FCPS Teachers - would you be ok with kids skipping morning meeting/afternoon wrap up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I invest plenty in my career.

When I’m on contract. You are a CHUMP if you work contract hours for free for months at a time.

Well that settles the debate whether teachers are professionals or just laborers in a large education-industrial complex.

My one opinion didn’t settle anything but go on. I get you think you’ll make me feel like a bad teacher for not working 40 hour unpaid work weeks off contract but it won’t happen.

And it shouldn’t. I’m not a teacher, but I’m not working if I’m not compensated. I’m a professional, and part of that means that I expect to be compensated for the job I do and the tenants that come with that job. I’m a nurse, and I’m paid for trainings that I attend. If not, I wouldn’t attend them because I don’t work for FREE. Stop equating free labor with professionalism. You can be good at your job and understand that you should be compensated for it at the same time.

Lawyer here. I bill hours. Does that make me unprofessional? If I craft an email to or for a client, they get billed for my time and services. I don’t work out of the goodness of my heart. I work to get paid and put food on the table.

Do you bill a client for any law review articles you read? How about for reading up on what the bar association is changing wrt to new applicants? How about for mentoring an intern? Or any of the thousands of things you do stay current in your profession?

Again, most of these things are within the scope of my job and covered by my salary. If I wasn’t getting a paycheck for two months, I wouldn’t be doing these things because I wouldn’t be compensated for them. I stay up to date on my job because I’m paid and compensated to do so. I win a case—I make money. Also, why am I reading law review if I’m not using it to develop a legal basis for an argument for my client and therefore billing them.

Come on. You are comparing apples and oranges. I make a 12 month salary with bonuses and incentives for good work. Teachers make 10/11 month flat salary with not financial incentive to go above and beyond. Many still do, but that’s a choice they make.

I’m not going to sit here and call them lazy for not going to 40 hour a week trainings during the time they aren’t getting paid for it. I wouldn’t do it any other year. You want them in trainings than advocate year long rolling contracts.

I agree with this. And that’s why DL will not be better this year. Teachers haven’t been working all summer to get it right. They will have two weeks only because that’s in their contract. Teachers should have been paid over the summer in order to train to provide a more “robust” DL this year.

To be fair, all the ones I know have been loosely planning and thinking of ways to adapt. But we have no solid plans from the schools yet and many don’t even know what we are teaching yet so it’s hard to plan too much. The thing is, the good teachers will find ways to be great at it. The crappy teachers will be crappy but they always are. Nobody who is a good teacher will suddenly just suck or not want to do well by your kids. We do want this to go well for them and will do everything we can to make that happen.

Sounds reasonable. The great teachers will probably be largely fine. The crappy teachers will drown and pull the kids down with them. The averages teachers could go either way depending on how effective the FCPS PD is and what those respective teachers actually do with it. What'll be great karma is those parents crowing about how great DL was for them in spring (and belittling other posters for not having a good experience) get one of the crappy ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Sounds reasonable. The great teachers will probably be largely fine. The crappy teachers will drown and pull the kids down with them. The averages teachers could go either way depending on how effective the FCPS PD is and what those respective teachers actually do with it. What'll be great karma is those parents crowing about how great DL was for them in spring (and belittling other posters for not having a good experience) get one of the crappy ones.

Of course, I meant this more for MS/HS. It doesn't matter how great the teacher is for ES, particularly for the younger grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I invest plenty in my career.

When I’m on contract. You are a CHUMP if you work contract hours for free for months at a time.

Well that settles the debate whether teachers are professionals or just laborers in a large education-industrial complex.

My one opinion didn’t settle anything but go on. I get you think you’ll make me feel like a bad teacher for not working 40 hour unpaid work weeks off contract but it won’t happen.

And it shouldn’t. I’m not a teacher, but I’m not working if I’m not compensated. I’m a professional, and part of that means that I expect to be compensated for the job I do and the tenants that come with that job. I’m a nurse, and I’m paid for trainings that I attend. If not, I wouldn’t attend them because I don’t work for FREE. Stop equating free labor with professionalism. You can be good at your job and understand that you should be compensated for it at the same time.

