Caitlynn Peetz on teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SEL is finally schools systems admitting that students have changed are now the real problem. Not the teachers/schools.

Yep. You cannot outsource everything.

I found the SAHM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO, one of the biggest changes is that teachers themselves will not recommend teaching as a profession. Back when I was in high school, teachers were always telling me that I’d make the perfect teacher, my family encouraged me to go into teaching, and the job just seemed enticing. After I got my degree, I absolutely loved the job (not every minute, obviously, but as a whole, it really was great. Now, with 20 years of teaching experience, I have already told my daughter that she needs to stay away. Schools aren’t safe, the job isn’t enjoyable, and public perception is terrible. My colleagues are also warning everyone to stay away from the major. Graduates will continue to decline. But, what needs to be understood, is how little my salary contributes to how I feel about the job. Increasing the salary will not change education! Teachers need to feel safe!!! Classes need to be manageable! And the home/life balance needs to be restored.

Agree 1,000%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, one of the biggest changes is that teachers themselves will not recommend teaching as a profession. Back when I was in high school, teachers were always telling me that I’d make the perfect teacher, my family encouraged me to go into teaching, and the job just seemed enticing. After I got my degree, I absolutely loved the job (not every minute, obviously, but as a whole, it really was great. Now, with 20 years of teaching experience, I have already told my daughter that she needs to stay away. Schools aren’t safe, the job isn’t enjoyable, and public perception is terrible. My colleagues are also warning everyone to stay away from the major. Graduates will continue to decline. But, what needs to be understood, is how little my salary contributes to how I feel about the job. Increasing the salary will not change education! Teachers need to feel safe!!! Classes need to be manageable! And the home/life balance needs to be restored.

Agree 1,000%

Thanks to the PP for making those points, especially the bolded. I'm not a teacher, but I think that raising teacher salaries without addressing the root causes of teacher stress and dissatisfaction would make things even worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, one of the biggest changes is that teachers themselves will not recommend teaching as a profession. Back when I was in high school, teachers were always telling me that I’d make the perfect teacher, my family encouraged me to go into teaching, and the job just seemed enticing. After I got my degree, I absolutely loved the job (not every minute, obviously, but as a whole, it really was great. Now, with 20 years of teaching experience, I have already told my daughter that she needs to stay away. Schools aren’t safe, the job isn’t enjoyable, and public perception is terrible. My colleagues are also warning everyone to stay away from the major. Graduates will continue to decline. But, what needs to be understood, is how little my salary contributes to how I feel about the job. Increasing the salary will not change education! Teachers need to feel safe!!! Classes need to be manageable! And the home/life balance needs to be restored.

Agree 1,000%

Thanks to the PP for making those points, especially the bolded. I'm not a teacher, but I think that raising teacher salaries without addressing the root causes of teacher stress and dissatisfaction would make things even worse.

+1 What the several teachers and former teachers in my social circle have told me supports this. MCPS salaries could be a bit higher (though it is hard to do comparisons with jobs that don't offer the same level of job security, automatic raises and pension benefits) but that is not the reason why half of those I know have left or really want to leave the profession.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

Eh I remember seeing some pretty petty posts on the MCEA Twitter feed (which have since been scrubbed). Then there was this sort of rhetoric from Randi Weingarten.

The whole "school is not child care" line was a big F U to parents whose livelihoods and careers were at risk. It's also a pretty offensive (and I'd argue racist line, since you know they are contrasting themselves with child care teachers who are largely women of color while the teaching profession has been persistently White after teachers of color were shut out of public school teaching jobs after Brown v Board of Education), as well as untrue (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/coronavirus-schools-child-care-centers.html ). To suggest that teachers' unions didn't contribute at all to the low public perception of their profession is just ridiculous.

I say this as someone who put my grudge to the side and voted for every single Apple Ballot candidate for school board (not because they were on the Apple Ballot but because they were the most qualified candidates).

