How do you teach a subject you barely know?

[Kae]

Quite an interesting moral dilemma, hahaha but I'm going to tell you that you will only get the bad ending no matter what you choose, that means I think you're screwed. I mean you have to choose between teaching something that you don't know about which you can't do even if you try or getting fired. So yeah, you're kind of fucked, hope you can find a solution though and good luck, you'll need it.

 

[Zaik]

The school should hand you a lessonbook detailing what to do, assuming you're in the US. They're handed that from the government, and you'd be doing it whether you had a doctorate in the subject or were a substitute teacher with nothing but housewife-at-17 credentials. As long as you do what is in the book and don't do anything socially unacceptable or flat out insubordination, you can pull your Invincible Union card out for any other issues and you too will be invincible.

I don't like it either, but that is how the game is played. Unless you're not in the US, in which case I'm just running off at the mouth.

 

[Paksenarrion]

Tell the people who are telling you to teach chorus that you don't know how. Seems like the most logical thing to do.

Unfortunately I need the work and I am afraid I would be fired if I didn't teach it. My boss isn't too keen on keeping me up to date on the goings on with the program. so I have had to hit the ground running with every program.

Welcome aboard, fellow teacher! We are the most underpaid, under-appreciated, and overworked profession in my opinion.

*Wall of text from someone who is obviously not a teacher.*

As a teacher, you are in charge of 30+ students per class, depending on which grade level you're teaching. You don't just teach a lesson and that's it. It's not a "fire and forget" missile. You do everything in your power to make sure your students understand what you're teaching, why you're teaching it, and how they can use it in life. Teachers work during weekends and during "summer vacation". And, depending on where you are teaching, you also have to deal with gang violence, bullying, domestic abuse...and you are tied down by numerous restrictions and liabilities. This is a very condensed summary of what a teacher must deal with.

Also, who says fellow teachers can't commiserate about our profession? Does it really irk you to hear that teachers are human, too?

 

[Lilani]

Learn what you can from outside sources, and when in doubt talk to the students. You'll be amazed at how much they can help you

 

[Nouw]

Tell the people who are telling you to teach chorus that you don't know how. Seems like the most logical thing to do.

This and then ask for another job.

It'd be a massive waste of time which is pointless.

 

[PhiMed]

Tell the people who are telling you to teach chorus that you don't know how. Seems like the most logical thing to do.

Unfortunately I need the work and I am afraid I would be fired if I didn't teach it. My boss isn't too keen on keeping me up to date on the goings on with the program. so I have had to hit the ground running with every program.

Welcome aboard, fellow teacher! We are the most underpaid, under-appreciated, and overworked profession in my opinion.

*Wall of text from someone who is obviously not a teacher.*

As a teacher, you are in charge of 30+ students per class, depending on which grade level you're teaching. You don't just teach a lesson and that's it. It's not a "fire and forget" missile. You do everything in your power to make sure your students understand what you're teaching, why you're teaching it, and how they can use it in life. Teachers work during weekends and during "summer vacation". And, depending on where you are teaching, you also have to deal with gang violence, bullying, domestic abuse...and you are tied down by numerous restrictions and liabilities. This is a very condensed summary of what a teacher must deal with.

Also, who says fellow teachers can't commiserate about our profession? Does it really irk you to hear that teachers are human, too?

When teachers work during the summer, they are paid for it. In most cases, they're paid extra for working weekends, too. You know that. You have to keep track of things as the year goes on? Oh noes! That's only exactly like every job with any responsibility ever!

I could give you a list of things that suck about my job, too. We could compare hours, liability, restrictions, exposure to violence or physical harm, reasonableness of responsibilities, and vacation time, and I almost guarantee I would trump you in pretty much every category except pay. I most likely make more than you, but that's because my job requires more hours, less vacation time, more education, and more legal and physical risk. Those things, however, don't mean my job is harder than yours, and I don't harp on them whenever someone so much as mentions my job. This is what separates me from the vast majority of teachers.

If it was only commiseration, no, that wouldn't be a problem. But this has been the chorus of every teacher who appears on a talk show and every teacher who speaks in a forum for at least the past twenty years. Give a teacher a microphone and an audience, and he or she will be talking about the trials and tribulations of teachers (whether that's the subject of discussion or not) within five minutes. Put a teacher next to someone with a microphone, and that person will be talking about how we should pay teachers more almost as quickly.

