Teacher Nature

There's Mother Nature, Sin Nature, Human Nature....

What about Teacher Nature?

It struck me today, as I was administering a computerized district test to an 8th grader, that there might be such as thing as a Teacher Nature. You see, this 8th grader receives special education services, and his IEP states that tests be read aloud to him (with the exception of reading tests). So I'm sitting there reading math question after question to him. I see him struggle with it, and have to bite my tongue because I'm not allowed to rephrase the question. I'm not allowed to point him in the right direction. I'm not allowed to ask prompting questions. I'm not allowed to help. I can only repeat the question and say things like: "Just do your best" and "Take your time". I have to watch his frustration in silence.

That just goes against my Teacher Nature.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008 | Labels:

4 comments:

Max said...

Are you allowed to ridicule? That would make things interesting.

9:57 PM
Anonymous said...

Now you know how we parents feel during those delicate times when you were growing up! Dad

5:16 AM
Anonymous said...

There are DEFINATELY issues with public and charter schools that you don't have with home schooling. In my public school class today (World History) I was giving a test to 34 9th graders. The two classrooms beside me were VERY LOUD. One was watching an episode of CSI and the other was listening to a U2 concert. My walls were vibrating...I wish this on no teacher.

12:09 PM
Anonymous said...

I know exactly what you mean. This past week, during practice tests, students asked questions that I shouldn't answer. So first I told them why proctors cannot answer such questions, then I said, since this is practice, I'll tell you how to approach figuring it out yourself (based on context, close reading, etc.)...

10:02 PM

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