[Anonymous]

I left after I had my first child right before Covid. I do feel in a way that teaching is a "calling" and that increasing the salaries will not have much of an effect. There's no chance salaries will increase to the point they would be competitive with the private sector but they should be livable wages and in many areas are not currently.
It's unlikely I will go back. There was no leaving school at school (or at least not without feeling massive guilt). I was a special ed teacher with no curriculum or evidence based materials to work with. To qualify for my classes students were supposed more than 3 grade levels behind in reading/math. The curriculum I was given? The same one as the regular classes and I was supposed to "differentiate it" myself. Oh and also co-teach ELA and math for two grade levels. And keep data and do all the meetings and paperwork involved in IEPs. No support from higher ups, only more paperwork and criticism as they sipped their coffee. Parents demanded more, more, more and I felt helpless. It's awful knowing you are failing so many students when you really want to make a difference.
I cannot imagine going back now when I hear it's even worse with so many vacancies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

Eh I remember seeing some pretty petty posts on the MCEA Twitter feed (which have since been scrubbed). Then there was this sort of rhetoric from Randi Weingarten.

The whole "school is not child care" line was a big F U to parents whose livelihoods and careers were at risk. It's also a pretty offensive (and I'd argue racist line, since you know they are contrasting themselves with child care teachers who are largely women of color while the teaching profession has been persistently White after teachers of color were shut out of public school teaching jobs after Brown v Board of Education), as well as untrue (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/coronavirus-schools-child-care-centers.html ). To suggest that teachers' unions didn't contribute at all to the low public perception of their profession is just ridiculous.

I say this as someone who put my grudge to the side and voted for every single Apple Ballot candidate for school board (not because they were on the Apple Ballot but because they were the most qualified candidates).

I see nothing wrong with Randi Weingarten's rhetoric there. Your comments seem like a non sequitur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

Eh I remember seeing some pretty petty posts on the MCEA Twitter feed (which have since been scrubbed). Then there was this sort of rhetoric from Randi Weingarten.

The whole "school is not child care" line was a big F U to parents whose livelihoods and careers were at risk. It's also a pretty offensive (and I'd argue racist line, since you know they are contrasting themselves with child care teachers who are largely women of color while the teaching profession has been persistently White after teachers of color were shut out of public school teaching jobs after Brown v Board of Education), as well as untrue (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/coronavirus-schools-child-care-centers.html ). To suggest that teachers' unions didn't contribute at all to the low public perception of their profession is just ridiculous.

I say this as someone who put my grudge to the side and voted for every single Apple Ballot candidate for school board (not because they were on the Apple Ballot but because they were the most qualified candidates).

I see nothing wrong with Randi Weingarten's rhetoric there. Your comments seem like a non sequitur.

The biggest issue is the term "babysitters". The implication which is abundantly clear (and even more clear in the "SCHOOL IS NOT CHILD CARE" shrieking early in the pandemic) is that Weingarten wants to make crystal clear that teachers for school-age children are a higher life form than child care teachers that provide care for young children, and for older children during the summer and after school. A babysitter is a person who watches one or two children for a couple of hours during date night. To equate child care teachers with "babysitters" is so unbelievably offensive and I can't believe it was so widely accepted

But the other issue is just the complete denial that virtual school was a massive burden for parents. Was it the right thing to do, especially at first? Yes. But it was really hard for a lot of parents and Weingarten acts like this is some sort of "gotcha". It is not a respectful way to advocate for the teaching profession.

[Anonymous]

What Weingarten was essentially saying is, hey WE insisted in-person education is not essential, and now YOU all have finally come to your senses that it IS essential because it is not possible for parents to do teachers' jobs. Do you get how nonsensical that is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

Eh I remember seeing some pretty petty posts on the MCEA Twitter feed (which have since been scrubbed). Then there was this sort of rhetoric from Randi Weingarten.

The whole "school is not child care" line was a big F U to parents whose livelihoods and careers were at risk. It's also a pretty offensive (and I'd argue racist line, since you know they are contrasting themselves with child care teachers who are largely women of color while the teaching profession has been persistently White after teachers of color were shut out of public school teaching jobs after Brown v Board of Education), as well as untrue (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/coronavirus-schools-child-care-centers.html ). To suggest that teachers' unions didn't contribute at all to the low public perception of their profession is just ridiculous.

I say this as someone who put my grudge to the side and voted for every single Apple Ballot candidate for school board (not because they were on the Apple Ballot but because they were the most qualified candidates).

I see nothing wrong with Randi Weingarten's rhetoric there. Your comments seem like a non sequitur.

