things work out.

***End of Rant***

Sweet Jesus, school administration in full effect

I really hope you can get the super to see sense, here. That's a severely messed up plan. I understand teachers can be flexible, but come on..especially Honors classes need to be taught by those who specialize, otherwise it's bad for the teacher and shorts the students.

As to what the principal's 'options' are....the most appealing of the two he gave are hire a damn chem teacher so that at least Honors chem and regular chem will go right. Bring in a sub for physics this year and maybe next year hire another science instructor who can cover physics and maybe add Honors physics.

[8]

Re: Frustrations on the job

This is what made me change my major back when I was in college. I was going to be a Physical Education teacher. One day we were at a middle school working with the kids there. Later the phys ed teacher there started telling us stories of how they made her teach a french class becuause they saw she took a year of French in High School. She also told us that it happens a lot. Very shortly I changed my major.

[Graphik]

Re: Frustrations on the job

Damn this is sad. I never knew about how teachers go about teaching but if this method is regular, I cant help but wonder what education I or any of my peers got robbed out of because we had teachers who didn't know the subject.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Frustrations on the job

I think if people followed where their money goes that would explain a lot about the current state of education. It sucks that people legitimately talk about cutting funding for education. When and why that is ever a plausible solution is beyond me. Education is like advertising to the business world to me.

[slickdtc]

Yeah, everyone knows the key to getting where you want to go in life is education. Obviously, you usually hear this about going to college versus working out of grade school.

Why then does it take a backseat or get shortcutted? It makes NO sense. I really believe education is the root of good things. It should be a TOP priority.

[ScoobySnax]

Re: Frustrations on the job

I can speak from first hand experience about how having a teacher that doesn't know their subject. I was in ninth grade taking algebra and my teacher had no clue what he was doing.

With algebra, it's important to establish a good foundation so that you'll be ready for AII, Calculus, etc. When I got to Algebra II, I was SO far behind the other students. Thank goodness I had a great teacher to spend that one on one time with me so I could get up to speed.

I'm sorry this happened to you, GC2K. Hopefully, you will be able to find another position with your connections.

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Frustrations on the job

So, the meeting went down and this was the shakeout:

My certification of "general sciences" ,even though I only have experience in biology, means I have to be "flexible". Bottom line: They can put you any of the science classes: bio, environmental bio, chem, physical science or physics regardless of experience.

Apparently, the potential hires for chemistry or physics refused to do both so the principal quit searching when she saw I was "general sciences".

The new "biology only" person has to get certification in something else before the start of next year so I can get half the biology back NEXT year.

I'm stuck with just chemistry instead of both chemistry AND physics. If I wanted to teach any biology it would mean 2 commutes each day to different schools. Said no to that. I get a huge chunk of student loans forgiven for staying at 1 school in a critical needs subject for 5 years.

Gotta go in tomorrow to find out what the alternatives is to teaching Honors Chemistry or if I'm stuck with that.

While I'm not happy with the compromise, I was ready to quit and just go to grad. school if I was going to be stuck with 2 entirely new sciences.

It's scary to know that you can pass 1 subject test and be "highly qualified" to teach 4 others. I have 2 weeks to learn enough chemistry to stay ahead of the students.