$5k bonus for MCPS general educators to become special educators

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don't work 24 hours a day. We work 8. Eliminate one of our classes and there will be time to respond to emails. Until then, tough.

Then, don't complain when kids are failing, kids need more help than you are willing to give, acting up or what ever. If you cannot bother with parents, then deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't work 24 hours a day. We work 8. Eliminate one of our classes and there will be time to respond to emails. Until then, tough.

Then, don't complain when kids are failing, kids need more help than you are willing to give, acting up or what ever. If you cannot bother with parents, then deal with it.

New poster here.

“Kids failing,” “kids needing more help”… these are all part of the same “we can abuse you because it’s for the kids” argument. It simply won’t work anymore. Teachers aren’t willing to settle for FAR less than they are worth while simultaneously being treated poorly. I’ve worked 65-70 hour weeks for YEARS. I’ve missed my own children’s activities because I’ve stayed late to tutor, because I’ve been planning or grading, etc. I’ve given up summers, paying for my own training. I’ve spent my small salary buying $$$$ of supplies for my own classroom. From this point forward, my family and my needs come first. I will not prioritize my job over my own family anymore.

I can leave teaching at any time. The “but the kids” argument has been successfully used to devalue teachers, but now all it does is drive me to quit. Pay me what I’m worth. Respect my expertise and respect my time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have more than 140 kids this year and they keep adding more. Just got told today that I am required to respond to any parent within 24 hrs. Had two teachers leave the department last week and we have to cover their classes.

Expect bear minimum responses from me this year...

I'm sure you can grin and bare it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:130 kids. 260 parents. Get all those emails returned promptly? You'll be lucky to get a return email in a week. I don't work outside my paid hours. Why would I? Where is my annual 100K bonus and promotion?

Your union gave it over to administrators. That’s on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

Those would adapt as well. You do realize there are places in the world with school schedules vastly different than ours(year round, modified year read, trimesters, 4 day weeks, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

Those would adapt as well. You do realize there are places in the world with school schedules vastly different than ours(year round, modified year read, trimesters, 4 day weeks, etc.)

The disdain some DCUMers have for working parents is really quite amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting salary for teachers needs to be 85K, like in Finland. Only the very top secondary graduates are accepted into university schools of Education. Masters degree required. Parents held accountable for absentee students.

Every teacher I know (I quit after 6 years) want to say to the parent: Parent is a verb. Do your job like I do mine.

Teachers in other countries are also given more time at work to do the prep, planning, and grading. That’s an afterthought in the US. I spend over 90% of my day in front of students, so the clear expectation is that I spend every night grading and preparing for the next day. We should get AT LEAST half of our days to do the prep/planning/grading. I posted above that I’m no longer giving up weekends and I mean it. The stack of papers to grade remains on my desk. I’m no longer spending extra time going the extra mile, which means my lessons will be less engaging. I’m sorry, but the “your students will suffer” argument no longer works. I spent many years sacrificing my health and my family for this job. No more.

We have had teachers returning emails at all hours of the day and night. There are a few bad teachers but many spend nights/weekends on class prep and support. Its even worse with the lack of clear curriculum and text books where they have to make up their own.

Are you saying teachers who don’t cater to your whim are bad then? I used to be the teacher with email on my phone and would jump when a parent absurdly emails me at 2 am on a Saturday… no more. I’m done. Contract hours. I’ll email you when I get to it. Parents here have lost all privileges to my time and my sanity. You keep taking and taking with zero respect. Call us all victims if it makes you feel better. We are done.

No, I was saying some teachers are working very hard. However, it is very frustrating when some teachers don't return emails at all. You are really nasty and I hope you are no longer teaching.

Of course you had to add in the insult. I hope you’re no longer a parent because you seem incredibly stupid. Oh wait….

We are the very involved parents.. the ones who email and actually support our kids.

Then you’d know teachers don’t want emails saying your kid won’t be there. They have to then forward it to the attendance office. Email the attendance office and cc the teacher if you feel inclined but don’t expect an email back about it either.

+1

We don’t have the ability to make your child’s absence as excuses and stop Connect Ed from calling you. Only the attendance secretary can do that. Cut out the middle man and contact the attendance secretary directly. Moreover, while we are told to check our mail every day, there’s no set time that has to happen. If you email me (rather than the attendance secretary) at 8 am to tell me Larla is running a fever and will be absent, I may not see that email until noon. By that time, I’ve marked her absent and the attendance secretary only knows your DD did not show up so Connect Ed is going to call you. If you don’t want the call, email the correct staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting salary for teachers needs to be 85K, like in Finland. Only the very top secondary graduates are accepted into university schools of Education. Masters degree required. Parents held accountable for absentee students.

