Random Fail: First World Problems

[Ksandra]

Wasn't that rated R? How are you allowed to show R-rated movies in schools? I had to get permission slips to show my kids something that was PG-13, and an R-rated movie was completely out of the question.

She didn't show it. Another teacher showed it at a different school and got suspended. I think if I bring it up as a casual conversation maybe it will wake her up that she better watch the movies before showing them to kids.

You mention they mostly come from "Spanish backgrounds", could she maybe lack the resources necessary to get through to them at a higher level they may benefit from and is just trying to keep them docile at this point? Does the school offer AP options for the students to try and attempt a more advanced Spanish curriculum? Have they taken their regents yet? I know at that point in high school I had already taken and passed my regents and just opted out of any more Spanish classes.

I do not agree with what she's doing at all, just trying to find some reasoning behind it. I would definitely approach her first in a subtle way, as Bane suggested, since you mentioned you two are on a friendly basis.

I think she's old and lazy and the principal doesn't keep anyone in check so in general teachers get away with it. She is a Native Spanish speaker. There is a different Spanish teacher who teachers the AP classes/


Like Aks said, this is the first school I've been to where the teachers didn't need to document which films they are showing. The principal is pretty clueless. I think they have a hard time keeping teachers for other reasons, that she is afraid to criticize.


[edit] One of her class periods is the Drama class. Now, she doesn't have a Drama cert (she used to teach English though), and there is a guest teacher that comes in 3 times a week. But she was told at the beginning of the year she was to "help out the teacher." Every day the teacher wasn't there she showed them a film. When I suggested some drama games she could play she was like, "That's not my job, she's the teacher, I'm just supposed to keep an eye on them when she isn't here."


Needless to say, I was able to convince them to let me have that drama class next year.

[Nevermore]

It sucks when you have that much freedom as a teacher and you choose to just waste that time just showing movies. During the observation hours I've been doing on top of all the reading for my courses, there are teachers who would kill for that type of freedom and would use that time more constructively. I mean she is teaching a language course, but imagine what you could do with like 10 movies worth of time in an ELA or math course. Since those courses are more often than not structured down to the last second though, that time is hard to find.

Good for you getting the drama course that you seem to actually have some interest in teaching. I think the worst thing to see is someone else barely doing a job they have no interest in when they have capable people who would kill for that position. I've been watching my friend go through student teaching this semester and the horror stories she tells me about her cooperating teacher often coming to work without lessons and often stealing my friends lessons or from pre-made ones online just get me so pissed.

[Byrthnoth]

I'd love to tell you to push for meaningful education for the youts, but honestly just don't rock the boat Kas. You're a noob and it seems there's almost nothing to be gained. Is she really going to teach Hispanic kids to speak better spanish? Is she teaching an entire class of Cameron Diaz-s?

I don't know about you guys, but I view foreign languages in highschool as being comparable to shop class. It teaches you a skill (being able to speak spanish) but doesn't expand your logical or analytical skillset. Who cares if they're watching Finding Nemo: The Spanish Dub the entire time?

[BaneTheBrawler]

"How many movies DID you show?" "10? That's like 20 hours of classroom time. I just feel like you could do better than that, is all."


or something maybe? idk, shits tricky as fuck. it's like criticizing someone for being bad in-game, except you have to actually work with this person face-to-face afterwards.

[Greatguardian]

What level Spanish is this? Sounds like level 1/2, since you mentioned she doesn't teach AP. Honors?

How are the movies spaced? Evenly throughout the year? Crammed in at random places to make up for lack of planning? Or scheduled around EOC/Benchmarking?

Some elective teachers take it upon themselves to give the kids a break whenever kids are taking Benchmarks or EOCs around here. It's a really stressful time for the kids and they don't get much slack in their core classes with final projects and exams. I showed a movie once this year, but it was the day after my kids got done with 2 different 5 hour EOC tests in a row.

Could be lazy. Could be lack of planning. The latter would be a little strange considering an experienced teacher really doesn't need to plan a damn thing as long as they have last year's lessons. It's not like the standards in Spanish language are in constant flux (or are they? I'm a snobby math teacher, so idk).

