I'm an MCPS elementary school teacher...AMA

[Anonymous]

I'm an elementary teacher at a Title 1 school and the behavior is outrageous but it's a nice spread between the boys and girls. We have quite a few girls who stir the pot after school on social media and then start drag out fights at recess the next day. Many of the students with behavioral challenges have really messed up home lives with parents who have no business parenting. People assume it's students in special programs who display these behaviors but honestly, we have more general ed students who are out of control than in our special program.
Personally, I can overlook the convoluted curriculums we have to teach because they come and go every five years. However, all of the societal problems that are finding their way into the building make it very tough to show up every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for reaffirming our decision to move DD from a W-area elementary to an all-girls private. It's costing us $50k+/year, but she's in a class of 18 kids and no behavioral issues.

18 is a high class size for a private. There are entire grade levels in MCPS elementary schools that also have class sizes of 18-20.

However, I'm glad there's no behavioral issues though. It really does make a difference!

I actually applied for a job at a private school a few years back. The pay was at least 10k lower and wasn't going to go up every year (I make over 110k currently). The benefits sucked. I was totally thrown by the fact that most of the teaching staff there had Bachelor's or Master's degrees....but not in teaching. Not sure how you can teach well or understand how kids learn without a teaching degree. Having content knowledge isn't enough. The way they select the curriculum they use also seemed questionable. Where's the accountability and transparency?

Wishing your daughter all the best!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an elementary teacher at a Title 1 school and the behavior is outrageous but it's a nice spread between the boys and girls. We have quite a few girls who stir the pot after school on social media and then start drag out fights at recess the next day. Many of the students with behavioral challenges have really messed up home lives with parents who have no business parenting. People assume it's students in special programs who display these behaviors but honestly, we have more general ed students who are out of control than in our special program.
Personally, I can overlook the convoluted curriculums we have to teach because they come and go every five years. However, all of the societal problems that are finding their way into the building make it very tough to show up every day.

Teaching at a Title I school sounds awful. I applaud you for doing it. I also assume over half your class is far below grade level and almost all FARMS/EMLs. I don't know how you do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an elementary teacher at a Title 1 school and the behavior is outrageous but it's a nice spread between the boys and girls. We have quite a few girls who stir the pot after school on social media and then start drag out fights at recess the next day. Many of the students with behavioral challenges have really messed up home lives with parents who have no business parenting. People assume it's students in special programs who display these behaviors but honestly, we have more general ed students who are out of control than in our special program.
Personally, I can overlook the convoluted curriculums we have to teach because they come and go every five years. However, all of the societal problems that are finding their way into the building make it very tough to show up every day.

Teaching at a Title I school sounds awful. I applaud you for doing it. I also assume over half your class is far below grade level and almost all FARMS/EMLs. I don't know how you do it.

Yes, the bulk of my class is below-grade level and we do have many students receiving ELD services. I used to beat myself up over test scores but I am only in front of my kids for about six hours a day. The environment they are in the other 18 hours of the day plays a huge role in their success at school. Oddly enough, I am still constantly reflecting on my lessons and trying to find the secret key to unlock the potential in certain students. I refuse to give up on any of them but I also don't make myself feel like a terrible teacher due to low scores. I could go teach in Potomac or Bethesda and have students who constantly perform high on assessments but I know that there are so many outside factors that contribute to those scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an elementary teacher at a Title 1 school and the behavior is outrageous but it's a nice spread between the boys and girls. We have quite a few girls who stir the pot after school on social media and then start drag out fights at recess the next day. Many of the students with behavioral challenges have really messed up home lives with parents who have no business parenting. People assume it's students in special programs who display these behaviors but honestly, we have more general ed students who are out of control than in our special program.
Personally, I can overlook the convoluted curriculums we have to teach because they come and go every five years. However, all of the societal problems that are finding their way into the building make it very tough to show up every day.

