Why are our teachers being paid to do 0-30 minutes of teaching every day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. These posts makes me sick. Disgusted. You are not more important than we are. You do not work harder than we do. You are not the only people in the world with children or other people that rely on you. We are in a once in a lifetime global health crisis and you want to criticize and put down teachers??!! Shame! Shame! Shame!

You want to know my schedule. Here it is:

8-9 meeting; 9:15-10 Lesson, 10-11 Lesson, 11:15-12:00 Lesson, 12-12:30 (meeting while I eat my lunch); 12:30-1 Lesson, 1-2 Lesson; 2-3 Lesson; 3:15-4:00 Lesson; 4:15-4:45 Lesson; And....(2x a week I do a lesson 4:45-5:15.)

Then, I walk my dog, exercise and eat dinner till 7:30-8 then make lesson plans and videos till 12-2am in the morning because when would I possibly have time to plan???

Then I get up at 7 something and do it all over again. Ive given myself Saturdays off, but plan all day Sunday from around 9am-till 10-11:30pm.

Ive sent my students materials, books, and rewards by mail out of my own pocket. Ive donated money to our school’s fund to pay our low income parents’ rent. I gave away a computer to a family that needed one.

And then there’s the constant barrage of emails. Oh the Emails! Emails from parents telling me everything they are stressed out about and everything Im doing wrong while I play the part of their unpaid therapist and talk them down off the ledge. And what do I get in return? $32 hour for 8hrs a day/40hrs a week for 196 days a year when I easily work 13-15 hrs a day rt now plus 12+ hrs on the weekend for a total of 77+ hrs a week. And, let me tell you, not one parent has asked me how I am doing? Or if my family is Ok? I was sick btw. And both my elderly parents were sick. And oh, my husband is quarantined in Florida while Im here in DC. I haven't seen him in over a month. But you wouldn’t know that because I’m everyone’s teacher, social worker, therapist, ADHD coach, Personal assistant, Technology instructor, Office depot supplier, babysitter, second-class citizen punching bag.

Last but not least, and Im so tired of having to say this: Teachers are 10 month salaried employees. We are not 12 month employees. We get paid for 10 months of 8 hour days. We work many, many, many, more hours than 8 hours a day including late nights and weekends for 8 hrs of pay.

We do NOT receive any payment for the summer weeks off for which we don't work (makes sense).

If you gave you’re hairdresser or your housekeeper or your Nanny or your grub hub delivery guy a big tip, feel free to send over a $25 gift card or better yet a bottle of wine to your teacher. Because unbeknownst to you they are probably sacrificing their own happiness and well being for their students, you’re children, right, now. But if you can’t spare a twenty maybe just try How are you? Or Thank You. Or My child misses you.

Ungrateful, ungrateful, privileged, entitled narcissists. Thank goodness I do this work because it is my passion and my calling. I do it for my students, and certainly not any of you.

Thank you.

I will add that I don’t need the “tip” or even a thank you, Parents, but it would be nice if you put away the cyber pitchforks and torches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS teacher here. We ALL know parents like the OP. And we all feel so sorry for their kids. We get why these poor kids have issues.

Hey OP: we DO talk about you at lunchtime.

You shouldn’t be in teaching - you should be fired.

Parents work hard for the taxes that pay your salary. Many of us have also had to convert from in-person work to remote work. We didn’t get three weeks to prepare and then the ability to be productive only a fraction of the work day.

The questions are simple: What prep was actually done before this week? Why only 40 minutes of instruction?

But instead of answering questions about the pathetic instruction MCPS has provided despite three weeks of prep and for ES only 40 minutes of instruction, you mock them.

I'm not a teacher but wanted to point out whats should be obvious to anyone with an IQ of 90 or more- KIDS ARE NOT THE SAME AS ADULTS. Online meetings are pretty normal for most adults; even if they aren’t you know you have to engaged, professional, and get results.

Try keeping a bunch of children- or even teens- on track over Zoom. They have whatever environment they’re stuck with at home- maybe noisy, distracting, and who knows what the tech is like at home.

Why don’t you give additional tasks if you think they need more- workbooks, reading assignments etc.

[Anonymous]

I have two kids in MCPS. Many thanks to their teachers and all the teachers out there for your patience and sense of humor during online classes, your quick and upbeat responses to emails, and your positive spirit towards our kids, who are also going through a stressful period. This is an unprecedented time for everyone, and I believe compassion and understanding and thanks should be our default.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. These posts makes me sick. Disgusted. You are not more important than we are. You do not work harder than we do. You are not the only people in the world with children or other people that rely on you. We are in a once in a lifetime global health crisis and you want to criticize and put down teachers??!! Shame! Shame! Shame!