The biggest issue is the term "babysitters". The implication which is abundantly clear (and even more clear in the "SCHOOL IS NOT CHILD CARE" shrieking early in the pandemic) is that Weingarten wants to make crystal clear that teachers for school-age children are a higher life form than child care teachers that provide care for young children, and for older children during the summer and after school. A babysitter is a person who watches one or two children for a couple of hours during date night. To equate child care teachers with "babysitters" is so unbelievably offensive and I can't believe it was so widely accepted

But the other issue is just the complete denial that virtual school was a massive burden for parents. Was it the right thing to do, especially at first? Yes. But it was really hard for a lot of parents and Weingarten acts like this is some sort of "gotcha". It is not a respectful way to advocate for the teaching profession.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't see how you get all that from that tweet. Those two sentences are fine in and of themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

Eh I remember seeing some pretty petty posts on the MCEA Twitter feed (which have since been scrubbed). Then there was this sort of rhetoric from Randi Weingarten.

The whole "school is not child care" line was a big F U to parents whose livelihoods and careers were at risk. It's also a pretty offensive (and I'd argue racist line, since you know they are contrasting themselves with child care teachers who are largely women of color while the teaching profession has been persistently White after teachers of color were shut out of public school teaching jobs after Brown v Board of Education), as well as untrue (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/coronavirus-schools-child-care-centers.html ). To suggest that teachers' unions didn't contribute at all to the low public perception of their profession is just ridiculous.

I say this as someone who put my grudge to the side and voted for every single Apple Ballot candidate for school board (not because they were on the Apple Ballot but because they were the most qualified candidates).

I see nothing wrong with Randi Weingarten's rhetoric there. Your comments seem like a non sequitur.

The biggest issue is the term "babysitters". The implication which is abundantly clear (and even more clear in the "SCHOOL IS NOT CHILD CARE" shrieking early in the pandemic) is that Weingarten wants to make crystal clear that teachers for school-age children are a higher life form than child care teachers that provide care for young children, and for older children during the summer and after school. A babysitter is a person who watches one or two children for a couple of hours during date night. To equate child care teachers with "babysitters" is so unbelievably offensive and I can't believe it was so widely accepted

But the other issue is just the complete denial that virtual school was a massive burden for parents. Was it the right thing to do, especially at first? Yes. But it was really hard for a lot of parents and Weingarten acts like this is some sort of "gotcha". It is not a respectful way to advocate for the teaching profession.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't see how you get all that from that tweet. Those two sentences are fine in and of themselves.

Do you not believe she was asserting that parents thought of teachers as "glorified babysitters"? Nobody thinks of teachers as babysitter. A babysitter is a teenager that you hire for a couple of hours on the weekend to watch your 3 kids. Not a person in charge of a group of 20-30 kids. Also, it was the UNIONS who basically said in-person school wasn't needed, and the PARENTS who said yes it is. She is clearly implying it was the opposite, which is disingenuous and insulting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

Eh I remember seeing some pretty petty posts on the MCEA Twitter feed (which have since been scrubbed). Then there was this sort of rhetoric from Randi Weingarten.

The whole "school is not child care" line was a big F U to parents whose livelihoods and careers were at risk. It's also a pretty offensive (and I'd argue racist line, since you know they are contrasting themselves with child care teachers who are largely women of color while the teaching profession has been persistently White after teachers of color were shut out of public school teaching jobs after Brown v Board of Education), as well as untrue (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/coronavirus-schools-child-care-centers.html ). To suggest that teachers' unions didn't contribute at all to the low public perception of their profession is just ridiculous.

I say this as someone who put my grudge to the side and voted for every single Apple Ballot candidate for school board (not because they were on the Apple Ballot but because they were the most qualified candidates).

I see nothing wrong with Randi Weingarten's rhetoric there. Your comments seem like a non sequitur.

The biggest issue is the term "babysitters". The implication which is abundantly clear (and even more clear in the "SCHOOL IS NOT CHILD CARE" shrieking early in the pandemic) is that Weingarten wants to make crystal clear that teachers for school-age children are a higher life form than child care teachers that provide care for young children, and for older children during the summer and after school. A babysitter is a person who watches one or two children for a couple of hours during date night. To equate child care teachers with "babysitters" is so unbelievably offensive and I can't believe it was so widely accepted

But the other issue is just the complete denial that virtual school was a massive burden for parents. Was it the right thing to do, especially at first? Yes. But it was really hard for a lot of parents and Weingarten acts like this is some sort of "gotcha". It is not a respectful way to advocate for the teaching profession.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't see how you get all that from that tweet. Those two sentences are fine in and of themselves.