Teaching at a Title I school sounds awful. I applaud you for doing it. I also assume over half your class is far below grade level and almost all FARMS/EMLs. I don't know how you do it.

Yes, the bulk of my class is below-grade level and we do have many students receiving ELD services. I used to beat myself up over test scores but I am only in front of my kids for about six hours a day. The environment they are in the other 18 hours of the day plays a huge role in their success at school. Oddly enough, I am still constantly reflecting on my lessons and trying to find the secret key to unlock the potential in certain students. I refuse to give up on any of them but I also don't make myself feel like a terrible teacher due to low scores. I could go teach in Potomac or Bethesda and have students who constantly perform high on assessments but I know that there are so many outside factors that contribute to those scores.

Your school is so lucky to have you!! Thank you for never giving up.
Yes...lawmakers and others don't understand that part you said about so many outside factors contributing to student success. The teacher and school can only do so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for reaffirming our decision to move DD from a W-area elementary to an all-girls private. It's costing us $50k+/year, but she's in a class of 18 kids and no behavioral issues.

I guess if what’s what you need to feel good at night. Just don’t do the math on if you invested that 50K each year to see what it would be when you retire. Or ask what they pay their new teachers. I was so poor when I taught at an independent school as a new college graduate that I tried to see if I could qualify for SNAP, and considered using a food pantry. It didn’t pay a living wage - yet 4 of my students parents were on the Forbes’ billionaires list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's insane. I cannot believe what kids can get away with. Serious behavior issues have no consequences. 99 percent of the behavior issues I see are boys. Constant and blatant disrespect to teachers and fellow students. Clearly their parents do not follow up about their behavior at home....no parenting or consequences. Many hire au pairs and nannies so their kids never actually are parented. The kids are entitled shits at the age of 9. Imagine when they're in high school. I cringe.

The mention of Nannies and au pairs tells me you’re in a wealthy part of the county. Either Potomac, Bethesda or Chevy Chase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for reaffirming our decision to move DD from a W-area elementary to an all-girls private. It's costing us $50k+/year, but she's in a class of 18 kids and no behavioral issues.

I guess if what’s what you need to feel good at night. Just don’t do the math on if you invested that 50K each year to see what it would be when you retire. Or ask what they pay their new teachers. I was so poor when I taught at an independent school as a new college graduate that I tried to see if I could qualify for SNAP, and considered using a food pantry. It didn’t pay a living wage - yet 4 of my students parents were on the Forbes’ billionaires list.

That was me my first few years teaching in public school. My kids got free/reduced meals, free preschool, etc. Years later, they both have gotten Pell grants for college. Those are for students who display “exceptional financial need.” So I’m still poor all of these years and experience and education later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an elementary teacher at a Title 1 school and the behavior is outrageous but it's a nice spread between the boys and girls. We have quite a few girls who stir the pot after school on social media and then start drag out fights at recess the next day. Many of the students with behavioral challenges have really messed up home lives with parents who have no business parenting. People assume it's students in special programs who display these behaviors but honestly, we have more general ed students who are out of control than in our special program.
Personally, I can overlook the convoluted curriculums we have to teach because they come and go every five years. However, all of the societal problems that are finding their way into the building make it very tough to show up every day.

Teaching at a Title I school sounds awful. I applaud you for doing it. I also assume over half your class is far below grade level and almost all FARMS/EMLs. I don't know how you do it.

Yes, the bulk of my class is below-grade level and we do have many students receiving ELD services. I used to beat myself up over test scores but I am only in front of my kids for about six hours a day. The environment they are in the other 18 hours of the day plays a huge role in their success at school. Oddly enough, I am still constantly reflecting on my lessons and trying to find the secret key to unlock the potential in certain students. I refuse to give up on any of them but I also don't make myself feel like a terrible teacher due to low scores. I could go teach in Potomac or Bethesda and have students who constantly perform high on assessments but I know that there are so many outside factors that contribute to those scores.