You want to know my schedule. Here it is:

8-9 meeting; 9:15-10 Lesson, 10-11 Lesson, 11:15-12:00 Lesson, 12-12:30 (meeting while I eat my lunch); 12:30-1 Lesson, 1-2 Lesson; 2-3 Lesson; 3:15-4:00 Lesson; 4:15-4:45 Lesson; And....(2x a week I do a lesson 4:45-5:15.)

Then, I walk my dog, exercise and eat dinner till 7:30-8 then make lesson plans and videos till 12-2am in the morning because when would I possibly have time to plan???

Then I get up at 7 something and do it all over again. Ive given myself Saturdays off, but plan all day Sunday from around 9am-till 10-11:30pm.

Ive sent my students materials, books, and rewards by mail out of my own pocket. Ive donated money to our school’s fund to pay our low income parents’ rent. I gave away a computer to a family that needed one.

And then there’s the constant barrage of emails. Oh the Emails! Emails from parents telling me everything they are stressed out about and everything Im doing wrong while I play the part of their unpaid therapist and talk them down off the ledge. And what do I get in return? $32 hour for 8hrs a day/40hrs a week for 196 days a year when I easily work 13-15 hrs a day rt now plus 12+ hrs on the weekend for a total of 77+ hrs a week. And, let me tell you, not one parent has asked me how I am doing? Or if my family is Ok? I was sick btw. And both my elderly parents were sick. And oh, my husband is quarantined in Florida while Im here in DC. I haven't seen him in over a month. But you wouldn’t know that because I’m everyone’s teacher, social worker, therapist, ADHD coach, Personal assistant, Technology instructor, Office depot supplier, babysitter, second-class citizen punching bag.

Last but not least, and Im so tired of having to say this: Teachers are 10 month salaried employees. We are not 12 month employees. We get paid for 10 months of 8 hour days. We work many, many, many, more hours than 8 hours a day including late nights and weekends for 8 hrs of pay.

We do NOT receive any payment for the summer weeks off for which we don't work (makes sense).

If you gave you’re hairdresser or your housekeeper or your Nanny or your grub hub delivery guy a big tip, feel free to send over a $25 gift card or better yet a bottle of wine to your teacher. Because unbeknownst to you they are probably sacrificing their own happiness and well being for their students, you’re children, right, now. But if you can’t spare a twenty maybe just try How are you? Or Thank You. Or My child misses you.

Ungrateful, ungrateful, privileged, entitled narcissists. Thank goodness I do this work because it is my passion and my calling. I do it for my students, and certainly not any of you.

Thank you.

I will add that I don’t need the “tip” or even a thank you, Parents, but it would be nice if you put away the cyber pitchforks and torches.

Who is receiving all these lessons PP is teaching? Certainly no one in my school.

[Anonymous]

Well, my 3rd grader is basically getting one 30-minute session a day so far... and i've seen the schedule for next week... it's not much more...

But i totally do NOT think throwing more people into unemployment is what we all need right now... sheesh!

For all you over-priviliedged upper income families... who will be left to buy the products and services your companies are selling??? You can't have 17 million unemployed (and then throw millions more teachers into that pool) and think that somehow the economic fallout isn't going to reach you! Get real!

This thread embodies the ugly mean-sprititedness of DCUM posters that has made this particular forum almost unreadable. I only visit to see if there is school scuttlebutt that I need to be aware of... but this is over the top -- even for you guys!

[Anonymous]

I don't know where 1:30 teaches but it certainly isn't FCPS. I have worked maybe 5 hours/week since schools closed down (ES classroom teacher).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where 1:30 teaches but it certainly isn't FCPS. I have worked maybe 5 hours/week since schools closed down (ES classroom teacher).

How? I teach at the upper elementary level in MCPS. Per the county, I have one academic zoom meeting each day (M, W, F - Math, Tues/Thurs - ELA). My sessions are longer than 30 minutes. I start letting students in around 10:25, but many have been joining the meetings late. As a result, I would say my meetings have generally ended around 11:20/11:30. I am finding that several of the kids have not completed the assignments they have been asked to complete prior to our class meetings. This means I end up teaching the concepts, rather than “debriefing” as directed by the county. Students can’t analyze and synthesize about the concepts if they haven’t watched the math videos and worked on the problems. In MCPS, both the math and reading curriculums being used are BRAND NEW to many teachers. I go through all of the steps the students go through. Prior to a math lesson, I watch the video myself, pausing and taking notes. I need to know the vocabulary used in the video. I need to know exactly how something is being explained and modeled in the video. I work through all the practice problems myself so I have a resource to share with my students. I’m reading all of my students’ responses to the posted discussion question so I can address any misconceptions during our live meeting. I’m checking students’ exit cards and giving them feedback. I’m responding to students’ emails when they need help with something. This is just for math. The reading is even more prep work. I meet with my teammates via zoom regularly to discuss implementation of plans and creating resources for the students. We have been having regular, virtual staff meetings as well.

