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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would you tell a college kid who is considering teaching? My HS senior daughter is trying to figure out what she'd like to do for a career. She gravitates toward teaching. I think she worries about the salary. But more than that, most of her HS teachers have been telling her to absolutely not do it.

They have different reasons, but the most salient seem to be unruly kids and entitled parents. Most recently, a teacher told her that so many parents push and complain and threaten to sue and actually sue that the job is terrible. She said that some kids just don't do the smallest amount of work and their parents tell the teacher not to push them due to mental health concerns and they want the kid to graduate but the kid has turned in almost nothing all semester.

It sounds like when teachers try to encourage kids to challenge themselves and learn, they are thwarted. Making an already difficult job completely unsatisfying.

This was the most recent conversation she's had, but she's been reporting teacher comments discouraging the teaching profession since freshman year.

Is she just catching teachers venting at times of stress (which we all face) or is this a real thing such that kids should avoid the profession?

Honestly, I can’t recommend it. And I’m not feeling stressed right now, so this isn’t a vent.

It’s the lack of respect that gets me… from students, administrators, parents, the public. It’s also the work/life balance. You’ll be drawn to “summers off”, but then you’ll work 14 months in 10 just to get there.

There are also tons of variables in a classroom, and you are responsible for all of them. That includes the ones you can’t control.

I don’t recommend it. At all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, guys, please take the teacher compensation discussion to a different thread if you want to keep talking about it. If we have one or more elementary school teachers here willing to give candid responses to our questions, I think we should keep this thread focused on that.

OP here....
I'm still here and ready to give candid responses to questions!! Let me know.

Thanks!

Is there any way to bring up wanting your kid to receive enrichment that is likely to be actually productive and helpful? (Or should we assume that if they are not, it either means that either 1) the teacher wants to but can't due to other demands they're juggling; 2) the teacher doesn't think your kid needs enrichment and will likely be annoyed at you saying they do; or 3) the teacher doesn't really care about providing enrichment? And that none of these things will likely be helped by hearing from you on it?)

If there is some potential benefit to the conversation, any suggestions on what to say and how? Is this different for, say, kindergarten versus 2nd grade? Assume the kid is not a super-genius several years above grade-level, just an ordinary smart kid feeling bored and unchallenged by the regular curriculum.

OP here...

This is a great question. I have a child myself in an MCPS school. I have not brought this up with the teacher yet bc of some of the same concerns you mentioned above. But my child definitely needs enrichment/challenge in math and in CKLA. I did tell the teacher that my child requested more challenge in math (words from my child, not me).

I think for most teachers and myself it's number 1.

All of the good teachers care about providing enrichment to your children, it's just a matter of we don't always have the time or resources bc we'd have to buy (from Teachers Pay Teachers website) or make all of the materials ourselves. Also...I personally don't consider true enrichment just giving kids worksheets. I consider true enrichment projects and other things. Those take a long time to create and prep and get materials for. I could easily print out more worksheets for your kids....but it's not meaningful enrichment. I'd have to do this on top of supporting kids who can barely read/comprehend basic texts and supporting on grade level kids too.

There is definitely a benefit to the conversation. If for no other reason than to just get a paper trail going of documented requests for it. I would share what your child says at home about school and why you think they need enrichment. Your child flying through their homework independently is not a sign of them needing enrichment. I would use concrete evidence of their MCAP scores, MAP scores, and report card grades. The most effective wording you could probably use is that you think your child needs to be pushed to reach their full potential and you'd like to know specifically what they're doing to push your child. We usually identify "cusp" kids and focus on them in data chats and how we can push them.

Enrichment will look different depending on what grade your child is in. I think it starts being more important in later elementary years.

Sadly....your best bet might be to provide enrichment to your child yourself at home or seek outside of school enrichment.

Let me know if you have more specific questions! I hope this helped.

[Anonymous]

OP here...I'm working my way through your questions! It's been a busy last few days. I'll get to them over the weekend if I haven't already answered them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During our PT conference, my kid's teacher (grade 4), said my child's spelling was the only part of their academic performance that was below average, but that they didn't have many suggestions on how we could help support our child in that area because our child was a good reader.

Any suggestions on how we can help our kid?

OP here....

