Thanks so much to David Clements from The Professor’s Record for reposting my Call To Action to his large following!
For those not familiar, I wanted to add that Albuquerque Public Schools is the largest school district in New Mexico with 82,000 students, 14,000 employees, and 142 schools.
For those not familiar, I wanted to add that Albuquerque Public Schools is the largest school district in New Mexico with 82,000 students, 14,000 employees, and 142 schools.
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In the last week, they installed two of these UV air filters in each classroom. We are supposed to run them overnight, since they’re too loud to run during class.
Seems expensive 😳
Seems expensive 😳
From a Canadian public school teacher https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/im-a-public-school-teacher-the-kids?fbclid=IwAR0kdKELrku-e7-jxQYQzZw4EHlat3gewJsYnaAUvsAFq78l1GupRMpOpkg
https://www.thefp.com/
I’m a Public School Teacher. The Kids Aren’t Alright.
My students were taught to think of themselves as vectors of disease. This has fundamentally altered their understanding of themselves.
Thanks so much to everyone who is calling and/or emailing. As an employee of the district, I don’t feel like this is something I can personally do.
If you can, please email daily! The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
If you can, please email daily! The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
We not only classify students by race in our student information system, but also literally have a list of all our Native American students. We were sent this list to choose students to nominate for the district’s Native American Student Recognition. While I’m happy to celebrate students’ successes, I’m hesitant about racially-based classifications and recognitions.
Musings of a New Mexico Teacher pinned «🚨CALL TO ACTION🚨 Tell APS to stop all COVID mandates! Please flood these emails and phone numbers! You can help whether you have a child in APS or not - even if you don’t live in New Mexico! Please email and/or call these people DAILY if you are able. This…»
This afternoon, I went to the bathroom during a passing period, as I often do. I can’t go during class, and I have three classes in a row after lunch. As my students arrive from their previous classes, they wait outside my portable until I am there to let them in. For those who may not be aware, a portable is like an RV or mobile home; the door opens to outside.
When I arrived back to my portable, my students were standing around, and some were eating; I encourage my students to eat during lunch and passing periods, as they are not allowed to eat in the portables. I was surprised to see a colleague standing with my students. Her portable is not next door to mine, but probably within shouting distance, so she’d made an intentional trek over. She announced to me that my students don’t know how to wait in line and that some had their masks off.
“Yes,” I responded casually, “They are eating.” I had not yet realized that this was going to be a confrontation.
My colleague then sternly reminded me that we have an outdoor mask mandate at APS, calling me by first name in front of my students. I again responded that the kids were eating.
Her next line was something to the effect of, “I don’t know if you believe in COVID or whatever, but I have an 8-year-old and don’t want to catch it.”
She walked away, and my students immediately began explaining that they had not been misbehaving, that it was some kids who weren’t even in our class. I wasn’t taking comments and told them to line up against the portable. They were stunned by the whole exchange.
When they came inside, I overheard comments about what a “Karen” that teacher is, and I shut them down immediately. The comments continued, and I reprimanded them more forcefully. Even after what she did to my students and me, I kept to my rule that they will not badmouth other teachers in front of me.
I spoke to my principal after school. As part of our discussion, he told me, as he has before, that he doesn’t wear a mask anywhere except school. My opinion is that he thinks she’s nuts for going off on me and these kids about masks outdoors, but he obviously can’t say that.
When I arrived back to my portable, my students were standing around, and some were eating; I encourage my students to eat during lunch and passing periods, as they are not allowed to eat in the portables. I was surprised to see a colleague standing with my students. Her portable is not next door to mine, but probably within shouting distance, so she’d made an intentional trek over. She announced to me that my students don’t know how to wait in line and that some had their masks off.
“Yes,” I responded casually, “They are eating.” I had not yet realized that this was going to be a confrontation.
My colleague then sternly reminded me that we have an outdoor mask mandate at APS, calling me by first name in front of my students. I again responded that the kids were eating.
Her next line was something to the effect of, “I don’t know if you believe in COVID or whatever, but I have an 8-year-old and don’t want to catch it.”
She walked away, and my students immediately began explaining that they had not been misbehaving, that it was some kids who weren’t even in our class. I wasn’t taking comments and told them to line up against the portable. They were stunned by the whole exchange.
When they came inside, I overheard comments about what a “Karen” that teacher is, and I shut them down immediately. The comments continued, and I reprimanded them more forcefully. Even after what she did to my students and me, I kept to my rule that they will not badmouth other teachers in front of me.
I spoke to my principal after school. As part of our discussion, he told me, as he has before, that he doesn’t wear a mask anywhere except school. My opinion is that he thinks she’s nuts for going off on me and these kids about masks outdoors, but he obviously can’t say that.
28 of my 71 7th grade math students currently have an F in my class. They will go to 8th grade next year regardless of how they perform in 7th, and they will similarly be promoted to 9th grade, which is the first year of high school here.
Once in high school, however, they will be shocked to learn that there are actual consequences for failing a class; students need a certain number of credits to graduate, so they usually have to repeat a failed class until they pass. Some on this track will graduate, but many will fall through the cracks and drop out.
So, for the first nine years of public education (kindergarten to 8th grade, although some start public schooling even younger), students almost always go to the next grade regardless of current academic levels, work production, or attendance. This sets up many students for disaster when they arrive in high school testing many years below grade level in math and/or reading and never having been forced to acquire a strong work ethic, good attendance habits, or effective study skills.
By the way, 7 of the 71 currently have an A+. 😊
Once in high school, however, they will be shocked to learn that there are actual consequences for failing a class; students need a certain number of credits to graduate, so they usually have to repeat a failed class until they pass. Some on this track will graduate, but many will fall through the cracks and drop out.
So, for the first nine years of public education (kindergarten to 8th grade, although some start public schooling even younger), students almost always go to the next grade regardless of current academic levels, work production, or attendance. This sets up many students for disaster when they arrive in high school testing many years below grade level in math and/or reading and never having been forced to acquire a strong work ethic, good attendance habits, or effective study skills.
By the way, 7 of the 71 currently have an A+. 😊
We are starting The Hobbit as a read aloud in my 7th grade math classes next week! Students are supposed to have SSR (sustained silent reading) in a core class each day Tuesday to Friday, and Wednesday is math’s turn. I was finding it a struggle to get some of my students to find a book and actually do some reading during this time, so I decided to try reading aloud to them, and they were much more engaged. I asked the librarians for a list of the class sets they stock and chose several options from those for my students to vote on. I don’t want to take away too much math instructional time, but I also think they might lose track of the story if we only read on Wednesdays, so we’ll see how that shakes out. One thing I definitely miss from teaching elementary school is read aloud time, so this should be fun for all of us!