kids in psychiatric hospitals are no different than kids who are in public schools...

....so our clueless supervisor insists. I raised my hand this afternoon at a meeting and said, "Well, then there is no point in them being in a hospital." he said, "You're right."=clueless and uncool.

what a way to boost morale in the workplace and kiss-ups

this supervisor of ours is requesting I submit documentation from a physician stating that I was too ill to go to work when I was out for 3 days. I spend my lunch working, I arrive at least 20 min. before required time and generally leave at least 30 minutes past quitting time. In addition, I spend any planning time we are given doing just that and about 1/2 every weekend preparing for the week. Thus exceeds triple the time that any other teacher there dedicates to her/his job. he says he wants to raise morale and the way he thinks it is done is by planning pot luck lunches. I'll be damned if I'll spend an evening cooking at home and spending my lunch time eating with the teachers who complain when not in his presence, but kiss up to him. Be real.

the homeless

Ya gotta have heart. he was somebody's son or father, uncle or brother. He may have held a job until the company went bankrupt. Maybe he lost his apt., gave up his car and moved daily, weekly or monthly in and out of shelters, staying in a...ny as long as they would have him, along with many others in the same situation. what the govt. will afford him for an apt. is far below what a landlord will take and anyway without a permanent address, no one will hire him. Besides, without a car his job search is limited to those that he can get to by public transportation. Yes, if we feed him and make him feel worthy of comforts, we can temporarily, assign him to menial labor that requires no skills, giving him the dignity that he is not 'taking', but "earning", and at the same time teach him a skill to get him back into the workforce, and be able to afford an apt., vermin free, with heat and electricity. Then, he may regain his confidence in his ability to work his way up and get a higher position.
He may be 40, 50, 60 or 70-hard to tell with the beard and well-worn clothing, plus his position of sitting on the street, and we literally look away or down on him and call him lazy. Shame on us. Give him what you can, and hopefully enough of us will pressure congress and enough people in power like Mayor di blasio and the blessed congressman from Ct. will do even more. One never knows what ill fortune will grab us, and we might end up on the streets with a cup in our hand.
FINALLY, DON't THANK G-D that you ARE NOT in this position, but THANK GOD that YOU are in A position of giving $1,$2, $3 dollars or more- The coalition for the homeless will accept any donations

dedicated to teachers who work in psychiatric hospitals..

...who still don't get it. when an adolescent acts inappropriately and you insist he's just doing it for attention, you are probably right.  On the other hand, would a perfectly normal child run around the school hallways banging a fist against walls until he breaks a bone?  This self- injury might be a way of calling out for help because he believes this is the only way someone will try to soothe his angst. This self-caused physical pain may be a way to try to replace the emotional pain that has enveloped his being and make it real.  it's more acceptable to hurt physically than emotionally.

If you say you're going to call back..

.. do it .

riot at the psych hospital!!

predicted this world happen.
warned the administrators that about the unsafe environment and the increasingly defiant behavior.
Since when is hugging, butt slapping, kissing and provacative gestures accepted in  public schools? the adminitsration claims that this behavior is common there, but I know differently. Besides, if our aim is to change the thinking patterns of our patients so they can  present themselves appropriately, society will give them the welcome mat.

Tired of the abuse- but paralyzed to move on because of my age.

Transitions between classes are becoming more chaotic. The kids used to have goals like following instructions, expressing oneself appropriately, avoiding conflits, acceping decisions of authority and respecting boundaries, which most of them tried to attain. Infractions meant consequences. Yesterday and today I had nine students in my tiny, windowless room, where they are sitting very close to one another. They talked over me, hugged and held each other, ridiculed me, used vulgar words, sexual and racist in nature and did nothing that I assigned.
Yesterday, one girl y the group for disrespecting a teacher who has such passion for her job and cares fr them. She also mentioned how humiliated I must feel each day. Today, however, she was not much more polite than the rest. I don't want to go back tomorrow.

And I never thought…

That when one is kind

To others

That others would be

Mean-spirited

To one who cares so much.

Too much?

And I never thought

A group of kids

Anywhere

Would have venom

 in their hearts.

That could strike like a spear

To one who cares so much.

And I never thought

I’d feel invisible

And be called names

Like ” liar”

And be laughed at

An object of indifference

I tried to care so much.

And I always thought

That if I showed my passion

It would draw them to my class

“Welcome all creative minds”

“I’m always here for you”

But I am the one

Who feels unwelcome.

And I always thought

“I’m sorry. I’ll be a better me”.

Would be just that.

I ask only for respect

Bur it’s the lack of

That I get back.