MCPS teachers - what would you tell parents in your class(es) if you could?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is something I would tell parents of students with IEP's: If you think your child should have a different service placement (outside the HSM) you should hire an advocate/lawyer.

The gatekeeping involved with the central special ed department is off the charts at this point. They will do everything in their power to work to prevent a kid from being moved to a different program because of staff shortages in those programs. Local special ed teachers are POWERLESS (other than collecting data and working on the IEP) to make this happen. The special ed supervisors will stonewall and throw up obstacle after obstacle. Only when a parent is there being persistent and bringing representation do things really happen.

I hate to see this worded like this. You want grace for teachers who are over burden but don’t have grace for central special Ed supervisors who you admit are trying not to add more to already overburdened teachers in another program. And the Special ED assistant super as admitted publicly that their are kids who need and should be in private settings but can’t because there are not spaces available.

What I would like to see is continued advocacy for Spec-Ed teaching salary to be a completely different scale. I also like to see some case management admin support.

I would love to see SpEd on a different pay scale. But I fear two things: 1) MCEA would never let it happen, and 2) it would just exacerbate staffing problems, since already budget is the limiting factor for things like paras.

The problem is that there are shortages in other areas as well. There is a shortage of high school physics teachers. Should they get a raise as well so that MCPS can hire more of them? Some schools had a long term sub all year for physics because there are no teachers to be hired. Special Ed parents look at everything from a special education lens but there are many fires to be put out. School bus drivers need a raise as well as school psychologists as there are shortages in both of these areas

The level and persistence of shortages are not equal across the board. SpEd and STEM should both be on different pay scales. But any time that idea comes, elementary and social science teachers flip out.

I’m a general ed teacher with 140 students, over 30 of whom receive special education services through me within my classroom. Would I be on a different pay scale because I’m also honoring IEPs / 504s and attending many IEP meetings in addition to my general ed work?

I’m not being snarky. I’m just trying to point out how murky this water is.

It’s not murky at all. Your position is not as hard to fill as SPED positions.

[Anonymous]

That pp, by the way, perfectly illustrates how MCEA would fight any attempt to establish a SPED pay scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is something I would tell parents of students with IEP's: If you think your child should have a different service placement (outside the HSM) you should hire an advocate/lawyer.

The gatekeeping involved with the central special ed department is off the charts at this point. They will do everything in their power to work to prevent a kid from being moved to a different program because of staff shortages in those programs. Local special ed teachers are POWERLESS (other than collecting data and working on the IEP) to make this happen. The special ed supervisors will stonewall and throw up obstacle after obstacle. Only when a parent is there being persistent and bringing representation do things really happen.

I hate to see this worded like this. You want grace for teachers who are over burden but don’t have grace for central special Ed supervisors who you admit are trying not to add more to already overburdened teachers in another program. And the Special ED assistant super as admitted publicly that their are kids who need and should be in private settings but can’t because there are not spaces available.

What I would like to see is continued advocacy for Spec-Ed teaching salary to be a completely different scale. I also like to see some case management admin support.

I would love to see SpEd on a different pay scale. But I fear two things: 1) MCEA would never let it happen, and 2) it would just exacerbate staffing problems, since already budget is the limiting factor for things like paras.

The problem is that there are shortages in other areas as well. There is a shortage of high school physics teachers. Should they get a raise as well so that MCPS can hire more of them? Some schools had a long term sub all year for physics because there are no teachers to be hired. Special Ed parents look at everything from a special education lens but there are many fires to be put out. School bus drivers need a raise as well as school psychologists as there are shortages in both of these areas

The level and persistence of shortages are not equal across the board. SpEd and STEM should both be on different pay scales. But any time that idea comes, elementary and social science teachers flip out.

I’m a general ed teacher with 140 students, over 30 of whom receive special education services through me within my classroom. Would I be on a different pay scale because I’m also honoring IEPs / 504s and attending many IEP meetings in addition to my general ed work?

I’m not being snarky. I’m just trying to point out how murky this water is.

It’s not murky at all. Your position is not as hard to fill as SPED positions.

