A rant about my class

I am taking a class on Thursday nights that is required for my credential. It is called Advice for Student Teachers. Advice? My ass. That class seriously bothers me.

The professor is a first grade teacher who has been teaching for 34 years, and only taught elementary grades.

The first night of class was an introduction- where are you student teaching, are you doing alright, and the prof explained the syllabus. Everyone was confused by the end of the first night- there were 4 different due dates for 2 different assignments listed in the 3 different versions of the syllabus she gave us. She blamed it that the class is now moving toward an online format. I vowed to just get everything done now so I do not have to worry.

The second night of the class we focused on what our problems were. Everyone had to go around and give a problem they were facing with student teaching. I had none to share. I instead said I was having a good time.

The third week we had a case study to read from our book on a reading teacher that was having a difficulty with unruly students. We also had a story to read about a teacher that had a mentally unstable student and cheerleader with bruises. The prof did not give us a chance to discuss the reading teacher's issue because she deemed that she had the answer being the reading specialist. Also during this class we spent about 30 minutes discussing paperwork we have to submit to the state. I was mostly clear on the paperwork. Lisa was not clear, however, and she just didn't understand how she could submit her paperwork when art is such a broad field. It made sense to me- I tried to clue her in, as did other students. But Lisa went on for 15 minutes talking about how she just didn't get it. Finally I raised my hand and said that I didn't mean any disrespect to Lisa, or to the professor, but this seems like a personal problem that only involves 1 student, and we should all not be subjected to hearing this. This seems like an opportunity where the prof. could conference with Lisa after class. I pointed out in the real world you cannot hold up an entire class because of one student.

Also during this week the professor discussed seating charts. She did not understand how you could create a seating chart for a middle/high school classroom since you have so many students. Um, the same way you would for an elementary class. You get your roster and you arrange the kids on it. If you are lucky you have a grading program with seating chart creators built in. She told me she was just unsure you could do this. I explained it was not that hard. She had a bunch of misconceptions about teachers not having rosters in the secondary classroom. I shot that down. How could she seriously think that?

The fourth week of class was just as bad. The class started out "what are your problems?" Everyone complained about their situation. I didn't. What did I have to complain about? My issues with Linda? No. That's hardly anything. Sure, I was annoyed a little bit, but is it a real problem? Is it something I want to subject other people to? Would I really share these issues with the class? No. What is the class going to be able to do to solve my problems? Who would I tell first? Friends, family, and colleagues. Students and this teacher? Not so much...

The fifth week of class began with the usual diatribe- what are your problems, and again we spent an hour discussing this. I have never mentioned a problem because honestly I am having the best possible experience I can have (even though Linda does get to me at times). I always reply, "I'm not having any problems. I had a great experience last week. I had a great observation..." And she pried, "Mike, surely you have a problem..." I said no, and she would give me a hard time for not having a problem. It was also during this week she said that she likes to start out her first grade class where the students do the pledge and tell each other something positive that happened to them within the last 24 hours. I raised my hand when she said this and said, "so why can't we do this in this class, why do we always have to have problems?" She said this class focuses on your problems.
The case study we read this week dealt with something- it wasn't hygiene like the conversation turned out to be. Whatever the story was about reminded Lisa about her child custody issues. She has a husband who doesn't bathe her kids when he has custody of them. She is at wits end and didn't know how to tell teachers, how to get her kids to bathe on their own, and how to take the kids to church when they smelled like they did. Personal issue. How are we going to solve this? I don't know. This was hardly relevant to me. I am not going to be teaching 10 year old elementary kids like Lisa's 2 children are. Do I have kids? Do I have to deal with these issues? Am I married with kids? No, I am a single gay male. Is this a private personal problem? I was tempted to raise my hand like I did in week 3, but decided to keep silent. At the end of the class I was asked by the professor why I didn't speak up in this discussion. I pointed out it was not relevant to the reading and it seemed like a personal problem, which I felt I could contribute little to. She told me that I probably would not get participation points for that week. I said to her that I felt I could do little based on my situation in my life, and I felt it was best to just sit back.

The sixth class started again, what are your problems. I had several rhetorical questions for the teacher. Maybe I already have teaching experience? Maybe I have a great master teacher? Maybe if there is an issue we discuss it and work through it, and when I say issue, I mean an issue with lesson plans, or something like that? She didn't have an answer. I went on to say I had a great review and that I now have complete control of the classes. She was taken back.
We had a case study about a teacher who was failing in his first 2 years of teaching. I gave my opinion about the piece. We spent the last 30 minutes of class discussing a few student's problems.

Last night I emailed the professor with a rough draft of my paper. I told her that I had an outline, and what I was going to include in each section. I said that I did not have 2-3 of the sections done, and wanted her to just read the main content/my argument. She read that, then wrote back telling me I did not have a good 2/3 of my paper there (the stuff that I specifically pointed out I had not included yet). She told me that the paper was downright confusing, and she was ready to give it a 7 out of 20. This is my final paper worth like 40% of my grade. Um.... no... mildly annoyed this morning. Ugh. I seriously loathe this woman.

And so student teaching advice? Not so much. Showing her up, yes.