I would ask them to have the teacher or reading specialist give a spelling inventory from Words Their Way and to identify what spelling stage your child is at. Once you have that information, you can ask them to either provide you with word sorts to do with your child at home or find them on your own at home (by searching online).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would you tell a college kid who is considering teaching? My HS senior daughter is trying to figure out what she'd like to do for a career. She gravitates toward teaching. I think she worries about the salary. But more than that, most of her HS teachers have been telling her to absolutely not do it.

They have different reasons, but the most salient seem to be unruly kids and entitled parents. Most recently, a teacher told her that so many parents push and complain and threaten to sue and actually sue that the job is terrible. She said that some kids just don't do the smallest amount of work and their parents tell the teacher not to push them due to mental health concerns and they want the kid to graduate but the kid has turned in almost nothing all semester.

It sounds like when teachers try to encourage kids to challenge themselves and learn, they are thwarted. Making an already difficult job completely unsatisfying.

This was the most recent conversation she's had, but she's been reporting teacher comments discouraging the teaching profession since freshman year.

Is she just catching teachers venting at times of stress (which we all face) or is this a real thing such that kids should avoid the profession?

OP here....

I've thought a lot about how to answer this. My own child has expressed interest in teaching. I will absolutely encourage them to pursue something else. I would avoid the profession at this point. There's an old saying that apparently people still say, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach" Like wtf? That's what people think of teachers.

Student behavior/parent entitlement is one of the reasons I would avoid it. The workload and salary is another. I agree with everything you mentioned that her HS teachers have said above. I've been teaching 15+ years and it's all true. Parents also send their sick kids to school constantly. I often feel like a glorified babysitter. Also....have you read through all the comments on this thread?? More and more of my students have IEPs and 504s...it's hard to provide all the accommodations and supports for all of them.

Something that wasn't mentioned is also how we are treated like incompetent unprofessional babies by administration and higher ups in the MCPS. Just bc I work with kids all day doesn't mean I need to be treated like a child at our professional development meetings and trainings etc with stupid ice breakers and activities that are a waste of time. I have a Master's degree and have lots of experience in the field and still feel that I am micromanaged. Many meetings that should have been emails. Many meetings for the sake of having meetings. I actually have loved all my principals and admin, and still feel this way.

Also...there is only so much we can do for children at school. It's a heavy emotional load to carry and I think about/worry about my students after the school day and long after they're in my class. If parents aren't on board or supportive, we are SOL. Sad but true. No one wants to admit it and they think we can just work harder and student achievement will go up. It's a lot of pressure.

I think this has been a little all over the place...I hope I answered your question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, guys, please take the teacher compensation discussion to a different thread if you want to keep talking about it. If we have one or more elementary school teachers here willing to give candid responses to our questions, I think we should keep this thread focused on that.

OP here....
I'm still here and ready to give candid responses to questions!! Let me know.

What is your opinion of the way MCPS approaches tech for 1. elementary schoolers and 2. Staff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, guys, please take the teacher compensation discussion to a different thread if you want to keep talking about it. If we have one or more elementary school teachers here willing to give candid responses to our questions, I think we should keep this thread focused on that.

OP here....
I'm still here and ready to give candid responses to questions!! Let me know.

What is your opinion of the way MCPS approaches tech for 1. elementary schoolers and 2. Staff?

OP here...

Can you clarify? I'm not being a smart ass at all here...I'm just not sure I understand the question.

How would you say MCPS approaches tech for elementary schoolers and staff?

I like that they give staff a laptop and classroom teachers have Boxlights. I also like how they have 1:1 Chromebooks for the students. It makes things logistically a lot easier.

I had no idea that so many parents were concerned about screentime in schools (this thread has been interesting!) so I have been keeping that in mind in my classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, guys, please take the teacher compensation discussion to a different thread if you want to keep talking about it. If we have one or more elementary school teachers here willing to give candid responses to our questions, I think we should keep this thread focused on that.

OP here....
I'm still here and ready to give candid responses to questions!! Let me know.

What is your opinion of the way MCPS approaches tech for 1. elementary schoolers and 2. Staff?

OP here...

Can you clarify? I'm not being a smart ass at all here...I'm just not sure I understand the question.