Lawyer here. I bill hours. Does that make me unprofessional? If I craft an email to or for a client, they get billed for my time and services. I don’t work out of the goodness of my heart. I work to get paid and put food on the table.

Do you bill a client for any law review articles you read? How about for reading up on what the bar association is changing wrt to new applicants? How about for mentoring an intern? Or any of the thousands of things you do stay current in your profession?

Again, most of these things are within the scope of my job and covered by my salary. If I wasn’t getting a paycheck for two months, I wouldn’t be doing these things because I wouldn’t be compensated for them. I stay up to date on my job because I’m paid and compensated to do so. I win a case—I make money. Also, why am I reading law review if I’m not using it to develop a legal basis for an argument for my client and therefore billing them.

Come on. You are comparing apples and oranges. I make a 12 month salary with bonuses and incentives for good work. Teachers make 10/11 month flat salary with not financial incentive to go above and beyond. Many still do, but that’s a choice they make.

I’m not going to sit here and call them lazy for not going to 40 hour a week trainings during the time they aren’t getting paid for it. I wouldn’t do it any other year. You want them in trainings than advocate year long rolling contracts.

I agree with this. And that’s why DL will not be better this year. Teachers haven’t been working all summer to get it right. They will have two weeks only because that’s in their contract. Teachers should have been paid over the summer in order to train to provide a more “robust” DL this year.

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

[Anonymous]

That’s true and ALSO we all have to adjust our metric for “excellent education.” What is excellent in person will never be replicated 1:1 online. Good online instruction is completely different than good in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

Isn’t the superintendent developing these this month?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

I’m 100% for accountability, but there’s a difference between that and saying “DL will fail, and it’s third rate.” That’s like a self fulfilling prophecy. I get that this doesn’t work well for everyone, and I feel for people. But I’m tired of all the bellyaching. No, it’s not the same as in-person. It’s never going to be. If you go in believing it will, it won’t live up.

It is a pandemic, and we do need to be flexible. The tax argument is also tired. We pay taxes for a lot of things. Are you taking this same energy to Congress to try and get them to solve some of these problems and hold them accountable? Metrics need to come from the health department, which also takes out tax money. They haven’t developed of published any.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

Isn’t the superintendent developing these this month?

He shouldn’t be. They need to come from the Health Department and be issued out by the governor like they did in NY. If we used their metrics, we still wouldn’t be opening, but we’d at least have something to trigger a re-evaluation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

That is not why FCPS is closed. The health metrics support hybrid reopening. It's staffing and logistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

That is not why FCPS is closed. The health metrics support hybrid reopening. It's staffing and logistics.

There were no metrics. The health department said if they were to open at the time of the last meeting they believed it would be okay with social distancing, but that there would likely be an increase in community infections, which is what we are seeing in other areas. They couldn’t make an assessment based on September 8th because they aren’t psychic, but no metrics were released.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

Isn’t the superintendent developing these this month?

He shouldn’t be. They need to come from the Health Department and be issued out by the governor like they did in NY. If we used their metrics, we still wouldn’t be opening, but we’d at least have something to trigger a re-evaluation.

Oh I agree. I’ve said that before too. I don’t think it should be left to the superintendent of schools.

I am still waiting for the dashboard the State Dept of Education is supposedly developing, but again why them and not the VDH and governor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

That is not why FCPS is closed. The health metrics support hybrid reopening. It's staffing and logistics.

There were no metrics. The health department said if they were to open at the time of the last meeting they believed it would be okay with social distancing, but that there would likely be an increase in community infections, which is what we are seeing in other areas. They couldn’t make an assessment based on September 8th because they aren’t psychic, but no metrics were released.

Which begs the question of why? I get it’s a fluid situation, but why can’t the Health Department release metrics for a reopening? Aren’t they supposed to be the public health experts. My siblings school systems are all DL, but their areas have metrics released by either state or local health officials around reopenings and when to potentially close again. Not just positivity rates, but also, hospitalizations and availability of testing. I can’t understand why we don’t have those things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

That is not why FCPS is closed. The health metrics support hybrid reopening. It's staffing and logistics.

