Unfair Expectations for Teachers!

Have you heard the ridiculous latest news?  Governor Cuomo announced that teachers will continue to be graded on students' State test scores.  If students' test scores continue to decline for two years in a row, teachers may face termination.  This was discussed at a teachers meeting the other day.  This is unfair and unjust for all teachers.  Some students with special needs are required to take the test.   For a teacher to be judged by their academic success is criminal and ridiculous.  Not all students can meet the criteria.  Some students are poor test takers in general.  It is extremely unfair to judge teachers based on students' test scores.  Students could have had a bad day as well while taking the exam.  Why is there animosity showed toward educators of the world?

Kids Run The Asylum

This is a sad world that we live in.  I will tell you that teachers are not in charge of their own professional destiny.  Students, today are in charge.  Students have a tendency to run a muck and control the room.  In my time, growing up, we were afraid of teachers.  Today, students think teachers are a joke. If you teach upper middle class students, some may tell their mommy on you and try to get you into trouble with the intent to do so.  However, if you teach urban or inner city students where their parent may not seen or heard from, then they can control you differently. They may go up to  your face and call you every name under the sun.  Their goal is to make you upset because they can.  Their other goal is to run around the classroom as they must show ownership.  Lastly, they enjoy and get off on smacking their peers over the head and see how many riots they can start. If you let them in each scenario, they can take you down.  I don't want to say this happens everywhere because I am sure there are some schools that have success stories that can vouch for and say that students are not in charge.  However in my many years of experience, (over a decade) I have not seen a utopian society for teachers which leads me to think that in my time, things were not that bad.  Bless the 1980's!  Educators were very fortunate long ago and I would love to see future teachers be as fortunate.  Why are students feeling the need to control teachers?  Is it because they are neglected at home?  Is it because they are given too much power at home?  Is it because "the powers that be," allow students to have to much of a say?  Think about this and remember kids can create many fascinating stories that might not always be true, but yet their stories advocate for their own agenda.  However some students' stories may indeed be accurate, but teachers should not always be persecuted as if they are born criminals.  If you ask any teacher why they felt the need to go into this profession, I guarantee you that they did not do it for the salary, but yearned to help the future minds of tomorrow grow and mature academically, socially, and emotionally.  Bless the teachers of the world!

My First Book Signing

Hi everyone!  I am very happy to say that I am doing my very first book signing at the Brower Bagel  in Oceanside, NY. On December 20  from 2:00-4:00.  If you have been reading my blogs and are not too far away, I would very much like to meet you.  Grab a bagel and a book.  You can't go wrong.
Brower Bagel
2816 Brower Avenue

I'm On Tour! Enter To Win A Copy Of My Book!

Book Tour

Hi everyone:

Good News! The day is finally here. My book tour begins today. Please complete a raffle through BK book tour and win a chance to get a free e-book of Ignition: AN Educator's Journey. Good luck everyone!

Join me for my next tour on December 3rd, click here

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Academia promotes Gangs & Bad Behavior

Is it possible that all this academic, common core pressure actually instills negative behavior in children. I think that depends on the child's home life. Many of my students do not come from a stable home. Their parents are definitely not involved. Some of my students are crack babies. When I am teaching them, they will act up by talking to their friends, making sounds, and do anything to get attention and not have to work. I started to think today on my ride home that these children should not have to endure and deal with the common core standards. Academics is not for everyone. There are definitely some students that need to be challenged academically and would never disagree to that. However, the children I am thinking of would benefit from learning a trade instead. If a student is in to cars, their classes should focus on the auto industry instead. They should still have some academics too, but based on the industry that they are interested in. I guarantee you that children would behave. Students may actually be excited to go to school. The gang rate might decrease as students would not feel the need to belong to a group. They already belong to the class where they are learning what they enjoy in their comfort zone. Stress would decrease as tests would not be administered in the same manner. I think society would be better as a whole.

RIP Robin Williams

The news shocked me last night as it did to many. Robin Williams dead by suicide. I could not believe it. He happened to be one of my favorite comedians. He had the look of a sincere, sweet man. I can't imagine what was going on in his head before he decided to take his life. I have a friend whom I admire in the sense that she keeps going on and on with her life. Every year, something horrific happens to her. It is like she has a black cloud on her or even a hex. I can only hope that hex dissipates and this person finally has good luck that she deserves. However, I admire their strength that they do not give up. Many times I have felt the need to give up, but would not take my life. Maybe travel to a deserted island away from it all or a tropical garden filled with its natural bliss. However, I cannot understand why Mr. Williams would do that to himself and quite frankly, it bothers me a bit. I would have loved to trade places and be the talented actor and he could be the teacher/author. I feel sorry that he did not have the will or need to hang in there and be as strong as my friend. I find humanity to be strange, upsetting, and yet beautiful at the same time. When something upsets me I need to blog about it, and this tragedy is one I needed to blog about. RIP Mr. Williams.

Car Shark!!!

How many of you have watched the 1975 hit movie, "Jaws?" Visualize that you hear the music, "Du, duh, duh ,du, dadada." Any minute a shark may come to you and devour your flesh. However, in my life I am not in the ocean, but rather a car dealership and the shark is the salesman. He is not trying to devour my flesh, but rather my bank account. Since a moron decided to drive another car into my car that was parked at the time, I have been searching for a car. I find it very frustrating taking the fun out of my summer. A few years ago, it was much easier to negotiate with dealers, but now they could care less if you leave and don't take the deal or if you stay. I left many shops recently when their deals were astronomical. Do you think the salesman cried into a tissue when I left their store? Absolutely not! Car dealers are indeed ruthless sharks! If you are a dealer reading my blog, I don't mean to offend you. However, one thing about me is that I say it like it is. I know that I could never be a car salesman, nor would I want to. I understand that everyone has to make a living. However, does a car dealer have to treat their customers like a guppy? Food for thought :)