DP. Now that I have re-read her tweet, I agree with you. She's addressing those who think teachers are glorified babysitters, not saying that school is not childcare, as many teachers and teacher representatives did. But how many people really think that? I don't know any.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO, one of the biggest changes is that teachers themselves will not recommend teaching as a profession. Back when I was in high school, teachers were always telling me that I’d make the perfect teacher, my family encouraged me to go into teaching, and the job just seemed enticing. After I got my degree, I absolutely loved the job (not every minute, obviously, but as a whole, it really was great. Now, with 20 years of teaching experience, I have already told my daughter that she needs to stay away. Schools aren’t safe, the job isn’t enjoyable, and public perception is terrible. My colleagues are also warning everyone to stay away from the major. Graduates will continue to decline. But, what needs to be understood, is how little my salary contributes to how I feel about the job. Increasing the salary will not change education! Teachers need to feel safe!!! Classes need to be manageable! And the home/life balance needs to be restored.

I agree with you, but at a certain point, isn't this becoming self-fulfilling? My daughter is a senior in high school. She wants to be a teacher. She's definitely gotten some negative comments about her choice, but also some positive ones. She would benefit tremendously from positive role models, and would in turn be a great role model for the next generation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Caitlynn is now at Education Week rather than Bethesda Beat, alas. She wrote a nice piece on how 'the status of the teaching profession is at its lowest in five decades, new research suggests, which its authors say is “cause for national concern.”'

How could anyone have predicted that 2 years of telling parents that school wasn’t essential and that anyone should be capable of teaching their kids in a couple hours before bed each day would have an impact on the prestige of the teaching profession? I’m shocked.

Obviously, that was always ridiculous, but now we’re left picking up the pieces. We need to attract new teachers, which means increasing *starting* pay. We also need teaching positons to have a better work-life balance by building in more prep time during the school day.

That’s not what happened at all but always amusing to see this. Your revisionist history along with the rest of the angry (and usually overly defensive parents) is just sad. The majority pity people like you. I’m sure this version makes you feel better though, so we can play along.

Eh I remember seeing some pretty petty posts on the MCEA Twitter feed (which have since been scrubbed). Then there was this sort of rhetoric from Randi Weingarten.

The whole "school is not child care" line was a big F U to parents whose livelihoods and careers were at risk. It's also a pretty offensive (and I'd argue racist line, since you know they are contrasting themselves with child care teachers who are largely women of color while the teaching profession has been persistently White after teachers of color were shut out of public school teaching jobs after Brown v Board of Education), as well as untrue (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/coronavirus-schools-child-care-centers.html ). To suggest that teachers' unions didn't contribute at all to the low public perception of their profession is just ridiculous.

I say this as someone who put my grudge to the side and voted for every single Apple Ballot candidate for school board (not because they were on the Apple Ballot but because they were the most qualified candidates).

I see nothing wrong with Randi Weingarten's rhetoric there. Your comments seem like a non sequitur.

The biggest issue is the term "babysitters". The implication which is abundantly clear (and even more clear in the "SCHOOL IS NOT CHILD CARE" shrieking early in the pandemic) is that Weingarten wants to make crystal clear that teachers for school-age children are a higher life form than child care teachers that provide care for young children, and for older children during the summer and after school. A babysitter is a person who watches one or two children for a couple of hours during date night. To equate child care teachers with "babysitters" is so unbelievably offensive and I can't believe it was so widely accepted

But the other issue is just the complete denial that virtual school was a massive burden for parents. Was it the right thing to do, especially at first? Yes. But it was really hard for a lot of parents and Weingarten acts like this is some sort of "gotcha". It is not a respectful way to advocate for the teaching profession.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't see how you get all that from that tweet. Those two sentences are fine in and of themselves.

DP. Now that I have re-read her tweet, I agree with you. She's addressing those who think teachers are glorified babysitters, not saying that school is not childcare, as many teachers and teacher representatives did. But how many people really think that? I don't know any.

I think her "glorified babysitters" phrase is definitely hyperbolic, but I understood that to mean people who weren't aware of what a teacher actually does all day with their students.