when are parent teacher conferences for MS in MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Hi-newbie to MCPS here. Had a parent teacher conference for my ES kid this month but the middle school has been silent and I don't see it on the MCPS calendar. When does this happen?

[Anonymous]

Monday or Tuesday of next week, or by mutual arrangement between parent and teacher.

[Anonymous]

At our school there is an opportunity on Monday to go and wait in line in the gym to meet with the teachers for 5 mins each. Seems like an utter waste of time.

[Anonymous]

we get a sign-up for a slot of 8 minutes that wasn't well-advertised. there's no virtual options and it stinks. i know middle school teachers have a lot of kids, but giving more emphasis to parental feedback helps us help teachers to help our kids.

[Anonymous]

there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

If they're full, you should contact the teacher for a slot. The teacher should be there long enough (on that day or a different day) to meet anyone who wants a meeting. If you need more than 5 or so minutes, you can ask for a real meeting time. (If the teacher is playing games by doing as you describe, they deserve to have people request longer meetings on various and sundry dates.)

[Anonymous]

What do they discuss at MS PTC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do they discuss at MS PTC?

I was told there are no Parent Teacher conferences at MCPS middle schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

If they're full, you should contact the teacher for a slot. The teacher should be there long enough (on that day or a different day) to meet anyone who wants a meeting. If you need more than 5 or so minutes, you can ask for a real meeting time. (If the teacher is playing games by doing as you describe, they deserve to have people request longer meetings on various and sundry dates.)

Sometimes it's not feasible for teachers to meet with all parents. What if the teacher has 100 plus students? This is why we have Synergy, Interims, report cards, etc. Not every parent/student nerds a conference.

[Anonymous]

Our school said by invitation only

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

If they're full, you should contact the teacher for a slot. The teacher should be there long enough (on that day or a different day) to meet anyone who wants a meeting. If you need more than 5 or so minutes, you can ask for a real meeting time. (If the teacher is playing games by doing as you describe, they deserve to have people request longer meetings on various and sundry dates.)

Sometimes it's not feasible for teachers to meet with all parents. What if the teacher has 100 plus students? This is why we have Synergy, Interims, report cards, etc. Not every parent/student nerds a conference.

That’s true but my kids’ middle school has 2.5 hours of slots of 10 minutes each (8 minutes for parent + 2 minutes for teacher to regroup.) that’s 150 minutes or 15 kids per middle school teacher-it’s no wonder there aren’t enough slots to go around. And no it’s not ok to not meet with all the parents who want to meet. These are half days so the teachers can do PT conferences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

If they're full, you should contact the teacher for a slot. The teacher should be there long enough (on that day or a different day) to meet anyone who wants a meeting. If you need more than 5 or so minutes, you can ask for a real meeting time. (If the teacher is playing games by doing as you describe, they deserve to have people request longer meetings on various and sundry dates.)

Sometimes it's not feasible for teachers to meet with all parents. What if the teacher has 100 plus students? This is why we have Synergy, Interims, report cards, etc. Not every parent/student nerds a conference.

That’s true but my kids’ middle school has 2.5 hours of slots of 10 minutes each (8 minutes for parent + 2 minutes for teacher to regroup.) that’s 150 minutes or 15 kids per middle school teacher-it’s no wonder there aren’t enough slots to go around. And no it’s not ok to not meet with all the parents who want to meet. These are half days so the teachers can do PT conferences.

Teacher here. I was just reading a thread on the “jobs and careers” board. Professionals were in agreement that people shouldn’t work over their contracted hours if they aren’t being compensated.

But a teacher? Teachers are expected to sacrifice as much of their own time as necessary.

Let’s talk conferences. At my school, I was given one day for conferences at 15 minute intervals. (I received a 30 minute break mid-day.) Overall, I was able to meet with 20 parents that day out of 104. That’s all the time my school provided.

So all the extra conference requests are happening on my own time in the afternoons and evenings, on top of my 60 hours I already work a week.