How would you say MCPS approaches tech for elementary schoolers and staff?

I like that they give staff a laptop and classroom teachers have Boxlights. I also like how they have 1:1 Chromebooks for the students. It makes things logistically a lot easier.

I had no idea that so many parents were concerned about screentime in schools (this thread has been interesting!) so I have been keeping that in mind in my classroom.

DP

We are concerned because math and literacy rates have been on a consistent downward trend since 2012. I don't think it's a coincidence that the decline began right around the time cell phones became commonplace and edtech exploded. I can see how it might seem like EdTech is helpful and makes your job easier but the data suggest it is terrible for students.

[Anonymous]

You also need to take into account that ten years ago, public schools became majority students in poverty and everything that goes with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You also need to take into account that ten years ago, public schools became majority students in poverty and everything that goes with that.

There is lots of research tying increased access to distracting screens at schools to worse academic performance. Examples cited below

In most countries, feeling lonely at school increased while academic performance on standardized tests in math, reading, and science declined, particularly between 2012 and 2022. Thus, declines in adolescent well-being and academic performance are international rather than isolated to only some countries. Increases in loneliness and declines in academic performance were larger in countries with greater increases in adolescent smartphone access and in countries where adolescents reported spending more time using electronic devices for leisure purposes during school hours.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jad.70058

The situation in Finland, once known for having one of the best school systems in the world, is telling. In 2022, teenagers in Finland admitted to using their devices during the school day for noneducational purposes for nearly 90 minutes. Perhaps as a result, the test scores of Finnish students plummeted between 2006 and 2022. In countries such as Japan, where students spend less than a half-hour on devices for leisure during the school day, academic performance has remained fairly steady, especially in math and science.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/opinion/laptop-classroom-test-scores.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

One study of nearly 300,000 fourth and eighth graders in the United States found that students who spent more time using digital devices in language arts classes performed worse on reading tests. A 2018 meta-analysis found that reading on paper, compared with reading digitally, led to significantly better comprehension among students, from elementary school to college. Across 24 studies, college students who took handwritten notes were 58 percent more likely to get A’s in their courses than those who typed notes on laptops. In contrast, students who typed notes were 75 percent more likely to fail the course than those who wrote them by hand.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/opinion/laptop-classroom-test-scores.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You also need to take into account that ten years ago, public schools became majority students in poverty and everything that goes with that.

There is lots of research tying increased access to distracting screens at schools to worse academic performance. Examples cited below

In most countries, feeling lonely at school increased while academic performance on standardized tests in math, reading, and science declined, particularly between 2012 and 2022. Thus, declines in adolescent well-being and academic performance are international rather than isolated to only some countries. Increases in loneliness and declines in academic performance were larger in countries with greater increases in adolescent smartphone access and in countries where adolescents reported spending more time using electronic devices for leisure purposes during school hours.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jad.70058

The situation in Finland, once known for having one of the best school systems in the world, is telling. In 2022, teenagers in Finland admitted to using their devices during the school day for noneducational purposes for nearly 90 minutes. Perhaps as a result, the test scores of Finnish students plummeted between 2006 and 2022. In countries such as Japan, where students spend less than a half-hour on devices for leisure during the school day, academic performance has remained fairly steady, especially in math and science.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/opinion/laptop-classroom-test-scores.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

One study of nearly 300,000 fourth and eighth graders in the United States found that students who spent more time using digital devices in language arts classes performed worse on reading tests. A 2018 meta-analysis found that reading on paper, compared with reading digitally, led to significantly better comprehension among students, from elementary school to college. Across 24 studies, college students who took handwritten notes were 58 percent more likely to get A’s in their courses than those who typed notes on laptops. In contrast, students who typed notes were 75 percent more likely to fail the course than those who wrote them by hand.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/opinion/laptop-classroom-test-scores.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

Yes, most teachers agree with you! Please tell that to MCPS central office. While I’m sure some teachers may over-rely on screens, I don’t believe the majority of teachers advocate for excess screen time. I would not mind teaching actual keyboarding skills but that’s another issue.

