20 percent of teachers not likely to return to classrooms if schools reopen in fall

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The bottom line is that DCPS teachers are not underpaid. In other areas they are but not in DC.

I agree. I make $120,000 a year- work @ office/school 7 hours a day, have amazing benefits & leave.
There are many thing I’d like to see improved about DCPS- but pay isn’t one of them.



Ok, then special education teachers can just be paid more. You gen ed teachers can stay with a 117k cap if you like.

Idk how you manage to only work 7 hours a day, you must get to work late and leave early wow. And you don’t have to work overtime? Dang you’re killin it


Why rolling your eyes? I AM a special education teacher. And 7 hours- because School day is 9-3:30. That is 6.5 hours. Of which I have an 45 minute lunch & 45 minutes of planning. Client/kid facing time is very short. Actual contact with kids is less than 5.5 hours a day. I do more from home. However, it’s because I enjoy it and want to try new things. Not because I need to put in more hours.

Why on earth should sped teachers, like myself, be paid more? Honest question.



I highly doubt you are a sped teacher or a DCPS teacher at all for that matter. Teachers have to report to work at 8:00 that is 7.30 hours minimum.
Every job has a lunch lol, and some days I work through mine like other jobs might have to. Planning should also be work...unless you’re saying you’re not utilizing it... No one would say a lawyer isn’t working when they are researching and preparing for a case

All I am saying is I’m tired of this mentality that ‘subordinates’ get paid rock way less. A principal can make 200k plus. The school certainly can run without an admin present each day but the school cannot run without teachers and paras ever. Not saying I need 200k but at least making it to 150.


Teachers at my DCPS (Capitol Hill) only have to be in at 8 one day/week + one extra day biweekly.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The bottom line is that DCPS teachers are not underpaid. In other areas they are but not in DC.

I agree. I make $120,000 a year- work @ office/school 7 hours a day, have amazing benefits & leave.
There are many thing I’d like to see improved about DCPS- but pay isn’t one of them.



Ok, then special education teachers can just be paid more. You gen ed teachers can stay with a 117k cap if you like.

Idk how you manage to only work 7 hours a day, you must get to work late and leave early wow. And you don’t have to work overtime? Dang you’re killin it


Why rolling your eyes? I AM a special education teacher. And 7 hours- because School day is 9-3:30. That is 6.5 hours. Of which I have an 45 minute lunch & 45 minutes of planning. Client/kid facing time is very short. Actual contact with kids is less than 5.5 hours a day. I do more from home. However, it’s because I enjoy it and want to try new things. Not because I need to put in more hours.

Why on earth should sped teachers, like myself, be paid more? Honest question.



I highly doubt you are a sped teacher or a DCPS teacher at all for that matter. Teachers have to report to work at 8:00 that is 7.30 hours minimum.
Every job has a lunch lol, and some days I work through mine like other jobs might have to. Planning should also be work...unless you’re saying you’re not utilizing it... No one would say a lawyer isn’t working when they are researching and preparing for a case

All I am saying is I’m tired of this mentality that ‘subordinates’ get paid rock way less. A principal can make 200k plus. The school certainly can run without an admin present each day but the school cannot run without teachers and paras ever. Not saying I need 200k but at least making it to 150.


Teachers at my DCPS (Capitol Hill) only have to be in at 8 one day/week + one extra day biweekly.


What time do they go in the rest of the week? What are the kids’ hours?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The bottom line is that DCPS teachers are not underpaid. In other areas they are but not in DC.

I agree. I make $120,000 a year- work @ office/school 7 hours a day, have amazing benefits & leave.
There are many thing I’d like to see improved about DCPS- but pay isn’t one of them.



Ok, then special education teachers can just be paid more. You gen ed teachers can stay with a 117k cap if you like.

Idk how you manage to only work 7 hours a day, you must get to work late and leave early wow. And you don’t have to work overtime? Dang you’re killin it


Why rolling your eyes? I AM a special education teacher. And 7 hours- because School day is 9-3:30. That is 6.5 hours. Of which I have an 45 minute lunch & 45 minutes of planning. Client/kid facing time is very short. Actual contact with kids is less than 5.5 hours a day. I do more from home. However, it’s because I enjoy it and want to try new things. Not because I need to put in more hours.

Why on earth should sped teachers, like myself, be paid more? Honest question.


At this rate I fear there will be any schools to come back to, I'm so depressed about this whole situation as DC on fire and the future of our kids in this city especially black and brown children and other minorities already at a disadvantage!