If you are honestly working the hours you shared in your post, something’s wrong with what you’re doing. I would venture to say your students aren’t getting much out of all of this, if you’re not putting in the work.

I know things are different in middle school and high school. I have a child in high school. His assignments are posted on Monday and the due dates are listed. There is an optional scheduled zoom meeting once a week that he can join if he has questions. However, it’s optional, so at the high school level it’s possible that a student will have zero face time with a teacher. They just go through their posted assignments, complete, and submit. At the elementary level, we are meeting with the students every day. Students have both pre and post assignments that they complete each day. Teachers at my school are spending several hours working each day. It’s ALL brand new for many of us! The technology, the curriculum, etc....it’s all new. I’m learning more each day, because there is no other option.

Parents...to assume all teachers are spending “0-30” minutes teaching each day is insulting. Just as I have no idea what you’re doing all day, you have no idea what I am doing all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be so clueless. You have NO idea what teachers are having to work through right now.
-A teacher and mother of two

This. People go to graduate school for instructional design and online learning. Our teachers are learning it in a crash course. It’s unrealistic for any of us to expect this will be the same as a regular f2f class but the teachers are doing everything they can to make it as close as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where 1:30 teaches but it certainly isn't FCPS. I have worked maybe 5 hours/week since schools closed down (ES classroom teacher).

How? I teach at the upper elementary level in MCPS. Per the county, I have one academic zoom meeting each day (M, W, F - Math, Tues/Thurs - ELA). My sessions are longer than 30 minutes. I start letting students in around 10:25, but many have been joining the meetings late. As a result, I would say my meetings have generally ended around 11:20/11:30. I am finding that several of the kids have not completed the assignments they have been asked to complete prior to our class meetings. This means I end up teaching the concepts, rather than “debriefing” as directed by the county. Students can’t analyze and synthesize about the concepts if they haven’t watched the math videos and worked on the problems. In MCPS, both the math and reading curriculums being used are BRAND NEW to many teachers. I go through all of the steps the students go through. Prior to a math lesson, I watch the video myself, pausing and taking notes. I need to know the vocabulary used in the video. I need to know exactly how something is being explained and modeled in the video. I work through all the practice problems myself so I have a resource to share with my students. I’m reading all of my students’ responses to the posted discussion question so I can address any misconceptions during our live meeting. I’m checking students’ exit cards and giving them feedback. I’m responding to students’ emails when they need help with something. This is just for math. The reading is even more prep work. I meet with my teammates via zoom regularly to discuss implementation of plans and creating resources for the students. We have been having regular, virtual staff meetings as well.

If you are honestly working the hours you shared in your post, something’s wrong with what you’re doing. I would venture to say your students aren’t getting much out of all of this, if you’re not putting in the work.

I know things are different in middle school and high school. I have a child in high school. His assignments are posted on Monday and the due dates are listed. There is an optional scheduled zoom meeting once a week that he can join if he has questions. However, it’s optional, so at the high school level it’s possible that a student will have zero face time with a teacher. They just go through their posted assignments, complete, and submit. At the elementary level, we are meeting with the students every day. Students have both pre and post assignments that they complete each day. Teachers at my school are spending several hours working each day. It’s ALL brand new for many of us! The technology, the curriculum, etc....it’s all new. I’m learning more each day, because there is no other option.

Parents...to assume all teachers are spending “0-30” minutes teaching each day is insulting. Just as I have no idea what you’re doing all day, you have no idea what I am doing all day.

NP-FCPS hasn't started any instruction. They are starting after "spring break" with 45-60 minutes/day, M-Th, with each teacher for the grade responsible for one day's lesson. So an hour at most once a week of teaching.

[Anonymous]

Depending on zoom for instruction or problematic. I don’t find it has helped my engagement with students. Recorded video sessions seem better but so many students still don’t have reliable internet or are using maxed out cell phone data plans. So, I have resorted to online worksheets and other assessments where students can reach themselves at their own pace. We have not been given any instruction in best practices. Everything has just been very operational at this point. Less than half my students have submitted anything to grade at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:STFU. The teachers I know have been in several zoom meetings every day trying to help create new ways to teach. They’ve been communicating with their students and parents. They have been researching and preparing appropriate optional online learning activities. They didn’t choose this, remember?

