MovieChat Forums > Chalk (2007) Discussion > Pretty True but....

Pretty True but....

posted 16 years ago by texgal43
3 replies | jump to latest

I am watching the film now and some of it very, very true. The only thing is that I teach in the middle school and the kids are going through so many changes that I had a little trouble relating to high school kids. But teachers everywhere go through so much of the same thing. Distruption in class, kids fighting in class, classroom management, bickering amoung teachers, teachers on different agendas. The list could go on and on. I have taught for 12 years and will continue to do so because I love it but there are days....I have heard some people say "Teachers have it so easy because they get the summers off." Whewwww. They need to teach just a few days and they will agree that teachers need time off to keep their sanity to go back the next semester.

[–] wringho 16 years ago

The best advice I ever got as a teacher was my first year when my mentor suggested I arrive early, stay in my room as much as possible, avoid the faculty lounge, and stay out of the politics and gossip, including ranting about other teachers especially to administrators.

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=30033672

[–] stevensonfl 15 years ago

That is some pretty good advice. Keep your nose in your own business and get your business done. That's the key.

[–] xraywoman 13 years ago

Hey teach, the word is "among," not "amoung." Hope you don't teach Language Arts. :-P

I don't know about you, but on July 1st I am forced into unemployment until Sept. 1st. I do not collect a paycheck, and I am ineligible to collect unemployment for these two months. I think a true vacation is a paid one where I can pick what days I'm off. We do not get a summer vacation at all, and you would be wise to educate others about this. I'm tired of people saying that teachers have it so easy, in general, but let's be honest about what is really happening when we answer them. Nobody has sympathy for your hard work, so give them statistics and numbers. They'll most likely understand on that level.

Our custodians are unhappy with the new contract because they lost a five-day week of "vacation time" and instead get seven (not five, but seven) new days off surrounding holidays. They previously worked these days surrounding holidays while the teaching staff and students were gone which was great because they could do extra work around the school without having everyone else there. Now they are complaining because they lost 5 days of choice and instead they have to take these 7 days whether they want to or not. They are complaining because they do not have a choice in the matter. My response to them? Welcome to the world of forced days off--except the teaching staff isn't paid for these holidays, they are.

Many teachers work in the summers so they can pay the mortgage. Hey, teachers have to eat, too.