I highly doubt you are a sped teacher or a DCPS teacher at all for that matter. Teachers have to report to work at 8:00 that is 7.30 hours minimum.
Every job has a lunch lol, and some days I work through mine like other jobs might have to. Planning should also be work...unless you’re saying you’re not utilizing it... No one would say a lawyer isn’t working when they are researching and preparing for a case

All I am saying is I’m tired of this mentality that ‘subordinates’ get paid rock way less. A principal can make 200k plus. The school certainly can run without an admin present each day but the school cannot run without teachers and paras ever. Not saying I need 200k but at least making it to 150.


Teachers at my DCPS (Capitol Hill) only have to be in at 8 one day/week + one extra day biweekly.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I also teach self contained.
If you are reinventing the wheel- you are not very good at your job. There are resources & curriculum for our students. It’s an awesome job. But really, the prep isn’t that hard.
Work smarter- not harder



Nice that you work in an ELS classroom in NW

The curriculum is nonexistent and what we do have is not enough. Like the other person said there is a lot of prep work to do and materials to make. Not to be a martyr but to make an actual difference


Why is it so hard to imagine that someone, with your same job, has a different experience than you? I fully believe you are reinventing the wheel and not utilizing the para(s) the way you should. I fully believe that you are making up a curriculum and letting your admin bully you into teaching grade level content to kids with severe & profound needs. I fully believe that you adding to your own stress & shortchanging the kids by allowing your admin to not send in subs when you para(s) are out. I totally believe it- because I use to be just like you. Then I wised up. Self contained is hard. It is. And we increase the burden by working harder and not smarter.
Also, do they even have ELS in NW? Self contained rooms are usually in under enrolled schools. Not NW.
Anonymous
Oh- and yes. DCPS does not have a good curriculum. I invested like $400 over the course of 5 years to purchase a good curriculum, from TPT. Some of the funds were my own & some donorschoose. Yes- it sucks. But it’s easier than scrambling everyday and every year.
Identify the ways to work smarter & start doing just that. I also refuse to enter my room without the correct staffing model. We sit in the hallway, playground, music room until they get subs for my paras. I had to do it twice & now they (school admin) know to staff my room.
I also have my own leap. 100% of IEP prep.
I had to fight for all of these gains. And it was worth it. I’m still highly effective AND I’m not letting the school shortchange my students.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I also teach self contained.
If you are reinventing the wheel- you are not very good at your job. There are resources & curriculum for our students. It’s an awesome job. But really, the prep isn’t that hard.
Work smarter- not harder



Nice that you work in an ELS classroom in NW

The curriculum is nonexistent and what we do have is not enough. Like the other person said there is a lot of prep work to do and materials to make. Not to be a martyr but to make an actual difference


Why is it so hard to imagine that someone, with your same job, has a different experience than you? I fully believe you are reinventing the wheel and not utilizing the para(s) the way you should. I fully believe that you are making up a curriculum and letting your admin bully you into teaching grade level content to kids with severe & profound needs. I fully believe that you adding to your own stress & shortchanging the kids by allowing your admin to not send in subs when you para(s) are out. I totally believe it- because I use to be just like you. Then I wised up. Self contained is hard. It is. And we increase the burden by working harder and not smarter.
Also, do they even have ELS in NW? Self contained rooms are usually in under enrolled schools. Not NW.

Not PP but I have five paras this year and I wish I just had one. I had six last year. I don’t like having so many cooks in the kitchen. Give me one competent team player and I’d much rather work that way. I don’t teach inappropriate content to my kids? That’s why it takes so long to prep and differentiate. My class is a bridge class so I have the same kids for multiple years. Makes it really hard to reuse everything. I’m rated highly effective and love my job but I’m not going to pretend that I work just my contract hours.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:There are clearly some fake teachers posting in this thread. My question is why someone would ever stoop to that level.


As seen in other countries, break the teachers’ unions and you can easily break the rest.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I also teach self contained.
If you are reinventing the wheel- you are not very good at your job. There are resources & curriculum for our students. It’s an awesome job. But really, the prep isn’t that hard.
Work smarter- not harder



Nice that you work in an ELS classroom in NW

The curriculum is nonexistent and what we do have is not enough. Like the other person said there is a lot of prep work to do and materials to make. Not to be a martyr but to make an actual difference


Why is it so hard to imagine that someone, with your same job, has a different experience than you? I fully believe you are reinventing the wheel and not utilizing the para(s) the way you should. I fully believe that you are making up a curriculum and letting your admin bully you into teaching grade level content to kids with severe & profound needs. I fully believe that you adding to your own stress & shortchanging the kids by allowing your admin to not send in subs when you para(s) are out. I totally believe it- because I use to be just like you. Then I wised up. Self contained is hard. It is. And we increase the burden by working harder and not smarter.
Also, do they even have ELS in NW? Self contained rooms are usually in under enrolled schools. Not NW.


