salaray and benefits: independent vs MCPS for experienced teacher returning to work

[Anonymous]

"So, why else would you teach at an independent v. MCPS?

1. Teachers' kids have an advantage in the application process.
2. Tuition discount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"So, why else would you teach at an independent v. MCPS?

1. Teachers' kids have an advantage in the application process.
2. Tuition discount.

Wife left Big Three in part because there was no tuition break at all for our rising kindergartener. She had fifteen years of service.

[Anonymous]

I am not a teacher, but I would think a big reason would be the freedom to teach creatively - less scripted curriculum. That is what I have valued as the parent of an independent school child. Some teachers of course don't have the skills to handle the freedom. We've had incredible teachers in an independent school, but also some that were not so good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher, but I would think a big reason would be the freedom to teach creatively - less scripted curriculum. That is what I have valued as the parent of an independent school child. Some teachers of course don't have the skills to handle the freedom. We've had incredible teachers in an independent school, but also some that were not so good.

But to me, part of the the reason I would look at private school is because, supposedly, they have more freedom to hire and fire their teachers and (I thought) the had the freedom to pay competitively (not tied to gov't scales) so ALL their teachers should be good. That and having small classes with a student body motivated, well behaved peers. I thought that was the whole point of private school. What do those HUGE tuition checks pay for if not the BEST teachers? I mean, the most fundamental element of a fabulous education is a fabulous teacher. Wow. I guess I was woefully misinformed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher, but I would think a big reason would be the freedom to teach creatively - less scripted curriculum. That is what I have valued as the parent of an independent school child. Some teachers of course don't have the skills to handle the freedom. We've had incredible teachers in an independent school, but also some that were not so good.

But to me, part of the the reason I would look at private school is because, supposedly, they have more freedom to hire and fire their teachers and (I thought) the had the freedom to pay competitively (not tied to gov't scales) so ALL their teachers should be good. That and having small classes with a student body motivated, well behaved peers. I thought that was the whole point of private school. What do those HUGE tuition checks pay for if not the BEST teachers? I mean, the most fundamental element of a fabulous education is a fabulous teacher. Wow. I guess I was woefully misinformed.

They do have the freedom to fire, in ways that public schools do not. They have the freedom to pay competitively as well, but in general, do not pay as well as private schools, and as PP pointed out, the benefits package at a private school is generally pretty mediocre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher, but I would think a big reason would be the freedom to teach creatively - less scripted curriculum. That is what I have valued as the parent of an independent school child. Some teachers of course don't have the skills to handle the freedom. We've had incredible teachers in an independent school, but also some that were not so good.

But to me, part of the the reason I would look at private school is because, supposedly, they have more freedom to hire and fire their teachers and (I thought) the had the freedom to pay competitively (not tied to gov't scales) so ALL their teachers should be good. That and having small classes with a student body motivated, well behaved peers. I thought that was the whole point of private school. What do those HUGE tuition checks pay for if not the BEST teachers? I mean, the most fundamental element of a fabulous education is a fabulous teacher. Wow. I guess I was woefully misinformed.

They do have the freedom to fire, in ways that public schools do not. They have the freedom to pay competitively as well, but in general, do not pay as well as private schools, and as PP pointed out, the benefits package at a private school is generally pretty mediocre.

While I'm sure there are some awesome teachers who for whatever personal reasons they have, choose to teach for less money and fewer benefits for the perks of smaller classes and less bureaucracy than public school. But I must say, I have serious doubts that the majority of private school teachers are really the 'best of the best'. If publics pay better and have better benefits and a better schedule, then I must say that it seems logical that most teachers who have a choice would choose public. Besides, if they are that good, they probably aren't daunted by a slightly larger class and other issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher, but I would think a big reason would be the freedom to teach creatively - less scripted curriculum. That is what I have valued as the parent of an independent school child. Some teachers of course don't have the skills to handle the freedom. We've had incredible teachers in an independent school, but also some that were not so good.

But to me, part of the the reason I would look at private school is because, supposedly, they have more freedom to hire and fire their teachers and (I thought) the had the freedom to pay competitively (not tied to gov't scales) so ALL their teachers should be good. That and having small classes with a student body motivated, well behaved peers. I thought that was the whole point of private school. What do those HUGE tuition checks pay for if not the BEST teachers? I mean, the most fundamental element of a fabulous education is a fabulous teacher. Wow. I guess I was woefully misinformed.

They do have the freedom to fire, in ways that public schools do not. They have the freedom to pay competitively as well, but in general, do not pay as well as private schools, and as PP pointed out, the benefits package at a private school is generally pretty mediocre.

Based on my children's experience at a Big Three school and in MCPS, I'd say the mix of excellent, good, fair, and so-so teachers has been about the same in both places.


