MCPS Teachers and Staff: Do awards and spotlight recognitions by BOE and Taylor really help boost morale?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is also essentially a popularity contest. There are so many excellent teachers and staff that go beyond behind the scenes every single day. This is insulting to the staff that get overlooked or are not on admin’s radar. This is not an insult to the honorees. Most teachers I know just roll their eyes at this stuff. What makes the difference to many I know and myself? Personal notes from students, families - meaningful acknowledgments that come from an honest place. Not this hoopla. I remember when one of my schools didn’t even have the funds to replace my laptop charger when it got stolen. So I had to plug it into my monitor for the rest of the year. So yeah. They can shove the theatrics imo.

+100
Veteran teacher here. Publicity stunts and photo opps leave others who are also working super hard feel overlooked. TT and company continue to demonstrate their cluelessness.

Another veteran teacher here and I absolutely agree. And I say this as someone who has received recognition. I feel awkward and embarrassed about it because I work with a ton of great people who ALSO deserve acknowledgment.

I’d trade all of these awards for some basic professional respect for all of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First annual gala. Wow. So tone deaf. How much did that cost?

Definitely wasn't cheap.

But I care more about if teachers really see any emotional or psychological benefit from all these shenanigans. If they do, then it might be worth it. But if they don't, then it's definitely a waste of money.

Recognition is good for morale.

But you really don’t care what we think, OP. You just have it out for Taylor.

Why? Why would OP have it “out” for the superintendent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is also essentially a popularity contest. There are so many excellent teachers and staff that go beyond behind the scenes every single day. This is insulting to the staff that get overlooked or are not on admin’s radar. This is not an insult to the honorees. Most teachers I know just roll their eyes at this stuff. What makes the difference to many I know and myself? Personal notes from students, families - meaningful acknowledgments that come from an honest place. Not this hoopla. I remember when one of my schools didn’t even have the funds to replace my laptop charger when it got stolen. So I had to plug it into my monitor for the rest of the year. So yeah. They can shove the theatrics imo.

Plus 1000. Current MCPS teacher and one of the people in my building who was “chosen” is just the principals pet and not who staff wanted to win. Our team nominated our grade level lead who is amazing burden chose who she wanted.

Oh and admin got to go to this fancy party that cost a million dollars also. I’m pretty disappointed in MCPS for the “gala”. Completely unnecessary. They could have given an award, had an assembly and given honorees a donut breakfast at their school for way less taxpayer money during a time when we are losing critical support to our students. Next year our class sizes are going to be way higher and we lost 2 special es teachers on top of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is also essentially a popularity contest. There are so many excellent teachers and staff that go beyond behind the scenes every single day. This is insulting to the staff that get overlooked or are not on admin’s radar. This is not an insult to the honorees. Most teachers I know just roll their eyes at this stuff. What makes the difference to many I know and myself? Personal notes from students, families - meaningful acknowledgments that come from an honest place. Not this hoopla. I remember when one of my schools didn’t even have the funds to replace my laptop charger when it got stolen. So I had to plug it into my monitor for the rest of the year. So yeah. They can shove the theatrics imo.

+100
Veteran teacher here. Publicity stunts and photo opps leave others who are also working super hard feel overlooked. TT and company continue to demonstrate their cluelessness.

Another veteran teacher here and I absolutely agree. And I say this as someone who has received recognition. I feel awkward and embarrassed about it because I work with a ton of great people who ALSO deserve acknowledgment.

I’d trade all of these awards for some basic professional respect for all of us.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is also essentially a popularity contest. There are so many excellent teachers and staff that go beyond behind the scenes every single day. This is insulting to the staff that get overlooked or are not on admin’s radar. This is not an insult to the honorees. Most teachers I know just roll their eyes at this stuff. What makes the difference to many I know and myself? Personal notes from students, families - meaningful acknowledgments that come from an honest place. Not this hoopla. I remember when one of my schools didn’t even have the funds to replace my laptop charger when it got stolen. So I had to plug it into my monitor for the rest of the year. So yeah. They can shove the theatrics imo.

Plus 1000. Current MCPS teacher and one of the people in my building who was “chosen” is just the principals pet and not who staff wanted to win. Our team nominated our grade level lead who is amazing burden chose who she wanted.