If you are really a DCPS teacher, you wouldn’t have to ask about NW schools.
Anonymous
If I was really a DCps teacher of know all the locations of ELS classrooms? Is that what you are saying?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:If I was really a DCps teacher of know all the locations of ELS classrooms? Is that what you are saying?


Not all but you would know they exist is the many schools in NW. Why would you say they don’t?
Anonymous
Because I’ve only seen them in under enrolled schools. I started in ILS & was told that the rooms only open in schools with extra space. I don’t spend much/any time in NW schools. It’s not my jam
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Because I’ve only seen them in under enrolled schools. I started in ILS & was told that the rooms only open in schools with extra space. I don’t spend much/any time in NW schools. It’s not my jam


Then you shouldn’t comment on something you admit you know nothing about. Stick to your jam.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I also teach self contained.
If you are reinventing the wheel- you are not very good at your job. There are resources & curriculum for our students. It’s an awesome job. But really, the prep isn’t that hard.
Work smarter- not harder



Nice that you work in an ELS classroom in NW

The curriculum is nonexistent and what we do have is not enough. Like the other person said there is a lot of prep work to do and materials to make. Not to be a martyr but to make an actual difference


Why is it so hard to imagine that someone, with your same job, has a different experience than you? I fully believe you are reinventing the wheel and not utilizing the para(s) the way you should. I fully believe that you are making up a curriculum and letting your admin bully you into teaching grade level content to kids with severe & profound needs. I fully believe that you adding to your own stress & shortchanging the kids by allowing your admin to not send in subs when you para(s) are out. I totally believe it- because I use to be just like you. Then I wised up. Self contained is hard. It is. And we increase the burden by working harder and not smarter.
Also, do they even have ELS in NW? Self contained rooms are usually in under enrolled schools. Not NW.


Lol girl no, I work the crap out of my paras and they truly are like 2nd teachers and I love them.
Also it depends on what self-contained program you are in and your kiddos. Let me tell you Edmark, Attainment math, and Lexia ain’t it.

Some of my kids are too much of an early learner and then some kids are way past, some can’t use a computer yet. The gen ed curriculum doesn’t help either. So yea I do have to reinvent the wheel in order for my students to access different curriculum and not be 3 grade levels behind. My students gain 1.6-2.5 years worth of growth each year and Edmark certainly didn’t teach them how to read.

My admin also sends subs even when I say NO (they usually are afraid of the children, do nothing but sit there, or can’t learn what we are doing in just an hour) generally they are just an extra body.


I will say yea my admin does want me to get to grade level content but I also think people need to stop this toxic mindset that our kiddos are ‘too low’ to ever get there.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Because I’ve only seen them in under enrolled schools. I started in ILS & was told that the rooms only open in schools with extra space. I don’t spend much/any time in NW schools. It’s not my jam


If you are a self contained teacher in DC you will know mostly the title 1 schools only will have self contained. However ELS is the exception, it’s the closet thing to an inclusion program and would you look at that it stops at 2nd grade so those kids won’t have to affect their PARCC scores in a negative way if they’re not ready to transition

And whoever told you that it’s a lie, it’s not about space. There a plenty of title 1 schools with none but have to make it work. Many schools are crowded.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I also teach self contained.
If you are reinventing the wheel- you are not very good at your job. There are resources & curriculum for our students. It’s an awesome job. But really, the prep isn’t that hard.
Work smarter- not harder



Nice that you work in an ELS classroom in NW

The curriculum is nonexistent and what we do have is not enough. Like the other person said there is a lot of prep work to do and materials to make. Not to be a martyr but to make an actual difference


Why is it so hard to imagine that someone, with your same job, has a different experience than you? I fully believe you are reinventing the wheel and not utilizing the para(s) the way you should. I fully believe that you are making up a curriculum and letting your admin bully you into teaching grade level content to kids with severe & profound needs. I fully believe that you adding to your own stress & shortchanging the kids by allowing your admin to not send in subs when you para(s) are out. I totally believe it- because I use to be just like you. Then I wised up. Self contained is hard. It is. And we increase the burden by working harder and not smarter.
Also, do they even have ELS in NW? Self contained rooms are usually in under enrolled schools. Not NW.


So, you stopped doing your job, which is providing kids with access to the grade level curriculum, and then you're on here proclaiming that other people are doing it wrong?

One of the worst things about self contained special ed, is that it allows people to do what you're doing without witnesses.

(NP here, also a special educator of students with significant needs)
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