Thank you! This is exactly what I have been doing. Essentially the first two weeks was like Spring Break while the district figured out what to do. Mind you we literally had one morning to put together a 2 week packet of work to send home to our students. Once the district figured out how we would proceed with distance learning we have been on Zoom calls (2 hour long trainings each day, team meetings, and our staff meeting was 2.5 hours long!) We have been figuring out how to use all of this new technology which I bet many of the critics haven't even heard of and lesson planning to make the content engaging when we are there to entertain Susie and Johnny in person. I have personally been working way outside of my contracted hours setting up Google Classroom, making Flipgrids and Google Slides, creating tutorials on Screencastify and more. I am now in addition to all of my other assigned duties a helpdesk for my tech illiterate parents (we serve a Title I population where English is not the home language) and have been walking parents through how to get logged on and set up for digital learning. Shall I continue because there is more. So to answer your question we are per usual going above and beyond our pay grade and doing more than "just 0-30 minutes of teacher every day." Drops mic and walks off stage.

Excuse any typos you find.

[Anonymous]

What you don't know is that there are hours of planning and preparation time before the actual lesson. There are also Zoom calls for staff meetings and team meetings. More goes into teaching than just standing in front of children and pontificating.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where 1:30 teaches but it certainly isn't FCPS. I have worked maybe 5 hours/week since schools closed down (ES classroom teacher).

How? I teach at the upper elementary level in MCPS. Per the county, I have one academic zoom meeting each day (M, W, F - Math, Tues/Thurs - ELA). My sessions are longer than 30 minutes. I start letting students in around 10:25, but many have been joining the meetings late. As a result, I would say my meetings have generally ended around 11:20/11:30. I am finding that several of the kids have not completed the assignments they have been asked to complete prior to our class meetings. This means I end up teaching the concepts, rather than “debriefing” as directed by the county. Students can’t analyze and synthesize about the concepts if they haven’t watched the math videos and worked on the problems. In MCPS, both the math and reading curriculums being used are BRAND NEW to many teachers. I go through all of the steps the students go through. Prior to a math lesson, I watch the video myself, pausing and taking notes. I need to know the vocabulary used in the video. I need to know exactly how something is being explained and modeled in the video. I work through all the practice problems myself so I have a resource to share with my students. I’m reading all of my students’ responses to the posted discussion question so I can address any misconceptions during our live meeting. I’m checking students’ exit cards and giving them feedback. I’m responding to students’ emails when they need help with something. This is just for math. The reading is even more prep work. I meet with my teammates via zoom regularly to discuss implementation of plans and creating resources for the students. We have been having regular, virtual staff meetings as well.

If you are honestly working the hours you shared in your post, something’s wrong with what you’re doing. I would venture to say your students aren’t getting much out of all of this, if you’re not putting in the work.

I know things are different in middle school and high school. I have a child in high school. His assignments are posted on Monday and the due dates are listed. There is an optional scheduled zoom meeting once a week that he can join if he has questions. However, it’s optional, so at the high school level it’s possible that a student will have zero face time with a teacher. They just go through their posted assignments, complete, and submit. At the elementary level, we are meeting with the students every day. Students have both pre and post assignments that they complete each day. Teachers at my school are spending several hours working each day. It’s ALL brand new for many of us! The technology, the curriculum, etc....it’s all new. I’m learning more each day, because there is no other option.

Parents...to assume all teachers are spending “0-30” minutes teaching each day is insulting. Just as I have no idea what you’re doing all day, you have no idea what I am doing all day.

NP-FCPS hasn't started any instruction. They are starting after "spring break" with 45-60 minutes/day, M-Th, with each teacher for the grade responsible for one day's lesson. So an hour at most once a week of teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where 1:30 teaches but it certainly isn't FCPS. I have worked maybe 5 hours/week since schools closed down (ES classroom teacher).

Kudos!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for what you are doing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where 1:30 teaches but it certainly isn't FCPS. I have worked maybe 5 hours/week since schools closed down (ES classroom teacher).