Think about it. When's the last time you saw a teacher as a guest on a television show when both of these things failed to happen: 1)The teacher decried the status of teachers. 2) The host kissed teachers' butts. There isn't another group of professionals in the nation who whine as much about their jobs.

 

[Paksenarrion]

Tell the people who are telling you to teach chorus that you don't know how. Seems like the most logical thing to do.

Unfortunately I need the work and I am afraid I would be fired if I didn't teach it. My boss isn't too keen on keeping me up to date on the goings on with the program. so I have had to hit the ground running with every program.

Welcome aboard, fellow teacher! We are the most underpaid, under-appreciated, and overworked profession in my opinion.

*Wall of text from someone who is obviously not a teacher.*

As a teacher, you are in charge of 30+ students per class, depending on which grade level you're teaching. You don't just teach a lesson and that's it. It's not a "fire and forget" missile. You do everything in your power to make sure your students understand what you're teaching, why you're teaching it, and how they can use it in life. Teachers work during weekends and during "summer vacation". And, depending on where you are teaching, you also have to deal with gang violence, bullying, domestic abuse...and you are tied down by numerous restrictions and liabilities. This is a very condensed summary of what a teacher must deal with.

Also, who says fellow teachers can't commiserate about our profession? Does it really irk you to hear that teachers are human, too?

When teachers work during the summer, they are paid for it. In most cases, they're paid extra for working weekends, too. You know that. You have to keep track of things as the year goes on? Oh noes! That's only exactly like every job with any responsibility ever!

I could give you a list of things that suck about my job, too. We could compare hours, liability, restrictions, exposure to violence or physical harm, reasonableness of responsibilities, and vacation time, and I almost guarantee I would trump you in pretty much every category except pay. I most likely make more than you, but that's because my job requires more hours, less vacation time, more education, and more legal and physical risk. Those things, however, don't mean my job is harder than yours, and I don't harp on them whenever someone so much as mentions my job. This is what separates me from the vast majority of teachers.

If it was only commiseration, no, that wouldn't be a problem. But this has been the chorus of every teacher who appears on a talk show and every teacher who speaks in a forum for at least the past twenty years. Give a teacher a microphone and an audience, and he or she will be talking about the trials and tribulations of teachers (whether that's the subject of discussion or not) within five minutes. Put a teacher next to someone with a microphone, and that person will be talking about how we should pay teachers more almost as quickly.

Think about it. When's the last time you saw a teacher as a guest on a television show when both of these things failed to happen: 1)The teacher decried the status of teachers. 2) The host kissed teachers' butts. There isn't another group of professionals in the nation who whine as much about their jobs.

Really? Teachers get paid for what they do over the weekend and summer break? Please, do tell me where this magical school district exists. I highly doubt it's a public school. And teachers don't just keep track of "things", we keep track of people. Every choice we make has consequences, and only airport traffic controllers make more decisions than we do each day. And any teacher can tell you that vacation time is prep time. It's also a time to get over sickness and sleep for a good 8-10 hours instead of 2-6.

What show have you been watching? I've yet to see a show where the things that irk you so much happen...then again, give any person from any professional a microphone and have them commiserate the ups and downs of their job, and you will find a sympathetic audience.

I get the feeling you want me to ask what your job is, so I'll bite: are you a Marine? Are you an NCO, in charge of a fireteam, or a squad, or an entire rifle platoon? Corporal? Sargeant? Staff Sargeant? What are you doing arguing on the internet, Devil Dog?

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Here's the thing: You don't.

You really have three options:

Don't teach it.
Learn more before or while teaching it.
Teach it poorly.

 

[Slippers]

You don't, simple as that.

A teacher must have 3 times the knoweledge the students have to be good teachers.

 

[PhiMed]

Every choice we make has consequences, and only airport traffic controllers make more decisions than we do each day.

I can't tell whether we've stepped into the world of hyperbole, or the world of delusion.

 

[Paksenarrion]

Every choice we make has consequences, and only airport traffic controllers make more decisions than we do each day.

I can't tell whether we've stepped into the world of hyperbole, or the world of delusion.

We're discussing our respective professions, so it's subjective.

Very subjective.

 

[PhiMed]

Every choice we make has consequences, and only airport traffic controllers make more decisions than we do each day.

I can't tell whether we've stepped into the world of hyperbole, or the world of delusion.

We're discussing our respective professions, so it's subjective.

Very subjective.

So I guess that answers that: Delusion.

 

[El Poncho]

Tell them to get into groups and make their own version of some song and you will judge who is best?

