RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

I have a coteacher but only in title. Most times she doesn't show up. Occasionally she'll walk in for five minutes and either be on her phone, trying to take over a lesson and messing it up and confusing the kids as to why she's there, or criticizing how I'm teaching/showing something. I usually smile and "mmhmm" and ignore her but today it was like something cracked. Once or twice she's apologized for the way something had come out, saying that she didn't mean to sound harsh and I usually just think "lady, if you knew the real me I could make you cry." But we have to put on this facade, right? Because we're really just puppets.......sorry, I'm rambling.

I'm trying to explain an activity to my 3-6 summer camp and they're not getting it so I'm like ok I'll show them and explain. Here she walks in and sees they are a little confused so she starts criticizing me. "Oh, you have to explain it to them first. They don't understand." No shit sherlock. "No, you're not showing it and explaining it right." Then she gives me a suggestion and I do it to appease her. "Oh, you're not doing it right. You're confusing them. You have to say it like this. They don't understand." She starts explaining it to them in KOREAN. And I look away momentarily to pick some thing up. "Look at me, you need to pay attention to what I'm doing." Umm, excuse me?! Did you just talk to me like a child? So basically we got into an argument (unprofessional, I know  ) in front of them. I pretty much said what I've been wanting to. If you were actually here doing your job, we wouldn't be going through this. You come in here criticizing me when I literally ALREADY did all of your suggestions and you try to do it in english and realize they only half way get it so you start speaking korean. I wouldn't have done this activity in the first place if you hadn't told me to do it. UGGGHHH! 

I know this post is too long and probably a mess but I'm really frustrated.

I have a coteacher but only in title. Most times she doesn't show up. Occasionally she'll walk in for five minutes and either be on her phone, trying to take over a lesson and messing it up and confusing the kids as to why she's there, or criticizing how I'm teaching/showing something. I usually smile and "mmhmm" and ignore her but today it was like something cracked. Once or twice she's apologized for the way something had come out, saying that she didn't mean to sound harsh and I usually just think "lady, if you knew the real me I could make you cry." But we have to put on this facade, right? Because we're really just puppets.......sorry, I'm rambling.

I'm trying to explain an activity to my 3-6 summer camp and they're not getting it so I'm like ok I'll show them and explain. Here she walks in and sees they are a little confused so she starts criticizing me. "Oh, you have to explain it to them first. They don't understand." No shit sherlock. "No, you're not showing it and explaining it right." Then she gives me a suggestion and I do it to appease her. "Oh, you're not doing it right. You're confusing them. You have to say it like this. They don't understand." She starts explaining it to them in KOREAN. And I look away momentarily to pick some thing up. "Look at me, you need to pay attention to what I'm doing." Umm, excuse me?! Did you just talk to me like a child? So basically we got into an argument (unprofessional, I know  ) in front of them. I pretty much said what I've been wanting to. If you were actually here doing your job, we wouldn't be going through this. You come in here criticizing me when I literally ALREADY did all of your suggestions and you try to do it in english and realize they only half way get it so you start speaking korean. I wouldn't have done this activity in the first place if you hadn't have  told me to do it. UGGGHHH! 

I know this post is too long and probably a mess but I'm really frustrated.

Ugghhhhhhh, the Korean thing drives me insane. I understand the need for it sometimes but it goes way too far sometimes. I can explain 7UP to a class of grade 3 students, it's not rocket science. I asked a grade 5 class what numbers they had pulled from the box (1-12) and I said one my Co-T would say 일번. Two --> 이번.

They're in grade 5, they know how to count to twelve. JESUS. 

I have a coteacher but only in title. Most times she doesn't show up. Occasionally she'll walk in for five minutes and either be on her phone, trying to take over a lesson and messing it up and confusing the kids as to why she's there, or criticizing how I'm teaching/showing something. I usually smile and "mmhmm" and ignore her but today it was like something cracked. Once or twice she's apologized for the way something had come out, saying that she didn't mean to sound harsh and I usually just think "lady, if you knew the real me I could make you cry." But we have to put on this facade, right? Because we're really just puppets.......sorry, I'm rambling.

I'm trying to explain an activity to my 3-6 summer camp and they're not getting it so I'm like ok I'll show them and explain. Here she walks in and sees they are a little confused so she starts criticizing me. "Oh, you have to explain it to them first. They don't understand." No shit sherlock. "No, you're not showing it and explaining it right." Then she gives me a suggestion and I do it to appease her. "Oh, you're not doing it right. You're confusing them. You have to say it like this. They don't understand." She starts explaining it to them in KOREAN. And I look away momentarily to pick some thing up. "Look at me, you need to pay attention to what I'm doing." Umm, excuse me?! Did you just talk to me like a child? So basically we got into an argument (unprofessional, I know  ) in front of them. I pretty much said what I've been wanting to. If you were actually here doing your job, we wouldn't be going through this. You come in here criticizing me when I literally ALREADY did all of your suggestions and you try to do it in english and realize they only half way get it so you start speaking korean. I wouldn't have done this activity in the first place if you hadn't have  told me to do it. UGGGHHH! 

