Professional dancers hired by Hempfield school district to perform an erotic sex show for students (Issues apology)

[Seymour Flops]

How in the world is working with kids not a good "new normal" for a teacher? That's what we DO. Should a nurse not be comfortable around patients?

By "new normal," I mean that teachers can become so used to working around other people's kids, that the either start thinking of them as little adults, or start thinking of them as their own kids, without really realizing either. I started teaching late in life, after my own kids were pre-teen to teenagers. Prior to that, I almost never spoke to or interacted much with other people's kids. If a kid approached me, for whatever reason, I always referred them to their parents. As a teacher, that is turned 180 degrees.

I believe the breakdown you're sensing is what came about with a "family culture" in the classroom. When I stepped into my role as teacher, the unspoken and spoken expectation is that we would be professional. Yes, kind, approachable, and fair--but professional. With newer teachers, this is not a priority; maybe not even desirable. It's now about "building relationships". This can blur lines IMO and teachers-students can become too much like pals. And when teachers and students are pals, yep, teachers don't want to make those parent connections as much.

When I was in high school, I had a younger teacher tell us that in her teacher training, she was told never to touch a student. Then about thirty years later, I was taught the Harry Wong method, in which you shake each student's hand as they walk into the classroom (no suspended due to COVID). But I see teachers hug students, and I really question the wisdom of that on many levels.

I don't think a teacher should be advising a student on their sexuality, or any other personal issues, really. Leave that to counselors and school psychologists who are trained for that.

Your last sentence is spot on, and I hadn't really thought of it that way. Teachers often blame parents for not being the same disciplinarians that parents used to be when getting a call from the school. Often the blame is justified. But the goal should be for teacher and parent to present a united front dedicated to getting the students to give their best effort. It should never be about keeping information from the parent to give the kid a break.

 

[Seymour Flops]

????????????

Who is "uncomfortable" talking to kids or adults?

You are not aware that different people have different levels of comfort in talking to others?

 

[Unkotare]

You are not aware that different people have different levels of comfort in talking to others?

Why would such people enter the profession at all?

 

[Seymour Flops]

Why would such people enter the profession at all?

If they are uncomfortable talking to adults, a profession in which they mainly deal with children might seem ideal to them.

Also, they may have been comfortable talking to adults before going into teaching, but got so used to dealing with kids, that it is jarring for them to talk to an adult. Plus, they may have always been uncomfortable with any kind of confrontation, but it rarely came up before they had to call parents and tell them that their kid is not meeting expectations.

Just out of curiosity, what subject do you teach? I would have pegged you as a high school math teacher, but you said earlier that you don't teach math. From the questions that you ask, I'm thinking that it is high school and that you work with mainly PAP type students. So, you're a subject matter expert, with kids who are motivated well enough.

I'm in Special Education, and I'm the department chair, so I have to semi-supervise adults, so I have to be aware of a lot of personality quirks.

 

[Unkotare]

If they are uncomfortable talking to adults, a profession in which they mainly deal with children might seem ideal to them.

Also, they may have been comfortable talking to adults before going into teaching, but got so used to dealing with kids, that it is jarring for them to talk to an adult. Plus, they may have always been uncomfortable with any kind of confrontation, but it rarely came up before they had to call parents and tell them that their kid is not meeting expectations.

Just out of curiosity, what subject do you teach? I would have pegged you as a high school math teacher, but you said earlier that you don't teach math. From the questions that you ask, I'm thinking that it is high school and that you work with mainly PAP type students. So, you're a subject matter expert, with kids who are motivated well enough.

I'm in Special Education, and I'm the department chair, so I have to semi-supervise adults, so I have to be aware of a lot of personality quirks.

I can't recall ever having met a teacher who is uncomfortable talking to kids or adults.

I teach ESL, History, and sometimes Bio at a (very) inner city high school.

Sped Dept = too much paperwork

 

[Seymour Flops]

I can't recall ever having met a teacher who is uncomfortable talking to kids or adults.

You may not be a person to whom people are willing to confide.

I teach ESL, History, and sometimes Bio at a (very) inner city high school.

Sped Dept = too much paperwork

That's for dang sure.

 

[Unkotare]

You may not be a person to whom people are willing to confide.

...

Au contraire.