applestooranges- well said. ur class seems to be awesome.

some teachers never really student teach in the system. its a controlled more responsible atmosphere like college students so they are shocked when they get a job in a public school.

Scout - the "quickie" certification takes a year. Not all people that hold this certification are bad teachers. In fact, most are pretty good at what their job. There are bad teachers that come out of universities with teaching degrees/certificates as well.

I teach (Scout - I have a 4 year teaching degree from a major university). I love my kids. There are days when they try my patience, but they are kids and that is one of their strong suits. It is our job as teachers and parents (I am also a parent) to instill certain basic human decencies, one of which is respect. I believe it does begin at home, but should also be reinforced in the classroom. I agree that teachers deserve respect however, belittling a child in front of others is wrong. Just remember that there are two sides to every story and your perspective comes from where you stand.

Parents, please take my advice. Before you go up to the school, proverbial guns blazing, to defend your child, call and talk to the teacher in question. Kids are notorious for skewing situations. If, after you have talked to the teacher, you do not find a sastisfactory resolution to your concerns, then by all means, talk to a higher authority. We need to work together to keep our kids' best interests at heart. After all, they are what really matters.

i have noticed the norm lately w/ numerous ISD's of postions filled by "quickie" degrees. I am for filling postions but some h.r. departments need to review more closely who they hire.
here is why- u have pre-teacher employees w/ 2 -3 degrees. no job?!?!? so they go to region 3 and get a quickie certificate. that is great for that individual!now put that person stated above in a class of 30 kids or in athletics w/ maybe 80 kids and you have KAOS!
They have not learned the social educuation but recieved a academic education of completion. I have seen these employees at work. Every ISD has them. They ARE in charge and there is no thinking out of the box from the lesson plan.
Its not the employees fault. They have a communciation degree but teaching history and to get extra stipend they coach a sport they have NO clue on the basics. The kids see this in a heartbeat. Same in the classroom. I have family in the teaching field. They ALL say the quickie teacher usually has the biggest issue on control or respect. my thoughts.
maybe vicad can search some of the local isd's ratio of region3 "quickie" teachers on staff...does it matter? I don'y know.

This one is hard for me. I am a teacher of high school students and I've raised four teenagers. I've seen a handful of pretty harsh teachers that shouldn't be in education because they are burned out. However, most of the teachers I have met and talked to about my child are educated professionals. My children have come to love and appreciate most of the teachers that they had. Then again, my son, in particular, came home with the "best manners" award every year from OLV and Saint Joseph HS. My daughter went to MHS and loved her teachers. Some of the students made it tough for the teachers to teach and the students to learn at MHS. One or two teachers quit mid-year. I felt like my daughter could have learned SO MUCH MORE at Saint Joseph High School and she knows and realizes it now. Especially since she is in college.  She digs for her good grades and she gets them because of her instilled hard work ethic.  She did not acquire this at MHS because MHS was easy.  She got it from her family.  We bugged her every night about homework and still do.  We are blessed and we know it to have motivated children that perform in college.  It all begins at home. 

Oh, yeah...I also had to run until I puked at football/basketball practice...I forgot about that. 'Don't know how.

After reading this letter to the editor, I couldn't wait to reply.
My father is an English teacher, used to be a coach but has retired. If growing up with a coach/English teacher weren't punishment enough, I married an English teacher.
Call me a glutton.
I'm almost certain that they didn't attend 4+ years of college and acquire a stack of student loans, to find a job where they can be disrespected by an adolescent who hasn't been taught (at home) that, yes, some positions do automatically deserve repect. I agree with everything Ernie posted: doctors, law enforcement, teachers, elders to name just a few...these people deserve respect.
Take a look at society today, as compared to 30 years ago. Letters like this to the editor weren't the norm. Parents weren't quick to point the finger at the school administration if their child had gotten into trouble. I could look forward to receiving discipline twice that day had I gotten in trouble. The paddle at school, (anyone remember those days, when you got licks AT SCHOOL...BY THE PRINCIPAL???) then I'd get it when I got home. What did I learn from this? To respect the teacher/coach and the rules that they had set. There has been a steady decline in parenting skills which is now manifesting itself in the actions of todays youth. Yes, there will be a teacher who isn't as jovial as the one across the hall, but I can't imagine that his/her day is spent disrespecting students randomly for no reason, and without provocation. What has the student done, or not done that provokes the teacher to react this way?

