Teachers *definitely* get my purrs and whatever other support I can give.  I
think it's a crime that we pay athletes and movie starts millions of dollars
but the people who are shaping the next generation of people (who are going
to be supporting us when we get old, gawdhelpus!) hardly get paid enough to
cover living expenses!

Hugs,

CatNipped

So true. I blush to remember all the things we did to aggravate our
teachers. Lots of purrs heading out to teachers everywhere.

<snip>

They didn't make you take courses, including teaching under supervision,
before they gave you the license?

Yes, teaching is a far, far more difficult job that is generally assumes,
and often actually teaching is the smallest part of it. You have to
maintain discipline, mediate fights, keep track of students, do paperwork,
learn and enforce an unending stream of rules intended to keep the
institution running smoothly and avoid any situation that might end in a
lawsuit, attend meetings and workshops, etc etc. Then there are
personality issues - for any given teaching style or teacher personality,
some students will love it and some will hate it. Some students thrive in
a very open, unstructured classroom; other like predictable, carefully
sequenced lessons. Some like working on their own in a large class,
others like a lot of individual attention, like you get in a small
class. So whatever even a good teacher does won't suit everyone. And yes,
substitutes get the worst of it because students *will* try to take
advantage of a newcomer.

There are, amazingly enough in spite of all this, a great many excellent
and hardworking teachers who don't get nearly enough purrs and
appreciation.

I used to teach, but it wasn't for me, not at all. It was far too
stressful.

My mom is a teacher and she's run raggged.  She can use all the purrs
she can get.  Thanks for bringing it up.

Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

I concur and purrs you've got!  Teaching is often a thankless job.  And the
pay is often so low teachers find part-time jobs during summer break.

I tried very hard not to torment my teachers, even if some of them wanted to
torment me ;)  Back in my day a "sub" often meant "study hall" as someone
else pointed out.

But I also have fond memories of some of my instructors from high school.
One in particular.  For its time, this was a very progressive and also brand
new school.  I took broadcast journalism classes for 4 years; we had a radio
station.  (In my 2nd year of classes I'd scarf down my lunch, run up three
flights to the station, rip copy off the AP wire, mark it up and do the
11:30 news; this was a public station, not just broadcast in the school.)
The instructor, Mr. James Futrell, was in a wheelchair, having been crippled
by polio as a child in the 1950's.  But he didn't take s*** off any student,
let me tell you!  I can remember him throwing a reel-to-reel tape across the
room when one group of students wouldn't shut up during his lecture!

Now I get to stroke my ego a little bit (indulge me!).  I went back to visit
the school when I was about 31.  Went up to the station after checking in at
the office and making sure Mr. Futrell was still there.  I walked in and he
was giving a lecture about something.  I stood there by the hallway,
listening, when he suddenly looked over at me and exclaimed, "OMG, Jill!"
Then he introduced me to the class as one of the very best students he'd
ever had. <EBG>  I looked around the class and thought to myself, gosh, was
I ever that *young*?  heheh

Another ego boost (I guess I'm allowed 2 in one post heheh).  When I was
leaving a teacher called to me in the parking lot, "Leaving a tad early,
aren't we?"  I walked back and recognized Rodney.  He'd been a year behind
me at that very school!  I grinned and said, "I'd say I was leaving a tad
*late* since I graduated in 1978, but it looks like you never did, Rodney!"
He laughed, "Jill!  What's it been, 13 years?"  Yep.  He got his teaching
degree and went right back to the old school :)  That's kinda cool!

At any rate, there are some good, dedicated students.  Unfortunately, you
always hear about the bad ones.  There are also some good, dedicated
teachers who make a lasting impression.  And to those, mega purrs.

Jill

Oh, my, Jeanne, what a day you had!

I thought about going into teaching about 15 years ago or so.  My
first class in grad school was essentiallly to go out and observe and
do some teaching in a local high school.  My main teaching session was
on "Midsummer Night's Dream" for a Shakespeare class.  Trying to get
them to stay in the classroom, stay in their seats, stop talking so I
could be heard over them, etc., was a nightmare.  Some kids looked
like they were napping or just dreaming, others didn't know when to
stop talking.

That wasn't why I decided not to pursue that path, but I'll agree with
you, purrs for the teachers -- they sure need them!

Ginger-lyn

Purrs for you to Jeanne (as well as Pam Shirk).  I tried subbing when I
was younger and needed to work (this was in the late 70's) and all I had
to do was prove that I had 2 years of college.  My first assignment was
a 7th grade girls PE class.  The teacher had assigned a couple of days
of volleyball outside.  Well, it rained both days.  I just didn't make
it as a substitute teacher.  Both of my sisters-in-law are teachers and
I send them purrs regularly.

Julie

Lots of purrs for you, Jeanne, teaching is a *very* hard job.