I'm Working at an elementary school: they are cutting out all the jobs

[Ilsa]

For assistants in the pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten grades in the school district I'm in. The teaches currently have around 24-27 kids in each class with an assistant to help watch the kids, potty them, take them to the nurse when hurt, etc. Next year the teacher has to do it all herself, and call the front office if they need an assistant to take a child somewhere. The office people are complaining that they won't be able to cover the office that meets the public coming in and get their work done.

I'm in Texas, and the schools will be getting dangerous for little kids.

[SoCalDem]

1. These are all tasks that used to be done by "Room Mothers", but now that

most Moms have paying jobs, and they are firing the paid-aides, I guess a lot of it will not get done now.. Let chaos reign :(

[MorningGlow]

16. We use "grandmas"

Retired women (although men are welcome, right now our volunteers are all women) who come in either every day for kindergarten and first grades or a few days a week for second grade. (Not sure if the grandmas help out in third or higher.) They are treated well and VERY welcome.

[Luciferous]

18. We have parent volunteers here, but I live in a town with a lot

of soccer moms.

[Snoutport]

23. In my seven years of teaching only 1 grandma and 0 moms have ever helped out

I have only had one family member ever help out in my room. (one amazing grandma of an autistic girl).

Parents don't even send in cupcakes on birthdays anymore. When I send out permission slips I don't even get all those back. Last night was open house and four people showed up. FOUR PEOPLE for an entire school! (there are only 70 students but still...4!!)

[SoCalDem]

24. Since the 70's, it's probably been that way

Moms are not available anymore..:(

Schools out here have done away with the birthday cupcakes, bake sales & any party-days..The rationale is that some kids cannot afford to do it.

[earcandle]

2. We need to declare the Republican Party as the party of TREASON against the American People. And

then fire them.  What else can help? 

[madfloridian]

3. That's really scary stuff there.

K and 1st can not handle all the growing up stuff that is needed alone. Not even with fewer kids.

[roody]

4. same thing here in California

[Ilsa]

5. I want to add: from what ive seen, it is usually the class aides that are alert

and see changes in student behavior, potential illnesss, lice infestations, etc. The teacher is trying to teach and can't possibly know everything going on.

[RayOfHope]

8. Aides are instrumental, but I promise we kindergarten teachers notice the changes too :) n/t

[Snoutport]

25. 30 kids = 2 minutes an hour per students. The math says it all.

A good assistant doubles that to a whopping 4 minutes.

And in this day and age with so many kids with no parents at home we have really sick kids showing up at school. Most of Portland's schools don't have full time nurses anymore if any nurse at all. Teachers have to be nurse, parent, teacher, social worker and superman all rolled into one and it just isn't possible.

If a kid throws up at our school the teacher has to clean it up. I've actually had to scrub my room down of puke, with all my kids standing in the back of the room gagging and freaking out while i mop up barf.

It is so hard to get any teaching done sometimes because there is so much "care" that needs to be done first.

[w8liftinglady]

6. yes. It's awful in Texas. They are cutting teachers and TAs

My partner's classes will go from 25 to 40... with no TA to help him in a hardcore inner-city school where the kids need extra attention.So much for the child-friendly pro-life Repubs who insisted on this bullshit.

You have my condolences,Ilsa. I know the important job that you do.

[Ilsa]

13. School nursing....

If only the parents had bandaids at home ... :-)

And I'm a sub. My first day back at this "inner city" school included a broken arm and fights (not related).

[YvonneCa]

22. If you haven't seen this...

...video, you may appreciate it:

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2011/03/i_am_educator_hear_me_roar_an.html

The interview is also excellent. :grouphug:

[VenusRising]

7. I'm in Texas, too.

I also have many friends in Special Education. All of their jobs have been cut. One of them is now looking for work in Oklahoma. My best friend is close to getting her Special Education degree, and is now thinking about staying in school, but pursuing a different field because they are cutting most of the positions.

I feel so bad for these kids. Most of them are going to go into regular classrooms where their special needs will be ignored or glossed over. It's absolutely tragic.

[StarburstClock]

9. Put them all on ADHD drugs or maybe some NCLB lies would work

Children and the elderly are the easiest targets in criminal societies and that's what we are. How about you just "put it behind you and look towards the future" as our so-called leaders tell us to do? These types of measures are only going to get worse, especially in red states where Rs are going to put all their failed paradigms into action. At some point you're going to have to save yourself from the Rs insanity. I know a couple of people who worked with disabled and challenged children, they had to quit to remain sane because of state policies, failure to get paid and constant bureaucratic lies.

[CoffeeCat]

10. Four years ago, I volunteers in my child's...

...kindergarten classroom.

I was astounded, and I mean totally astounded, by everything this teacher had to manage,
juggle and accomplish. It literally was mind blowing. I was only in the classroom one
hour a week, and I needed a glass of wine after I got home!

She had 27 five year olds in her class. I think most people--who are my age--thought
kindergarten was fun time--where kids made crafts, played dress up, diddled with the abacus
and read picture books.

Oh not today. Kindergarten is serious business, and in my community--kindergartners must
be reading by the third month in the school year.

When I was in the classroom, there were two mom volunteers and two assistants. The classroom
ran smoothly with this arrangement, but it was still stressful. And you could see it on the
teacher's face; and this was an accomplished, experienced teacher.

Two years later, our school cut the budget and all kindergarten classroom assistants were nixed.
I seriously don't know how they do it now without that help. I hope there are moms in those
rooms helping the teacher.

There is no way to effectively teach 27 five-year-old children without assistants. I don't
understand how this can possibly work.

[Ilsa]

14. Not just 5yo. Also Pre-K: 4 year olds. nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. If they suggest leasing or selling to corporations, or if corporations want to "help"

scream until your throat is a bleeding mess, then scream some more. Fight privatisation with all of your might.

[xchrom]

12. sorry. that's very difficult.

i predict a few kids going home with wet pants.

[Arugula Latte]

15. We have three wars to pay for, you know.

Can't let silly things like education and healthcare get in the way, dontcha know.

[Biker13]

17. Check Out Idaho!

We've already cut Kindergarten into two sections, one attends Monday and Wednesday, than alternates Fridays. The other goes Tuesday and Thursday, and alternate Fridays.

Now, after much protest, they've solved the problem! They're ELIMINATING Kindergarten, except for the children who "Don't test well", meaning don't know their colors, or how to count.

Honestly, if you have kids, stay away from Idaho!

Biker's Old Lady

[Luciferous]

19. Wow, that is horrible! Our kindergarten used to be half days 5

days a week when my daughter was little. The last couple of years it has been a full day, and they have a preschool that is half days that my son will be attending in the fall. I would be pissed if I lived in Idaho.

[Ilsa]

20. We need Pre-K and K just for teaching English to kids from

Spanish-speaking only homes. Otherwise, those kids would flounder in the system.

[Snoutport]

21. The district my class is in just cut all their sp ed subs to 30 hours

and if they want to keep their benefits they have to chip in $400. One of the male aids was near tears-his wife just survived cancer and if he leaves this job he'll never get health insurance for his wife again...they make $10 an hour.... $300 a week, 1200 a month (if there are no holidays) minus $400 for insurance = $800 a month...minus taxes and union dues. He was shaking and white as he realized his takehome was going to be $110 or so a week.