MCPS: New ELA curriculum for 2023-2024 school year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we factor in how this absence of an announcement is affecting teacher morale and parent buy-in to the system??

They need to at least acknowledge that things didn't go as planned (twice!) and outline what is happening or what is holding things up.

+1. This makes me think something shady is going on.

It seems so odd that they had teachers sign up for training already and yet aren't saying anything. The lack of communication is so very MCPS.

The teachers aren’t saying anything because we are in the dark as well. You are correct that teachers have already had to sign up for training (Two days for the new ELA curriculum). We selected dates, but no locations are provided for the trainings (trainings are all in person this summer). They could be held anywhere within the county.

The pandemic provided people with some things that should stick and Zoom trainings over the summer are absolutely one of the things MCPS should not be getting rid of.

I agree completely! However, all trainings for elementary teachers are in person (all locations TBD).

Not sure why MCEA members didn’t push for this during negotiations. I need to get out of this district ASAP. It’s a disaster.

It’s fine for central office employees to work from home but god forbid they continue providing employees with virtual options for SUMMER trainings. They don’t trust grown adults to do their job…constantly micromanaged…. But yet they trust us with children day in and day out. It makes absolutely no sense. I resigned last week. Cannot wait for these next few weeks to be done with this place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we factor in how this absence of an announcement is affecting teacher morale and parent buy-in to the system??

They need to at least acknowledge that things didn't go as planned (twice!) and outline what is happening or what is holding things up.

+1. This makes me think something shady is going on.

It seems so odd that they had teachers sign up for training already and yet aren't saying anything. The lack of communication is so very MCPS.

The teachers aren’t saying anything because we are in the dark as well. You are correct that teachers have already had to sign up for training (Two days for the new ELA curriculum). We selected dates, but no locations are provided for the trainings (trainings are all in person this summer). They could be held anywhere within the county.

The pandemic provided people with some things that should stick and Zoom trainings over the summer are absolutely one of the things MCPS should not be getting rid of.

I agree completely! However, all trainings for elementary teachers are in person (all locations TBD).

Not sure why MCEA members didn’t push for this during negotiations. I need to get out of this district ASAP. It’s a disaster.

It’s fine for central office employees to work from home but god forbid they continue providing employees with virtual options for SUMMER trainings. They don’t trust grown adults to do their job…constantly micromanaged…. But yet they trust us with children day in and day out. It makes absolutely no sense. I resigned last week. Cannot wait for these next few weeks to be done with this place.

Congrat! What will you be doing in place of teaching?

[Anonymous]

Don't shoot the messenger... but I'm a teacher, and heard today it's rumored MCPS is now thinking about sticking with Benchmark one more year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we factor in how this absence of an announcement is affecting teacher morale and parent buy-in to the system??

They need to at least acknowledge that things didn't go as planned (twice!) and outline what is happening or what is holding things up.

+1. This makes me think something shady is going on.

It seems so odd that they had teachers sign up for training already and yet aren't saying anything. The lack of communication is so very MCPS.

The teachers aren’t saying anything because we are in the dark as well. You are correct that teachers have already had to sign up for training (Two days for the new ELA curriculum). We selected dates, but no locations are provided for the trainings (trainings are all in person this summer). They could be held anywhere within the county.

The pandemic provided people with some things that should stick and Zoom trainings over the summer are absolutely one of the things MCPS should not be getting rid of.

Teaching. Just not in MCPS.

I agree completely! However, all trainings for elementary teachers are in person (all locations TBD).

Not sure why MCEA members didn’t push for this during negotiations. I need to get out of this district ASAP. It’s a disaster.

It’s fine for central office employees to work from home but god forbid they continue providing employees with virtual options for SUMMER trainings. They don’t trust grown adults to do their job…constantly micromanaged…. But yet they trust us with children day in and day out. It makes absolutely no sense. I resigned last week. Cannot wait for these next few weeks to be done with this place.

Congrat! What will you be doing in place of teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't shoot the messenger... but I'm a teacher, and heard today it's rumored MCPS is now thinking about sticking with Benchmark one more year.

Would they also keep really great reading? It’s really great.

[Anonymous]

PP, yes, rumored that Really Great Reading would stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, yes, rumored that Really Great Reading would stay.

But what about the schools that don' thave RGR this year and were piloting the new Benchmark? Will they get RGR? Seems completely unfair that those kids wouldn't get a proven program that is working well in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

I understood that the decision was up to the Board now. No mention of it during the meeting last week though. Anyone here reach out to Board members about it? I'm too afraid to put my name out there because my husband and I are both teachers in the system and have three kids at three schools.
If Benchmark is staying another year, we should all be allowed to make major adjustments - starting with the ridiculous assessments that take forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understood that the decision was up to the Board now. No mention of it during the meeting last week though. Anyone here reach out to Board members about it? I'm too afraid to put my name out there because my husband and I are both teachers in the system and have three kids at three schools.
If Benchmark is staying another year, we should all be allowed to make major adjustments - starting with the ridiculous assessments that take forever.

It hasn't even been presented to the board yet. It's still in the curriculum office's court.

[Anonymous]

They really need to update the web page with the new timeline, or to make an announcement that we're stuck with Benchmark. So frustrating that they are just not saying anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They really need to update the web page with the new timeline, or to make an announcement that we're stuck with Benchmark. So frustrating that they are just not saying anything.

Don't they have to decide something first?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They really need to update the web page with the new timeline, or to make an announcement that we're stuck with Benchmark. So frustrating that they are just not saying anything.

Don't they have to decide something first?

No, they have a timeline that says it's going to be voted on at 3/28/23 meeting. They need to provide an update now. Have they just delayed it? Are they rebidding? Or are they sticking with Benchmark? If it's just a delay, they should say when we should expect the BOE to vote on it. If they already know (as teacher PP said) that they aren't using it next year, they should say that. Of course, knowing them they will just remove the timeline from the website and pretend they never said 3/28.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BwcYJE5n-ttBvt2JKNbya82ZRaeXL_1SICK_ZrjmTE4/edit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, yes, rumored that Really Great Reading would stay.

No in conjunction with discovery education, they've developed curriculum 3.0.

[Anonymous]

I’m quitting just bc they are enforcing training (for a curriculum they haven’t even decided) I don’t need to be in person…I don’t even teach reading. Oh well. I’ll be making more, at home, for great minds. Mcps made it so easy to quit.
Let’s be honest, so did most parents.

[Anonymous]

I also heard rumors flying at work today that Benchmark is most likely around for another year. I know that they plan on using it for summer school again.