mellowskipper said:I'm not sure which specific textbook you guys are looking at, but if it's the one from Google, it's an absolute nightmare. You can't separate the essential info from the fluff; it's just a disaster of a book. Just wait until you hit the climate chapters. I had no idea there were even that many types. They might as well be drawing mental maps just to keep them all straight.
Sent from my PRA-LX1 using Reddit
So, I just asked my kid which textbooks they're actually using in class, and he said it's the Google one. He hasn't complained much yet—says it's "fine"—but hey, that's just a student's perspective.
Hey, if that’s how it goes, then I definitely have a right to vent! 😁 Look, I sometimes do the same thing where I mix people up into groups or pairs, usually putting some of the less experienced folks with the heavy hitters—mostly because I figure the newer guys can pick up a ton just by watching the pros in action. But when I do that, I’m incredibly hands-on with every single stage of the project. I make sure they hand over a solid roadmap and a clear breakdown of who is doing what. Then, I require individual check-ins from everyone so I can track their specific progress. I also make it a point to ask for feedback on how the teamwork is actually going, especially from those top performers.
Michelle Nelson4, it’s not a 1:1 ratio—you’re the one talking, while most people are just sitting there listening.
And regarding those project assignments—kids aren't stupid enough to let themselves be dragged down by someone else's laziness. I definitely get it when they complain that a teammate isn't pulling their weight, but honestly, I don't buy those excuses if they were the ones who picked the group in the first place. Look, if you already knew this person was unreliable and flaky, why on earth would you choose to partner up with them?
rowdypanther12 and driftingranger2, if you're just memorizing everything without actually grasping the concept, you're making a huge 🙂 mistake—it's been the same problem today as it was thirty years ago. I’ve dealt with plenty of teachers like that myself, including the ones who just dictate the 😱 verbatim. Trust me, that is definitely not how anyone should be learning.
Look, the kid of a former colleague of mine attends an international American school over in Europe, and they’re actually nailing it. I mean, they’ve got chemistry students building their own thermometers from scratch—honestly, why do they even need that level of expertise just for a lab? And then there's the math curriculum; high schoolers there are tackling stuff our kids don't even touch until senior year. No hand-holding required.
I’m just saying, I don't think the way we teach here in the States is the gold standard either. There's always room to improve, but you have to take it one step at a time. You can't just try to force a watermelon through a hole the size of a lemon. 😬
Sarah Hall53 said:My absolute favorite thing is when someone tries to sell me on the whole "flipped classroom" concept. The idea is that students do all the reading at home—actually putting in the effort to grasp the material—and finish their prep work beforehand. Then you show up to class, and sure enough, maybe five kids actually did it, while fifteen didn't... so now you’ve got a flip-off classroom. Basically, it's just flipping the burden onto you, because now you're stuck improvising everything since those fifteen kids don't have the basic foundation needed to even touch the advanced stuff you planned.
Oh, tell me about it! 🤦 The "flipped classroom." In an American public school. 🤣
Look, I get it—Finnish schools are top-tier and the whole Scandinavian system is incredibly cool, but we can't just flip our entire education system upside down overnight just to look in.
In the American school system, some things just don't click. Maybe they'll work in ten years, but right now? Not happening. I’m currently struggling just to teach my students that every time they have to lift a finger, they shouldn't immediately bark, "Wait, is this going to be graded?"
urbantinker8 said:Does anyone actually still buy into those brilliant "school for life" philosophies?🙄 🤦 Honestly, you can't really pull that off with most college students these days, so I guess it's probably even more impossible with middle or high schoolers.
Look, I don't follow the book every single second. Sometimes, sure, I just stick to a straight lecture, knock it out, and call it a day. Kids (and parents, too) usually prefer the lecture style anyway—to them, that’s what "real school" looks like, and they just want a teacher who’s an engaging speaker.
But man, looking back at when I first started teaching, I used to rely almost exclusively on lecturing. Now? I'm starting to think even that wasn't the best way to go.
rowdypanther12 said:I honestly don't have an issue with a kid just peeling potatoes; if you think you know me from our chats online, you know I'm being sincere about that. My problem is telling them to peel a potato without first explaining what a peeler is, where to find it, what a potato actually is, or how the process works in the first place. You can't just tell them to peel a potato and then head out to Starbucks.😁
rowdypanther12 said:Yeah, you've got a point. Honestly, it feels like kids are better off just teaching themselves using textbooks and the internet anyway. They just end up memorizing basic facts without actually grasping any of it, which seems to be where our school system is headed.