Actually, my department hasn’t been fully staffed for 3 years because we can’t find candidates. We’ve been covering our vacancy within the department. It used to be that English, Social Studies, etc. positions were easy to fill. That’s no longer true, and most counties are facing shortages even in historically east-to-fill fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That pp, by the way, perfectly illustrates how MCEA would fight any attempt to establish a SPED pay scale.

But can you admit the water is murky? I’m also in an in-demand field and I’m doing much of the work of a SPED teacher in addition to my own full-time work.

You risk alienating people and losing even more teachers once you start to quantify who is working harder and more “worthy” of higher pay. As for supply and demand, most departments are now facing shortages.

I’m not trying to pick a fight. I’m trying to show the very real consequences present.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

Private school comments are not relevant. As a teacher you tell them to put them away and manage your classroom. If we are not there we cannot do that for you. Classroom management is part of teaching.

Later start time for high school would be a disaster with homework and activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

THIS THIS THIS! I can't think of any two changes that would have a bigger impact on my students' success than this.

Honestly, the biggest advantage kids may be getting from a private school education is the ability of privates to restrict phones in the classroom.

-- public high school teacher whose child just graduated from a Catholic school.

If it were not phones it would be something else. Stop blaming phones and learn classroom management. When we grew up teachers were clear of expectations, no non sense and not trying to be our friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

Private school comments are not relevant. As a teacher you tell them to put them away and manage your classroom. If we are not there we cannot do that for you. Classroom management is part of teaching.

Later start time for high school would be a disaster with homework and activities.

DP here.

I’d like parents to know that classroom management isn’t as simple as you think it is, especially in the era of no real consequences.

I’ve been teaching for 2 decades. Classroom management is much harder now than when I started, and it doesn’t even remotely resemble what it was when I went to school myself. Even the most seasoned of teachers are seeing unprecedented behaviors in the classroom. We keep hitting new lows, and our toolbox for handling problems is diminishing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

THIS THIS THIS! I can't think of any two changes that would have a bigger impact on my students' success than this.

Honestly, the biggest advantage kids may be getting from a private school education is the ability of privates to restrict phones in the classroom.

-- public high school teacher whose child just graduated from a Catholic school.

If it were not phones it would be something else. Stop blaming phones and learn classroom management. When we grew up teachers were clear of expectations, no non sense and not trying to be our friends.

Tell me what you would like me to do. How should I enforce a no cell phone policy in the classroom? I am constantly telling kids to put away their phone but at my school we are not allowed to take the phone away or deduct any points. We cannot call security or send the kid to the office. We cannot do lunch detention. I don’t think parents want to face the reality of phones in schools. If you cannot control it at home, trust me it is not better at school. And I wish I could invite you to my classroom to see for yourself what first period in high school is like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

Private school comments are not relevant. As a teacher you tell them to put them away and manage your classroom. If we are not there we cannot do that for you. Classroom management is part of teaching.

Later start time for high school would be a disaster with homework and activities.

DP here.

I’d like parents to know that classroom management isn’t as simple as you think it is, especially in the era of no real consequences.

I’ve been teaching for 2 decades. Classroom management is much harder now than when I started, and it doesn’t even remotely resemble what it was when I went to school myself. Even the most seasoned of teachers are seeing unprecedented behaviors in the classroom. We keep hitting new lows, and our toolbox for handling problems is diminishing.

+100
Aggressive behavior is off the charts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

THIS THIS THIS! I can't think of any two changes that would have a bigger impact on my students' success than this.

Honestly, the biggest advantage kids may be getting from a private school education is the ability of privates to restrict phones in the classroom.

-- public high school teacher whose child just graduated from a Catholic school.

If it were not phones it would be something else. Stop blaming phones and learn classroom management. When we grew up teachers were clear of expectations, no non sense and not trying to be our friends.

Tell me what you would like me to do. How should I enforce a no cell phone policy in the classroom? I am constantly telling kids to put away their phone but at my school we are not allowed to take the phone away or deduct any points. We cannot call security or send the kid to the office. We cannot do lunch detention. I don’t think parents want to face the reality of phones in schools. If you cannot control it at home, trust me it is not better at school. And I wish I could invite you to my classroom to see for yourself what first period in high school is like.