Maybe her kids are just so smart/awesome/wonderful that they blitzed through her existing lessons and she couldn't be assed to rewrite her other lessons to accommodate extra material?

Edit: Bane, Teacher Politics is like the hell mode xx360noscope of touchy feelies. There is literally nothing to be gained by making another teacher feel like you don't worship the ground they walk on. We spend 8 hours a day lording over babbys. Our egos are just too big.

[Aksannyi]

I mean there is nothing wrong with showing a couple of movies, in fact one of the standards specifically requires that kids compare/contrast a written version to a film adaptation of it. But 10 in a year seems like a lot to me. I'd see maybe one in a grading period maybe.

[Blubbartron]

I'd love to tell you to push for meaningful education for the youts, but honestly just don't rock the boat Kas. You're a noob and it seems there's almost nothing to be gained. Is she really going to teach Hispanic kids to speak better spanish? Is she teaching an entire class of Cameron Diaz-s?

I don't know about you guys, but I view foreign languages in highschool as being comparable to shop class. It teaches you a skill (being able to speak spanish) but doesn't expand your logical or analytical skillset. Who cares if they're watching Finding Nemo: The Spanish Dub the entire time?

Pretty much this. Who honestly gives a fuck about learning Spanish when we have Google Translate now? I'm more pissed that they have kids wasting their time in the class that could be better spent learning math, science, and how to write English in a way that doesn't involve "u wot m8".

[BaneTheBrawler]

Edit: Bane, Teacher Politics is like the hell mode xx360noscope of touchy feelies. There is literally nothing to be gained by making another teacher feel like you don't worship the ground they walk on. We spend 8 hours a day lording over babbys. Our egos are just too big.

so EXACTLY like calling out a baddie in vidya, lol. just more consequences.

[Ksandra]

I'd love to tell you to push for meaningful education for the youts, but honestly just don't rock the boat Kas. You're a noob and it seems there's almost nothing to be gained. Is she really going to teach Hispanic kids to speak better spanish? Is she teaching an entire class of Cameron Diaz-s?

I don't know about you guys, but I view foreign languages in highschool as being comparable to shop class. It teaches you a skill (being able to speak spanish) but doesn't expand your logical or analytical skillset. Who cares if they're watching Finding Nemo: The Spanish Dub the entire time?

This is a fair point to an extent and that maybe where her thoughts are. the problem I see is that these kids speak Spanish at home, but it's terrible Spanish. They can't spell any of the words worth shit because they never had to read Spanish, just speak it. And it's slang heavy so they can't read proper Spanish. I don't know how hard that puts it on the AP teacher in future years to help.

I definitely won't go above her head as you said, it's just frustrating to me.

What level Spanish is this? Sounds like level 1/2, since you mentioned she doesn't teach AP. Honors?

How are the movies spaced? Evenly throughout the year? Crammed in at random places to make up for lack of planning? Or scheduled around EOC/Benchmarking?

Some elective teachers take it upon themselves to give the kids a break whenever kids are taking Benchmarks or EOCs around here. It's a really stressful time for the kids and they don't get much slack in their core classes with final projects and exams. I showed a movie once this year, but it was the day after my kids got done with 2 different 5 hour EOC tests in a row.

Could be lazy. Could be lack of planning. The latter would be a little strange considering an experienced teacher really doesn't need to plan a damn thing as long as they have last year's lessons. It's not like the standards in Spanish language are in constant flux (or are they? I'm a snobby math teacher, so idk).

Maybe her kids are just so smart/awesome/wonderful that they blitzed through her existing lessons and she couldn't be assed to rewrite her other lessons to accommodate extra material?

Edit: Bane, Teacher Politics is like the hell mode xx360noscope of touchy feelies. There is literally nothing to be gained by making another teacher feel like you don't worship the ground they walk on. We spend 8 hours a day lording over babbys. Our egos are just too big.

Just restating as people seemed to miss it: 10 movies this semester. She has probably shown about 18 this whole year.

