Two things -- I'm scared I'm a bad teacher :-(

[Helix]

1. I was out all day for professional development and the sub locked me out of my grading/attendance database with too many password attempts (she used the wrong one). She didn't say anything to the department, so on Friday night, I came home and got a nasty surprise...the grades were due and I couldn't put them in. I immediately emailed the IT dept, the principal, the head of grading/curriculum, and my mentor. No responses. Do you think I'm gonna be in trouble? I honestly didn't know and I couldn't fix it :(

2. I gave my science classes a test...and with the exception of about 10 kids out of 95, they ALL flunked. I'm talking 30s - 60s out of 100. I feel like a horrible teacher now :( I will definitely give my seniors a re-test and review tomorrow because they work so hard, but my freshman are so apathetic and as a group, extremely disruptive. I feel like letting the grades stand to prove something...but at the same token, I feel bad my well behaved kids are going to go down in the same boat.


What do you suggest for both?

[Boxcar]

You are not a bad teacher. You are learning. There is a difference. A bad teacher would not be even reflecting on the things that happened.

We all feel like bad teachers from time to time. I have to be very strict with myself and force me to forgive me. I'm making progress learning.

The grade-thing won't get you in trouble with a set of reasonable admins. It is an easily solved problem, and no one was hurt. You took the proper action and have documentation that you did everything possible.

I'd take the failed tests as a sign. So many children failing is a indicator to me personally. Review and re-test in a different way. If more seem to do better, you can conclude something about learning styles. If not, it is more likely to be studnet apathy.

[seastarmath]

I totally agree with boxcar: The fact that you reflect and are considering a reteach shows you have what it takes.

I don't see how you can get in trouble for the grade thing. You had no control over the situation. Do subs have the right to go into the grading program at your school? If so, unless they are in for you long term, tell them not to touch it. The sub would be in trouble, not you. Being new, stuff like that is bound to bother you. Can't do the impossible, though.

As for the tests, it takes a while to get to know what your students are willing and/or able to handle. If they do not do the daily work or study, they will fail tests no matter what you do. If they have cooperated, then maybe you need to look at the wording or validity of the test. It wouldn't hurt to ask the kids what gave them the most trouble.

You probably have more serious students in your senior class. Freshmen classes usually still have the "just biding my time" element. But that element won't take advantage of the opportunity to improve. The kids who WANT to do better will. I would offer the chance to all of them.

Don't forget to consider the attitudes the people in the area have towards education. Some communities value education, others do not. Sometimes we feel we have to spin straw into gold rather than just make the straw as strong as it can be. You have to be realistic with your expectations.

Don't beat yourself up. A lot of people would just dummy down the next test. The fact that didn't even come into consideration speaks well of you. Go have some fun and get a good night's sleep. Things will look better if you step away from it for a while.

[Ima Teacher]

I've given plenty of tests that bombed. Often the test itself needed some work, and sometimes the kids just hadn't "got" the material. In cases like that, I give the test back, go over all the questions and explain the answers. Then the students are given another test. I put the "failed" test--with student corrections--in the grade book as classwork, and then use the new test as the test grade.

I won't ever let subs use my grading program. I take my network cable off my computer when I'll be out. I started doing that after subs were downloading games and searching internet.

[hweber]

I agree with the above posts, don't beat yourself up. Use it as a learning tool, which you seem to be doing. Could be that the first test was not what they were used to before. Give it back, let them correct it for a better grade and then use that grade. That's what I do.

[teacher5]

Helix - Stop beating yourself up! You were not there, you are not responsible. That's the bottom line. You informed admin. as soon as you noticed the problem, too. Be sure to save and print that e-mail. Be sure you have the grades ready to go on Monday morning. They may give you release time to do it or during your prep or during lunch. They are not out to get you. They hired you, and they don't want to look bad for hiring the wrong teacher, too. As for the test that bombed, use it as a teaching tool for you and the kids. See if you could word any questions differently next time. Try a different format next time. Go over the test and give the kids the right answers to study from. Good teachers learn from their mistakes, too. Offer a retest to all, and tell them the higher of the two grades will count. Remember it's the beginning of the school year. You are new and first learning that your tests need to contain content that needs to be evaluated, but the manner in which is presented on a test needs to build up over the course of the first and may be second marking periods. Let us know how things work out.

