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Thank you
By Really Sad

I think now people are starting to catch on to what I was trying to say in my original post. You see, I am just really concerned (and sad) that this is what teachers feel like ALL OVER THE COUNTRY! I wish we could just
try to meet our kids' needs in the best way that we see fit, and all of those DUMB state-wide tests could be thrown by the way-side. I don't know how they could measure achievement, but I KNOW it would be higher because we wouldn't have as much crap to deal with and paperwork to fill out.
I have also made a personal decision as far as ridiculous parents go- if they become angry or disrespectful

during a conference, I am going to say "I am ending this conference because I think we need to meet in the presence of the principal. If you have further questions or comments you can bring them to that meeting" and then I will LEAVE. I am NOT letting parents blame me for the fact that their children can't behave. If they are so uneducated that they think YELLING at the teacher is appropriate, then I will not try to help them alone. I was not hired to be a counselor to parents who can't handle their feelings properly.

I guess my resolve is to take things into my own hands, to teach how I need to teach in order to feel successful and to enjoy my job. I challenge them to fire me, if they don't like it how I am teaching. They won't. And if I start to feel like it is just TOO much to handle, then I will take a sick day or a personal day. It's unfortunate that my kids will miss a real day of learning, but really I am saving them from having me there feeling like a bear. I just realize from reading these posts that teachers need to take things into their own hands, not CONFORM and bow down to these demands, and set limits on what they can and will be able to do. We need to say no more often and administrators (and state education people) need to feel like they DON'T have our support on some of this. As long as we keep doing all of these things that they want us to do, they will keep expecting it. I feel better, believe it or not, even though I am still SAD that this will never change.