Steps and years of experience

[Anonymous]

My DC is a year away from finishing their degree and we're trying to figure out which would be the best places to work around here.

Do salary steps match years of experience in your district? We live in FFX and know little about neighboring districts, but I'm pretty sure they don't match in FCPS. Is there some place online where I can find this info?

Have you been getting step increases most years when you should have? Again, I think FCPS's were frozen for a long time. What about COLA?

Any other words of wisdom regarding benefits, working conditions, etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a year away from finishing their degree and we're trying to figure out which would be the best places to work around here.

Do salary steps match years of experience in your district? We live in FFX and know little about neighboring districts, but I'm pretty sure they don't match in FCPS. Is there some place online where I can find this info?

Have you been getting step increases most years when you should have? Again, I think FCPS's were frozen for a long time. What about COLA?

Any other words of wisdom regarding benefits, working conditions, etc?

Mom, let your child figure this out. This is part of becoming an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a year away from finishing their degree and we're trying to figure out which would be the best places to work around here.

Do salary steps match years of experience in your district? We live in FFX and know little about neighboring districts, but I'm pretty sure they don't match in FCPS. Is there some place online where I can find this info?

Have you been getting step increases most years when you should have? Again, I think FCPS's were frozen for a long time. What about COLA?

Any other words of wisdom regarding benefits, working conditions, etc?

Mom, let your child figure this out. This is part of becoming an adult.

+1,000 Yikes

[Anonymous]

This post should probably be moved to the jobs/career board.

[Anonymous]

I agree with letting her figure this out. But I will add that in APS steps do not equal years of service as of now, they are looking at changing some things with the pay scale this year though. Advise her to look at insurance rates as well, easily to google.
Honestly, she shouldn’t worry too much about this, so many teachers leave in the first five years and pensions and benefits are no longer good enough to keep people in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with letting her figure this out. But I will add that in APS steps do not equal years of service as of now, they are looking at changing some things with the pay scale this year though. Advise her to look at insurance rates as well, easily to google.
Honestly, she shouldn’t worry too much about this, so many teachers leave in the first five years and pensions and benefits are no longer good enough to keep people in.

This. Mom, you should be working on helping your daughter set up her back-up plan. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves. There is a good reason for that. So help her prepare for what she'll be doing in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with letting her figure this out. But I will add that in APS steps do not equal years of service as of now, they are looking at changing some things with the pay scale this year though. Advise her to look at insurance rates as well, easily to google.
Honestly, she shouldn’t worry too much about this, so many teachers leave in the first five years and pensions and benefits are no longer good enough to keep people in.

This. Mom, you should be working on helping your daughter set up her back-up plan. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves. There is a good reason for that. So help her prepare for what she'll be doing in a few years.[/quote


Listen, I’m a teacher and I agree with previous posters about mom letting daughter figure this out on her own, but not about the job. Things are tough right now, sure. Compensation could be better. However, the work is so fulfilling, and money isn’t everything. Nothing beats working with the kids. I can’t imagine a job I would rather do. There are always challenges, but I am extremely happy with my chosen profession.

[Anonymous]

Experienced teacher here- my advice, tell her although she’s years into her degree it’s not too late to change. Switch majors. I would discourage my own children from entering this field if any had an interest in teaching. It’s not remotely the same as it was 20 years ago.

If she does want to do this, it doesn’t matter. Pick any district. She can always change later. It’s good to get different perspectives from different places after a few years. Steps and benefits always change.

Whatever you do, do not go to help her set up her classroom. We have seen a couple of first year teachers bring their mothers to help decorate their rooms before school starts. It doesn’t look good. She’s an adult. She should reach out to the other staff for help, not mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Experienced teacher here- my advice, tell her although she’s years into her degree it’s not too late to change. Switch majors. I would discourage my own children from entering this field if any had an interest in teaching. It’s not remotely the same as it was 20 years ago.

If she does want to do this, it doesn’t matter. Pick any district. She can always change later. It’s good to get different perspectives from different places after a few years. Steps and benefits always change.

Whatever you do, do not go to help her set up her classroom. We have seen a couple of first year teachers bring their mothers to help decorate their rooms before school starts. It doesn’t look good. She’s an adult. She should reach out to the other staff for help, not mom.

Oh my gosh! Yes! I had a colleague who did that one year. It’s not a good look.

[Anonymous]

I’d advise looking in FCPS for a new teacher salary won’t make too much of a difference and they do new teacher training better than APS from what I have seen. Then after a few years, switch to APS if she wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a year away from finishing their degree and we're trying to figure out which would be the best places to work around here.

