Why does my kid's school have SO MANY 'professional days'?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd think the "Professional Days" could be on Wednesdays, since teachers already have that day off.

I am really curious what job you have that is client facing 40 hours a week, since you seem to define anything else as "off".

I think there are very few jobs where you can take off as much time as teachers do and not get fired.

[Anonymous]

I also find the Wednesdays off mystifying. I understood it when it was going to be "deep clean" day when we were going to get hybrid. But then we didn't do hybrid. But we still don't have instruction on Wednesdays.

My kid gets NO programming on Wednesdays.

So, I'm supposed to believe that my kid's ES teachers need an extra planning day every week? For what? What takes an entire day to prepare every week? They don't do individual meetings on Wednesday. Why did the pandemic make every teacher need that much more planning time?

And now we are going to have a PD day on Friday.

It's absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does this even mean? What happens on "professional days"? My kids are barely getting any instruction as it is. Do we really need to cancel yet another day of school for a "professional day"? Can't they have their professional days during the six hours per day that my kids aren't in school?

Totally agree with you. I feel like these kids are never in school.

all this stuff should be canceled -- phony baloney "professional days," spring break, "asynchronous wednesdays." we shouldnt even have the summers off. not when our kids are barely ever in school. school has been a complete joke since last march.

+1

[Anonymous]

Teachers don’t decide how Wednesday is handled. So stop blaming them.
It’s like yelling at a store clerk for the hours of the store

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd think the "Professional Days" could be on Wednesdays, since teachers already have that day off.

I am really curious what job you have that is client facing 40 hours a week, since you seem to define anything else as "off".

I think there are very few jobs where you can take off as much time as teachers do and not get fired.

I will ask my question again what do you do for a living that has no paperwork or meetings without the clients?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers don’t decide how Wednesday is handled. So stop blaming them.
It’s like yelling at a store clerk for the hours of the store

Ok, we aren't yelling at anyone but the void on DCUM.

But should teachers be advocating their administrators to provide more classtime for students, given they are the experts in education and that they know that DL is hurting kids' educational progress? It just seems like if they care about kids' education, they'd....do something about the fact that it's shitty right now.

I don't get how they are just passive observers here.

(Although I understand that some teachers are using Wednesdays to help with education, so my hearty thanks to them.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers don’t decide how Wednesday is handled. So stop blaming them.
It’s like yelling at a store clerk for the hours of the store

Ok, we aren't yelling at anyone but the void on DCUM.

But should teachers be advocating their administrators to provide more classtime for students, given they are the experts in education and that they know that DL is hurting kids' educational progress? It just seems like if they care about kids' education, they'd....do something about the fact that it's shitty right now.

I don't get how they are just passive observers here.

(Although I understand that some teachers are using Wednesdays to help with education, so my hearty thanks to them.)

I think it often gets lost that the amount of time spent teaching is not the same as the amount of time spent working. Professional development exists in most professions. Many people are required to do PD hours but not compensated for them. As someone in that situation (where I have to pay for the continuing education required for my profession AND take time off to get that education or figure out where in my life I can fit a 6-hour webinar outside work hours), I think it is pretty great that teachers receive a lot of PD at school and are generally compensated for it. As a parent, I understand the frustration and agree that it's even more ridiculous now since they're doing a lot (A LOT) less in person teaching. But it would also be pretty ridiculous to pretend that lesson planning and reviewing student work and responding to parent contacts are not also parts of the job of teacher. Those things take time. I do not personally feel comfortable saying that they should also be advocating for kids to return to school ASAP in addition to the things they are already doing.

I think it would be wrong to say that teachers are passive observers here. Teachers are people. They are dealing with the same public health and professional crisis that we are all dealing with. Many of them also have children and are dealing with the same frustrations related to parenting and distance learning that the rest of us are dealing with - except their "conference call" is with our kids. Expecting them to advocate for policy changes and suggesting that they're not doing anything to try to make distance learning not be shitty for everyone seems pretty unfair. Are you expected to do that in your profession? I am not. If I wanted to be an advocate for my profession or the people it serves, I would have chosen an advocacy job. I'd imagine that teachers who want to change education policy (e.g., fewer PD days) would stop teaching in the classroom and start doing education advocacy at an organization that is focused on that.

I'm not a teacher and I think the union handled things extremely poorly before anyone tries to tell me that I'm some kind of shill. It is easy to get lost in our own frustration about a frustrating situation and forget that the teachers we are frustrated with are dealing with the same struggles we are, often with the same structural constraints everyone working from home has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers don’t decide how Wednesday is handled. So stop blaming them.
It’s like yelling at a store clerk for the hours of the store

Ok, we aren't yelling at anyone but the void on DCUM.

But should teachers be advocating their administrators to provide more classtime for students, given they are the experts in education and that they know that DL is hurting kids' educational progress? It just seems like if they care about kids' education, they'd....do something about the fact that it's shitty right now.

I don't get how they are just passive observers here.

(Although I understand that some teachers are using Wednesdays to help with education, so my hearty thanks to them.)

I think it often gets lost that the amount of time spent teaching is not the same as the amount of time spent working. Professional development exists in most professions. Many people are required to do PD hours but not compensated for them. As someone in that situation (where I have to pay for the continuing education required for my profession AND take time off to get that education or figure out where in my life I can fit a 6-hour webinar outside work hours), I think it is pretty great that teachers receive a lot of PD at school and are generally compensated for it. As a parent, I understand the frustration and agree that it's even more ridiculous now since they're doing a lot (A LOT) less in person teaching. But it would also be pretty ridiculous to pretend that lesson planning and reviewing student work and responding to parent contacts are not also parts of the job of teacher. Those things take time. I do not personally feel comfortable saying that they should also be advocating for kids to return to school ASAP in addition to the things they are already doing.

I think it would be wrong to say that teachers are passive observers here. Teachers are people. They are dealing with the same public health and professional crisis that we are all dealing with. Many of them also have children and are dealing with the same frustrations related to parenting and distance learning that the rest of us are dealing with - except their "conference call" is with our kids. Expecting them to advocate for policy changes and suggesting that they're not doing anything to try to make distance learning not be shitty for everyone seems pretty unfair. Are you expected to do that in your profession? I am not. If I wanted to be an advocate for my profession or the people it serves, I would have chosen an advocacy job. I'd imagine that teachers who want to change education policy (e.g., fewer PD days) would stop teaching in the classroom and start doing education advocacy at an organization that is focused on that.

I'm not a teacher and I think the union handled things extremely poorly before anyone tries to tell me that I'm some kind of shill. It is easy to get lost in our own frustration about a frustrating situation and forget that the teachers we are frustrated with are dealing with the same struggles we are, often with the same structural constraints everyone working from home has.

+1 to all of this.

I don't love PD days. But the teachers usually all have to do the same training, so it makes sense that it's during the workday. At my job, I can do my PD during the day, and it's often employer-provided, so that it's tailored to our duties. Seems reasonable to me.

And my kid's teachers are working really hard. They are not just popping in a video -- they are preparing lessons that can be taught using simulcast technology, learning how to teach to kids in the classroom and at home at the same time. They are consistently prepared and organized, and just as frustrated at the technological problems as we are. They are obviously dedicated and care about their students. They aren't the union, or district management, and have pretty limited say in what happens. I will say that they are clearly happy to be back in person, although it's causing it's own stresses. I'd imagine that, just like me, they are tired at the end of the day, after teaching and reviewing student work and entering grades and meeting with students and answering the zillion emails that they get from students and parents, and don't have a lot of energy left to "advocate" for district-wide change. I think that they ARE doing what they can to make their students' educational experience less sh*tty, by trying really hard to be effective teachers in the situation they are in now. They aren't perfect, but I'm not going to take out my frustration with DCPS and the mayor and the WTU on them.

[Anonymous]

Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

If they are not providing content then 1-2 LEAP meeting 1 hour each, if they are a sped teacher an hour sped meeting (which happened pre-pandemic), and PK teachers do family check ins, that could be 1-5 hours (depends how they space their week)


And something you should understand is that pre-pandemic 45 min a day 4/5 days wasn't enough. 1 was always taken by LEAP.

What you're seeing now is teacher being given enough time to plan. When I was a teacher in CA we had planning during specials and after school. But DCPS is cheap and doesn't want to pay us.

SO really ask DCPS why they can't tact on an extra hour of pay each day to give your kids more instruction. Or why they don't make Wed. a half day?


OR ask your stupid school. Because as soon as we started IPL Wednesday was small group day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers don’t decide how Wednesday is handled. So stop blaming them.
It’s like yelling at a store clerk for the hours of the store

Ok, we aren't yelling at anyone but the void on DCUM.

But should teachers be advocating their administrators to provide more classtime for students, given they are the experts in education and that they know that DL is hurting kids' educational progress? It just seems like if they care about kids' education, they'd....do something about the fact that it's shitty right now.

I don't get how they are just passive observers here.

(Although I understand that some teachers are using Wednesdays to help with education, so my hearty thanks to them.)

I think it often gets lost that the amount of time spent teaching is not the same as the amount of time spent working. Professional development exists in most professions. Many people are required to do PD hours but not compensated for them. As someone in that situation (where I have to pay for the continuing education required for my profession AND take time off to get that education or figure out where in my life I can fit a 6-hour webinar outside work hours), I think it is pretty great that teachers receive a lot of PD at school and are generally compensated for it. As a parent, I understand the frustration and agree that it's even more ridiculous now since they're doing a lot (A LOT) less in person teaching. But it would also be pretty ridiculous to pretend that lesson planning and reviewing student work and responding to parent contacts are not also parts of the job of teacher. Those things take time. I do not personally feel comfortable saying that they should also be advocating for kids to return to school ASAP in addition to the things they are already doing.

