Stack 'em Deep

My career in education spanned the following years and places:

Fall, 1966
Student Teaching at Dover Area Jr.-Sr. High School, Dover, PA
7th Grade Physical Science

January 1967 to June 1969
Weatherly Area Junior-Senior High School, Weatherly, PA
Grades 7 through 11: Math, Geography, Earth Science

September 1969 to June 1986
Tamaqua Area School District, Tamaqua, PA

September 1969 to June 1971
Tamaqua Area Junior High School, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
7th Grade Life Science

September 1970 to June 1971
Taught a split schedule between Junior & Senior High Schools
7th Grade Life Science, 9th Grade Space Science

September 1971 to June 1986
Tamaqua Area Senior High School, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
9th Grade Space Science and Oceanography, Grades 9 through 12 Science mini-courses, Planetarium Director for grades K-12 and public

September 1993 to June 2001
Perry G. Keithley Middle School, Tacoma Washington
8th Grade Science (Life Science and Earth Science) and U. S. History

September 2001 to June 2012
Eatonville High School, Eatonville Washington
Grades 9 through 12: Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics

I taught science to students in grades seven through twelve for thirty-nine years. At one time or another during my career, I taught all the sciences. I was not a super-teacher (if such a thing exists), but I was a good teacher. That is not stated out of egotism. Instead, I say it because of my achievements with my students.
I learned a lot about public education in America and had many varied experiences in and outside of the classroom. So I decided to share some of those experiences in this book.

My experiences as an educator will provide many insights into the inner workings of a public-school classroom. Parents, students, and new and future teachers will find valuable information throughout these pages.
To help the reader envision the topics and create an organized approach, I imagined the American educational system as a wheel supported by five spokes. The spokes support the rim or the overall structure. If one spoke fails, the system fails. Yet, at the same time, these spokes are interdependent and tied together by the rim and the wheel’s hub.

I selected five spokes to better focus on each group of participants. For example, I use the parents’ spoke to follow the parents’ viewpoints and roles in the educational system. Then, I discuss their interactions with the other spokes from their perspective. I followed the same approach in each of the other spokes as well. I could have added a sixth spoke with the service staff, but I considered their role more focused on maintaining the physical structures and providing services to support education without playing a direct role in the actual process. However, the custodial staff is an integral part of the five spokes and an essential part of this book.

Since the student spoke is the reason the other four spokes exist, I placed it at the front of this book. The teacher spoke is found at the back of this book because they are the primary support spoke for the whole system and are often given little credit for successes and the most blame for failures by the three middle spokes.
The students must be active in the wheel for the system to work. I recount some of the more memorable stories of interactions with my students. I must have worked with up to 10,000 students during my career, both directly and indirectly. There were happy times, sad times, and successes and failures.

The administration spoke is the second section of my book. I worked with several different principals and superintendents. Unfortunately, my perception of their performance was not always a kind one. Their roles are important, but they often prefer to dictate rather than lead.

Parents, the third spoke discussed, must be involved in the process for it to be successful. I enjoyed interacting with parents and tried to make them a part of my educational program.

The fourth section of my book focuses on politicians, a shaky but necessary spoke in the wheel. But unfortunately, this very important spoke of the wheel is not always supportive of the process, and in many ways, they weaken the educational system.
The fifth section focuses on teachers, people who exhibit the strengths and weaknesses present in us all. I worked with many excellent teachers and tolerated the few poor ones. Since my space is limited, I have given more memorable examples of each in this book. Most teachers are dedicated and work their asses off for little recognition and plenty of criticism. Spend some time reading this section and getting to know some dedicated people.

This book is a candid look into the American educational system as it functioned within four specific school districts over a thirty-nine-year period. It is a book that will show daily events within the educational wheel.

Read on to enter my world and discover the many ways students interact with each other and their teachers during the 180 days they are supposedly under the system’s control.