How? I teach at the upper elementary level in MCPS. Per the county, I have one academic zoom meeting each day (M, W, F - Math, Tues/Thurs - ELA). My sessions are longer than 30 minutes. I start letting students in around 10:25, but many have been joining the meetings late. As a result, I would say my meetings have generally ended around 11:20/11:30. I am finding that several of the kids have not completed the assignments they have been asked to complete prior to our class meetings. This means I end up teaching the concepts, rather than “debriefing” as directed by the county. Students can’t analyze and synthesize about the concepts if they haven’t watched the math videos and worked on the problems. In MCPS, both the math and reading curriculums being used are BRAND NEW to many teachers. I go through all of the steps the students go through. Prior to a math lesson, I watch the video myself, pausing and taking notes. I need to know the vocabulary used in the video. I need to know exactly how something is being explained and modeled in the video. I work through all the practice problems myself so I have a resource to share with my students. I’m reading all of my students’ responses to the posted discussion question so I can address any misconceptions during our live meeting. I’m checking students’ exit cards and giving them feedback. I’m responding to students’ emails when they need help with something. This is just for math. The reading is even more prep work. I meet with my teammates via zoom regularly to discuss implementation of plans and creating resources for the students. We have been having regular, virtual staff meetings as well.

If you are honestly working the hours you shared in your post, something’s wrong with what you’re doing. I would venture to say your students aren’t getting much out of all of this, if you’re not putting in the work.

I know things are different in middle school and high school. I have a child in high school. His assignments are posted on Monday and the due dates are listed. There is an optional scheduled zoom meeting once a week that he can join if he has questions. However, it’s optional, so at the high school level it’s possible that a student will have zero face time with a teacher. They just go through their posted assignments, complete, and submit. At the elementary level, we are meeting with the students every day. Students have both pre and post assignments that they complete each day. Teachers at my school are spending several hours working each day. It’s ALL brand new for many of us! The technology, the curriculum, etc....it’s all new. I’m learning more each day, because there is no other option.

Parents...to assume all teachers are spending “0-30” minutes teaching each day is insulting. Just as I have no idea what you’re doing all day, you have no idea what I am doing all day.

[Anonymous]

Goodness, what district is this? That is a lot of of work. What grades do you teach?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. These posts makes me sick. Disgusted. You are not more important than we are. You do not work harder than we do. You are not the only people in the world with children or other people that rely on you. We are in a once in a lifetime global health crisis and you want to criticize and put down teachers??!! Shame! Shame! Shame!

You want to know my schedule. Here it is:

8-9 meeting; 9:15-10 Lesson, 10-11 Lesson, 11:15-12:00 Lesson, 12-12:30 (meeting while I eat my lunch); 12:30-1 Lesson, 1-2 Lesson; 2-3 Lesson; 3:15-4:00 Lesson; 4:15-4:45 Lesson; And....(2x a week I do a lesson 4:45-5:15.)

Then, I walk my dog, exercise and eat dinner till 7:30-8 then make lesson plans and videos till 12-2am in the morning because when would I possibly have time to plan???

Then I get up at 7 something and do it all over again. Ive given myself Saturdays off, but plan all day Sunday from around 9am-till 10-11:30pm.

Ive sent my students materials, books, and rewards by mail out of my own pocket. Ive donated money to our school’s fund to pay our low income parents’ rent. I gave away a computer to a family that needed one.

And then there’s the constant barrage of emails. Oh the Emails! Emails from parents telling me everything they are stressed out about and everything Im doing wrong while I play the part of their unpaid therapist and talk them down off the ledge. And what do I get in return? $32 hour for 8hrs a day/40hrs a week for 196 days a year when I easily work 13-15 hrs a day rt now plus 12+ hrs on the weekend for a total of 77+ hrs a week. And, let me tell you, not one parent has asked me how I am doing? Or if my family is Ok? I was sick btw. And both my elderly parents were sick. And oh, my husband is quarantined in Florida while Im here in DC. I haven't seen him in over a month. But you wouldn’t know that because I’m everyone’s teacher, social worker, therapist, ADHD coach, Personal assistant, Technology instructor, Office depot supplier, babysitter, second-class citizen punching bag.

Last but not least, and Im so tired of having to say this: Teachers are 10 month salaried employees. We are not 12 month employees. We get paid for 10 months of 8 hour days. We work many, many, many, more hours than 8 hours a day including late nights and weekends for 8 hrs of pay.

We do NOT receive any payment for the summer weeks off for which we don't work (makes sense).

If you gave you’re hairdresser or your housekeeper or your Nanny or your grub hub delivery guy a big tip, feel free to send over a $25 gift card or better yet a bottle of wine to your teacher. Because unbeknownst to you they are probably sacrificing their own happiness and well being for their students, you’re children, right, now. But if you can’t spare a twenty maybe just try How are you? Or Thank You. Or My child misses you.

Ungrateful, ungrateful, privileged, entitled narcissists. Thank goodness I do this work because it is my passion and my calling. I do it for my students, and certainly not any of you.

Thank you.

I will add that I don’t need the “tip” or even a thank you, Parents, but it would be nice if you put away the cyber pitchforks and torches.

Who is receiving all these lessons PP is teaching? Certainly no one in my school.