I work in an inner city and this year has been h*!!. In a preK-6th elementary school, I used to teach preK-3 on a fixed schedule and 4-6 on a flexible schedule with the classroom teachers for the older kids. I got use of the computer lab a couple of years ago and this year actually got a Smart Board!! (Yea!!) I fought for and scheduled an Open Check out block which was great. However, this year I had to teach k-6th on a fixed schedule and the older kids nastily refuse to do anything I tried (poetry raps, PowerPoint, magazine reviews, book talks, worksheets, interactive websites, check out & free time). The rude obnoxious belligerent and sometimes dangerous behavior I received or saw was unreal. I won’t go into what we saw and the lack of consequences from administration. Now, although the art, music & PE teachers and I share the same ’specials’ schedule, my position has been cut to .5. I have gone w/ other LMS to BOE meetings to rally support, but to no avail. Most have f/t LMS, but some of our schools in the district have eliminated them. I am still trying to find out where I will be next year. The choices are not pleasant. I emailed one administrator with a copy of my resume (I’ve worked as a LMS for 10 years now & 15 in public libraries) and he just responded that he has over 750 (k-8) students and needs a f/t person to cover his teacher’s preps. Most of us teach 30 classes per week. Sometimes w/ no technology available to us at all. And just today, during a teacher presentation by our principal, she ended the ‘technology information’ session stressing how important technology is to our students. She asked if we had any suggestions how we could beef it up. I said, “Yes, let the LMS do the job they are hired to do!”

It isn’t fun anymore. Not where I am.