I feel like MCPS sucks the joy out of teaching

[Anonymous]

I’m in year 6 of teaching HS. The first 3 years were absolutely brutal especially as I came in through the career changer route. But I somehow survived and am still here. But I’m still working 6 days a week (10+ hours). The demands are never ending. This month, besides teaching 2 different preps including an AP class and grading for approx. 150 students, I had 15 college recommendations to write, PSAT training + proctoring, PD on how to support ELL students, additional school PD (all of it useless). I also have to get special ed quarterlies to do this week for 15 kids, a separate testing PD that must be completed, SLO Part 1 to get done by Nov 1, + the usual end of quarter grades, etc. This is all in addition to planning for each day, teaching, grading, helping kids at lunch, answering parent emails. We have also been asked to incorporate strategies to support ELL students in our classroom and collect data on how effective our approach is and present our findings in upcoming department meetings. I could go on but you get the idea.

I wish I could just focus on the kids and my classes. I like to try new things in the classroom but it is hard to get any time to explore and research new ideas and content. I wonder if a different district or private school might be better

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear.
Thank you for your service.

[Anonymous]

Some privates are better. Some are worse.

Say no to what you can. Like this. Just no.

"We have also been asked to incorporate strategies to support ELL students in our classroom and collect data on how effective our approach is and present our findings in upcoming department meetings."

[Anonymous]

You did an excellent job of describing teaching right now. It’s always been like this except the kids are more needy. And the thing that is lacking now is the joy we used to have from the kids who used to be engaged in learning. Now it’s just how quickly can they get back to their phones (even advanced kids).

It’s the same in other public schools for sure (I have friends in a variety of other districts.) You might have more flexibility in private school, which may also have less needy kids. But there can be different issues in private.

[Anonymous]

"Work to rule."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some privates are better. Some are worse.

Say no to what you can. Like this. Just no.

"We have also been asked to incorporate strategies to support ELL students in our classroom and collect data on how effective our approach is and present our findings in upcoming department meetings."

+1
“I’m not being paid to adapt or create new materials suitable for EML students who are being placed in classes that they are not ready for.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Work to rule."

+1
Meaning, work to the contract. Adjust how you assess to make it easier to grade (yay for Canvas quizzes). Don’t have time for quarterly reports? Give kids an independent project for two days and do paperwork while they work. Are kids behind on turning in work? Give them a makeup day while you catch up on grading the late work. My high school has 3-4 days per quarter built in like this. For AP classes this might feel like list instruction time, but it’s not if you plan for a project/extra practice/packet/review game/etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m in year 6 of teaching HS. The first 3 years were absolutely brutal especially as I came in through the career changer route. But I somehow survived and am still here. But I’m still working 6 days a week (10+ hours). The demands are never ending. This month, besides teaching 2 different preps including an AP class and grading for approx. 150 students, I had 15 college recommendations to write, PSAT training + proctoring, PD on how to support ELL students, additional school PD (all of it useless). I also have to get special ed quarterlies to do this week for 15 kids, a separate testing PD that must be completed, SLO Part 1 to get done by Nov 1, + the usual end of quarter grades, etc. This is all in addition to planning for each day, teaching, grading, helping kids at lunch, answering parent emails. We have also been asked to incorporate strategies to support ELL students in our classroom and collect data on how effective our approach is and present our findings in upcoming department meetings. I could go on but you get the idea.

I wish I could just focus on the kids and my classes. I like to try new things in the classroom but it is hard to get any time to explore and research new ideas and content. I wonder if a different district or private school might be better

Get out while you are still young, OP!

[Anonymous]

I'm not teaching in a public school anymore, but when I was, I took a sick day each quarter just to get caught up on work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m in year 6 of teaching HS. The first 3 years were absolutely brutal especially as I came in through the career changer route. But I somehow survived and am still here. But I’m still working 6 days a week (10+ hours). The demands are never ending. This month, besides teaching 2 different preps including an AP class and grading for approx. 150 students, I had 15 college recommendations to write, PSAT training + proctoring, PD on how to support ELL students, additional school PD (all of it useless). I also have to get special ed quarterlies to do this week for 15 kids, a separate testing PD that must be completed, SLO Part 1 to get done by Nov 1, + the usual end of quarter grades, etc. This is all in addition to planning for each day, teaching, grading, helping kids at lunch, answering parent emails. We have also been asked to incorporate strategies to support ELL students in our classroom and collect data on how effective our approach is and present our findings in upcoming department meetings. I could go on but you get the idea.

I wish I could just focus on the kids and my classes. I like to try new things in the classroom but it is hard to get any time to explore and research new ideas and content. I wonder if a different district or private school might be better

I teach in Baltimore City and I contemplate quitting every year at this exact time. It's awful and they've added even more trainings and a new SLO platform that nobody knows how to use. So much time wasted doing work that has nothing to do with teaching.

[Anonymous]

To echo a PP, thank you for your service!

Just curious - if you could, what on that list would you get rid of or outsource? Ie What is high effort for low returns in your opinion?

[Anonymous]

You sound really dedicated. I have kids in MCPS and also friends who teach in MCPS. Can you maybe find a mentor to help you make the demands work? My friends aren’t this stressed and they write more college recommendations. I hope you can find joy in your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound really dedicated. I have kids in MCPS and also friends who teach in MCPS. Can you maybe find a mentor to help you make the demands work? My friends aren’t this stressed and they write more college recommendations. I hope you can find joy in your job.

They've probably taught longer and care less. That's a good coping mechanism IMO. I do my work but I rarely ever bring any work home. If it doesn't get done at school, it just doesn't get done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m in year 6 of teaching HS. The first 3 years were absolutely brutal especially as I came in through the career changer route. But I somehow survived and am still here. But I’m still working 6 days a week (10+ hours). The demands are never ending. This month, besides teaching 2 different preps including an AP class and grading for approx. 150 students, I had 15 college recommendations to write, PSAT training + proctoring, PD on how to support ELL students, additional school PD (all of it useless). I also have to get special ed quarterlies to do this week for 15 kids, a separate testing PD that must be completed, SLO Part 1 to get done by Nov 1, + the usual end of quarter grades, etc. This is all in addition to planning for each day, teaching, grading, helping kids at lunch, answering parent emails. We have also been asked to incorporate strategies to support ELL students in our classroom and collect data on how effective our approach is and present our findings in upcoming department meetings. I could go on but you get the idea.

I wish I could just focus on the kids and my classes. I like to try new things in the classroom but it is hard to get any time to explore and research new ideas and content. I wonder if a different district or private school might be better

Is it any wonder there is a teacher shortage? Every year more gets put on teachers’ plates, but nothing ever comes off. 🤯

[Anonymous]

If you’re only 6 years in there’s still time to move to private and get paid more. I left MCPS for a local private and have 1/2 the number of students, way more flexibility, a better work/life balance and a higher salary. There are still students with learning differences, but they are all native English speakers which fits my skill set. I did not feel at all equipped in MCPS to teach EML students in a gen Ed setting without any asssistance. My child is still in MCPS so I see how this affects students as well as teachers.