Teachers— what is the highest step I can enter at?

[Anonymous]

Honestly. Content knowledge is only about 20% of a teachers job and time spent decision making/planning/teaching. No one should expect to just walk in and start talking for an hour and call that teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I negotiated two extra steps when i came in as a Middle School Science Teacher last summer. I had to show my past contract to them to show that I was taking a pay cut.

With no teaching experience, where can one start teaching profession? What are the basic qualifications?

Do you have any training to be a teacher? If not, start there.

What do you mean training to be a teacher? Is there any special training other than what you study for a bachelors degree in mathematics?

Yes, there are courses in educational psychology, child development, syllabus planning, classroom management, etc.

Thank you. Are all these courses mandatory and minimum requirement for teaching job at MCPS?

[Anonymous]

4th grade Teacher qualifications from real job posting which is online right now. Nothing in the qualifications talks about those cool courses listed by PP. I am not sure why there is a disconnect

Qualifications
• Meets Maryland state certification requirements in appropriate field of education
• Knowledge of MCPS curriculum, techniques for integrating curriculum, MCPS policies, and effective instructional practices
• Ability to provide instruction that reflects multiple perspectives and multicultural education
• Ability to infuse technology into curriculum
• Ability to work effectively with administrators, colleagues, central office and school based staff, students, parents and community
• Excellent oral and written communication and human relations skills
• Knowledge and application of the six performance standards that have been established for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Teacher Professional Growth System (TPGS), and the Supporting Services (SEIU) Professional Growth System (SSPGS)
• Bachelor's degree in applicable field of education from an accredited college or university

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:4th grade Teacher qualifications from real job posting which is online right now. Nothing in the qualifications talks about those cool courses listed by PP. I am not sure why there is a disconnect

Qualifications
• Meets Maryland state certification requirements in appropriate field of education
• Knowledge of MCPS curriculum, techniques for integrating curriculum, MCPS policies, and effective instructional practices
• Ability to provide instruction that reflects multiple perspectives and multicultural education
• Ability to infuse technology into curriculum
• Ability to work effectively with administrators, colleagues, central office and school based staff, students, parents and community
• Excellent oral and written communication and human relations skills
• Knowledge and application of the six performance standards that have been established for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Teacher Professional Growth System (TPGS), and the Supporting Services (SEIU) Professional Growth System (SSPGS)
• Bachelor's degree in applicable field of education from an accredited college or university

They would easily fit under the first or last bullet on your list. Teachers who received an Education degree would have learned much of that in college. Teachers who went an alternative route (like me) would have had to take additional coursework in order to meet certification requirements. I’m a career changer. I had to take 15 credits of course work (even though I had a related masters degree) to be able to get my certificate.

[Anonymous]

Here is the MSDE page about how you can get certified to teach:

https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DEE/Certification/Routes-to-Initial-Certification.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not worth it especially as DCPS pays more than MCPS to begin with

Yes, my pay would decrease from 116k plus 10k bonus to 72k but it would be for a lifestyle change as my family situation changes.

That’s a $50k decrease or 40%. Are you sure that the lifestyle change you are seeking offsets the the changes that this decrease in HHI will bring?

[Anonymous]

You can teach without any credentials or certification at a private school. The pay will be about what the capped entry salary is in MCPS but the benefits won’t be as great. You can also expect about 50% tuition remission and free before/after care for your kids. Only Catholic schools in the ADW require teachers to be certified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can teach without any credentials or certification at a private school. The pay will be about what the capped entry salary is in MCPS but the benefits won’t be as great. You can also expect about 50% tuition remission and free before/after care for your kids. Only Catholic schools in the ADW require teachers to be certified.

That explains a lot!

[Anonymous]

I was just offered a job in MCPS (from DCPS). The pay cut was over $20,000 (and could have been more if I get moved up the step in DCPS).

