New LEAP related coaching position mandates (unfunded mandates from DCPS)

[Anonymous]

I'm a DCPS teacher and I think this is a good idea.

Most schools already have a reading coach, and I think adding a math coach is a much needed change. Many elementary teachers are not prepared to teach math the way it is being taught now because they never learned it like that themselves. The difficult part will certainly be in finding highly qualified math coaches, but if they can, then I think it will be a positive change for teachers and students.

[Anonymous]

Are principals subject matter experts in all contents? No, at least the MEs were. Also now there will be observation free blocks of periods for innovation, finally DCPS has realized that good teaching, is not teaching to a pre-described checklist which they have been pushing for 5 years. The rest of the country has been following DCPS, now they suddenly switched up the program because it was not innovative or producing the results. Mind you having 12-year old evaluate you is not any better. DCPS spent 5 years churning and burning, now here we go again.

And that is where you are wrong, my friend. These M.E.'s are NOT experts in the content areas. Most have never even taught in D.C.P.S. schools and have never had to be highly effective under IMPACT. So how can a recent college grad who taught for 2-4 years tell a veteran teacher who has dedicated his or her career to the youth of D.C.? Ask a teacher if they have had any helpful advise from a M.E. and the answer will likely be a resounding no. And as for the innovation blocks. Watch how DCPS spins it. It will be something completely different from what it sounds like initially. D.C.P.S. cannot be trusted. As soon as something is working they pull the rug out and try something else. They don't care about the kids or the teachers. It is all one big social experiment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a DCPS teacher and I think this is a good idea.

Most schools already have a reading coach, and I think adding a math coach is a much needed change. Many elementary teachers are not prepared to teach math the way it is being taught now because they never learned it like that themselves. The difficult part will certainly be in finding highly qualified math coaches, but if they can, then I think it will be a positive change for teachers and students.

I agree that the idea of a math coach and a reading coach in every building is a great idea. No complaints with that idea. The problem I have with it is that they are mandating it without providing the financial resources to implement it, which means that other instructional staff will need to be cut in order to squeeze these in.

[Anonymous]

Will schools fire people or just rename existing positions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will schools fire people or just rename existing positions?

None of that has been discussed. Typical DCPS. I heard rumors that there will be some shifting of bodies as Instructional Coaches and former M.E.s jockey for the same positions. We will see how this all plays out though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will schools fire people or just rename existing positions?

None of that has been discussed. Typical DCPS. I heard rumors that there will be some shifting of bodies as Instructional Coaches and former M.E.s jockey for the same positions. We will see how this all plays out though.

Teachers are also being tapped!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Are principals subject matter experts in all contents? No, at least the MEs were. Also now there will be observation free blocks of periods for innovation, finally DCPS has realized that good teaching, is not teaching to a pre-described checklist which they have been pushing for 5 years. The rest of the country has been following DCPS, now they suddenly switched up the program because it was not innovative or producing the results. Mind you having 12-year old evaluate you is not any better. DCPS spent 5 years churning and burning, now here we go again.

And that is where you are wrong, my friend. These M.E.'s are NOT experts in the content areas. Most have never even taught in D.C.P.S. schools and have never had to be highly effective under IMPACT. So how can a recent college grad who taught for 2-4 years tell a veteran teacher who has dedicated his or her career to the youth of D.C.? Ask a teacher if they have had any helpful advise from a M.E. and the answer will likely be a resounding no. And as for the innovation blocks. Watch how DCPS spins it. It will be something completely different from what it sounds like initially. D.C.P.S. cannot be trusted. As soon as something is working they pull the rug out and try something else. They don't care about the kids or the teachers. It is all one big social experiment.

Neither are principals, maybe math and English but not all high school subjects that's for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are principals subject matter experts in all contents? No, at least the MEs were. Also now there will be observation free blocks of periods for innovation, finally DCPS has realized that good teaching, is not teaching to a pre-described checklist which they have been pushing for 5 years. The rest of the country has been following DCPS, now they suddenly switched up the program because it was not innovative or producing the results. Mind you having 12-year old evaluate you is not any better. DCPS spent 5 years churning and burning, now here we go again.

And that is where you are wrong, my friend. These M.E.'s are NOT experts in the content areas. Most have never even taught in D.C.P.S. schools and have never had to be highly effective under IMPACT. So how can a recent college grad who taught for 2-4 years tell a veteran teacher who has dedicated his or her career to the youth of D.C.? Ask a teacher if they have had any helpful advise from a M.E. and the answer will likely be a resounding no. And as for the innovation blocks. Watch how DCPS spins it. It will be something completely different from what it sounds like initially. D.C.P.S. cannot be trusted. As soon as something is working they pull the rug out and try something else. They don't care about the kids or the teachers. It is all one big social experiment.

Neither are principals, maybe math and English but not all high school subjects that's for sure.

So basically, we basically we are going back to how it was before with principals doing the observations!!! Way to go DCPS, thanks for wasting the past 5 years. Oh, and in all this time why are we still writing curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Was the LEAP information as posted by Jason Kamras cancelled?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will schools fire people or just rename existing positions?