DP - does the principal prohibit you from taking away the phone, or is it central office? That policy needs to change. In my view, if a kid has it out and they're not allowed, that phone goes away and they can get it at the end of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

THIS THIS THIS! I can't think of any two changes that would have a bigger impact on my students' success than this.

Honestly, the biggest advantage kids may be getting from a private school education is the ability of privates to restrict phones in the classroom.

-- public high school teacher whose child just graduated from a Catholic school.

If it were not phones it would be something else. Stop blaming phones and learn classroom management. When we grew up teachers were clear of expectations, no non sense and not trying to be our friends.

Tell me what you would like me to do. How should I enforce a no cell phone policy in the classroom? I am constantly telling kids to put away their phone but at my school we are not allowed to take the phone away or deduct any points. We cannot call security or send the kid to the office. We cannot do lunch detention. I don’t think parents want to face the reality of phones in schools. If you cannot control it at home, trust me it is not better at school. And I wish I could invite you to my classroom to see for yourself what first period in high school is like.

DP - does the principal prohibit you from taking away the phone, or is it central office? That policy needs to change. In my view, if a kid has it out and they're not allowed, that phone goes away and they can get it at the end of the day.

DP here. We used to collect phones, but no longer. Quite honestly, I don’t want to. If that phone gets taken out of my desk, I will be held liable and I’ll have to pay the family back. I’ve found students rummaging through my desk on occasion, so this idea isn’t too hard for me to imagine. (I even have clear policies about not going behind my desk and I’m known as a firm teacher. That doesn’t matter anymore since there are students who don’t respect rules or boundaries.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

Private school comments are not relevant. As a teacher you tell them to put them away and manage your classroom. If we are not there we cannot do that for you. Classroom management is part of teaching.

Later start time for high school would be a disaster with homework and activities.

DP here.

I’d like parents to know that classroom management isn’t as simple as you think it is, especially in the era of no real consequences.

I’ve been teaching for 2 decades. Classroom management is much harder now than when I started, and it doesn’t even remotely resemble what it was when I went to school myself. Even the most seasoned of teachers are seeing unprecedented behaviors in the classroom. We keep hitting new lows, and our toolbox for handling problems is diminishing.

Then give consequences. Simple. And communicate with parents. You are complaining about lack of discipline but refuse to enforce discipline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

THIS THIS THIS! I can't think of any two changes that would have a bigger impact on my students' success than this.

Honestly, the biggest advantage kids may be getting from a private school education is the ability of privates to restrict phones in the classroom.

-- public high school teacher whose child just graduated from a Catholic school.

If it were not phones it would be something else. Stop blaming phones and learn classroom management. When we grew up teachers were clear of expectations, no non sense and not trying to be our friends.

Tell me what you would like me to do. How should I enforce a no cell phone policy in the classroom? I am constantly telling kids to put away their phone but at my school we are not allowed to take the phone away or deduct any points. We cannot call security or send the kid to the office. We cannot do lunch detention. I don’t think parents want to face the reality of phones in schools. If you cannot control it at home, trust me it is not better at school. And I wish I could invite you to my classroom to see for yourself what first period in high school is like.

DP - does the principal prohibit you from taking away the phone, or is it central office? That policy needs to change. In my view, if a kid has it out and they're not allowed, that phone goes away and they can get it at the end of the day.

DP here. We used to collect phones, but no longer. Quite honestly, I don’t want to. If that phone gets taken out of my desk, I will be held liable and I’ll have to pay the family back. I’ve found students rummaging through my desk on occasion, so this idea isn’t too hard for me to imagine. (I even have clear policies about not going behind my desk and I’m known as a firm teacher. That doesn’t matter anymore since there are students who don’t respect rules or boundaries.)

I would give my kid a fake phone. No way I’d allow them to hand it over. My kids have phones for my needs, not theirs.

[Anonymous]

For a general education teacher, that is a ton of IEP's. And many times the general ed teacher is expected to attend the meeting. Which in practice, is definitely a good idea but what general ed teacher has the time? What general ed teacher has the time to make all those accommodations and track data while also programming for other students. If it's going to work, that teacher needs way more support.

quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends - if they have an iep? I’d tell them that most of the services are delivered by the general Ed teacher because inclusion spec Ed teachers are stretched too thin and we spend so much time on paperwork and not with kids. I’d also tell them no matter what they “advocate for” in the iep, it doesn’t actually happen during the school day due to limited resources and time so half the time we just agree to make you go away

We know. Thanks for being a failure in your life's work.