Do salary steps match years of experience in your district? We live in FFX and know little about neighboring districts, but I'm pretty sure they don't match in FCPS. Is there some place online where I can find this info?

Have you been getting step increases most years when you should have? Again, I think FCPS's were frozen for a long time. What about COLA?

Any other words of wisdom regarding benefits, working conditions, etc?

I agree with what the posters previously said about letting her figure it out on her own, but the only year that will probably match her step in years of experience is Year 1. Steps are often frozen throughout a teacher‘s career for multiple years. I would also not plan on receiving a COLA either. If you wanna give her real advice about going into teaching…when she’s 30 years of experience look up what she’ll be making a step 12 or 15, that will be realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Experienced teacher here- my advice, tell her although she’s years into her degree it’s not too late to change. Switch majors. I would discourage my own children from entering this field if any had an interest in teaching. It’s not remotely the same as it was 20 years ago.

If she does want to do this, it doesn’t matter. Pick any district. She can always change later. It’s good to get different perspectives from different places after a few years. Steps and benefits always change.

Whatever you do, do not go to help her set up her classroom. We have seen a couple of first year teachers bring their mothers to help decorate their rooms before school starts. It doesn’t look good. She’s an adult. She should reach out to the other staff for help, not mom.

Oh my gosh! Yes! I had a colleague who did that one year. It’s not a good look.

Totally disagree. Why is it wrong if a parent wants to help? There is a lot of preparation and not enough time during preservice week. The “it doesn’t look good” comment… unnecessary. Who cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Experienced teacher here- my advice, tell her although she’s years into her degree it’s not too late to change. Switch majors. I would discourage my own children from entering this field if any had an interest in teaching. It’s not remotely the same as it was 20 years ago.

If she does want to do this, it doesn’t matter. Pick any district. She can always change later. It’s good to get different perspectives from different places after a few years. Steps and benefits always change.

Whatever you do, do not go to help her set up her classroom. We have seen a couple of first year teachers bring their mothers to help decorate their rooms before school starts. It doesn’t look good. She’s an adult. She should reach out to the other staff for help, not mom.

Oh my gosh! Yes! I had a colleague who did that one year. It’s not a good look.

Totally disagree. Why is it wrong if a parent wants to help? There is a lot of preparation and not enough time during preservice week. The “it doesn’t look good” comment… unnecessary. Who cares?

It's not necessarily wrong, though parents can lend support in other ways. It's wonderful when parents definitely help support their child become more independent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Experienced teacher here- my advice, tell her although she’s years into her degree it’s not too late to change. Switch majors. I would discourage my own children from entering this field if any had an interest in teaching. It’s not remotely the same as it was 20 years ago.

If she does want to do this, it doesn’t matter. Pick any district. She can always change later. It’s good to get different perspectives from different places after a few years. Steps and benefits always change.

Whatever you do, do not go to help her set up her classroom. We have seen a couple of first year teachers bring their mothers to help decorate their rooms before school starts. It doesn’t look good. She’s an adult. She should reach out to the other staff for help, not mom.

Oh my gosh! Yes! I had a colleague who did that one year. It’s not a good look.

Totally disagree. Why is it wrong if a parent wants to help? There is a lot of preparation and not enough time during preservice week. The “it doesn’t look good” comment… unnecessary. Who cares?

It’s not wrong, it just looks a little off. There are not many teachers who have their parents come in and decorate their rooms. The only time I’ve seen it are where it’s an overly involved parent who now has an adult child and trying to Pinterest the room. It inhibits the new teacher from meeting new colleagues and bonding with their department/team. If mom wanted to come in on a weekend or evening and help it would be different. I’m saying not to do it during the workday when all of the other teachers are around. It makes the new teacher look like a kid instead of an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Experienced teacher here- my advice, tell her although she’s years into her degree it’s not too late to change. Switch majors. I would discourage my own children from entering this field if any had an interest in teaching. It’s not remotely the same as it was 20 years ago.

If she does want to do this, it doesn’t matter. Pick any district. She can always change later. It’s good to get different perspectives from different places after a few years. Steps and benefits always change.

Whatever you do, do not go to help her set up her classroom. We have seen a couple of first year teachers bring their mothers to help decorate their rooms before school starts. It doesn’t look good. She’s an adult. She should reach out to the other staff for help, not mom.

Oh my gosh! Yes! I had a colleague who did that one year. It’s not a good look.

Totally disagree. Why is it wrong if a parent wants to help? There is a lot of preparation and not enough time during preservice week. The “it doesn’t look good” comment… unnecessary. Who cares?

Because you can’t bring your mommy to work with you. In any profession.