But won't metrics be the first step toward eventual re-opening even if it's not until 2021? It appears that FCPS needs to take DL off the table as an option the next time around. This year's failed DL experiment will complement that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m not going in with the mentality that DL will suck. It won’t be as good as in person, but it’s a pandemic. We are going to make the best of a crappy situation, and I’m going to hype my kid up and support FCPS. The only person that hurts if this fails is my kid, so I’m have no interest in it failing. I don’t get why so many people seem to hope it does. We aren’t getting in-person instruction at the moment. If it sucks, Brabrand is going to say it’s robust and keep it moving until he can get people back in buildings.

I agree that FCPS will advertise that things are going great no matter what the product. So I consider it important to push for the maximum accountability we can get right now. I am so tired of the “it’s a pandemic!” posters. Suggests that we have to accept third rate stuff. No we don’t. We can and should expect FCPS to provide excellent education. Without some level of holding the school district to the fire for bad implementation of DL in the spring, how can we hope for better?

Also, the decision to open/not open was not explained to people. It was based on an assessment of risk. It seems (to me) that the metrics for reopening should have been part of that conversation. We do have to hold the system accountable to the tax payer by asking how they are making these determinations and what will trigger a re-evaluation.

That is not why FCPS is closed. The health metrics support hybrid reopening. It's staffing and logistics.

But won't metrics be the first step toward eventual re-opening even if it's not until 2021? It appears that FCPS needs to take DL off the table as an option the next time around. This year's failed DL experiment will complement that.

It hasn’t failed because it hasn’t started. We should have metric because that would make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I invest plenty in my career.

When I’m on contract. You are a CHUMP if you work contract hours for free for months at a time.

Well that settles the debate whether teachers are professionals or just laborers in a large education-industrial complex.

My one opinion didn’t settle anything but go on. I get you think you’ll make me feel like a bad teacher for not working 40 hour unpaid work weeks off contract but it won’t happen.

And it shouldn’t. I’m not a teacher, but I’m not working if I’m not compensated. I’m a professional, and part of that means that I expect to be compensated for the job I do and the tenants that come with that job. I’m a nurse, and I’m paid for trainings that I attend. If not, I wouldn’t attend them because I don’t work for FREE. Stop equating free labor with professionalism. You can be good at your job and understand that you should be compensated for it at the same time.

Lawyer here. I bill hours. Does that make me unprofessional? If I craft an email to or for a client, they get billed for my time and services. I don’t work out of the goodness of my heart. I work to get paid and put food on the table.

Do you bill a client for any law review articles you read? How about for reading up on what the bar association is changing wrt to new applicants? How about for mentoring an intern? Or any of the thousands of things you do stay current in your profession?

Again, most of these things are within the scope of my job and covered by my salary. If I wasn’t getting a paycheck for two months, I wouldn’t be doing these things because I wouldn’t be compensated for them. I stay up to date on my job because I’m paid and compensated to do so. I win a case—I make money. Also, why am I reading law review if I’m not using it to develop a legal basis for an argument for my client and therefore billing them.

Come on. You are comparing apples and oranges. I make a 12 month salary with bonuses and incentives for good work. Teachers make 10/11 month flat salary with not financial incentive to go above and beyond. Many still do, but that’s a choice they make.

I’m not going to sit here and call them lazy for not going to 40 hour a week trainings during the time they aren’t getting paid for it. I wouldn’t do it any other year. You want them in trainings than advocate year long rolling contracts.

I agree with this. And that’s why DL will not be better this year. Teachers haven’t been working all summer to get it right. They will have two weeks only because that’s in their contract. Teachers should have been paid over the summer in order to train to provide a more “robust” DL this year.

To be fair, all the ones I know have been loosely planning and thinking of ways to adapt. But we have no solid plans from the schools yet and many don’t even know what we are teaching yet so it’s hard to plan too much. The thing is, the good teachers will find ways to be great at it. The crappy teachers will be crappy but they always are. Nobody who is a good teacher will suddenly just suck or not want to do well by your kids. We do want this to go well for them and will do everything we can to make that happen.

I appreciate that, but it’s not enough. Not all teachers will do that (and they don’t have to). So now some will be more prepared than others. All teachers should have been mandated to attend paid training for 2-4 weeks this summer. They could have worked in grade level teams during that time to create new lessons for DL.