I mean there is nothing wrong with showing a couple of movies, in fact one of the standards specifically requires that kids compare/contrast a written version to a film adaptation of it. But 10 in a year seems like a lot to me. I'd see maybe one in a grading period maybe.

lol, that's the one movie I showed this year. We read Edith Hamilton's "Trojan War" and "Fall of Troy" so I had them watch the film Troy and do a compare and contrast with it.

This woman gives no lessons regarding the films. No guided questions to answer, no write ups about them, nothing.

[Ksandra]

Pretty much this. Who honestly gives a fuck about learning Spanish when we have Google Translate now?

lol

[Greatguardian]

36 hours of movies in one year with no follow up?

Geez. Okay. Probably lazy. Not much that can be done from your end but vent on BG, though. The foreign language department should take care of its own. Going to an admin or a chair outside your department over lesson plans is not something I'd recommend personally, especially as a new face.

[Ksandra]

36 hours of movies in one year with no follow up?

Geez. Okay. Probably lazy. Not much that can be done from your end but vent on BG, though. The foreign language department should take care of its own. Going to an admin or a chair outside your department over lesson plans is not something I'd recommend personally, especially as a new face.

Yeah I agree, this was to vent because I know I really can't tell my boss, so better to just tell you guys.

[Anoat]

Pretty much this. Who honestly gives a fuck about learning Spanish when we have Google Translate now? I'm more pissed that they have kids wasting their time in the class that could be better spent learning math, science, and how to write English in a way that doesn't involve "u wot m8".

Not sure if serious but having a foreign language skill at even a basic level is an incredibly useful life skill. Not saying that math, science, and English aren't important, but to completely dismiss a foreign language in an increasingly global society/work force would be a huge mistake.

[Modoru]

Pretty much this. Who honestly gives a fuck about learning Spanish when we have Google Translate now? I'm more pissed that they have kids wasting their time in the class that could be better spent learning math, science, and how to write English in a way that doesn't involve "u wot m8".

Lmfao OK buddy

[Ksandra]

Not sure if serious but having a foreign language skill at even a basic level is an incredibly useful life skill. Not saying that math, science, and English aren't important, but to completely dismiss a foreign language in an increasingly global society/work force would be a huge mistake.

So much this.


And not to mention google translate is shit for anything meaningful. You can't use it as a reason as a replacement for a class.

[Jem]

Being bilingual is immensely useful. I was a straight A student and I resent the fact our school language programme was so shitty. I barely remember any French or German now and it seems way harder to learn the older you are.

I was embarrassed when I went to France a few years back and the McDonald's workers spoke fluent English whilst I couldn't remember enough French to even order in French.

I would happily trade some of my other skills to be bilingual. I'd say that arguably a second language is way more useful than maths or science once you're past a basic level. You basically never use those past the extreme basics unless youre in a specialized field.

[BaneTheBrawler]

y'all are talkin to blubb, here. just keep that in mind.

[Xno Kappa]

Being bilingual is immensely useful. I was a straight A student and I resent the fact our school language programme was so shitty. I barely remember any French or German now and it seems way harder to learn the older you are.

I was embarrassed when I went to France a few years back and the McDonald's workers spoke fluent English whilst I couldn't remember enough French to even order in French.

I would happily trade some of my other skills to be bilingual. I'd say that arguably a second language is way more useful than maths or science once you're past a basic level. You basically never use those past the extreme basics unless youre in a specialized field.

I remember my guidance counselor in high school was trying to get me to take French classes. I was like "lolno. Spanish class homie."

[Blubbartron]

Not sure if serious but having a foreign language skill at even a basic level is an incredibly useful life skill. Not saying that math, science, and English aren't important, but to completely dismiss a foreign language in an increasingly global society/work force would be a huge mistake.

In the global marketplace, the predominant language is English. Knowing other languages doesn't help you nearly as much as knowing English does. "Useful" is definitely a stretch. "Incredibly useful" is flat out wrong.

[Modoru]

In the global marketplace, the predominant language is English. Knowing other languages doesn't help you nearly as much as knowing English does. "Useful" is definitely a stretch. "Incredibly useful" is flat out wrong.

Lmfao OK buddy

all i need to know 'bout u written right here