"Be a teacher," they said. "You'll have fun," they said. "You'll get summers off," they said. "It's the perfect schedule for moms. You'll love the short days," they said. What they didn't say is: I do have fun, but I am so exhausted by the time the week-end rolls around that I can't wait to hop into my fuzzy bunny slippers on Friday night and luxuriate in the  realization that I don't have to set my alarm tomorrow morning. I do have summers off. How else would I complete all of the PD and additional training that is required. It is the perfect schedule  for moms. My kids love coming to my room after school where they can sit at the desk or in the reading nook finishing their homework or reading a book or maybe just watching me grade papers, write lessons, and prepare for the following day. Yeah, perfect. Fun. Short days.

Ummm.... wonder where this person got their information because it certainly doesn't look anything like my day.  Or the day of my friends with kids. I'm sure if I asked their children if they preferred staying an extra hour or two or three at school while their mom did her school work OR going home, they would say Home!  And, I can tell you that I sure don't miss the meetings or PD or summer classes. Not at all. I've missed a lot of things moving out of public education into an adult setting, but meetings wasn't one of them.

I will have to say it is fun. It is fun answering the same question 15 times. Prepares us for old age. It is fun to shiver on a playground. Builds character. It is fun to down a school lunch in 15 minutes flat. It could be a great weight loss program if it wasn't for the donuts that I grabbed on my way out the door.

For all the ups and downs and quirks. And sarcasm. And silliness. It is fun. It is rewarding. It is the best job ever! So.... "Be a teacher," she said. "You'll have fun!

                           *** Thanks to my playground buddy today for the inspiration! ***


                                      Triple Chocolate!

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P.S. I have a free March writing prompt just added to the store this week.

Are you ready for St. Patrick's Day? You know all the pinching and stuff?!! Try these fun March resources!

Irish folktales, tall talesand legends!

March Folktales and Legends

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Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Being a teacher sounds good, right? You get your summers and holidays off.  You work Monday through Friday from 8 am to 3:30 pm. Great hours!  Pay is okay and there are lots of perks for teachers. Yep, I think I'll be a teacher.

Whoa. Not so fast! Being a teacher is so much more than just thinking you'll be a teacher. In fact... What Are You Thinking?!?!

Being a teacher is a passion. It isn't something you think you'll do. It is something you have to do. I would equate being a teacher to having a calling. You teach when there is nothing else in the world that you can imagine yourself doing. You teach not because you get summers off, but because summers are time to rest, recharge, and prepare for next year's kiddos, AND further your own education and attend workshops. You know that the pay is lousy and that doesn't matter. You aren't in it for the money anyway.   Holidays off?  Well, that is true, but.... you are the last minute shopper at Christmas and the one falling asleep during Easter Sunday because every spare minute before and after school is spent planning and presenting lessons, contacting parents, and readying your room. Great work hours? Well, not so much. Don't forget about early morning bus or playground duty (in any kind of weather) and after school meetings or tutoring. And, what about conferences and evaluations that take place after hours. And about your perks.... Parents have you on speed dial and, in some cases, administrators are unlisted and unavailable.  Kids recognize you in any disguise on Saturday in the grocery store. Take my advice, Don't go to the store thinking you won't run in to anyone you know. Trust me on this. You will.  Not only will the kids recognize you, but they drag their parents over to your cart and, yes, they will scrutinize everything in it.

So, to the young girl I met tonight (and anyone else) that is thinking around the edges of becoming a teacher. Don't. Not unless you are prepared to be passionate and dedicated with every breath you breathe.  Not unless there is no other place in the world you'd rather be than in school. Not unless you are tough enough and strong enough to handle it. Teaching isn't for the faint of heart or the weak. Teaching is one demanding profession. It isn't something that you Think you'll do. It is something that you Have to do.


Check out all of my Pinterest boards.. from teachers stores to teachers resources to quick meals- Chocolate 4 Teachers .
And, follow my store, Chocolate 4 Teachers to get first hand news on sales & new products.
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Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Let's jump on this roller coaster..... Child enters school. They are praised and rewarded to the delight of their parents.  They join a ball team and get a trophy for every game because no one ever loses.  Child advances through the school system, at times not earning grades for effort, but rather marks showing improvement on assignments they have completed.  All is good. Child graduates. Attends college. Finds that not all professors accept their work ethic. Some of them actually require them to complete all assignments and turn them in by a due date.  We just hit a curve. After college another kink in the ride occurs when the young adult finds that their boss expects them to be at work on time and complete assignments in a timely manner. Aww.. the roller coaster is slowing down. Ready to pick up more passengers and start another ride.

The group that exits is comprised of an assortment of people.  Some are achievers and some that can best be described as self-entitled. These are the ones that fell into a system that rewarded them for doing the right thing robbing them of integrity.  They joined teams that made everyone feel like a winner, but taught no one how to lose graciously.  They were the victim of men in suits that thought letter grades stole their self worth when in actuality earning a grade was teaching them the value of hard work. Their college experience left them bewildered. Wondering what happened to the "everyone-wins-I-get-mastered-for turning-in-what-I-want-when-I-want" plan. They join a society that calls their behavior immature, lacking in responsibility and unaccountable.

And they blame.... us.. their teachers. It doesn't matter that we did everything in our power to fight the system. The voices of money drowned out our screams. We knew that rewards, trophies, and new systems of teaching and grading  were  not good for teaching our kids life skills. Life skills like honesty, integrity, responsibility, accountability, good sportsmanship, manners, courtesy, and the list goes on and on. We knew that some kids would fall into the trap of entitlement. We knew that the real world would be an unforgiving place.  But the very ones that we were fighting for, we were fighting against.