Table of Contents

Time Line Page xi
Introduction Page xii
Prologue Page xiii

Section One: Students

Unit One: Grade Level Instructional Concerns
Chapter One- Page 1
    The Middle School: Let’s Try to Keep the Lid On
Chapter Two- Page 5
    Language: Middle School Potty Mouths
Chapter Three- Page 7
    The High School: Puberty and Popularity
Chapter Four- Page 10
    Educational Transitions: Elementary-Middle-High-College Calamities
        Part One: Page 11
        Transition Elementary School to Middle School: Mingling must be Prevented
    Part Two: Page 11
    Transition Middle School to High School: Screw Your Self-Esteem (Welcome to the Big Leagues)
    Part Three: Page 12
    Transition High School to College: Leave Your Mommy at Home

Unit Two: Student Behaviors
Chapter One- Page 13
    Naivete: Gullibility is a Student Trait
Chapter Two- Page 16
    Sex in School: Blow Me
Chapter Three- Page 18
    Lavatory: The Power Dump
Chapter Four- Page 20
    Moronic Behaviors: You Can’t Tell Me What to Do
Chapter Five- Page 21
    Bullying: Not All Schools Are Safe Havens
Chapter Six- Page 23
    Sexual Harassment: Boys Will be Boys
Chapter Seven- Page 25
    Treat Teachers Like Classmates: Hate You Today, Love You Tomorrow
Chapter Eight- Page 26
    Getting Even: Good Natured Revenge
Chapter Nine- Page 28
    Smarter Than A Teacher: Ha Ha Ha
Chapter Ten- Page 30
    Obey School Rules: Not All Rule Breakers Are Malignant Forces
Chapter Eleven- Page 33
    Fighting Between Students: Lots of Witnesses but No Referees
Chapter Twelve- Page 35
    Lunches: I Want My Pizza
Chapter Thirteen- Page 36
    Classroom Positions to Be Filled: Class Clown, et. al.
Chapter Fourteen- Page 37
    Student Rights: A Matter of Perspective
Chapter Fifteen - Page 38
    Disciplining by Trickery: The Guilt Trip
Chapter Sixteen - Page 40
    Graffiti: I Both Hate and Respect My Teacher
Chapter Seventeen - Page 40
    Vulnerabilities: Innocence can Make a Fond Memory

Unit Three: Curriculum
Chapter One- Page 42
    CAD Programs: What the Hell is Mechanical Drawing
Chapter Two- Page 46
    Learn by Inductive Reasoning: Memorization Must be a Curse Word and
    Don’t Get Me Started on Outlining
Chapter Three- Page 48
    Japanese Kids Are Smarter Than American Kids in Math: Who Gives a S..t
Chapter Four- Page 51
    The Math Bugaboo: The “I Can’t Do Math.” Whine
Chapter Five- Page 53
    Sex Education in School: Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Chapter Six- Page 56
    Final Exams: A Waste of Time for All Except College Bound
Chapter Seven- Page 58
    Forgotten Skills: Who Needs Them Anyway
Part One: Page 58
    Printed Letters: Cursive Writing is Not Writing with Bad Language
Part Two: Page 59
    Clocks: It’s Hard to Tell Time by Mickey’s Hands
Part Three: Page 59
    Practical Math: What’s So Practical About It
Chapter Eight- Page 60
    Tracking of Students: Bluebirds vs. Cardinals but No Buzzards
Chapter Nine- Page 62
    Academics Only: Goodbye Trade School Classes, Prepare for College
Chapter Ten- Page 64
    Student Work Deadlines: I’ll Turn Work in When I Get Around to It
Chapter Eleven- Page 65
    Physics is Fun: Let’s Get the Toys Out

Unit Four: Emotions
Chapter One- Page 67
    Sad Times: Death Is an Unwelcome Visitor
Chapter Two- Page 68
    Student Diversity: Racism is not Instinctual
Chapter Three- Page 70
    Graduates Remember: The Good Old Days
Chapter Four- Page 72
    Mobile Populations: Staying One Step Ahead of the Landlord Means A
    Loss of Continuity

