I'm so annoyed with the people I work with right now. I tried to implement a project which would take hardly any effort on the part of other teachers - we're recycling a specific item from lunches - they would simply have to ask their kids to put that item in a box next to the trash cans instead of in them. I e-mailed the teachers asking them to talk to their students about this - it would take 2 minutes (and be a meaningful lesson on recycling)- none of them have and we're probably going to have to scrap the idea because there's no way we'll make our goal from just my class. Then I facilitate 2 different book clubs that end with a competition at the end of the year. I asked the teachers could I come to their rooms at their convenience and explain to the kids so we could get some new members- 2 responses (out of about 30 teachers). So I give them the permission slips and say can you distribute these to the kids who are interested? So why am I in the office and see a stack of them in the trash next to the mailboxes - like one of the teachers just threw them all away! It's for the students' own good - they are reading for pete's sake and I'm the one staying after school for 2 days a week and buying all the books-all I'm asking is that they hand out some papers! I'm just so discouraged. I would understand if I was asking them to spend time or money or something to help - but just encouraging your students to participate - is that so much to ask? Just venting here - I certainly can't change the environment; it's just really annoying. :sorry:it's so long!
Boo on those teachers. It's always discouraging when your hard work gets taken for granted--or worse--when others act like it's an inconvenience. Just keep doing it for the kids.
Aw, Kinder-I feel for you. That's how my school in MI was. I felt like I was always coming up with new, cool ideas, and everyone else was just stuck in the mud. No one wanted to work on anything with me, let alone promote it with their kids. Such a kill-joy. I'd pass out your flyers for you! We all love you here.
That's awful Can you post a sign near the trash cans so that students will know to put the item in a different bin??
Doesn't sound like a very nice place to work it no one wants to help other teachers with projects like that. Maybe you could get your principal to put a stamp of approval on these projects and ask the teachers for their cooperation. We are required in our district to recycle in our classrooms. We have to put paper type products in one trash can and everything else in the other. The kids are pretty good about it, but I'm still learning. lol
I used to go to a lot of trouble to recycle at school. There is a huge bin the copy room -- and I'd make sure all the messed up copies ended up there, rather than in the trash can. I'd sort out the things that could be recycled from the trash in my class room. That was, until I noticed that the custodians drag the recycling bins out to the trash dumpter and just dump it in with all the rest of the trash. And they wonder why the dumpster people have to come EVERY single day to empty our trash dumpster.
That is awful! That was a great suggestion to put a sign on the box (with a picture maybe?) and maybe the kids would just do it. Also, would your P be willing to include a 2 second announcement with AM announcements to mention it? That might get you at least a few more of whatever it is! Are you interested in teaching with me? One of our K teachers is retiring at the end of the year and I am dreading it because we work so well together!
That's terrible, kindercowgirl -- I don't blame you for venting. Incidentally, in Japan there are 16 different types of materials to separate into recyclables. Municipalities hold courses for new residents on how to recycle, and people have to get different colors of plastic bags, bins, etc.
Ugh, kinder, I'm so sorry to hear you have to work in such an unsuportive environment. You wanna come work with me? I work with a great group
Thanks you guys! We are recycling juice pouches (an idea I got in the Kinder forum) a company makes them into other products and donates 1 cent from each to Adopt-a-classroom in our name. Anyway, I bought a really cute little red box and not only made the note on it but also put pictures of the products they make them into. You know how oblivious kids are - they get in the habit of doing something one way, they just don't notice the box-if someone took 2 minutes to mention it to them... I guess I just don't understand. If a teacher asked me to talk to my kids about something they wanted to do - I would do it in a heartbeat. If it was just that one thing, I don't think I'd be so annoyed but earlier in the year I let our staff know I was collecting letters or crafts for Meals on Wheels to deliver to their clients with their lunches. I put a basket in my room and told them they could send down anything their kids were willing to make each month. Not one response to the e-mail or one letter or project. We have always had pretty low morale, people won't participate in our Sunshine Committee or activities to make the atmosphere more fun. No one ever comments on bulletin boards or projects that the kids worked really hard on are displayed. But I won't give up! I really appreciate the kind words y'all and the opportunity to vent! Tasha - I would love to come work with you-we are at least in the same state. mmswm - I would take you up on that but I'm scared to go to Florida - I read your posts on the state of the economy there and all. Besides, I think I'd get eaten alive by middle school students! But thanks for the thought!
lol...our economy might have tanked, but our people are FANTASTIC!!!! Or at least the ones I hang out with...some of the others are not so great
Does your school do morning announcements? Maybe whoever does those can include a short message. Or maybe you could volunteer to do the announcements one morning (and even get your class involved doing it!) and include that in there.