That's right. The kids. The ones that we were trying to teach and protect and guide raised up as empowered adolescents and took away our years of experience with their demands. And, what makes it far worse is that district by district across our nation is falling at the hands of students and their parents.  Teachers have lost their voice and, in many cases, their respect. Schools have turned into political financial institutions catering to those who pay the taxes and vote on issues.  Students are calling the shots and enjoying their power trip while we can only shake our heads at the mess.

And, we will continue seeing the results of this ride as long as our voices are suppressed. We will continuing witnessing adults that don't know how to accept "No" as an answer. Adults that throw tantrums because they don't get their way. Adults that expect society to hand them 'life' on a silver platter.  I just hope the ride gets shut down before too many fall into its' enticing trap.

Nonfiction passages aboutSquanto: Friend of the Pilgrims

Nonfiction passages and printables about turkeys

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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

So you want to quit. You want a new career. You're tired of constantly taking care of someone else's kids while your own are basically being ignored. You're tired of fighting bureaucracy. You long to have support, but find that you are on your own.

 Sound familiar? Unfortunately, this is becoming all too common among public school teachers.  I quit. After 21 years, most of which were awesome, I gave it up. My health and peace of mind were too important to ignore. I was tired of the endless, worthless meetings and lack of administrative support. I was tired of a few important names running the school, even though they knew nothing about education or kids.  Oh, I'm still teaching. You may take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher (or something like that).

Too often I read comments from teachers (from all over the world) bemoaning the lack of administrative support, the lack of discipline, or the endless hours spent in preparation and meetings.  Not once do I read comments concerning low pay or about children.  In a nutshell, teachers love their career choice and they love children, but they are asking for a little respect and support. Not much to ask for. It isn't hard to give. So then, why is it so elusive? Is this a current trend? Or is this a forewarning of times to come?

I've addressed this issue before, as many have, but it continues to be widely ignored.  Too often non-educators are putting their noses in the educational arena and leaving teachers on the outside looking in. Too often politicians are making pretty campaign speeches promising things that teachers can't possibly deliver.  Who winds up with egg on their faces? Yep, the teacher.

So.. I've (once again) presented the problem, but where is the solution. Who knows? I'm just one little piece of the puzzle. Who will listen to me? We are all one little piece of the puzzle, but without us, where would the picture be?  Take your last bit of energy and get involved with teacher groups. Find out what teachers in other regions and districts are doing. Be positive and proactive. It may not be a solution, but you will find others in the same boat. There is comfort in finding someone who understands.

And, there are alternatives. There are still places where you can teach without being a part of a large public school system. These idyllic places do exist. I had the privilege of being at one this week. A county school where discipline and respect matter. Where kids are learning. Where teachers and administrators are supporting one another.  The setting is small and the pay is small, but the reward is huge. That may not be possible where you are or it may not fit in with your budget. But, there are options. Teachers make excellent public speakers, trainers,  adjunct instructors, private school teachers, parochial school teachers, or consultants. Don't underestimate yourself. You have talents and training that you can use in multiple ways.

In the meantime, don't give up. Find a support group or friend that understands and cares. And, above all, remember why you are dedicated to this profession... the kids.



Check out my Facebook page, Chocolate 4 Teachers
If you are in need of some thorough reading resources at teacher-friendly prices check out my product previews on my Pinterest page, Chocolate 4 Teachers.
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Check it out

Check out  Stonehenge: a complete unit (11 page original fiction story of suspense and 7 non-fiction passages)!!!

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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Entitlement. This word really irritates me. A recent news report on a certain entitled boy demonstrates just how low our society has sunk. And now, these same parents are asking others to help bail them out. Really??? How much lower can you go?  As teachers, we see parents protecting their kids all the time. We see them take extra measures to make sure that their child succeeds. These are the parents that write notes asking for you to excuse their missing homework, or make excuses for a poor grade, or defend bad behavior choices.  I am secretly thinking (and I'm sure some of it shows on my face), "Why don't you just let them be a child and learn from their mistakes. Who is in school here anyway? You or your child? Who is the parent and who is the child?!"  After hours, we used to joke (well, kinda) about the kids running the school because they were allowed to get away with just about anything.

I'm all for supporting children who need some extra help or understanding, but I'm 100% against providing rewards for doing what they should be doing anyway. I know that I'll step on some toes (big time), but I think there are school programs that encourage entitlement. We have programs where every child succeeds. Every child wins. But, there isn't one initiative to help our kids learn how to be good sports or deal with failure. We're too busy making excuses and handing out trophies.

I'll confess I hated the training we had where we were taught to say, "Oh, look at Kim, and how nicely she is coloring. " OR "I am so pleased that Kim has decided to stop throwing a tantrum and rejoin the class."  Gag. Kim threw a tantrum? Kim should have some consequences, not a pat on the back. Kim was coloring nicely?  How many others were doing what they were supposed to do and went unnoticed?

And the argument that times have changed so we have to change the way that we teach children. Well... the last time I looked kids were still kids. Yes, they now play more video games and own more handheld devices than I did, but they are still kids. And, has anyone noticed all the advertisements and articles relating to putting digital devices away?  There is even a new vacation company building tiny houses in remote areas for adults to go to and unplug (personally, I would love to go!)

 Have we gotten so entitled that we can't even be responsible ourselves?  Have we passed out so many trophies that we aren't teaching our kids to shake the winners hand and congratulate them?  I hope not. In a perfect world, parents would work with teachers and administrators to help their child grow into a responsible adult. But, things aren't perfect. Be kind, but firm and professional. Kids need to learn that actions and decisions have consequences. Some, not so good. Parents need to let go and let their kids grow up. Administrators need to support their staff and be part of the solution, not the problem.

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Have a great week-end!  I'll be busy creating new teacher resources and enjoying the outdoors.

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers