TEACHERS WORK IN AN ABUSIVE ENVIRONMENT

The local, state, and federal government controls the school system.  They are not doing a very good job, because the people in charge think that our deteriorating school system is due to incompetent teachers, and they simply throw more money into the system.

The real problem is that our culture is deteriorating, and many elementary, middle school, and high schools are becoming very dysfunctional due to the students "acting-out" which hinders the learning process, and also creates an abusive environment for our teachers. 

I am a retired registered nurse who writes books, blogs, and does freelance writing for an online company.  A writer lives a non-stimulating existence which inhibits the creative juices that a writer must possess.  To counter-act the possibility of becoming stale and non-inspiring, I substitute teach in our local school system.  This is a great place to keep up with the times, what is "really" going on in our society, and can be both nerve-wracking and rewarding at the same time.

In my experience as a sub-teacher, I have worked in 26 different schools over a two year period.  Some of the schools have such disruptive students, I will not return to teach.  I was even attacked once when they used me as a human dart board by throwing sharpened pencils and books at me.  I have seen it all.  The average person would be surprised about what goes on in our schools these days.

I subbed for a brand-new teacher yesterday.  One of her classes have such disruptive, rebellious, and defiant students, two of her good students said they these students push their regular teacher to tears sometimes.  Using my "drill-sergeant technique," the girls said the disruptive kids were acting better for me than their regular teacher, but I could not control them very well myself.

I accused them yesterday of abusing me and their regular teacher.  Teachers should not be forced to work in a dangerous and hazardous environment.  

Everyone wonders what is wrong with our educational system...but I tell you that it is not the teacher's fault...it is the fault of the students who are extremely disruptive and will not try to learn anything.  They also disrupt the class to the point that the ones who want to learn cannot concentrate on their studies. 

Yesterday, one of the good girls recently took and flunked her quarterly EQT test.  She said that it was because the room was so noisy, she could not concentrate.  I fully understood why she could not concentrate.

The students are disciplined, so that is not the problem.  The discipline simply does not work.  I had to call for help yesterday, and the man who showed up gave them a lecture and followed it up with, "If this lady calls for help again, all of you in this class will go home for the day."  As soon as he left, they erupted again.  Every time I moved toward the "help button" on the wall, they would calm down for a few minutes.

TEACHERS DO NOT DESERVE TO BE ABUSED AND FORCED TO WORK UNDER HAZARADOUS CONDITIONS!  I am not saying that all teachers are abused, but the foremost problem a teacher must deal with in any school, in any class, throughout the country, is dealing with discipline.  Teachers get degrees so they can teach.  It should not be in their job description that they must also function like a "drill-sergeant" in order to make the students behave and listen.

What can be done about it?  The parents who send these half-raised, dysfunctional students to school should be held accountable.  Maybe they should be fined, not with money, but made to spend their vacation time substituting in a school for a week.