I think it would be wrong to say that teachers are passive observers here. Teachers are people. They are dealing with the same public health and professional crisis that we are all dealing with. Many of them also have children and are dealing with the same frustrations related to parenting and distance learning that the rest of us are dealing with - except their "conference call" is with our kids. Expecting them to advocate for policy changes and suggesting that they're not doing anything to try to make distance learning not be shitty for everyone seems pretty unfair. Are you expected to do that in your profession? I am not. If I wanted to be an advocate for my profession or the people it serves, I would have chosen an advocacy job. I'd imagine that teachers who want to change education policy (e.g., fewer PD days) would stop teaching in the classroom and start doing education advocacy at an organization that is focused on that.

I'm not a teacher and I think the union handled things extremely poorly before anyone tries to tell me that I'm some kind of shill. It is easy to get lost in our own frustration about a frustrating situation and forget that the teachers we are frustrated with are dealing with the same struggles we are, often with the same structural constraints everyone working from home has.

Well yes, in my profession I am expected to come up with innovative solutions to the problems of the populace that I serve. To do that I work with management and stick my own neck out. I face the possibility of the public decrying my work in the media. So I do not have a whole lot of sympathy for the people in charge of children’s education saying “I can’t do anything” even while watching the problems firsthand. All the while purporting to have children’s best interests in mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does this even mean? What happens on "professional days"? My kids are barely getting any instruction as it is. Do we really need to cancel yet another day of school for a "professional day"? Can't they have their professional days during the six hours per day that my kids aren't in school?

BTW depending on your child's age the amount of direct instruction is not equal to the hours they are in school.

My kids used to go to school 40 hours per week. Now they go to school 16 hours per week. School, for students and teachers, is now like a part-time job.

What school was 40 hours a week in DC?

What school in DC wasn’t nearly 40 hours a week? Seven hours/day is close enough. If you add in before/aftercare that’s another 3.5 hours/day. Some kids are dropped off as early as 7:30 pm, at my kid’s school, and are there until 6pm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

If they are not providing content then 1-2 LEAP meeting 1 hour each, if they are a sped teacher an hour sped meeting (which happened pre-pandemic), and PK teachers do family check ins, that could be 1-5 hours (depends how they space their week)


And something you should understand is that pre-pandemic 45 min a day 4/5 days wasn't enough. 1 was always taken by LEAP.

What you're seeing now is teacher being given enough time to plan. When I was a teacher in CA we had planning during specials and after school. But DCPS is cheap and doesn't want to pay us.

SO really ask DCPS why they can't tact on an extra hour of pay each day to give your kids more instruction. Or why they don't make Wed. a half day?


OR ask your stupid school. Because as soon as we started IPL Wednesday was small group day.

First, as I'm informed by DCUM regularly, I have no power as a parent to advocate for anything. And I have asked my stupid school and they don't respond. Hurrah.

I'm still not getting the math here. Between M, T, Th, and F, there are 4.5 x 4 = 18 hours no spent in instruction, and then W gives an addition 8 hours, for a total of 26 hours. I'm operating on the assumption that teachers, like other professionals, work 8 hours a day.

So LEAP meetings take up 2 hours/ week?
SPED takes up 4 hours/week (is that right)

that gets us to 20 hours for planning, emails, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

If they are not providing content then 1-2 LEAP meeting 1 hour each, if they are a sped teacher an hour sped meeting (which happened pre-pandemic), and PK teachers do family check ins, that could be 1-5 hours (depends how they space their week)


And something you should understand is that pre-pandemic 45 min a day 4/5 days wasn't enough. 1 was always taken by LEAP.

What you're seeing now is teacher being given enough time to plan. When I was a teacher in CA we had planning during specials and after school. But DCPS is cheap and doesn't want to pay us.

SO really ask DCPS why they can't tact on an extra hour of pay each day to give your kids more instruction. Or why they don't make Wed. a half day?


OR ask your stupid school. Because as soon as we started IPL Wednesday was small group day.

First, as I'm informed by DCUM regularly, I have no power as a parent to advocate for anything. And I have asked my stupid school and they don't respond. Hurrah.

I'm still not getting the math here. Between M, T, Th, and F, there are 4.5 x 4 = 18 hours no spent in instruction, and then W gives an addition 8 hours, for a total of 26 hours. I'm operating on the assumption that teachers, like other professionals, work 8 hours a day.

So LEAP meetings take up 2 hours/ week?
SPED takes up 4 hours/week (is that right)

that gets us to 20 hours for planning, emails, etc.

Ha. The math does not add up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

The answers to this are going to vary school by school depending on the schedules and how they broke up their DL classes. At my school we use Wednesdays from 8:30-12:30 for a whole group meeting and then small groups (3-4 kids at a time) for ELA or Math depending on need. 1:30-3:30 is a meeting called looking at student work where we discuss needs that are coming up and how to address them, and then a team meeting where we calendar out the next week.

During M,Tu,Th,F we do whole group meetings and then A/B split the classes in half. So if group A is with the teacher, B is independent. That doesn't mean the teacher is free o do emails and planning. They are with other students. I think parents often forget that (given the number of texts I get when in small groups).

I hope that provides some clarity. I do know all schools are different.