Having said that, one challenge we have at our Title I school is the number of students entering K without socializing skills — instead of attending pre school, they have been “babysat” by phones, iPads and tablets while staying with a babysitter or an older relative because mom works two jobs. Same thing happens for many of our older students after school. It has become harder to engage students each year because no matter how captivating or animated I am, it’s impossible for me to compete with the huge dopamine boost they get from screens.

I don’t think many parents (at my school) realize the detrimental effects of letting young kids constantly be on a screen. Many parents think it’s cute that their three year old knows how to open the phone with the passcode and go on YouTube; some parents and caregivers just don’t want to deal with the constant whining and crying to use the tablet. I’m not saying this in a snarky or judgmental way — I think these parents do want the best for their kids but just need more education and awareness about the issue.

-Not OP but a MCPS elem teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You also need to take into account that ten years ago, public schools became majority students in poverty and everything that goes with that.

There is lots of research tying increased access to distracting screens at schools to worse academic performance. Examples cited below

In most countries, feeling lonely at school increased while academic performance on standardized tests in math, reading, and science declined, particularly between 2012 and 2022. Thus, declines in adolescent well-being and academic performance are international rather than isolated to only some countries. Increases in loneliness and declines in academic performance were larger in countries with greater increases in adolescent smartphone access and in countries where adolescents reported spending more time using electronic devices for leisure purposes during school hours.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jad.70058

The situation in Finland, once known for having one of the best school systems in the world, is telling. In 2022, teenagers in Finland admitted to using their devices during the school day for noneducational purposes for nearly 90 minutes. Perhaps as a result, the test scores of Finnish students plummeted between 2006 and 2022. In countries such as Japan, where students spend less than a half-hour on devices for leisure during the school day, academic performance has remained fairly steady, especially in math and science.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/opinion/laptop-classroom-test-scores.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

One study of nearly 300,000 fourth and eighth graders in the United States found that students who spent more time using digital devices in language arts classes performed worse on reading tests. A 2018 meta-analysis found that reading on paper, compared with reading digitally, led to significantly better comprehension among students, from elementary school to college. Across 24 studies, college students who took handwritten notes were 58 percent more likely to get A’s in their courses than those who typed notes on laptops. In contrast, students who typed notes were 75 percent more likely to fail the course than those who wrote them by hand.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/opinion/laptop-classroom-test-scores.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

Yes, most teachers agree with you! Please tell that to MCPS central office. While I’m sure some teachers may over-rely on screens, I don’t believe the majority of teachers advocate for excess screen time. I would not mind teaching actual keyboarding skills but that’s another issue.

Having said that, one challenge we have at our Title I school is the number of students entering K without socializing skills — instead of attending pre school, they have been “babysat” by phones, iPads and tablets while staying with a babysitter or an older relative because mom works two jobs. Same thing happens for many of our older students after school. It has become harder to engage students each year because no matter how captivating or animated I am, it’s impossible for me to compete with the huge dopamine boost they get from screens.

I don’t think many parents (at my school) realize the detrimental effects of letting young kids constantly be on a screen. Many parents think it’s cute that their three year old knows how to open the phone with the passcode and go on YouTube; some parents and caregivers just don’t want to deal with the constant whining and crying to use the tablet. I’m not saying this in a snarky or judgmental way — I think these parents do want the best for their kids but just need more education and awareness about the issue.

-Not OP but a MCPS elem teacher

Yes, families and schools need to work together to reduce the amount of screentime our kids get. Right now the message being sent from schools is that "educational apps" are good for kids. It's a horrible example to set. I as a parent simply cannot change other parents' behavior. If my kid sees another kid watching porn on their Chromebook at school, there is really very little I couldn't have done to prevent that. However, our elected officials and the leaders they appoint can absolutely make our schools screen free places.

[Anonymous]

Is RHPS a good school? Parent of toddlers here wondering whether to move. The online reviews of it are not great.

[Anonymous]

OP, how do you feel your experience as an MCPS parent is different because you are also a teacher in the system, if at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, how do you feel your experience as an MCPS parent is different because you are also a teacher in the system, if at all?

OP here...

Truthfully, I don't feel it's different at all. Other than that I can access the curriculum and know what's coming. I also know what teachers are going through (see prior posts). I know what bullshit buzz words schools use. I usually compare my child's school to the school I teach at and find the school I teach at to be much better.