Kinder, I have been feeling the same way you have been lately. I am very frustrated by the whole lack of willingness to do any more than required or expected. I have been a "committee of one" organizing several activities revolving around the upcoming election. I don't even teach social studies, but I thought it was important to do for the sake of the students and no one else stepped up and volunteered. I have several extra activities that I do with students outside of my regular class time. Once each month a group of students organizes a guessing contest. I work with another group of students to make a weekly news show. I love doing all of these things, but I wish some other teachers would maybe offer to help or offer to do some other fun activities for the students. Keep doing what you are doing. The students are benefiting from your hard work!
We used to have the same problem at our school many years ago, but things have gotten a lot better since our new principal came and got rid of a lot of the non participaters. Whereas the old principal, whom we all loved, didn't always enforce policies this principal does and while moral was low at first it has perked up considerably because people are doing their jobs the way they are supposed to and the newer teachers hired have become more bonded. It's hard to explain, but when you have a faculty that has been together a long time and negativety sets in it's a hard mold to break. When I first started there I had all these great ideas I started doing but the other 2 teachers on my grade level just wanted to keep on doing it the same ole way and not incorporating new ideas. One of them was still running off stacks of papers that she stapled together each morning....like 10 or 12 sheets and that's mostly what the kids did all day. I don't know how she found anything in her room and she didn't share anything she did. The other one did more teaching but she was very aloof and no one but no one helped me out if I was unsure of how to do something. Fortunately I was a late bloomer and didn't get my degree until I was over 50, so I started teaching with some experience at hand and I had substituted for several years where I lived before so I knew where to get things and a pretty good idea of where to go, but not really how to get started. I was in first grade but had never had to start the school year and I didn't even know where to start. That was a bad feeling not knowing what to do. I made a point after that experience to greet every new person that came on our faculty personally and to offer any assistance they might need. I was already into the technology thing too so that made me a bit of an outsider to some people as well. I hope things get better for you, just keep up that bright, cheery personality and eventually your ideas will be accepted and maybe you'll even change the outlook of some folks.
I know that it isn't always a great idea to bribe kids, but itis amazing how much motivation it could garner. First, Iwould say forget the teachers. Talk directly with the kids....maybe have a little box for each class and at the end of the week (for example), any class that recycles a certain amount would get a little treat. Say you have a class of 25 students, at 5 juice containers a week, that's 125...if a class has accumulated maybe 75 they would get one type of treat, 100 would get another, slightly better, and so on...you set the limit. Make it class prize versus and individual prizes. Also, it might be a good idea to let the kids know what it will happen with these items. Also, what would be the result if these just accumulated? Nothing wrong with developing a social consciousness. Kris
Tasha - If you are comfortable with it, maybe pm me just with the name of the district that you work for?
I don't know if this is true for the teachers at your school, but sometimes I get so bogged down with everything I need to accomplish that I just plain forget about things other teachers ask me to say or do with my kids. It's not that I don't want to, we are just so busy and I already have enough to remember. Instead of asking for teachers to come to their classrooms, find another way to talk to the kids. Maybe one day you can meet each grade level at P.E. or lunch and talk to them for a few minutes. Use your schools announcements to say a few words. Maybe recruit a few kids to help talk to the rest. I also think a previous poster's idea for a contest is great. Kids are more willing to do something if there is a prize. You could also have a "prize" for the winning class's teacher. Taking one day of morning duty would be a great "prize" for me and wouldn't cost you anything but your time. That could get the teachers excited.
I think their responses are pathetic. Hopefully you might be surprised by how your class will spread the word on the projects to their friends in other classes...I know they're young but they still talk. Good luck!