I long for a job where my work/life balance is respected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

If they're full, you should contact the teacher for a slot. The teacher should be there long enough (on that day or a different day) to meet anyone who wants a meeting. If you need more than 5 or so minutes, you can ask for a real meeting time. (If the teacher is playing games by doing as you describe, they deserve to have people request longer meetings on various and sundry dates.)

Sometimes it's not feasible for teachers to meet with all parents. What if the teacher has 100 plus students? This is why we have Synergy, Interims, report cards, etc. Not every parent/student nerds a conference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

If they're full, you should contact the teacher for a slot. The teacher should be there long enough (on that day or a different day) to meet anyone who wants a meeting. If you need more than 5 or so minutes, you can ask for a real meeting time. (If the teacher is playing games by doing as you describe, they deserve to have people request longer meetings on various and sundry dates.)

Sometimes it's not feasible for teachers to meet with all parents. What if the teacher has 100 plus students? This is why we have Synergy, Interims, report cards, etc. Not every parent/student nerds a conference.

That’s true but my kids’ middle school has 2.5 hours of slots of 10 minutes each (8 minutes for parent + 2 minutes for teacher to regroup.) that’s 150 minutes or 15 kids per middle school teacher-it’s no wonder there aren’t enough slots to go around. And no it’s not ok to not meet with all the parents who want to meet. These are half days so the teachers can do PT conferences.

Teacher here. I was just reading a thread on the “jobs and careers” board. Professionals were in agreement that people shouldn’t work over their contracted hours if they aren’t being compensated.

But a teacher? Teachers are expected to sacrifice as much of their own time as necessary.

Let’s talk conferences. At my school, I was given one day for conferences at 15 minute intervals. (I received a 30 minute break mid-day.) Overall, I was able to meet with 20 parents that day out of 104. That’s all the time my school provided.

So all the extra conference requests are happening on my own time in the afternoons and evenings, on top of my 60 hours I already work a week.

I long for a job where my work/life balance is respected.

Many professionals who are exempt work over the hours they are technically required to work. At my nonprofit 60+ hour weeks are typical, and the pay is mediocre. People do it because they are committed to the mission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there aren't even that many slots. my kid's english teacher posted 2.5 hours worth of slots and he must have at least 4 sections of 28 kids each...they're all full.

If they're full, you should contact the teacher for a slot. The teacher should be there long enough (on that day or a different day) to meet anyone who wants a meeting. If you need more than 5 or so minutes, you can ask for a real meeting time. (If the teacher is playing games by doing as you describe, they deserve to have people request longer meetings on various and sundry dates.)

Sometimes it's not feasible for teachers to meet with all parents. What if the teacher has 100 plus students? This is why we have Synergy, Interims, report cards, etc. Not every parent/student nerds a conference.

That’s true but my kids’ middle school has 2.5 hours of slots of 10 minutes each (8 minutes for parent + 2 minutes for teacher to regroup.) that’s 150 minutes or 15 kids per middle school teacher-it’s no wonder there aren’t enough slots to go around. And no it’s not ok to not meet with all the parents who want to meet. These are half days so the teachers can do PT conferences.

Teacher here. I was just reading a thread on the “jobs and careers” board. Professionals were in agreement that people shouldn’t work over their contracted hours if they aren’t being compensated.

But a teacher? Teachers are expected to sacrifice as much of their own time as necessary.

Let’s talk conferences. At my school, I was given one day for conferences at 15 minute intervals. (I received a 30 minute break mid-day.) Overall, I was able to meet with 20 parents that day out of 104. That’s all the time my school provided.

So all the extra conference requests are happening on my own time in the afternoons and evenings, on top of my 60 hours I already work a week.

I long for a job where my work/life balance is respected.

Many professionals who are exempt work over the hours they are technically required to work. At my nonprofit 60+ hour weeks are typical, and the pay is mediocre. People do it because they are committed to the mission.

How nice for them. I'm committed to work life balance and I work my contracted hours. My mission is to last until retirement and not burn out. Every year, it's getting worse so I'll do what I need to do to make it until I retire.