Principal Says The 'Worst' Teachers Are Put In K - 2 Classes, Causing Kids To Fall Behind — ‘It’s A Problem Happening Across The Country’
Should teachers be moved around just because of one bad year?
Nicoleta Ionescu Via Shutterstock A TikToker by the name of “Principal Mommy” or Amber Shields, posted a rant regarding teachers being moved to lower grades when they don’t do an adequate job in testing grades.
She said that some schools move low-performing teachers from testing grades to K-2 grades, which is an extreme disservice to the students.
Shields argued that the 'worst' teachers are put into K - 2 classes, causing younger students to fall behind.
Standardized testing can be stressful for both students and teachers, but it is not an excuse to move teachers around. Many states begin standardized testing in the third grade, which means third and up are considered “testing grades”. K-2 are prep grades to prepare the students for state testing.
According to Amber, many schools have a habit of taking teachers from testing grades and moving them to a K - 2 classroom when their testing scores are inadequate. Rather than providing them with training and help to improve their teaching for the next year, they move them to a lower grade.
Not only is this unfair to the teacher as they are not allowed to grow or learn, but it is also doing a disservice to the students who are now assigned to a teacher who is not prepared to teach them to their potential.
Shields insisted that the best recourse would be to provide training and growth for low-performing teachers, and if they fail to improve, support them in exiting the classroom.
K-2 learning is a fundamental building block of a child’s education.
Many students' first time in a school setting and away from their parents is in kindergarten. They are timid and anxious and may not have any prior learning experience.
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Kindergarten begins with literacy skills, exploring their surroundings, and learning about the world around them. In the first grade, they begin to evolve those skills and learn more about what they have learned previously. Second grade delves deeper into their skills and increases their knowledge in certain categories and genres.
Placing a teacher who has displayed a lack of knowledge in the fundamentals and not giving them training in how to teach these materials in a classroom with students who are just starting out is a great disservice to the children. An unprepared teacher with unprepared students will not foster a productive learning environment and prepare the students for the years following.
Training is crucial to a teacher’s success in their role and to their student’s success as well.
Teachers attend professional development training throughout the school year, as well as during the summer, along with school training. Additional training should be taken and provided to teachers in testing age groups to ensure the teachers are prepared for what is required of them during the year.
Unfortunately, for many states and districts, training is often inadequate and doesn't offer struggling teachers the opportunity to learn and grow.
Moving a teacher to a lower grade level because they cannot provide adequate testing scores is a surefire way to cause resentment towards the job and administration.
If you suspect your child has a bad teacher and you've ruled out excuses like, "She's mean because I got in trouble for talking during class," it's imperative to get involved. Speak to the school principal and express your concerns. You can even ask to observe a class. As a final resort there is even the opportunity to switch classrooms.
Teachers work long days that can be stressful and overwhelming and should be supported in every aspect by their administration. Rather than moving them around and not allowing them to grow in the position, schools should provide additional training and help to teachers when needed. Support is important, especially when the role is dealing with the education of tiny humans.
Madison Piering is a writer on YourTango's Entertainment and News team specializing in human interest and pop culture topics.