Section Two: Administration

Unit One: District Concerns
Chapter One- Page 75
    The Superintendent: The Spider at the Center of the Web
Chapter Two- Page 79
    Technology: Censor the Devil Out of It and Find A Cheap Way to Keep It
Going
Chapter Three- Page 81
    Funding: The Tail Wags the Dog
Chapter Four- Page 82
    Assistant Administrators: Everyone Gets an Assistant
Chapter Five- Page 85
    Class Size: Stack ‘em Deep and Teach ‘em Cheap
Chapter Six- Page 87
    Trends in Education: Out with the Old, In with the New
Chapter Seven- Page 89
    Administrative Politics: A Good Appearance is More Important Than
Student Learning
Chapter Eight- Page 91
    The Modern Principal: No More Rubber Hoses Hanging on a Wall
Chapter Nine- Page 93
    School Endowment or Gift: Money Disappearing Down a Rabbit Hole

Unit Two: Staff Concerns
Chapter One- Page 94
    The Administrator: Once a teacher, always a t… (I don’t think so.)
Chapter Two- Page 96
    The Everchanging Curriculum: Make Up Your Mind
Chapter Three- Page 98
    Principal: I Got Your Back (Sometimes)
Chapter Four- Page 102
    Teacher Observations: Dog and Pony Shows for the Principal
Chapter Five- Page 105
    Tenure: Must the Bad Be Kept with the Good
Chapter Six- Page 106
    Staff and Student Awards: Something of the Month
Chapter Seven- Page 107
    Expectations of Staff: Your Ass is Mine
Chapter Eight- Page 110
    Department Chairs: Teachers with Titles and Extra Work
Chapter Nine- Page 111
    Open Door Policy: Some Principals Care About Their Teachers’ Thoughts
Chapter Ten- Page 113
    The Teacher Salary Schedule: Everybody Gets Paid the Same
Chapter Eleven- Page 114
    Teacher Work Sessions: Make the Principal Happy

Unit Three: Student Concerns
Chapter One- Page 115
    Suspensions: Holidays for the Discipline Problems
Chapter Two- Page 116
    Retention: Requires Student Parking Areas at the Middle School

Section Three: Parents

Chapter One- Page 119
    Parent Conferences: Do Not Schedule Them During Monday Night
    Football
Chapter Two- Page 120
    Parent Visitations: Keep Them Away from Me
Chapter Three- Page 121
    Teamwork: Parents, Do Your Job
Chapter Four- Page 123
    Students Reflect Their Homelife: The Apple Falls Close to the Tree

Section Four: Politicians

Chapter One- Page 125
    Our Public Schools Are Failing: An Easy Target to Get Votes
Chapter Two- Page 127
    Standardized Testing Will Improve Schools: Let’s Test the Crap Out of the
    Little Guys
Chapter Three- Page 128
    Overcrowding: Let’s Buy Some Portable Classrooms
Chapter Four- Page 129
    Charter Schools and School Choice Will Improve Public Schools: Public
    Schools Take ‘Em All
Chapter Five-Page 130
    Schools Receive Plenty of Funding: Taxpayers’ Money Feeds Many Hogs at
    the Trough