While I'm sure there are some awesome teachers who for whatever personal reasons they have, choose to teach for less money and fewer benefits for the perks of smaller classes and less bureaucracy than public school. But I must say, I have serious doubts that the majority of private school teachers are really the 'best of the best'. If publics pay better and have better benefits and a better schedule, then I must say that it seems logical that most teachers who have a choice would choose public. Besides, if they are that good, they probably aren't daunted by a slightly larger class and other issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure that even with your loss of 'steps in MCPS, you will still be better off working at MCPS than in the privates. Better salaries, better training, better benefits, better hours.

But boring as shit!

[Anonymous]

22:07 -- You should be aware that MCPS class sizes are not "slightly larger" than independents, but often twice as large. This makes a huge difference in how you teach and how you interact with the kids. Just one example: the vast majority of MCPS high school students never write a research paper; it's simply impossible for the teachers to manage that type of assignment with so many kids in each class. By contrast, students at the independent school my children attend will write at least 6 research papers over the course of high school. With each paper, students receive extensive advice from their teachers on selecting a topic, researching it, outlining, and writing the finished product. This is manageable if you have 15 kids in the class, but not if you have 30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:22:07 -- You should be aware that MCPS class sizes are not "slightly larger" than independents, but often twice as large. This makes a huge difference in how you teach and how you interact with the kids. Just one example: the vast majority of MCPS high school students never write a research paper; it's simply impossible for the teachers to manage that type of assignment with so many kids in each class. By contrast, students at the independent school my children attend will write at least 6 research papers over the course of high school. With each paper, students receive extensive advice from their teachers on selecting a topic, researching it, outlining, and writing the finished product. This is manageable if you have 15 kids in the class, but not if you have 30.

Let's see, your kids will attend an independent school (so, you know, not currently at an MCPS high school), yet you can confirm that "the vast majority of MCPS high school students never write a research paper"? Wow, I guess all those papers my two high schoolers are researching are just fun hobbies they've come up with on their own...

[Anonymous]

so what is the salary range?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:07 -- You should be aware that MCPS class sizes are not "slightly larger" than independents, but often twice as large. This makes a huge difference in how you teach and how you interact with the kids. Just one example: the vast majority of MCPS high school students never write a research paper; it's simply impossible for the teachers to manage that type of assignment with so many kids in each class. By contrast, students at the independent school my children attend will write at least 6 research papers over the course of high school. With each paper, students receive extensive advice from their teachers on selecting a topic, researching it, outlining, and writing the finished product. This is manageable if you have 15 kids in the class, but not if you have 30.

Let's see, your kids will attend an independent school (so, you know, not currently at an MCPS high school), yet you can confirm that "the vast majority of MCPS high school students never write a research paper"? Wow, I guess all those papers my two high schoolers are researching are just fun hobbies they've come up with on their own...

Are your kids in an IB diploma program, which does require at least one long research paper? If not, it's highly unusual for MCPS students to have such assignments. Our children went to an MCPS elementary school, so we have many family friends whose children are students at BCC, and they have often expressed concern about the fact that their kids aren't learning to research and write a long paper (10-15 pp). I have frequently heard the same thing from parents at Whitman and WJ. The emphasis on AP courses in MCPS means that kids are assigned lots of short essays as a means of preparing for the AP tests.

[Anonymous]

we have many family friends whose children are students at BCC, and they have often expressed concern about the fact that their kids aren't learning to research and write a long paper (10-15 pp). I have frequently heard the same thing from parents at Whitman and WJ.

My kids go to one the inferior Silver Spring schools that everyone is afraid of, and are just in regular plain old honors classes, except for AP history/English (10th and 11th grade). They write (very good) research papers--I guess it's a just a problem at BCC/Whitman/WJ. Hmm.

[Anonymous]

so what is the salary range?

this was posted on another thread: for MCPS http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/ersc/employees/pay/schedules/salary_schedule_fy11.pdf

The teacher salary range is for BA, MA, MA + 30 additional credits and MA + 60 additional credits. The steps are years in the system.

[Anonymous]

How is there prestige in being a teacher at a prestigious school? I understand why its prestigious to be a parent or student...these school screen and test and its competitive to get it as a student and you $$ (usually) to go. But where's the prestige in teaching there? You need fewer qualifications than you do in public and if its true that the students have fewer/different/less serious problems than the publics, they learn easier and faster and are better behaved, then apparently you need fewer actual teaching skills than you would in a public.

So what makes the best teachers choose elite privates? Or is it debatable that they have the best teachers? And if they don't, then why are those elite schools so 'elite'?

My experience from being a student in public and private school was that the teacher pools are very different. The teacher's in private school had good degrees from high quality schools in the subject that they were teaching not the education degree that you see required for public school. They were great teachers but also very knowledgable about their subjects. In public school, the teachers were teaching from the text and didn't have great passion or depth for the subjects (history, math, physics, english) etc. They may have more skills in getting a wide range of students to understand a basic level but they themselves were stumped beyond that level.