Likewise for being a failure at actual life. (Lack of empathy is the first sign of being a psychopath)

"I decided to use an anonymous forum to taunt distraught parents of special needs kids in a blasé manner about how we fail their children. But you're the psychopath! Poor me!"
PP

The thread is what we would tell parents if we could. I appreciated that teachers transparency and didn't read it as a taunt. You're clearly dissatisfied with your child's service, but you're lashing out to someone who is telling you there is literally nothing they can do to solve your problem.

I’m the one who posted about spec Ed. Not a taunt just the hard truth. And I’m not a failure at my job, I’m actually a really good spec Ed teacher and I advocate hard for the kids on my caseload. But these are the truths of the conditions in mcps and that’s what the thread asked about. Sometimes I wish parents knew so they didn’t believe the BS . That being said, parents should not be angry at the teachers - it’s the system and lack of appropriate resources

If you really wanted parents to know, why not tell them instead of lying to them to get them to “go away”? I don’t get it. That’s something that is absolutely in your power to do, and doesn’t even take a lot of effort.

And get fired ? Or written up by my boss/ supervisor for telling you that? No way

People outside teaching have no idea what pressures teachers face. No idea at all. I wish it were as simple as the PPs suggest re: just talking to parents.

In that case, let’s at least agree that the public school staff knowingly lying to parents of children with special needs don’t own the moral high ground.

I still don't understand the support in this thread for teachers actively participating in covering-up malfeasance, but I guess some people think that's ok for... reasons.

DCUM asks for the truth from real teachers and just cannot handle it.

I guess that’s it. I expected that they would at least try to act in good faith, and be remorseful when they don’t. Apparently that wasn’t a realistic expectation. As you suggested, it’s a bit shocking.

I’m the OP who shocked everyone with comments about spec Ed. I never said there is lack of good faith or lack of attempt to implement. There is. But at the end of the day, there are many unreasonable requests from parents , advocates and lawyers and they just cannot be provided the way the iep is written. But I can’t say that and there is no way my admin will say it. Some admin will say it depending on the parent but if they have representation (lawyer or advocate) we agree to it all usually. It’s just not worth fighting. But this forum asked what I want you to know. I want you to know that if you have a case manager with 20 kids on a caseload , serving 3 grade levels or more, and large class sizes …. It might not be happening!

20 kids is not a huge number especially when it’s very mixed needs. You are making excuses

If you don’t think 20 ieps on a caseload is a lot to casemanage plus the responsibility of teaching , planning for those students with ieps and providing interventions for general education students who are struggling…. Then you really are clueless. Each iep is a thirty page document that requires quarterly review, there will inevitably be about a third that needs re evaluation and assessment, and then you have initial assessments to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it.

Private school comments are not relevant. As a teacher you tell them to put them away and manage your classroom. If we are not there we cannot do that for you. Classroom management is part of teaching.

Later start time for high school would be a disaster with homework and activities.

DP here.

I’d like parents to know that classroom management isn’t as simple as you think it is, especially in the era of no real consequences.

I’ve been teaching for 2 decades. Classroom management is much harder now than when I started, and it doesn’t even remotely resemble what it was when I went to school myself. Even the most seasoned of teachers are seeing unprecedented behaviors in the classroom. We keep hitting new lows, and our toolbox for handling problems is diminishing.

Then give consequences. Simple. And communicate with parents. You are complaining about lack of discipline but refuse to enforce discipline.

PLEASE observe your local high school for a day. Teachers have lost most authority in their own classrooms. I am no longer allowed to send students to admin or to their counselors. I am no longer able to penalize behavior in class using methods that I had available in the past (changing seats, collecting distractions, etc.). All I’m really allowed to do is say “please stop doing that” and then calling the parents. I do that ALL THE TIME and I’ve noticed calling home rarely helps long-term when there are no consequences.

What you remember from your high school days is gone. It’s a very different environment now.