Section Five: Teachers

Unit One: The New Teacher
Chapter One- Page 133
    Teacher Training: Preparing Fresh Meat for the Grinder
Chapter Two: Page 137
    I Do Not Believe It
Part One: Page 137
    The New Teacher: How the Hell Did I End Up Here
Part Two: Page 139
    The New Teacher: What the Hell Am I Doing Here
Chapter Three- Page 140
    The Real World: A Favored Expression
Chapter Four- Page 142
    New Teacher Attrition: I Gotta Get Out of This Place
Chapter Five- Page 143
    Out with the Old and in with the New: Throw Out the Baby with the Bath
    Water (Shove Your Old Lesson Plans, I Made New Ones That Are Better)
Chapter Six- Page 145
    Mentors: Lifeguards for the New Teachers
Chapter Seven- Page 147
    The Salary Schedule: One Size Fits All
Chapter Eight- Page 148
    Seniority: Class from Hell Goes to the New Teacher
Chapter Nine- Page 150
    Old Teachers: They Don’t Just Die or Fade Away
Chapter Ten- Page 150
    Anxiety: Many Teachers Suffer from Fear

Unit Two: The Teacher and The Classroom
Chapter One- Page 154
    Turf Wars: These Are My Stomping Grounds
Chapter Two- Page 156
    Multiple Roles: One Head with Many Hats
Chapter Three- Page 158
    Classroom Structure: No Structure Equals No Learning
Chapter Four- Page 161
    Animals in the Classroom: Students Are Not the Only Animals in Some
    Classrooms

Unit Three: Teaching as A Job
Chapter One- Page 164
    Teaching is a Great Job with Summers Off and Lots of Holidays: Days Not
    Worked are Days Not Paid
Chapter Two- Page 167
    The Teaching Contract: Let’s Make A Deal
Chapter Three- Page 168
    How Teachers Are Hired: Ability Versus Nepotism
Chapter Four- Page 171
    The Process of Teaching: Edutainment
Chapter Five- Page 173
    Lesson Plans: Teach Five Different Classes and Have No Life
Chapter Six- Page 175
    Extra Duties: Duty-Free Is at the Airport, Not the School
Chapter Seven- Page 178
    Teacher Attire: Which One is the Teacher?
Chapter Eight- Page 181
    Study Hall: A Utopian Fiction
Chapter Nine- Page 182
    One Day in the Life of a Science Teacher

Unit Four: Teacher Relations
Chapter One- Page 184
    Faculty Room: Where Is the Pinochle Game?
Chapter Two- Page 187
    The Education Association: Is It A Union or A Professional Organization?
Chapter Three- Page 189
    The Guest or Substitute Teachers: They Come, and They Go
Chapter Four- Page 191
    Middle School vs. High School: In This Corner of the Ring …
Chapter Five- Page 193
    Support Staff: The Custodian is Your Best Friend
Chapter Six- Page 196
    Cracks in the United Front: Why You and Not Me?

Unit Five: Teaching and the Community
Chapter One- Page 197
    Competition with Local Businesses: Do Not Use My Own Tax Money to
    Put Me Out of Business
Chapter Two- Page 198
    Pillar of the Community: An Adage Based Upon a Fictional Character
Chapter Three- Page 201
    Teachers are People Too: Joe

Unit Six: The Good: The Bad: The Ugly
Chapter One- Page 204
    The Good Teacher: Good Teachers are Like Good News-
    Not Newsworthy
Chapter Two- Page 208
    The Bad Teacher: A Contradiction in Terms?
Chapter Three- Page 212
    The Ugly Teacher: In Attitude, Not In Looks
Chapter Four- Page 213
    Certification: Scamming the System

Unit Seven: Teacher-Student Relationships
Chapter One- Page 215
    Technology: Computers and the Hell of Cell Phones
Chapter Two- Page 217
    Discipline: Babysitting with No Authority (Touch Me and My Mom Will
    Sue Your Ass)
Chapter Three- Page 221
    Teacher: Student Relations: Familiarity Trumps Discipline
Chapter Four- Page 223
    Teacher- Student Relations: They Are Here for an Education, Nothing Else
Chapter Five- Page 226
    Teaching the Individual: Thirty at a Time
Chapter Six- Page 227
    Honesty Toward Students: Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Chapter Seven- Page 225
    Retesting: Studying for a Test is Passé
Chapter Eight- Page 230
    Failures: Who Takes the Blame?

Finis: Page 232

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