I know in some cases schools will have to let staff go. They are not providing funding for this, so if you don't have the right people, some folks will have to go to meet the position requirements. And these new folks are not there to work with the kids, but the teachers. So, on net, it is the kids who get the shaft, especially those who need more attention. I don't have a problem with the concept, just that DC is claiming that it is "cost neutral" -- it is not "cost neutral" for the schools that they are dumping this on. I assume that this is how central is paying for its new programs this year.

[Anonymous]

Prior teacher, not a DCPS teacher or admin or on LSAT and I feel I have more understanding of this issue than most posting on here.

It HAS been brought to the union. they have already commented on it.

It is in response to teacher complaints they were getting evaluated on a 10 min observation, yet not providing resources to get better.

There are great teachers, many whom can provide feedback to other teachers who are new or struggling. These sessions with the content experts are meant to teach each other and create uniformity among classrooms. Teacher planning periods already do this when teachers spontaneously meet to "vent" about their challenges.

I don't see this as a bad thing at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prior teacher, not a DCPS teacher or admin or on LSAT and I feel I have more understanding of this issue than most posting on here.

It HAS been brought to the union. they have already commented on it.

It is in response to teacher complaints they were getting evaluated on a 10 min observation, yet not providing resources to get better.

There are great teachers, many whom can provide feedback to other teachers who are new or struggling. These sessions with the content experts are meant to teach each other and create uniformity among classrooms. Teacher planning periods already do this when teachers spontaneously meet to "vent" about their challenges.

I don't see this as a bad thing at all.

That is all great, but then DCPS should take the money that they spent before in central and give it to the schools to implement it, and not foist an unfunded mandate on them. This is a substantial real hit to many schools' budgets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prior teacher, not a DCPS teacher or admin or on LSAT and I feel I have more understanding of this issue than most posting on here.

It HAS been brought to the union. they have already commented on it.

It is in response to teacher complaints they were getting evaluated on a 10 min observation, yet not providing resources to get better.

There are great teachers, many whom can provide feedback to other teachers who are new or struggling. These sessions with the content experts are meant to teach each other and create uniformity among classrooms. Teacher planning periods already do this when teachers spontaneously meet to "vent" about their challenges.

I don't see this as a bad thing at all.

That is all great, but then DCPS should take the money that they spent before in central and give it to the schools to implement it, and not foist an unfunded mandate on them. This is a substantial real hit to many schools' budgets.

My understanding is that the schools are in charge of teacher training. The training effectiveness has been questioned by the teachers and admin. This was a development created to address real and localized issues that vary by school instead of a one-size-fits all training brought on my DCPS. These schools already have that funding- it was just used for teacher training before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prior teacher, not a DCPS teacher or admin or on LSAT and I feel I have more understanding of this issue than most posting on here.

It HAS been brought to the union. they have already commented on it.

It is in response to teacher complaints they were getting evaluated on a 10 min observation, yet not providing resources to get better.

There are great teachers, many whom can provide feedback to other teachers who are new or struggling. These sessions with the content experts are meant to teach each other and create uniformity among classrooms. Teacher planning periods already do this when teachers spontaneously meet to "vent" about their challenges.

I don't see this as a bad thing at all.

That is all great, but then DCPS should take the money that they spent before in central and give it to the schools to implement it, and not foist an unfunded mandate on them. This is a substantial real hit to many schools' budgets.

My understanding is that the schools are in charge of teacher training. The training effectiveness has been questioned by the teachers and admin. This was a development created to address real and localized issues that vary by school instead of a one-size-fits all training brought on my DCPS. These schools already have that funding- it was just used for teacher training before.

I can tell you that we have no funding for this. The funding was previously picked up by central. This means real cuts to schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prior teacher, not a DCPS teacher or admin or on LSAT and I feel I have more understanding of this issue than most posting on here.

It HAS been brought to the union. they have already commented on it.

It is in response to teacher complaints they were getting evaluated on a 10 min observation, yet not providing resources to get better.

There are great teachers, many whom can provide feedback to other teachers who are new or struggling. These sessions with the content experts are meant to teach each other and create uniformity among classrooms. Teacher planning periods already do this when teachers spontaneously meet to "vent" about their challenges.

I don't see this as a bad thing at all.

That is all great, but then DCPS should take the money that they spent before in central and give it to the schools to implement it, and not foist an unfunded mandate on them. This is a substantial real hit to many schools' budgets.

Keep in mind this budget is a proposal. Council still has to approve, right?

So... did anyone go to the Budget meeting with the Mayor last night to express your opinion? Are you reaching out to your councilmember and/or to Grosso?

Stop complaining and start lobbying people!

My understanding is that the schools are in charge of teacher training. The training effectiveness has been questioned by the teachers and admin. This was a development created to address real and localized issues that vary by school instead of a one-size-fits all training brought on my DCPS. These schools already have that funding- it was just used for teacher training before.

I can tell you that we have no funding for this. The funding was previously picked up by central. This means real cuts to schools.