Lynda Smith: 29 Apr 2010 10:40:41am, Reader's Comment: The Drum Unleashed: A day in the life of a teacher, Winston Smith, ABC, 29 April 2010: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2884844.htm Historical link preserved from the original page.
There are two things wrong with teaching/schools/education at the moment.
1) The curriculum (which teachers have no input into) is PC to the point where the kids hate it.
Gen Y with their short term attention spans (g8 lol roflmao brb, paw) are sick of having everything from a feminist, aboriginal, asian, gay/lesbian refugee perspective.
The top kids in Year 12 tell me all subjects have an Aboriginal perspective and it is rammed down their throats.
Even though white and black kids are all friends the kids can see the PC bullsh-t they have to learn.
As well our own Union is to the left of John Pilger and Mao so what chance have we got.
2) Discipline, what's that??
The other day I was called a F- - - ing C - - T because I dared to tell a student to not do a knock and run.
She then called three other teachers the same and got four days off school.
Gee that hurts doesn't it?
Defiance and verbal abuse are increasing problems.
Kids won't show for detention (and tell you to your face they won't) their parents won't let them do afternoon detention and the end result is suspension which is what they want.
If they hurt themselves as a result of the defiance you have to prove they said "No" or the Dept gets sued and you get in trouble for non duty of care.
Still we do it because most days we do make a difference to those who want to learn.
But it's getting harder and harder.