Rg20...thank you for your comments...it is nice to hear from a student here. There are some really great comments here...and I will add as a teacher...we appreciate the support of parents like those who have commented here. While I will agree that there are occasionally some teachers who really shouldn't be RG20...you have to remember that they also have to deal with kids that don't show any respect to anyone at all...especially teachers. Also you have not been very fair to substitute teachers here...after all they can be people that aren't and never have been a teacher...coming in an unfamiliar setting and normally having around 180+ students, that they don't know, per day. I beleive if you were really honest, which you seem to be, you would have to admit that when there is a substitute teacher in a classroom...there are always those students who make it their goal to see how much they can do wrong and get away with it, often giving the sub a really hard time, so who are actually the ones who are lacking respect in this situation?

I agree that the teachers should automatically be given respect. Most, within a very short period of time, will prove to parents and students WHY they deserve respect! MOST of them.
Every now and again, you get that one rare teacher who actually does go out of his/her way to disparrage a student or punish them unfairly. It happened to my son. But instead of making a big deal out of it in front of him, I went to the principal of the school, and the teacher was given a reprimand. My son continued respecting the teacher until the end of the school year. Then she got in her last barb..... and it was wrong....
Those types of incidents are rare. Usually if the teacher punishes your child, the kid was doing something wrong.... Little Johnny isn't the perfect little angel you think he is.... and you really know the truth... I mean, you see what he's like at home don't you?

First of all, I am a student who is currently in the process of finishing off my senior yr here on high school. I agree with the idea that most teachers do have it rough. You got a classroom of about 30 students and only 15 go to your class and only 10 of them actually listen to your lectures. So yes it's rat race for most. True students should show respect to a teacher or teachers automatically. However, sometimes most of the troubles and hardship that some teachers face are brought upon them by themselves. Sub-teachers especially.

As a teacher myself, I believe and know for a fact that respect should be given. I agree with the comment that discipline and parenting begin the day the child is born. A lot of parents believe that teachers should be the one who should discipline. We are here to teach and provide an education not to baby-sit. Too many parents now days admit to their children being out of control and they don't know how to handle them. Well, if you discipline and tell your children to respect, then there should be no problems. I also agree that everyone should be a teacher for day to see what us teachers really go through. It's not easy. Trust me I'm not in it for the money. I'm in teaching and education profession because children deserve the best of the best and an awesome future. If you help us teachers and be there for your child, then you child will be guaranteed success in life.

It appears the problem here is what the child is being taught at home. School officials and teachers should automatically be respected by students. If there is a problem the parent should speak with the teacher or administrator and leave the child out of the equation. After all, they are children!! And, every child will lie to their parents if they feel it gives them an advantage. That is a FACT that every parent should learn.

Teachers should have respect at all times and they should not have to earn it. Does going to college and taking education classes not count? Have you ever heard of "do unto others as you'd have done to you"? Maybe you child is not showing respect and the teacher has finally had it with your innocent baby boy or girl.

Do you also believe that police officers should earn respect? They are public servants just like teachers are but they normally get automatic respect. Is it because they carry guns? I'm sure many teachers would be safer if they packed heat but we are not allowed to do that. We are supposed to sit back, be berated, and do nothing? You are one of those parents that all teachers dream of dealing with.

Why don't you try substituting a few times, in jr. high or high school, and see how life for a teacher really is.

Two very salient comments from two obviously sagacious readers. Well said, the both of you.

Certain positions and persons do automatically deserve respect: policemen, doctors, your elders, the president, teachers. Often it may be a matter of respecting the position or the authority of the position but due respect should at times be given because it has been earned through the postiion held. At least until it's demonstrated that respect is misplaced.

At other times respect must be earned. Such is the case with students but it shouldn't be that difficult. Act like a student and you'll be respected as one and as a human being.

Ernie

I'm probably old enough to be the GRANDparent of the children you're all talking about, but it doesn't overshadow the fact that I grew up "automatically" respecting my elders. Whether I thought they were right or wrong, I respected my teachers. Through that respect, I learned how to respect myself as well. Should a student be treated with respect? Of course. But first let's teach our children that to earn their own respect as they grow up, they must first respect the adults around them. If they learn what respect means, if they learn how to respect others and begin to respect themselves, then they can judge whether or not someone deserves respect, but I still believe that respect is key to dignity, and don't we all want to be able to smile when we see ourselves in the mirror?

Yes Ms. Parent, teachers should automatically get respect. Modern kids think every adult owes them respect. Other way around.

As soon as you spend a day in a classroom teaching, don't preach about "motivation" being a panacea. If parents would actually parent, that would be the closest to a cure-all for student behavior.