Teacher Appreciation Week

[Tulip]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

When is dwellar appreciation week?

I like this idea. Wouldn't it be cool if we do something for it?

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by monster

Class sizes here are heading for thirty [snip]

That's our class size here.

I think in the old days in the UK, they would either have been written off as a little in the stupid side or put in a special ed class. But no, we didn't have teacher assistants either.

We didn't have "special ed" but we did have quite a large school abutting my secondary (age 12-18) school called Pebblebrook. It was chock-full of children with every kind of disability, from Downs to hearing problems. Intensely physically disabled kids (who we thought were vegetables, before A Brief History of Time) were coralled somewhere else.

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

Yeah, I think the recognition and mainstreaming of certain conditions would require more help in the classroom.

At my school we have about six "attached" TA's (inc yours truly) but also have a specialist department which some children are referred to. We have a resident Speech Therapist and a visiting Physical Therapist.

Each class has one TA - not including those employed to work with a specific statemented child. Except Reception, which has two. This is because 4-5 year olds need more attention than older children. A small example: their bags are checked every day for letters from home, feedback on reading records, water bottles (which are supposed to be put with lunchboxes because they inevitably leak) money for various school events etc etc... Children in older classes are expected to be responsible for this, but it takes 15 minutes to check it all for this age group. During which time at least three children will have an issue to be addressed. I know because I take up that role, while the other two TAs sort the bags.

There's also an outdoor area that needs to be supervising, a conservatory and the classroom. And first aid, the occasional toilet accident, activities like painting, daily individual reading and all the rest. It's a big ask.

When I was at school we only had one teacher per class of approx 32. But the nuns did come to help tutor those not keeping up. Nevertheless there were children who didn't benefit from the format. As Monster says, they were just accepted as being a bit slow.

Originally Posted by monster

The other thing is, whilst many of the teacher's assistants are great and an asset to the classroom, some are failed wannabe teachers who were failed for very good reason

I don't know whether we're lucky or whether the school's interview process is stricter. TA jobs regularly attract 70+ applicants. I can't think of one here that I don't trust completely with a child. Having known some unsuitable teachers, I don't doubt there are unsuitable TAs though.

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

Well, I couldn't do it, either way. I love kidlings, but I don't have THAT kind of patience.

You would have. If you worked with them every day and knew their personalities, you would know that 90% of the time they just need reassurance, 5% of the time is an immediate need/ crisis and 5% they are testing boundaries that need reinforcing. They are 110%. You'd love them.

Except when they really try your patience and you roll your eyes to yourself.

Which doesn't even compare to walking home planning on ways to kill your coworker because of the noise she makes when eating

[Tulip]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Which doesn't even compare to walking home planning on ways to kill your coworker because of the noise she makes when eating

You would think being Asian, chewing noise wouldn't bother me. Yeah, some make really loud smacking noises. But it really irks me. I went on a trip with a Asian French family. Hihi...they're Viet, but the kids were born and raised in France. OMG! They chew with their mouths open. All the smacking noises were driving me nuts. There was this other kid, American and a son of a friend of a family. He was smacking really loudly too. On the fourth day, at the meal table, I just burst out and said to him, "You're an American, don't chew with your mouth open!" Yeah, the other Frenchies chewed with their mouths closed after that too.

[Sundae]

I didn't realise I wasn't deranged until I came here and met other people with similar hates.
Thank FSM for the Cellar as always.

BTW - I got carried away writing about TAs and didn't tell you how gorgeous the cookies looked.
We'd talk about them for months if we received them!
What a lovely idea.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Tulip

I like this idea. Wouldn't it be cool if we do something for it?

AWESOME idea. I will send you my address and you can mail me cookies which I will eat and describe in vivid detail to the other dwellars.

You are brilliant Tulip. I like the way you think.

[Tulip]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

AWESOME idea. I will send you my address and you can mail me cookies which I will eat and describe in vivid detail to the other dwellars.

You are brilliant Tulip. I like the way you think.

If you give me your address, I will send you cookies.

[Tulip]

Originally Posted by Sundae

I didn't realise I wasn't deranged until I came here and met other people with similar hates.
Thank FSM for the Cellar as always.

BTW - I got carried away writing about TAs and didn't tell you how gorgeous the cookies looked.
We'd talk about them for months if we received them!
What a lovely idea.

Thank you. I went with my nephew and his parents to the school's Spring Festival today and some of the teachers thanked me. I feel good about spending the hours and hours making the cookies and the teacup card now.

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by Tulip

You would think being Asian, chewing noise wouldn't bother me. Yeah, some make really loud smacking noises. But it really irks me. I went on a trip with a Asian French family. Hihi...they're Viet, but the kids were born and raised in France. OMG! They chew with their mouths open. All the smacking noises were driving me nuts. There was this other kid, American and a son of a friend of a family. He was smacking really loudly too. On the fourth day, at the meal table, I just burst out and said to him, "You're an American, don't chew with your mouth open!" Yeah, the other Frenchies chewed with their mouths closed after that too.

I got it from my dad. He hates chewing noises. There's no way I would chew with my mouth open, but have you ever tried to eat celery quietly?

Gum chomping, cud chewing, gum snapping (it's the new 'cool') soup slurping...drives me absolutely bonkers. People who chew with their mouths open should be shot. And quit spitting! And pick up your fucking feet when you walk!

Forget waterboarding. Just have a bunch of people sniff and snort and snuffle and chew and slurp in front of me.

Oh, and I HATE watching shows or movies where people are kissing and it's all slimy and slurpy sounding. Blech blech ptooey.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Tulip

If you give me your address, I will send you cookies.

And I will appreciate them!

[Tulip]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

And I will appreciate them!

You better! Or no more cookies for you!

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

Gum chomping, cud chewing, gum snapping (it's the new 'cool') soup slurping...drives me absolutely bonkers. People who chew with their mouths open should be shot. And quit spitting! And pick up your fucking feet when you walk!

Forget waterboarding. Just have a bunch of people sniff and snort and snuffle and chew and slurp in front of me.

My cow orker Natalia used to introduce me and add "She's disgusted by all bodily functions." Because I flinched or cringed or grimaced when people slapped their chops, coughed, sneezed, bled, talked about vomit etc.

I then found it necessary to explain I was not a prude and had no problem with jizz, vaginal lubrication, oral, rimming etc. Because I thought that would be people's first assumption following that comment. Yeah, I guess I hadn't really honed my social skills at that point.

[infinite monkey]

Hahahaha...

Yeah, that's the thing. I'm not a prude at all (despite popular belief.)

I think it's like how you don't mind the smell of your OWN farts.

[footfootfoot]

which comes in handy if you regularly rim yourself. I mean, that's what I read on the intarwebs.

[Sundae]

I know there's a porn market for self-fellating, but you might have a patented idea there fff.

[infinite monkey]

Excuse me while I beat the crap out of fff.

fff is the sound he's gonna make when I burst his balloon. And a-one and a-two...