Oh and admin got to go to this fancy party that cost a million dollars also. I’m pretty disappointed in MCPS for the “gala”. Completely unnecessary. They could have given an award, had an assembly and given honorees a donut breakfast at their school for way less taxpayer money during a time when we are losing critical support to our students. Next year our class sizes are going to be way higher and we lost 2 special es teachers on top of it.

Yeah. It's no surprise that these awards are distributed to those who admin find obedient and not necessarily those who have the most impact on the students and families they serve. Mirrors Taylor's leadership TBH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is also essentially a popularity contest. There are so many excellent teachers and staff that go beyond behind the scenes every single day. This is insulting to the staff that get overlooked or are not on admin’s radar. This is not an insult to the honorees. Most teachers I know just roll their eyes at this stuff. What makes the difference to many I know and myself? Personal notes from students, families - meaningful acknowledgments that come from an honest place. Not this hoopla. I remember when one of my schools didn’t even have the funds to replace my laptop charger when it got stolen. So I had to plug it into my monitor for the rest of the year. So yeah. They can shove the theatrics imo.

Plus 1000. Current MCPS teacher and one of the people in my building who was “chosen” is just the principals pet and not who staff wanted to win. Our team nominated our grade level lead who is amazing burden chose who she wanted.

Oh and admin got to go to this fancy party that cost a million dollars also. I’m pretty disappointed in MCPS for the “gala”. Completely unnecessary. They could have given an award, had an assembly and given honorees a donut breakfast at their school for way less taxpayer money during a time when we are losing critical support to our students. Next year our class sizes are going to be way higher and we lost 2 special es teachers on top of it.

Yeah. It's no surprise that these awards are distributed to those who admin find obedient and not necessarily those who have the most impact on the students and families they serve. Mirrors Taylor's leadership TBH.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, positive reinforcement is far more motivating than negative reinforcement. I wish my boss realized that, and certainly don't criticize Taylor for these efforts (I criticize him for many other things but not this)

So why are we positively reinforcing only 1 person per job class?

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

I’m happy for those nominated and it’s always nice to be recognized. But I don’t see how recognizing one person from a school raises the morale of hundreds of others from that school who didn’t get recognized. It’s not BAD for morale, but it only benefits a few people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m happy for those nominated and it’s always nice to be recognized. But I don’t see how recognizing one person from a school raises the morale of hundreds of others from that school who didn’t get recognized. It’s not BAD for morale, but it only benefits a few people.

the rest of the teachers secretly make fun of the whole process so I’m not sure it has a positive effect people think it does unless you’re a winner or friends with a winner

[Anonymous]

I was a winner and thought the whole thing was silly! I don’t care what central office thinks, they have no idea who I even am without my id number. It’s a bit tone deaf when what we really need is smaller class sizes and real support. That would raise moral in the real way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a winner and thought the whole thing was silly! I don’t care what central office thinks, they have no idea who I even am without my id number. It’s a bit tone deaf when what we really need is smaller class sizes and real support. That would raise moral in the real way.

WOW! If this is what you think of this dog-and-pony show as a winner...then Taylor really needs to re-evaluate.

Dear MCPS Admin AND Central Office Leadership (Cause I know you're reading this): Your desire to "change the narrative" about MCPS by doing surface-level award and recognition programs is not going to cut it. You're gonna have to actually solve real problems. Not just put lipstick on a pig and hold a stick-up photo op moment and tell everyone to tap dance.

[Anonymous]

Part of Taylor's problem is that he has inherited so many high level staff members at central office who were promoted based on friendships and cliques rather than actual abilities. It's now a circus of idiots who are so far removed from the realities of life in a school building that are calling all of the (wrong) shots.

[Anonymous]

I am an MCPS staffer and I appreciate praise and recognition from people I respect and who know what I do in my job. That makes it meaningful. It means the world to me when a colleague, or my immediate supervisor, or a parent, shares praise or appreciation for something I've done. I have a little binder where I've saved thank you cards from families or emails that I've gotten, and I look at it sometimes when I'm feeling down.

Being subjected to a dog and pony show from a superintendent I don't particularly like or respect would feel like performative garbage and would be mortifying. To be singled out from among colleagues who work just as hard if not harder would be totally embarrassing. I am happy for the deserving staffers who get recognized but this feels like putting lipstick on a pig.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Part of Taylor's problem is that he has inherited so many high level staff members at central office who were promoted based on friendships and cliques rather than actual abilities. It's now a circus of idiots who are so far removed from the realities of life in a school building that are calling all of the (wrong) shots.

LOL well said!