I was so inspired by the video somebody sent me last week that I had to try it myself. It’s official. Mr. Teachbad now has his own YouTube channel. Learn. Enjoy. Go forth and teach. Mr. Teachbad
Archive for the ‘Crimes of Dickishness’ Category
Every so often I will get a little concerned that I may run out of things to write on this blog. I mean, how much could there be to say about the ludicrousness of teaching? But every time I think that, God sends me to a meeting, or sends me a memo, or sends one of my administrator-muses into my room. I had my first evaluations and debriefs in the last several days. The outside evaluator was quite friendly and more or less thought I was doing a pretty good job. She rated me an “effective” teacher. The Read more [...]
At my school, as I have noted before, there is a razor-sharp, iron-clad, diamond-tipped division between the teachers and the administrative class. Most of the VPs are young and relatively inexperienced at being a VP and at teaching. They are thus insecure and do not wish to appear or become vulnerable/ignorant around their charges. So they sort of hide out. They walk fast and look busy. They slip into your room, take some notes, and email you about what you did wrong. They are sort of comfortable Read more [...]
I feel like a space shuttle about ready to burst into flames on reentry. Or like I’m trying to hold a handful of water. Or like I’m driving a car and just woke up on the wrong side of the interstate. I feel like the 19th mile of a marathon. Why am I here? Frustrated. Exhausted. The process of getting one’s self back into this program continues to be difficult. I don’t know about you, but my schedule and all of my habits and patterns are drastically different in the summer. I stay up way late in Read more [...]
At my school there is a bewildering array of requirements for teachers. There is an extraordinarily complex and subjective evaluation system. There is a meticulously detailed, inflexible and absolutely unrealistic discipline system. There are hall pass, tardy, locker and dress code policies that administrators must have rehearsed over and over in order to describe with a straight face. “But if everybody does it”, the line goes, “then the kids will just go along and get used to it. No problem.” Then Read more [...]
That was fast, wasn’t it? (If you start after Labor Day, piss off.) I’ve been in a literal and figurative fetal position most of the day. I’ve been receiving condolences from former colleagues. Tomorrow we begin. One week of 75-85% bullshit coming right up, sir. Then the kids come. I don’t know what you do at your school, but we have one full week with all the teachers there for a combination of touchy-feely, get to know each other, team-building bullshit and indoctrination. The other 15-25% Read more [...]
The Master Teacher She will tell me what to do Quiet in the back Taking notes on her laptop Jedi Teacher, make me whole We’ve got this teacher evaluation thing at our school. We get observed for a total of 2.5 hours and then we get a number. That number determines if we are good teachers or bad teachers. Now wait…I know what you’re thinking. “How could they really figure that out in 2.5 hours and just give a dude a number”? I knew you would ask, and I’m ready. They have a Rubric. If you have Read more [...]
We’re here, and then not Trotsky in Stalin’s scrap book Gone and forgotten I know that I bitch a lot. But, honestly, that’s why this blog exists in the first place. So I don’t consider that a valid criticism. However, in addition to bitching, I want to contribute suggestions for taking the bottom-feeding, low man on the totem pole, grunt work, KP duty, snipe hunting, pull my finger, 52 card pick-up, never in the room when a real decision is made reality of teachers and eliminating it or making it Read more [...]
You loved them so much Those darlings in your classroom So, VP, tell me Why teach for just three years? Destiny calls you to lead OK, the question from the last post was: What are these people good at? Why are almost all of the administrators in my school very young and have very little teaching experience? Isn’t that odd? Why would you select people who don’t have very much teaching experience to lead and supervise those who do? That’s a fair question, right? I mean, usually the boss is someone Read more [...]
Singular spirit Sadly sometimes is lost to Checking of boxes Technocracy: The government or control of society or industry by technical experts. (Oxford English Dictionary) I was recently at a mandatory, all-day professional development session….Do you feel me? We were all dreading it and mocking it mercilessly days before it had started. Well, I am here to report that it was outstanding. That’s right. I’ll say it again: It was outstanding. Now, the question you are asking yourself is, “Good Read more [...]
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