Para last year; SPED teacher this year. Issues with new para

Maybe, instead of dismissing posts you don't like, you should consider those opinions and truly evaluate how you come across to people. No one here is trolling. There is something very negative about most of your posts. That's not a criticism. It's an honest observation.

 

I don't work in a school any more. I'm just a general all around know-it-all with a lot of time on my hands. And a good memory. :lol:

 

Several things:

- Many of us remember previous posts without having to look them up. I include myself in this category. On the occasion that I don't remember a particular poster, I look up their previous posts so that I can give better advice. It is very simple to look at their previous posts. When you click on their name, you can easily look up previous posts. It is an option.

- You will get better advice if you don't attack forum members. In the post I'm quoting alone, you ask if we don't have planning and stuff to do. Yet, you would like us to have time to give you advice. I remember your previous dilemmas (and success with getting the job), so I did not look up your previous posts. I do not remember if they were combative or not, as the posts in this thread read. However, you have been very aggressive and hostile. You seem to want our help, but only if it is what you want.

- My advice- maybe you accepted a job prematurely since you have not yet completed your coursework (if I'm remembering correctly). The first year is extremely tough, even for people who have been adequately prepared. You have an uphill battle to fight. I'd start by clearly stating all expectations. Possibly type them up even.

 

On another thread OP states she is a student teacher with her own class. I didn't go looking for it, but just ran into it. I don't think that I noticed that in this thread, which I find disturbing. I have some qualms about a student teacher teaching new Paras, since there is no mention of a CT. If I just missed that in this thread, my bad, and I apologize. As for the comment about irony, I was dead serious! No harm intended - I just recognized that the previous post was spot on in the use of the term irony.

 

I don't believe she was saying she's a student teacher. IIRC, she has already student taught, but is not yet credentialed. Can't remember why.

 

This whole thing is unbelievable.

 

I agree, kc.

I apologize, lynette. I just checked old posts (because I don't have a life) and she stated in another thread that she is student teaching this semester.

 

Not a problem - I have been known to miss things in very long threads, but was surprised to stumble over that info elsewhere.

 

When she posted about her job a while back (before school year), she said then that she was hired before being certified. I think her status is only a sub right now, but will change once her certification comes through later in the school year.

I could be somewhat off since I don't have the desire to look it up. I'm pretty sure I'm close since I was pretty horrified that a district would do that. Of course I teach in an extremely saturated area, so maybe that is why I'm so baffled by that.

 

http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=180870

I'm a little horrified that a school of ed would allow substituting in lieu of student teaching!
(That's why I agree with kcjo's last post.)

 

So what does the CT plan to do with the paras?

I am totally confused at this point.

 

My school does this. In fact, we just hired a new foreign language teacher as a sub. Once her paperwork goes through, she will likely be hired as a full-time teacher. When it is just a matter of crossing some Ts and dotting some Is, this practice is pretty smart. When the school is hiring less-than-qualified people for whatever reason, it can be problematic.

 

We give our paras and other staff who work with the kids a computer generated summary that includes: the diagnosis, accommodations, modifications, goals, and present levels of performance.

 

But I don't think she's even done with college until the end of a college semester. I'm for it if you are an August grad and school starts in August. No big deal. But I don't believe this was the case with her. Uggh. I give up. Going to look it up.

Pause.......

She's not done until December.

"HI! I am a student teacher and I received special permission to substitute in the class I was a para in last year; the reason I am subbing is because the district I teach in no longer accepts emergency or temporary authorizations so I got special permission from my grad program and the administration at the school to assume responsibility of the teacher of the class as a substitute until I get my initial license upon graduating in December."

Another thread stating it.

Yet another thread saying she is student teaching Fall 2014.

 

Maybe if you aren't finding the answers you are looking for then you should look somewhere else. Get off the internet for a couple of hours and take a nice walk in the sunshine.

Sometimes the advice given is not what you are looking for. If you don't like it, ignore it and go on. You have the right to ask questions. They have the right to answer them...like the response or not.

 

Giraffe - Careful - it will make your head explode!

 

Being snarky back isn't going to help matters. Put your big girl panties on and don't get them in a wad. Ignore the comments that you don't want to hear.

 

IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM. I feel sorry for you if you can't learn to ignore people who rub you the wrong way. They are everywhere.

 

I am in fact student teaching this semester and am done with my coursework with the exception of student teaching. And you're right, SpecialPreskoo. I am most definitely ignoring them at this point. It seems that there are three or four people who really like to sit there and pick apart posts on this site. Others, like yourself, provide good advice. Thank you for that. I was going to delete this whole thread due to the fact that certain people just keep going back in my post history to dig up information about me but I couldn't figure out how to delete it. Not that it matters because I don't really need to explain myself to strangers on the internet, but I am student teaching WHILE having my own classroom. I'm not substituting in lieu of student teaching. The school I have worked at for the past two years wanted me so badly as the teacher that they made an exception and are letting me substitute the class until December when I get my initial license. I have already passed all of my courses with As and graduate with my masters in December. I'm not some naive idiot who just took a classroom with no clue. I had amazing references from both of my former supervisors who were both directors of special education at two different schools. I also received great references from a few of my professors. It was a very rigorous process to get this job. I had three interviews; one with my department chair of my graduate department, one with the principal of the school that hired me, and one with the district. While three or four of you think it's "scary" that my school would hire such an "inexperienced" person, I find it terrifying that some of you people are actually teachers! Yikes!

Anyhow, thank you very much SpecialPreskoo and Gemstone, along with the others, who gave me stellar advice. As for the rest of you, go dig up some dirt on someone else because frankly, you aren't coming up with anything that is relevant or important.

 

Preskoo's advice is indeed sterling. I quite liked both of these bits:

• "Being snarky back isn't going to help matters. Put your big girl panties on and don't get them in a wad. Ignore the comments that you don't want to hear."

• "IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM. I feel sorry for you if you can't learn to ignore people who rub you the wrong way. They are everywhere."

One looks forward to the OP beginning to implement them.

 

Because one cannot delete their own thread.

Explaining yourself to strangers on the internet is kind of a vital part of participating in a public forum, especially when one begins to request help from other, more experienced professionals.

I find it terrifying that a school has hired someone with no student teaching experience, and that your university allowed it to happen. It's like the DMV giving out driver's licenses to people who haven't taken their road test yet, but have good references from their driving school instructor.

 

OP, how old are you? You sound very young. Try not to take everything so personally. Being able to successfully listen to constructive criticism is a sign of maturity. Attacking members and saying you can't believe they are teachers is not helping your case any.

 

Excellent summation of my feelings, at the very least. Thank you Mike! :thumb:

 

I am 29. I am now leaving this conversation because there is nothing further left to contribute. Thanks to those that offered actual advice.