Thankfully, I see it doesn't always have to be that way. There are plenty of great teachers out there who actually take the time to make things make sense for their students.
Man, I couldn't agree more. On tests, for example, we really shouldn't even be asking for rote definitions or memorized trivia anymore.
Look, that history teacher of yours would get absolutely roasted by modern standards. The whole philosophy now is that "the student needs to be active and at the heart of the learning process," but in her classroom, she’s the one running the show while the kids just sit there like statues.
It’s honestly like when you're making lunch for a kid. You do all the heavy lifting, you cook the meal, and they just sit there and eat it. But suddenly, everyone expects the kid to cook the whole thing themselves—except you're still standing right over their shoulder, micromanaging every single move, showing them how to peel a potato when they've never even touched one before (even though we both know it would be ten times faster if you just did it yourself).
rowdypanther12, this whole "just read the textbook" thing isn't about luck. Honestly, a teacher should be designing "creative and engaging activities" meant to actually "spark a student's natural curiosity" so they *want* to dive into the material.
I’ll admit I’m being a little sarcastic here, but let's be real: the whole concept sounds great on paper—super idealistic—but it hits a wall in a real classroom. First off, you have certain classes that just roll their eyes at any activity you throw at them, no matter how fun or creative you try to make it. Their absolute favorite thing? Just sitting there, listening, and maybe scribbling a few notes. Our students can be pretty passive, and honestly, the American school system has kind of conditioned them to be that way. They don't want to get involved unless there's a grade riding on it. Second, if I just lecture through a topic in one hour, trying to cover it with various hands-on activities would easily take three. And that "it's in the textbook" approach isn't even as crazy as it sounds (though it really should be phrased as, "Go check the textbook first, and if you're still stuck, then come ask me.")
By pushing students to hunt for answers in their books or online—positioning the teacher as the "last resort" once they've exhausted their own resources—you're actually fostering some real independence and research skills.
Anyway, I've gone on a bit of a rant using all that fancy modern teaching terminology. If you get it, you get it. And if you don't? Well, go look it up in a textbook or on Google. 😁
The whole idea of "lecturing"—or frontal instruction, if you want to get all academic about it—is completely outdated. You think you’ll see a teacher in a top-tier school in Sweden standing at the front of the room just droning on to a class? Of course not. And let's be honest, those Scandinavian schools are top-notch, much like how Ikein furniture is the gold standard. 😉
If a student teacher tries to pass their certification exam by spending an entire hour just "lecturing" the class, they’re going to fail. That style of teaching just doesn't fly anymore.
rowdypanther12 said:With my little girl doing school online, it basically feels like, "Read pages 35 through 43 in the textbook, finish the attached worksheet, and email it back by the end of the hour for homework." And honestly, I don't see any sign that they’re actually covering less material or even revisiting the topics once the kids head back to the classroom. Man, it’s like they’re treating them like community college students. And this isn't even a new thing—it was just like this 20 years ago, too.
There’s nothing wrong with that approach (even during a standard class period, you shouldn't be spending more than five minutes "interpreting" the lesson), but the teacher absolutely has to get feedback on what the kids didn't grasp and where they need extra help. Just because a worksheet is finished doesn't mean the student actually mastered the concept, right? That's why it's so vital that they aren't just copying from each other or having parents jump in to do the heavy lifting. Instead, if they hit a wall, they should just leave it blank and maybe add a note saying, "I don't get this" or "I'm stuck here."
obelix88 said:I don't follow what you mean by "instead of them" or "for them." People get vaccinated for themselves—to protect their own health. That’s completely fair. Getting a shot doesn't magically shield everyone else standing next to you.
That logic works fine for adults. But when we talk about vaccinating kids, it’s really about boosting the overall community immunity percentage and looking out for those vulnerable groups who can't get shots themselves.
Look at countries that stayed open; they’ve hit vaccination rates as high as 95% among the elderly population.
Once we hit that 90% vaccination mark for folks over 60, then we can start having a real conversation about vaccinating kids. 😉 Because at the end of the day, it just doesn't make sense to use children as a substitute or a shield for the older generation.
Grace Edwards said:He does it because he's an idiot who doesn't know how to manage his time. If I could handle scheduling client meetings for the next day at a decent hour while pulling 12-hour shifts (actual work hours!), then he can do it too. But I guess that would mean shorter coffee breaks after work. My bad.
You don't have a clue. Most likely, the principal or some administrator called him five minutes ago and demanded he gather that data immediately.