I know this post is too long and probably a mess but I'm really frustrated.

Ugghhhhhhh, the Korean thing drives me insane. I understand the need for it sometimes but it goes way too far sometimes. I can explain 7UP to a class of grade 3 students, it's not rocket science. I asked a grade 5 class what numbers they had pulled from the box (1-12) and I said one my Co-T would say 일번. Two --> 이번.

They're in grade 5, they know how to count to twelve. JESUS.

My elem. coT annoys me with numbers too. All of our students (grades 3 & up) know how to count to at least ten. But she insists on saying numbers in Korean. 

I'm so stressed out and already emotionally drained from camp and the drama. The kids are great but the coteachers are making such a big deal about everything. My lessons aren't even that complex and a couple of coteachers are acting like it's the end of the world. I just wanted the kids to have fun...

My Co-T loves showing this video and I cringe every time I see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzw5MWr-SZY

I cringe at the voice acting, I HATE THE VOICES IN THIS VIDEO. IT'S THE SAME SOUND OVER OVER AND OVER. "이이이 오우? 오우?? 오우~~~~~? I cringe at the animation. It looks like it was made in 17 frames per second. It's not fluid. It's the ugliest baby ever put to film.

I detest this video so much. 

Backstory: My CT bought a bunch of random stuff for camp. Including 10 plastic files. I typically use them for board games so the kids can write on them and I re-use the boards. I have 20 or so I've been using and cleaning for the past couple of years.

This conversation just happened with my CT;

Me: So tomorrow we're playing connect 4. they'll work in pairs get the board etc.
Her: But we only bought 10 plastic files.
Me: Nah, we're good I have mine.
Her: Yours are dirty. We only have 10 files.
Me: Okay.

Her, respectively and at an increasing volume: We only have 10 plastic files.
My responses in order.
1. Um, okay.
2. Uh...
3. ....

She just stopped talking and walked away. I'm not sure how she expects me to solve this problem for her.

Ugghhhhhhh, the Korean thing drives me insane. I understand the need for it sometimes but it goes way too far sometimes. I can explain 7UP to a class of grade 3 students, it's not rocket science. I asked a grade 5 class what numbers they had pulled from the box (1-12) and I said one my Co-T would say 일번. Two --> 이번.

My elem. coT annoys me with numbers too. All of our students (grades 3 & up) know how to count to at least ten. But she insists on saying numbers in Korean. 

But then deviate from the lesson plan and try to explain a complex concept beyond where they are in their regular Korean-presented education in English?

My gripe is that there's seemingly no water in the building I'm teaching in this week yet nobody to report it to. Today I was the water bearer. Tomorrow onwards its being delegated to a new student per day. We're working around the problem, but that's besides the point: Why is there suddenly no water in the midst of summer? What happens if something more serious goes awry?

I cringe at the voice acting, I HATE THE VOICES IN THIS VIDEO. IT'S THE SAME SOUND OVER OVER AND OVER. "이이이 오우? 오우?? 오우~~~~~? I cringe at the animation. It looks like it was made in 17 frames per second. It's not fluid. It's the ugliest baby ever put to film.

I detest this video so much.

One of the best rants I've ever read. I especially love the last-minute slam of the ugly baby. A+

They are doing VERY loud construction in the rooms above, next to and below mine. I can't hear myself think nevermind teach 20 grade 3s & 4s camp (without a co-teacher).

Also in my grade 5/6 camp there are hardly any kids but 4 of the 7 are just asshole boys. I cannot wait for this hell to be over and I'm on a plane getting tfo of here for a while. 

Backstory: My CT bought a bunch of random stuff for camp. Including 10 plastic files. I typically use them for board games so the kids can write on them and I re-use the boards. I have 20 or so I've been using and cleaning for the past couple of years.

This conversation just happened with my CT;

Me: So tomorrow we're playing connect 4. they'll work in pairs get the board etc.
Her: But we only bought 10 plastic files.
Me: Nah, we're good I have mine.
Her: Yours are dirty. We only have 10 files.
Me: Okay.

Her, respectively and at an increasing volume: We only have 10 plastic files.
My responses in order.
1. Um, okay.
2. Uh...
3. ....