Avoids you having to sing I guess.

 

[EightGaugeHippo]

Memorise Wikipedia.

 

[PhiMed]

I get the feeling you want me to ask what your job is, so I'll bite: are you a Marine? Are you an NCO, in charge of a fireteam, or a squad, or an entire rifle platoon? Corporal? Sargeant? Staff Sargeant? What are you doing arguing on the internet, Devil Dog?

And no. I'm a physician. It's a good thing you're a teacher, because you're a terrible detective.

 

[Paksenarrion]

Every choice we make has consequences, and only airport traffic controllers make more decisions than we do each day.

I can't tell whether we've stepped into the world of hyperbole, or the world of delusion.

We're discussing our respective professions, so it's subjective.

Very subjective.

So I guess that answers that: Delusion.

Did you just call us both delusional? Well, you're the medical expert. I can't fault your logic.

Explains how medical bills are calculated, though.

 

[Paksenarrion]

I get the feeling you want me to ask what your job is, so I'll bite: are you a Marine? Are you an NCO, in charge of a fireteam, or a squad, or an entire rifle platoon? Corporal? Sargeant? Staff Sargeant? What are you doing arguing on the internet, Devil Dog?

And no. I'm a physician. It's a good thing you're a teacher, because you're a terrible detective.

My apologies. I was guessing what other profession could possibly equal being personally and continually in charge of the continued health, well-being, and morale of the people placed in your hands.

...and paid shit for it.

 

[Penguinness]

Altough Paksenarrion mentions that teachers are under-appreciated, I would've thought the response would be not to teach them, as the students deserve someone who knows the subject area. Surely teachers would be more appreciated if there were more teachers assigned to areas they know, rather than screwing up the students education. I'm not saying they are many of these, but there'd be one less if this was the advice given.

Welcome aboard, fellow teacher! We are the most underpaid, under-appreciated, and overworked profession in my opinion.

Oo it's probably close, but I reckon a lower level job in the games industry is probably more underpaid and overworked, as I've been warned many times. The amount of unpaid crunch time in some places seems crazy, and a quick google of salaries looks to be equal to the lowest salary of a teacher. I guess I'll have to get in it first to find out! Though I do get the feeling that those who can't get into the games industry / don't like it, end up teaching about it instead.

 

[PhiMed]

Every choice we make has consequences, and only airport traffic controllers make more decisions than we do each day.

I can't tell whether we've stepped into the world of hyperbole, or the world of delusion.

We're discussing our respective professions, so it's subjective.

Very subjective.

So I guess that answers that: Delusion.

Did you just call us both delusional? Well, you're the medical expert. I can't fault your logic.

Explains how medical bills are calculated, though.

Last post on this. You're clearly mentally unbalanced.

No, I'm calling you delusional. Stating that "only airport traffic controllers make more decisions (with consequences) than we do each day" is not a subjective statement. Saying that it is a subjective statement means one of the following:
a) you're exaggerating (that's what hyperbole means, btw)
b) you don't understand what "subjective" means, which makes me question your qualifications as a teacher of anything
c) you have delusions of grandeur so profound that you actually believe that a teacher doing a bad job has a similar effect to an air traffic controller doing a bad job.

Sorry to break it to you, but a huge number of primary and secondary school teachers are bad. There are some amazing ones out there, and they deserve every bit of recognition they get, but at least a quarter of them are bad. Sorry, but it's true. If there were a proportionate number of bad air traffic controllers, I seriously doubt flying would be the safest possible mode of travel.

 

[Paksenarrion]

Altough Paksenarrion mentions that teachers are under-appreciated, I would've thought the response would be not to teach them, as the students deserve someone who knows the subject area. Surely teachers would be more appreciated if there were more teachers assigned to areas they know, rather than screwing up the students education. I'm not saying they are many of these, but there'd be one less if this was the advice given.

Welcome aboard, fellow teacher! We are the most underpaid, under-appreciated, and overworked profession in my opinion.

Oo it's probably close, but I reckon a lower level job in the games industry is probably more underpaid and overworked, as I've been warned many times. The amount of unpaid crunch time in some places seems crazy, and a quick google of salaries looks to be equal to the lowest salary of a teacher. I guess I'll have to get in it first to find out! Though I do get the feeling that those who can't get into the games industry / don't like it, end up teaching about it instead.

I did not know this, and am the wiser for it. Welcome to the overworked and underpaid fold. I am familiar with unpaid crunch time, and wish you success in entering your chosen field.