Every teacher I know (I quit after 6 years) want to say to the parent: Parent is a verb. Do your job like I do mine.

Teachers in other countries are also given more time at work to do the prep, planning, and grading. That’s an afterthought in the US. I spend over 90% of my day in front of students, so the clear expectation is that I spend every night grading and preparing for the next day. We should get AT LEAST half of our days to do the prep/planning/grading. I posted above that I’m no longer giving up weekends and I mean it. The stack of papers to grade remains on my desk. I’m no longer spending extra time going the extra mile, which means my lessons will be less engaging. I’m sorry, but the “your students will suffer” argument no longer works. I spent many years sacrificing my health and my family for this job. No more.

We have had teachers returning emails at all hours of the day and night. There are a few bad teachers but many spend nights/weekends on class prep and support. Its even worse with the lack of clear curriculum and text books where they have to make up their own.

Are you saying teachers who don’t cater to your whim are bad then? I used to be the teacher with email on my phone and would jump when a parent absurdly emails me at 2 am on a Saturday… no more. I’m done. Contract hours. I’ll email you when I get to it. Parents here have lost all privileges to my time and my sanity. You keep taking and taking with zero respect. Call us all victims if it makes you feel better. We are done.

No, I was saying some teachers are working very hard. However, it is very frustrating when some teachers don't return emails at all. You are really nasty and I hope you are no longer teaching.

Of course you had to add in the insult. I hope you’re no longer a parent because you seem incredibly stupid. Oh wait….

We are the very involved parents.. the ones who email and actually support our kids.

Then you’d know teachers don’t want emails saying your kid won’t be there. They have to then forward it to the attendance office. Email the attendance office and cc the teacher if you feel inclined but don’t expect an email back about it either.

+1

We don’t have the ability to make your child’s absence as excuses and stop Connect Ed from calling you. Only the attendance secretary can do that. Cut out the middle man and contact the attendance secretary directly. Moreover, while we are told to check our mail every day, there’s no set time that has to happen. If you email me (rather than the attendance secretary) at 8 am to tell me Larla is running a fever and will be absent, I may not see that email until noon. By that time, I’ve marked her absent and the attendance secretary only knows your DD did not show up so Connect Ed is going to call you. If you don’t want the call, email the correct staff.

I don't mind the calls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

Those would adapt as well. You do realize there are places in the world with school schedules vastly different than ours(year round, modified year read, trimesters, 4 day weeks, etc.)

It would be very hard for some activities, like sports with limited facilities in MoCo to adapt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting salary for teachers needs to be 85K, like in Finland. Only the very top secondary graduates are accepted into university schools of Education. Masters degree required. Parents held accountable for absentee students.

Every teacher I know (I quit after 6 years) want to say to the parent: Parent is a verb. Do your job like I do mine.

Teachers in other countries are also given more time at work to do the prep, planning, and grading. That’s an afterthought in the US. I spend over 90% of my day in front of students, so the clear expectation is that I spend every night grading and preparing for the next day. We should get AT LEAST half of our days to do the prep/planning/grading. I posted above that I’m no longer giving up weekends and I mean it. The stack of papers to grade remains on my desk. I’m no longer spending extra time going the extra mile, which means my lessons will be less engaging. I’m sorry, but the “your students will suffer” argument no longer works. I spent many years sacrificing my health and my family for this job. No more.

We have had teachers returning emails at all hours of the day and night. There are a few bad teachers but many spend nights/weekends on class prep and support. Its even worse with the lack of clear curriculum and text books where they have to make up their own.

Are you saying teachers who don’t cater to your whim are bad then? I used to be the teacher with email on my phone and would jump when a parent absurdly emails me at 2 am on a Saturday… no more. I’m done. Contract hours. I’ll email you when I get to it. Parents here have lost all privileges to my time and my sanity. You keep taking and taking with zero respect. Call us all victims if it makes you feel better. We are done.

No, I was saying some teachers are working very hard. However, it is very frustrating when some teachers don't return emails at all. You are really nasty and I hope you are no longer teaching.

Of course you had to add in the insult. I hope you’re no longer a parent because you seem incredibly stupid. Oh wait….

We are the very involved parents.. the ones who email and actually support our kids.