She just stopped talking and walked away. I'm not sure how she expects me to solve this problem for her.

Do you have a laminate machine? I usually laminate stuff like that then I can clean and use again forever.

My Co-T loves showing this video and I cringe every time I see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzw5MWr-SZY

I cringe at the voice acting, I HATE THE VOICES IN THIS VIDEO. IT'S THE SAME SOUND OVER OVER AND OVER. "이이이 오우? 오우?? 오우~~~~~? I cringe at the animation. It looks like it was made in 17 frames per second. It's not fluid. It's the ugliest baby ever put to film.

I detest this video so much.

That's probably the ugliest cartoon baby I've ever seen  The video creeps me out for some reason. Do the kids at least like it?

That's probably the ugliest cartoon baby I've ever seen  The video creeps me out for some reason. Do the kids at least like it?

The kids really love the ball gag towards the end. 

Backstory: My CT bought a bunch of random stuff for camp. Including 10 plastic files. I typically use them for board games so the kids can write on them and I re-use the boards. I have 20 or so I've been using and cleaning for the past couple of years.

This conversation just happened with my CT;

Me: So tomorrow we're playing connect 4. they'll work in pairs get the board etc.
Her: But we only bought 10 plastic files.
Me: Nah, we're good I have mine.
Her: Yours are dirty. We only have 10 files.
Me: Okay.

Her, respectively and at an increasing volume: We only have 10 plastic files.
My responses in order.
1. Um, okay.
2. Uh...
3. ....

She just stopped talking and walked away. I'm not sure how she expects me to solve this problem for her.

Do you have a laminate machine? I usually laminate stuff like that then I can clean and use again forever.

It sounds like they are already plastic and are cleanable and reusable. The co-teacher is just unhappy with some little bit of residue that's leftover after multiple uses.

It sounds like they are already plastic and are cleanable and reusable. The co-teacher is just unhappy with some little bit of residue that's leftover after multiple uses.

I got that, I was just offering another way that they could make some more if they only have 10 plastic files. If there's a laminate machine with some laminate sheets lying around, which has always been the case for me, they could use that and not have to use the evil dirty plastic files that the co-teacher is averse to.

They are doing VERY loud construction in the rooms above, next to and below mine. I can't hear myself think nevermind teach 20 grade 3s & 4s camp (without a co-teacher).

Yeah, I remember at my very first winter camp at my first public school several years ago, there was a lot of construction going on in the cafeteria -- and the cafeteria happened to be directly below the English classroom. It was very hard to teach/do the activities over all that noise.

It sounds like they are already plastic and are cleanable and reusable. The co-teacher is just unhappy with some little bit of residue that's leftover after multiple uses.

I got that, I was just offering another way that they could make some more if they only have 10 plastic files. If there's a laminate machine with some laminate sheets lying around, which has always been the case for me, they could use that and not have to use the evil dirty plastic files that the co-teacher is averse to.

Yeah, I would do this but my camp is actually a custom English board game camp. If I laminated it I would be doing hundreds of sheets of laminate as opposed to buying 2 more clear plastic files. 

Why she thinks her problem with dirty pieces of plastic concerns me is bewildering. They won't give me the school credit cards to buy them, they don't provide them at the school (the one's I have I purchased by myself) and I'm leaving so ain't dropping another penny on this job.

I think she's pissed I didn't tell her to buy more at the time we were there but I didn't know how many kids were in my camp until Monday morning or even that a CT would be there till Friday. 

It sounds like they are already plastic and are cleanable and reusable. The co-teacher is just unhappy with some little bit of residue that's leftover after multiple uses.

I got that, I was just offering another way that they could make some more if they only have 10 plastic files. If there's a laminate machine with some laminate sheets lying around, which has always been the case for me, they could use that and not have to use the evil dirty plastic files that the co-teacher is averse to.

Yeah, I would do this but my camp is actually a custom English board game camp. If I laminated it I would be doing hundreds of sheets of laminate as opposed to buying 2 more clear plastic files. 

Why she thinks her problem with dirty pieces of plastic concerns me is bewildering. They won't give me the school credit cards to buy them, they don't provide them at the school (the one's I have I purchased by myself) and I'm leaving so ain't dropping another penny on this job.

I think she's pissed I didn't tell her to buy more at the time we were there but I didn't know how many kids were in my camp until Monday morning or even that a CT would be there till Friday.

This is quite odd.

Typically, students have to return a "sign-up slip" well in advance of the camp.  How or why you wouldn't have known until the first day of camp doesn't make any sense.

I will collect the slips, make groups, roll books, etc. days/sometimes weeks prior.

