How do I get away with it? It's my blog. Is it unprofessional? Maybe, but I'm also a parent. You can put two and two together here.
And frankly (and this is after very little sleep) my former school district, which I did so much for INCLUDING writing curriculum when the teacher who just does these massive vocab lists and as near as I can tell never has a stage tests didn't, so screwed me over during the gang fights last year (read from about mid Feb 06 on) that I really couldn't care less.
Is this two faced of me? Maybe. But it is hard to sit by and listen to this person say at certamen tournaments that she's doesn't do much oral Latin/isn't that big on pronunciation (and by her lack of attendance at local and state conferences demonstrates no interest whatsoever in remedying this) and know that she is my son's teacher.
And with that said, she has a knock-out certamen team. She does more with derivatives than I do (watch the next post).
So, is it wrong that I complain about her and have complained about another colleague who is so absolutely brilliant but (bless his heart) can't teach and all my former students went to him and lost their love and passion for Latin? Maybe. Maybe it is. Hell, it's like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville...by the last verse I'll be saying yeah, it's my own damn fault.
BUT what is the purpose of this blog? It is REALLY to help create teachers who really think about what they teach and why and how.
Do you know how much shit I've gotten over the years being grouped with middle school teachers? (Which I was for 6 years and will be again next year.) Because in general FOR WHATEVER REASON the high school teachers seem unsatisfied with the quality of learning going on at the middle school.
Yeah, and I can see why. And someone needs to speak up if we are going to save Latin programs. Here in Austin over the last 6 years I've watched at least 3 middle school programs close....and if taught well and taught right this wouldn't happen.
Re: question
And frankly (and this is after very little sleep) my former school district, which I did so much for INCLUDING writing curriculum when the teacher who just does these massive vocab lists and as near as I can tell never has a stage tests didn't, so screwed me over during the gang fights last year (read from about mid Feb 06 on) that I really couldn't care less.
Is this two faced of me? Maybe. But it is hard to sit by and listen to this person say at certamen tournaments that she's doesn't do much oral Latin/isn't that big on pronunciation (and by her lack of attendance at local and state conferences demonstrates no interest whatsoever in remedying this) and know that she is my son's teacher.
And with that said, she has a knock-out certamen team. She does more with derivatives than I do (watch the next post).
So, is it wrong that I complain about her and have complained about another colleague who is so absolutely brilliant but (bless his heart) can't teach and all my former students went to him and lost their love and passion for Latin? Maybe. Maybe it is. Hell, it's like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville...by the last verse I'll be saying yeah, it's my own damn fault.
BUT what is the purpose of this blog? It is REALLY to help create teachers who really think about what they teach and why and how.
Do you know how much shit I've gotten over the years being grouped with middle school teachers? (Which I was for 6 years and will be again next year.) Because in general FOR WHATEVER REASON the high school teachers seem unsatisfied with the quality of learning going on at the middle school.
Yeah, and I can see why. And someone needs to speak up if we are going to save Latin programs. Here in Austin over the last 6 years I've watched at least 3 middle school programs close....and if taught well and taught right this wouldn't happen.