Plus, you aren’t really teaching them the entire time since there’s no meaningful tracking and differentiation, meaning teachers must rush through several small groups for math and reading.

Moreover, the curriculum sets the bar low and doesn’t include tangible learning skills.

Blame mcps, not teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does parent advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens in schools or even in an individual classroom?

Zero chance. And a question to ponder..... Does teacher advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens at home????

Also...my students are rarely on their Chromebooks. Is that where the parent concerns are? Are you all going to fight for their to be less screen use in college too? Teaching students how to properly utilize screens is important. It's part of life.

I use the Boxlight to teach with bc it's efficient and engaging. I'm not showing them YouTube videos all day long on it or anything....

My kids are zero screens so throwing it back to the family doesn’t work in this case, the problem is schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does parent advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens in schools or even in an individual classroom?

Zero chance. And a question to ponder..... Does teacher advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens at home????

Also...my students are rarely on their Chromebooks. Is that where the parent concerns are? Are you all going to fight for their to be less screen use in college too? Teaching students how to properly utilize screens is important. It's part of life.

I use the Boxlight to teach with bc it's efficient and engaging. I'm not showing them YouTube videos all day long on it or anything....

School is supposed to be where they are getting education so of course it should be less screen use than home.

By college, they should have the critical thinking skills to use technology more as an aid than a crutch. But the won’t get there if they overuse Chromebooks and games.

[Anonymous]

I teach in a Title I school with a huge population of EMLs. Eureka is good, CKLA is fine but not great for many them, but it’s actually the pacing guide that MCPS requires us to follow is how our kids end up with gaps. It moves too fast. And I know this is controversial, but I think classes should be grouped by ability and they should switch for different subjects. If a kid is good at math then they go to a higher math classroom at math time. The way it’s divided that there is a big range of abilities in each class means that none of the kids are really getting what they need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does parent advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens in schools or even in an individual classroom?

Zero chance. And a question to ponder..... Does teacher advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens at home????

Also...my students are rarely on their Chromebooks. Is that where the parent concerns are? Are you all going to fight for their to be less screen use in college too? Teaching students how to properly utilize screens is important. It's part of life.

I use the Boxlight to teach with bc it's efficient and engaging. I'm not showing them YouTube videos all day long on it or anything....

DP it is not my imagination that my kids' teacher used YouTube videos instead of reading books to kids in kindergarten. My kid memorized the sound effects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach in a Title I school with a huge population of EMLs. Eureka is good, CKLA is fine but not great for many them, but it’s actually the pacing guide that MCPS requires us to follow is how our kids end up with gaps. It moves too fast. And I know this is controversial, but I think classes should be grouped by ability and they should switch for different subjects. If a kid is good at math then they go to a higher math classroom at math time. The way it’s divided that there is a big range of abilities in each class means that none of the kids are really getting what they need.

I completely agree. I student taught years ago in a 3rd grade classroom. The three classroom teachers gave pre-tests for each math unit and then they sent kids who had mastered that topic to one teacher. The other two teachers had the kids who still needed more practice and the very low students who still had gaps. The lowest class was the smallest one and had the special ed teacher (and me) in it. It wasn’t always the same exact kids in each group. It depended on their prior knowledge of the math topic. It worked out well for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does parent advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens in schools or even in an individual classroom?

Zero chance. And a question to ponder..... Does teacher advocacy have any chance of reducing the use of screens at home????

Also...my students are rarely on their Chromebooks. Is that where the parent concerns are? Are you all going to fight for their to be less screen use in college too? Teaching students how to properly utilize screens is important. It's part of life.

I use the Boxlight to teach with bc it's efficient and engaging. I'm not showing them YouTube videos all day long on it or anything....

DP it is not my imagination that my kids' teacher used YouTube videos instead of reading books to kids in kindergarten. My kid memorized the sound effects.

Maybe offer to buy the books the teachers need for them so they don’t need to find them online.