This is a huge negative recruiting tool for MCPS, especially with surrounding counties that pay more, they will not be able to poach as many teachers as they need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just offered a job in MCPS (from DCPS). The pay cut was over $20,000 (and could have been more if I get moved up the step in DCPS).

This is a huge negative recruiting tool for MCPS, especially with surrounding counties that pay more, they will not be able to poach as many teachers as they need.

I applied to MCPS and was offered step 8, for about a $15K pay cut from my old county’s pay. I actually took a job at a private school that offered a higher salary than MCPS offered. Sure, the benefits would have been better if I took the MCPS offer, but the low salary relative to my experience left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can teach without any credentials or certification at a private school. The pay will be about what the capped entry salary is in MCPS but the benefits won’t be as great. You can also expect about 50% tuition remission and free before/after care for your kids. Only Catholic schools in the ADW require teachers to be certified.

There is also zero job protection and no union. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can teach without any credentials or certification at a private school. The pay will be about what the capped entry salary is in MCPS but the benefits won’t be as great. You can also expect about 50% tuition remission and free before/after care for your kids. Only Catholic schools in the ADW require teachers to be certified.

There is also zero job protection and no union. No thanks.

That is perfectly fine. This will drive the performance and thus increased pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can teach without any credentials or certification at a private school. The pay will be about what the capped entry salary is in MCPS but the benefits won’t be as great. You can also expect about 50% tuition remission and free before/after care for your kids. Only Catholic schools in the ADW require teachers to be certified.

There is also zero job protection and no union. No thanks.

I don’t see much that the union is doing for MCPS teachers currently. Many jobs were reduced by combining sections into huge classes. The full time teachers cut down to part time have then had to move to different schools, sometimes greatly affecting their commute. And then there are all the late involuntary transfers. Oh and no more COVID leave. So what exactly is MCEA providing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can teach without any credentials or certification at a private school. The pay will be about what the capped entry salary is in MCPS but the benefits won’t be as great. You can also expect about 50% tuition remission and free before/after care for your kids. Only Catholic schools in the ADW require teachers to be certified.

There is also zero job protection and no union. No thanks.

That is perfectly fine. This will drive the performance and thus increased pay.

You misunderstood. Private schools pay significantly LESS than public schools and often hire people without education training. Many career switchers. Lots of lawyers turned English teachers or corporate woman that wanted a mom friendly job turned world language teacher. The performance of the private school students and teachers is not any better than public schools.

Although in MD, you work less days in private. State law only requires 168 school days for private versus 180 in public. Any day with kids on campus counts. Do orientation, half days that are just assemblies, conferences where the kid is invited all count as school days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can teach without any credentials or certification at a private school. The pay will be about what the capped entry salary is in MCPS but the benefits won’t be as great. You can also expect about 50% tuition remission and free before/after care for your kids. Only Catholic schools in the ADW require teachers to be certified.

There is also zero job protection and no union. No thanks.

That is perfectly fine. This will drive the performance and thus increased pay.

You misunderstood. Private schools pay significantly LESS than public schools and often hire people without education training. Many career switchers. Lots of lawyers turned English teachers or corporate woman that wanted a mom friendly job turned world language teacher. The performance of the private school students and teachers is not any better than public schools.

Although in MD, you work less days in private. State law only requires 168 school days for private versus 180 in public. Any day with kids on campus counts. Do orientation, half days that are just assemblies, conferences where the kid is invited all count as school days.

Mileage definitely varies here. I get paid more at my current private than at my former public. All teachers are MSDE certified and 85-90% have advanced degrees. Sure, many are career changers, but I argue that is actually a positive. Their experience contributes to what students can learn from them.

I’m the poster above who applied to MCPS from another county but turned it down for a private position. I’ve never regretted that decision. The standards are much higher at my private than my former public, and I actually find that refreshing. I’m treated like a professional, which includes the expectation that I’ll get the job done well.

MCPS is going to be competing with privates, if they weren’t already.