A Knight Who Does Not Serve

[Rhizomorph13]

Welcome Knight,

I thought this thread was going to be, "A Knight Who Does Not Say Nee!"

Anyway, "Ecky-ecky-ecky-ecky-pikang-zoom-boing-mumble-mumble."

Rhizo

[fr0d0]

Welcome knight. I like the sound of you

[Knight]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I'm testing out the waters now. It feels warm, so I may swim deeper.

I must now add a little information to my introduction. As of 10:15 AM (which is when my mail came), I am now an incoming freshman at UCONN. I wish to major in elementary education to become a teacher, and I shall also minor in music (pun not necessarily intentional, but I like it).

[Minimalist]

I wish to major in elementary education to become a teacher,

Ouch. Politicians have turned that into a real shit job, kid. Teachers are expected to deal with kids who don't give a rats ass about learning, reading, or, most of all thinking. Parents think you are supposed to wave a fucking magic wand that will turn their miserable little offspring into grade-A students even though the parents do little more than plop them in front of a tv or video game to keep them quiet. Politicians and school boards nonetheless expect test scores to rise so they can claim that THEY are doing something meanwhile they cut your pay and insist that you get more and more training to do a job which is fucking impossible. Oh, they also expect you to buy your own supplies because they are busy cutting the budgets so they don't have to raise taxes on those aforementioned scumbag parents.

Most new teachers last less than 5 years.

http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/news_docs/8898t...efinal.pdf

In the typical Chicago elementary school, 51 percent of the teachers working in 2002 had left four years later, by 2006, while the typical high school had seen 54 percent leave. These findings surface at a time when many principals are scrambling to find qualified teachers for hard-to-staff schools.

Chicago is not unique.

[Purple Rabbit]

Welcome Knight.

There have been some introductory steps here lately on the path of noncognitivism, but we surely can use some input on that here.

[Knight]

Don't worry, I realize what I'm signing up for. I'm not doing it for the money or with the expectation of being thanked by anyone. If I can make a positive difference in just a few lives I will be satisfied. I would be pleased if I could make a positive difference in MANY lives.

I understand all of the pressure a teacher is under. If test scores are low, it is the teachers fault. If a parent abuses their child, the teacher is at fault if they do not notice anything (no matter how impossible it is). I'm sure the list continues. I know, but I don't mind.

Maybe I'll even work my way up the ladder to a higher school or Board of Ed position. We'll see what happens. Either way, the progress made is thankless but when something goes wrong it is all my fault. Hell, I may as well run for President.

[lukec]

Good for you, Knight. Finishing my B.Sc. to teach high school sciences is on my list of possible career choices. My dad's been teaching for many years now and although it can be a thankless job at times he seems to love it. Doesn't hurt that he does outdoor education programs and has enough seniority to do whatever he wants.

[Minimalist]

Ah, the idealism of youth!

[Edwardo Piet]

Sorry I didn't welcome you already Knight, I have been slightly less active the last day or two...

Welcome to the forums!!

EvF

[Rhizomorph13]

If I can make a positive difference in just a few lives I will be satisfied. I would be pleased if I could make a positive difference in MANY lives.

Ah, the idealism of youth!

Idealism! Don't worry, you'll get over it.

Rhizo