[muinteoir]

1. I was out all day for professional development and the sub locked me out of my grading/attendance database with too many password attempts (she used the wrong one). She didn't say anything to the department, so on Friday night, I came home and got a nasty surprise...the grades were due and I couldn't put them in. I immediately emailed the IT dept, the principal, the head of grading/curriculum, and my mentor. No responses. Do you think I'm gonna be in trouble? I honestly didn't know and I couldn't fix it :(

You contacted everyone who could help; obviously they are not working this weekend, so relax. Get the problem fixed ASAP Monday morning and get the grades in as soon as possible.


2. I gave my science classes a test...and with the exception of about 10 kids out of 95, they ALL flunked. I'm talking 30s - 60s out of 100. I feel like a horrible teacher now :( I will definitely give my seniors a re-test and review tomorrow because they work so hard, but my freshman are so apathetic and as a group, extremely disruptive. I feel like letting the grades stand to prove something...but at the same token, I feel bad my well behaved kids are going to go down in the same boat.


Speaking from experience here - if you let the grades stand to "prove something" you are going to alienate the kids.

Take the heat here. Apologize to the students for testing them before they were ready. Throw out the grades, reteach in a different way and test again. The students will learn a couple of things from this. 1) you are on their side, you care about their learning and success and you will do what it takes to help them achieve. This will help build the relationships you need for them to begin to take learning a little more seriously. ( I said a little more, they are freshmen after all.)
2) The students will learn the content, and that's really the bottom line, isn't it?

What content were you covering? Maybe we can help you find another way to teach it.

[muinteoir]

Oh, by the way. You are NOT a bad teacher. Bad teachers do not reflect on what they do or seek advice and ask question from others!!

[dsmms]

I agree with muinteoir. It is too early in the year to alienate them. Flex on this one, but let them know that they are getting off easy. You might consider letting them correct the test for half of the points back and let them use it for a study guide for the retake. To get credit for the answer, they have to show where they found the answer (i.e. page number from the text). Just a thought. If they are as apathethic as you think they are, they won't make the effort, and that will certainly exonerate you of the "Bad Teacher" title. If parents question the grade, you can show that they had the opportunity to improve their score, but didn't take advantage of it.

[nancy sv]

Yep - I agree with the others. Learn from what you did and work to improve it. God knows I've on the "bad teacher" more times than I want to count!!

[kmurphey]

Many of these members have expressed it well; the fact that you are contemplating the situation and seeking to improve it for next time indicates you are heads-up over some of the other teachers I have seen.

[Helix]

I'm realizing it's REALLY not me. I've gotten 3 suspended in the past three days (use of the "n-word," making fun of an autistic child in the class, backtalking and abusing me, etc.) and that take-home makeup was only done by about 25% of the class. I can only conclude it's the awkwardness of being a freshman, combined with apathy. They have another test next week. We'll see how this one goes. haha

[merrynl]

I had a very lazy group of kids. It didn't matter what I did, they still didn't want to put in ANY effort. Sure, there were a few who worked, but a LOT didn't. In fact, just to test if it was really me or them, I gave them a review sheet containing EVERY test question on it. THen we worked through the problems on the board, so they had ALL the answers. Then I told them those were the test questions/answers, and gave them 15 minutes to make a notesheet for the test. The next day, I gave out the test. I have 16 our of 55 kids pass the test.

For the record, no, I don't normally do this. I was frustrated and wanted to know if it was me or them.

Man... laziness can be frustrating sometimes!

[Helix]

I gave them ANOTHER test today. It was written on the board for a week. I slapped it with a 3 foot long yardstick 3 days in a row even and talked about what was on it. I got "We didn't know we had a test."

Then I got hit with "I don't know why you won't let us use the textbook/notes for the test." Umm...you're high school age? I NEVER got to use my notes/book for a test in high school.

Then it was "We don't have to do well because you didn't give us a review." They've BEEN reviewing all along. They even did a huge chapter 2 review the DAY BEFORE.

Then, they just started writing "IDKIDKIDK" all over everything instead of answering it. EVERYTHING was out of the textbook, the notes, and the review sheets for each chapter summary. Then they started demanding that they be allowed to retake the exam tomorrow since "I let them do it for the last test."

I got tons of animosity, attitude, and whining. And I got a lot of 50s, 60s, and 70s. I don't think I want to curve this. They need to learn.

THEN...this is the real kicker. One girl starts demanding that she gets a new biology teacher because "I can't teach." She's spent every day this semester giving me attitude, insulting me and other students, and being off task. Another starts "threatening to report me" because she failed the test. Report me for WHAT? Holding them to standards?

[Clix]

OMFG. Call parents, call parents, CALL.

Because you're not allowed to try to beat sense into them.