Again, it just doesn't seem realistic or honest to say nobody knew until the first day of camp.

I've never heard such nonsense, nor can I believe it to be true.

It sounds like they are already plastic and are cleanable and reusable. The co-teacher is just unhappy with some little bit of residue that's leftover after multiple uses.

I got that, I was just offering another way that they could make some more if they only have 10 plastic files. If there's a laminate machine with some laminate sheets lying around, which has always been the case for me, they could use that and not have to use the evil dirty plastic files that the co-teacher is averse to.

Yeah, I would do this but my camp is actually a custom English board game camp. If I laminated it I would be doing hundreds of sheets of laminate as opposed to buying 2 more clear plastic files. 

Why she thinks her problem with dirty pieces of plastic concerns me is bewildering. They won't give me the school credit cards to buy them, they don't provide them at the school (the one's I have I purchased by myself) and I'm leaving so ain't dropping another penny on this job.

I think she's pissed I didn't tell her to buy more at the time we were there but I didn't know how many kids were in my camp until Monday morning or even that a CT would be there till Friday.

This is quite odd.

Typically, students have to return a "sign-up slip" well in advance of the camp.  How or why you wouldn't have known until the first day of camp doesn't make any sense.

I will collect the slips, make groups, roll books, etc. days/sometimes weeks prior.

Again, it just doesn't seem realistic or honest to say nobody knew until the first day of camp.

I've never heard such nonsense, nor can I believe it to be true.

To clarify. I asked and was told the same as last year. No lists were given as they 'weren't ready yet' until the Monday morning. (I'll assume late Friday.)

Last year my two camp sections had 14 and 18. I split the difference and assumed 16. Each section this year has 24. Pair games require 12 plastic sheets. We bought 10. I have 20 ready to go but whatever.

Collecting sheets, organizing lists etc. is not my job. I knew most of the kids who were coming because they told me beforehand. I wasn't doing a head count though.

This lady couldn't find her way out of a 1 door room though. It's not all that surprising.

It sounds like they are already plastic and are cleanable and reusable. The co-teacher is just unhappy with some little bit of residue that's leftover after multiple uses.

I got that, I was just offering another way that they could make some more if they only have 10 plastic files. If there's a laminate machine with some laminate sheets lying around, which has always been the case for me, they could use that and not have to use the evil dirty plastic files that the co-teacher is averse to.

Yeah, I would do this but my camp is actually a custom English board game camp. If I laminated it I would be doing hundreds of sheets of laminate as opposed to buying 2 more clear plastic files. 

Why she thinks her problem with dirty pieces of plastic concerns me is bewildering. They won't give me the school credit cards to buy them, they don't provide them at the school (the one's I have I purchased by myself) and I'm leaving so ain't dropping another penny on this job.

I think she's pissed I didn't tell her to buy more at the time we were there but I didn't know how many kids were in my camp until Monday morning or even that a CT would be there till Friday.

This is quite odd.

Typically, students have to return a "sign-up slip" well in advance of the camp.  How or why you wouldn't have known until the first day of camp doesn't make any sense.

I will collect the slips, make groups, roll books, etc. days/sometimes weeks prior.

Again, it just doesn't seem realistic or honest to say nobody knew until the first day of camp.

I've never heard such nonsense, nor can I believe it to be true.

To clarify. I asked and was told the same as last year. No lists were given as they 'weren't ready yet' until the Monday morning. (I'll assume late Friday.)

Last year my two camp sections had 14 and 18. I split the difference and assumed 16. Each section this year has 24. Pair games require 12 plastic sheets. We bought 10. I have 20 ready to go but whatever.

Collecting sheets, organizing lists etc. is not my job. I knew most of the kids who were coming because they told me beforehand. I wasn't doing a head count though.

This lady couldn't find her way out of a 1 door room though. It's not all that surprising.

Thanks for clarifying.

It was known, but she just didn't seem concerned with providing you with the information.

If I had a coteacher like that, Uffdah...

Hang tough.  It will be over before you know it ;)

Just wrapped up my first day of summer camp. I still feel lost...

Me too.

 It was pretty pointless it seems. The turn out isn't so great. Oh well. The kids that did show up seemed to enjoy their time. Good thing I had a ton of games and stuff to keep them occupied.

I just dont know if I should actually be attempting to teach English at this thing.

this is the unspoken rule of camp: don't try to teach.

nobody wants to be there, so the resentment is already apparent. that being said, there are definitely exceptions. i had a handful of amazing camp days that usually involved a big activity: making pancakes, a paper airplane contest, soccer, etc, but that can take time and effort which is in short supply when the heat is so excruciating.