Comments on: The New Definition of Veteran Teacher http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/ Heather Wolpert-Gawron Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:37:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: tweenteacher.com » iPhone App Review: LendMe http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/comment-page-1/#comment-2704 tweenteacher.com » iPhone App Review: LendMe Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:27:54 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=353#comment-2704 [...] enough, and I don’t have to type in the name, but, as I’ve written earlier in my post, “The New Definition of Veteran Teacher,” another way to help put face to names isn’t such a bad [...] [...] enough, and I don’t have to type in the name, but, as I’ve written earlier in my post, “The New Definition of Veteran Teacher,” another way to help put face to names isn’t such a bad [...]

]]> By: Mike Albert http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/comment-page-1/#comment-2573 Mike Albert Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:09:21 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=353#comment-2573 .... and I thought it was just me …. and I thought it was just me

]]> By: Ms Cornelius http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/comment-page-1/#comment-2559 Ms Cornelius Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:07:26 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=353#comment-2559 Oh, thanks so much for this! I thought I was losing my mind! I have now realized that my struggles with remembering every kid's name is not just me! Thanks thanks thanks!!! Oh, thanks so much for this! I thought I was losing my mind! I have now realized that my struggles with remembering every kid’s name is not just me! Thanks thanks thanks!!!

]]> By:   Carnival of Education — Scheiss Weekly http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/comment-page-1/#comment-2527   Carnival of Education — Scheiss Weekly Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:18:43 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=353#comment-2527 [...] teacher, for she has hit her “memory wall” at last. How about you? Check it out on The New Definition of Veteran Teacher posted at [...] [...] teacher, for she has hit her “memory wall” at last. How about you? Check it out on The New Definition of Veteran Teacher posted at [...]

]]> By: David Cohen http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/comment-page-1/#comment-2521 David Cohen Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:17:37 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=353#comment-2521 Hey - I teach English too, and your math is fine! I meant "impossible" from a work standpoint - sorry for the ambiguity. I was just stunned at how many students you have. How can you be expected to do your best work with that kind of load? I don't know if I could do it all. My highest student load ever was around 150-160, and that was when I taught 6 classes instead of the typical HS load of 5 classes. For about half of my public school teaching career, I've had 9th grade English, with state funding for class-size reduction (20:1). And I teach in a district that wanted to extend that somewhat, so there's local funding to keep sophomore English classes in the neighborhood of 25:1. Then, I became an academic advisor, which means I teach four classes instead of five, and serve as the primary counselling/advising contact for about 70-75 students in grades 10-12. So, while I've been teaching 3-4 years longer than you, I've probably had 55-60% as many students. Hey – I teach English too, and your math is fine! I meant “impossible” from a work standpoint – sorry for the ambiguity. I was just stunned at how many students you have. How can you be expected to do your best work with that kind of load? I don’t know if I could do it all. My highest student load ever was around 150-160, and that was when I taught 6 classes instead of the typical HS load of 5 classes. For about half of my public school teaching career, I’ve had 9th grade English, with state funding for class-size reduction (20:1). And I teach in a district that wanted to extend that somewhat, so there’s local funding to keep sophomore English classes in the neighborhood of 25:1. Then, I became an academic advisor, which means I teach four classes instead of five, and serve as the primary counselling/advising contact for about 70-75 students in grades 10-12. So, while I’ve been teaching 3-4 years longer than you, I’ve probably had 55-60% as many students.

]]> By: tweenteacher http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/comment-page-1/#comment-2520 tweenteacher Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:20:37 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=353#comment-2520 Did I do the math wrong? I am an ELA teacher after all. It's approximate, but I figured it out by looking at 36 students, 6 periods a day (7 this year), I've taught 8 years of summer school (full class load), there's there the classes I taught on my weekends for my first 3 years and the clubs I ran after school for 8 of those years. So multiply that by 10 years. It's possible I computed wrong, but it's in the range of 2300 - 2600 kids. Right? How many have you taught? Maybe this should be the new way to think of teachers. It might hit a different chord if we all walked around with numbers on our chest. Maybe then people will understand a little more. Maybe the number speaks louder than words. Loved your story. It's hard not to carry around the guilt. -Heather aka Tweenteacher Did I do the math wrong? I am an ELA teacher after all. It’s approximate, but I figured it out by looking at 36 students, 6 periods a day (7 this year), I’ve taught 8 years of summer school (full class load), there’s there the classes I taught on my weekends for my first 3 years and the clubs I ran after school for 8 of those years. So multiply that by 10 years. It’s possible I computed wrong, but it’s in the range of 2300 – 2600 kids. Right? How many have you taught? Maybe this should be the new way to think of teachers. It might hit a different chord if we all walked around with numbers on our chest. Maybe then people will understand a little more. Maybe the number speaks louder than words.
Loved your story. It’s hard not to carry around the guilt.
-Heather
aka Tweenteacher

]]> By: David Cohen http://tweenteacher.com/2009/06/02/the-new-definition-of-veteran-teacher/comment-page-1/#comment-2519 David Cohen Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:13:53 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=353#comment-2519 Sad, but true, you've revealed some of our secrets here. I find that I often recognize the student and can even recall something about them, but the name is the last thing to come back to me. Sometimes I take a premature guess and get it wrong, but the last time it happened, her little brother ended up in my class the following year, and at back to school night, I was able to apologize via her parents. "Tell Lia I'm really sorry I called here Sarah when we met at the grocery store last year. I realized my mistake as I drove away, and I've felt bad every since!" But on an equally important side note - how can you possibly have that many students in a year, or over your ten year career??? That seems like an impossible load. Sad, but true, you’ve revealed some of our secrets here. I find that I often recognize the student and can even recall something about them, but the name is the last thing to come back to me. Sometimes I take a premature guess and get it wrong, but the last time it happened, her little brother ended up in my class the following year, and at back to school night, I was able to apologize via her parents. “Tell Lia I’m really sorry I called here Sarah when we met at the grocery store last year. I realized my mistake as I drove away, and I’ve felt bad every since!”

But on an equally important side note – how can you possibly have that many students in a year, or over your ten year career??? That seems like an impossible load.

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