Then you’d know teachers don’t want emails saying your kid won’t be there. They have to then forward it to the attendance office. Email the attendance office and cc the teacher if you feel inclined but don’t expect an email back about it either.

+1

We don’t have the ability to make your child’s absence as excuses and stop Connect Ed from calling you. Only the attendance secretary can do that. Cut out the middle man and contact the attendance secretary directly. Moreover, while we are told to check our mail every day, there’s no set time that has to happen. If you email me (rather than the attendance secretary) at 8 am to tell me Larla is running a fever and will be absent, I may not see that email until noon. By that time, I’ve marked her absent and the attendance secretary only knows your DD did not show up so Connect Ed is going to call you. If you don’t want the call, email the correct staff.

I don't mind the calls.

A staff member just asked you to follow protocol and call the attendance secretary so fewer people have to process an absence. A simple adjustment on a parent’s part can make less work for a teacher, someone who is already doing 2 times more than they should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

Those would adapt as well. You do realize there are places in the world with school schedules vastly different than ours(year round, modified year read, trimesters, 4 day weeks, etc.)

"After school activities" are on parents, like in every other country in the world. Schools do not provide after-school day care, unless paid for by parents. Join a private soccer league, for goodness' sake. "After school activities" should mean getting home to your homework, your snack, your family chores. Again, "activities" are on parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

Those would adapt as well. You do realize there are places in the world with school schedules vastly different than ours(year round, modified year read, trimesters, 4 day weeks, etc.)

The disdain some DCUMers have for working parents is really quite amazing.

Teachers are working parents. I give you 7am-3pm, which is more time than I get paid for.

Non working hours are for my family, not yours. Get used to it. Failing kids? That's on parents. Sit with them in the evenings when they do their homework. Check that it is done. Get it turned in on time. Those failing kids are yours, not mine. I spend my evening energy on my kids, do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

Those would adapt as well. You do realize there are places in the world with school schedules vastly different than ours(year round, modified year read, trimesters, 4 day weeks, etc.)

The disdain some DCUMers have for working parents is really quite amazing.

Teachers are working parents. I give you 7am-3pm, which is more time than I get paid for.

Non working hours are for my family, not yours. Get used to it. Failing kids? That's on parents. Sit with them in the evenings when they do their homework. Check that it is done. Get it turned in on time. Those failing kids are yours, not mine. I spend my evening energy on my kids, do you?

And you’re going to have to come to terms with the fact that Fridays are going to remain working days, for you and everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister used to teach for a school district that decided not to open schools on Fridays to save money running the buildings and on school buses. The students stayed an extra hour each day for the other 4 days. Morale soared and the district saw the fewest departures from employees on record. No drop in academic success.

My sister was a SPED teacher and yes, she was paid a bit more than General Ed. Not enough to make anyone switch careers.

Work-life balance, people.

Morale soared for the teachers, but not the working parents who suddenly needed to spend thousands of dollars a year on child care on Fridays.

How much support would there be for public schools if you tried that here?

Teachers and schools are not day-care providers. Responsibility of the parents. It was the first argument that got knocked down when the system changed to 4-days per week. Overwhelming support for the change. Great business opportunity for daycare providers. Do you see how capitalism works? Do you see how parenting works?

+1. Everything will adapt. If more school districts did this, business and camps would adjust to the new normal. Daycares, camps, activity providers would expand or spring up to accommodate. If/When parents couldn’t afford, it would put pressure on community and government to adapt and take care of its citizens either with salaries that keep up or with reduced cost/taxes/etc.

It might work for ES, but it would be very difficult on older kids with after school activities.

Those would adapt as well. You do realize there are places in the world with school schedules vastly different than ours(year round, modified year read, trimesters, 4 day weeks, etc.)

The disdain some DCUMers have for working parents is really quite amazing.

Teachers are working parents. I give you 7am-3pm, which is more time than I get paid for.

Non working hours are for my family, not yours. Get used to it. Failing kids? That's on parents. Sit with them in the evenings when they do their homework. Check that it is done. Get it turned in on time. Those failing kids are yours, not mine. I spend my evening energy on my kids, do you?

And you’re going to have to come to terms with the fact that Fridays are going to remain working days, for you and everyone else.

Not a problem. One poster suggested a 4-day school week. That’s all. It’s not like we are all rioting for one.

The point is you now get me only 5 days a week instead of 7. Gone are the days I will spent absurd hours at work for unappreciative admins and parents.