Strictly speaking, that isn't even the homeroom teacher's responsibility. It shouldn't be on him to notify parents about quarantine protocols on a Sunday afternoon or to track who’s been sick or vaccinated just so they don't have to isolate. It shouldn't be his job to burn through his personal time, evenings, and weekends on stuff like this. He could easily tell the health department and the principal to kick rocks and deal with it themselves. Honestly, maybe he should. But nobody does that, mostly because—as our former Madam Secretary would put it—“you just have to do your part."
Grace Edwards said:Look, I don't know how he spends his time and honestly, I don't care. Just like he shouldn't be concerned with how I spend mine. My old teachers back in the day never felt the need to go digging through my business or my parents' business at 10:00 PM. That’s just how I am with my own work, too.
Do you really think he’s doing this because he actually needs to? 🤦
EDIT: Is it obvious to you that this guy handles his business outside of office hours? And the only reason your brain can come up with is that he's doing it out of necessity?
Grace Edwards said:Man, I am so incredibly glad I finished my schooling back before the social media era. Seriously, screw this guy for sending messages at 9:30 at night. Honestly, anyone bothering me at this hour deserves to be shut down.
Right, because obviously, the homeroom teacher does it just for the sheer thrill and excitement of it. It’s not like they can imagine a single better way to spend their evening.
The restrictions are staying in place because of the unvaccinated—regardless of how anyone feels about that logic.
The unvaccinated crowd loves to say, "Hey, you don't need to protect us," but let's look at the big picture: what happens if the healthcare system actually collapses? What if people are literally dying at the door because there isn't a single hospital bed left? That hasn't happened yet—and honestly, it won't—but if we scrap all the rules right now, we’re dancing on the edge of that cliff. Our healthcare system is already struggling as it is. We aren't Denmark. For context, about 95% of seniors over 80 in Denmark are vaccinated. Here in the States, we're seeing much different numbers in certain areas.
Now, look, personally? I’m all for reopening. I couldn't care less. If those old folks want to kick the bucket, that's on them. I'm exhausted from everyone constantly demanding we shield them. (I know, I know, urbantinker8 is probably going to jump down my throat for being "politically incorrect" again 😁).
But I totally get why Andrej Plenković is sticking to these measures. If the hospitals go under, they lose the election. And let's be real: losing an election is a way bigger headache than losing lives.
Hannah Stewart said:I have a question for my fellow vaccinated teachers and professors: do you feel any more secure as we kick off this new school year? Specifically, do you actually trust the vaccine to shield you from catching something while you're on the job? Does knowing there’s a much lower chance of you passing anything along to your colleagues—especially the older faculty members—make you feel more at ease? Also, how would you feel about students or undergrads going maskless during class if everyone could prove they were vaccinated? Does a student's vaccination status even matter to you? Would you prefer if everyone just dropped the masks, or would you rather everyone keep them on regardless of their status? Honestly, once you've had your shots, does any of this even weigh on your mind? 😁
Personally, I find myself feeling somewhat indifferent. It has been quite a while since I received my second dose—so long, in fact, that I almost forgot I even had it—so I don't exactly feel "super-protected" or anything. I haven't changed my habits much; I'm still being cautious just as I was before, and I plan to keep it that way as the semester begins. I share an office with some of the senior professors; though I'm more of an outside contractor, I still feel a sense of responsibility because, I suppose, I'm not entirely sure how much weight to give the data suggesting that vaccinated people spread the virus less frequently. As for the students' status, I really don't lose any sleep over it. We'll stick to social distancing and masks, and frankly, I was never particularly worried about catching something before, so I'm even less concerned now. It seems a bit silly to me to start questioning whether students are vaccinated or have already recovered just to sort them into seminar groups (even though the Department has left that option open). I don't think those kinds of measures are necessary, and it would be absolute chaos to overhaul the existing schedules just to form new groupings.
All in all, it looks like we’re just going to carry on as usual, following the same routine we've used for physical education classes throughout the pandemic—distancing, masks, hand sanitizer, and frantic ventilation until we're all shivering from the drafts. It’s hardly ideal when we end up freezing our heads off just to keep the air moving! 😬
I feel pretty secure because I've been vaccinated, and I actually had close contact with the virus shortly after (I didn't have symptoms, so I didn't bother testing). I mostly wear a mask, even though it drives me crazy. Most of the kids are wearing them too, though some don't—usually the ones who just recovered from it.
I'm just pushing through and waiting for this whole thing to blow over, just like everyone else. 🤷