buy your teacher a nice end of the school year gift please!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a summer job and it won’t be a problem. I’d agree to make 30% less money if I had summers off.

Oh yes, the “summers off” statement. When you work 60+ hours a week at a job that provides absolutely no down time and no flexibility, those UNPAID summers become the only break you get.

And many of us end up working job #2. It’s not like we are lazing around the pool.

And on topic: please don’t get me anything. I’m a professional and I’m simply doing my job.

Sorry, this still doesn't fly. You have multiple long weekends, 1-2 week winter break, federal holidays, 1 week spring break -- all during your PAID months of the year. And while you will likely say you are still working during all of those days off, don't expect us to believe all or even most teachers are. For "no flexibility" and "no down time," there are an awful lot of teachers MIA the last weeks of the school year.

Teachers don't seem to realize or acknowledge that there are a lot of other professions in which people work 60+ hours a week YEAR ROUND and don't get every Federal and religious holiday and two weeks around Christmas/New Year's. Paid leave benefits vary widely. Fed Gov't is very generous. Some private companies, extremely stingy - literally 5 vacation days and 5 personal days (which includes sick leave) even with 20+ years work experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a summer job and it won’t be a problem. I’d agree to make 30% less money if I had summers off.

Oh yes, the “summers off” statement. When you work 60+ hours a week at a job that provides absolutely no down time and no flexibility, those UNPAID summers become the only break you get.

And many of us end up working job #2. It’s not like we are lazing around the pool.

And on topic: please don’t get me anything. I’m a professional and I’m simply doing my job.

Sorry, this still doesn't fly. You have multiple long weekends, 1-2 week winter break, federal holidays, 1 week spring break -- all during your PAID months of the year. And while you will likely say you are still working during all of those days off, don't expect us to believe all or even most teachers are. For "no flexibility" and "no down time," there are an awful lot of teachers MIA the last weeks of the school year.

Teachers don't seem to realize or acknowledge that there are a lot of other professions in which people work 60+ hours a week YEAR ROUND and don't get every Federal and religious holiday and two weeks around Christmas/New Year's. Paid leave benefits vary widely. Fed Gov't is very generous. Some private companies, extremely stingy - literally 5 vacation days and 5 personal days (which includes sick leave) even with 20+ years work experience.

If teachers have such generous benefits, then why aren’t all the DCUM complainers applying to teach? That would easily take care of the teacher shortage in the region.

I’m guessing that’s because complainers have most or all of the following: better pay, more flexibility, a better work/life balance, calmer working environments, and more professional respect.

For as good as you want it to sound, I simply don’t see people jumping at the chance to teach. It’s almost like people know it’s not a good deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and no, this isn't how it works. (Plus, PLENTY of parents give me $...allowed or not.)

You want teachers to stay? Parent your child. Get them off screens (teachers cannot compete with non stop entertainment).
Support us: call the principals with good news about us.
Talk to admin about discipling kids. Be pro suspending kids, and bringing back detention.
Admin doesn't enforce anything anymore because they're afraid of parents so teachers have to deal with kids misbehaving all day.

I hope you move on from APS. I wouldn't want my children being taught by you. Yikes.

Sorry about your raise though. Teachers do deserve better.

You cannot assume PP is addressing you specifically when she says "parent your child." She's talking about what teachers want generally, and enough parents do neglect to parent their children to the point where teachers are stuck with the task. Obviously someone who is going to talk to admin about disciplining kids isn't going to be the type of parent who has to parent their child.

Please don't hope that PP moves on. We really do need teachers to stay.

OP.

I get that the teaching isn't what it used to be and that there's a lot of disrespect from all sides, and that the pay raise is insulting too. But in the end, just like I don't like angry parents around my children, I don't want bitter teachers to spend 6 hours/day with them either. Get yourselves together or get out of the profession please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and no, this isn't how it works. (Plus, PLENTY of parents give me $...allowed or not.)

You want teachers to stay? Parent your child. Get them off screens (teachers cannot compete with non stop entertainment).
Support us: call the principals with good news about us.
Talk to admin about discipling kids. Be pro suspending kids, and bringing back detention.
Admin doesn't enforce anything anymore because they're afraid of parents so teachers have to deal with kids misbehaving all day.

I hope you move on from APS. I wouldn't want my children being taught by you. Yikes.

Sorry about your raise though. Teachers do deserve better.

You cannot assume PP is addressing you specifically when she says "parent your child." She's talking about what teachers want generally, and enough parents do neglect to parent their children to the point where teachers are stuck with the task. Obviously someone who is going to talk to admin about disciplining kids isn't going to be the type of parent who has to parent their child.

Please don't hope that PP moves on. We really do need teachers to stay.

OP.

I get that the teaching isn't what it used to be and that there's a lot of disrespect from all sides, and that the pay raise is insulting too. But in the end, just like I don't like angry parents around my children, I don't want bitter teachers to spend 6 hours/day with them either. Get yourselves together or get out of the profession please.

Why can’t we fix teachers’ pay and working conditions instead?

Why is your solution simply to “get yourselves together” and deal with it? Why should teachers accept this? Would you?

And what do we do when all teachers take your advice and leave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and no, this isn't how it works. (Plus, PLENTY of parents give me $...allowed or not.)

You want teachers to stay? Parent your child. Get them off screens (teachers cannot compete with non stop entertainment).
Support us: call the principals with good news about us.
Talk to admin about discipling kids. Be pro suspending kids, and bringing back detention.
Admin doesn't enforce anything anymore because they're afraid of parents so teachers have to deal with kids misbehaving all day.

I hope you move on from APS. I wouldn't want my children being taught by you. Yikes.

Sorry about your raise though. Teachers do deserve better.

You cannot assume PP is addressing you specifically when she says "parent your child." She's talking about what teachers want generally, and enough parents do neglect to parent their children to the point where teachers are stuck with the task. Obviously someone who is going to talk to admin about disciplining kids isn't going to be the type of parent who has to parent their child.

Please don't hope that PP moves on. We really do need teachers to stay.

OP.

I get that the teaching isn't what it used to be and that there's a lot of disrespect from all sides, and that the pay raise is insulting too. But in the end, just like I don't like angry parents around my children, I don't want bitter teachers to spend 6 hours/day with them either. Get yourselves together or get out of the profession please.

Why can’t we fix teachers’ pay and working conditions instead?

Why is your solution simply to “get yourselves together” and deal with it? Why should teachers accept this? Would you?

And what do we do when all teachers take your advice and leave?

Because if it is that easy, all school boards around us would have fixed compensation issues already. In every single DCUM board, everybody's complaining about the same things. The budget isn't there to do what we need to do. In Virginia in particular, Youngkin has done his best to divert funding from public schools, which has impacted Arlington significantly, because whatever initiative the state approves, we only get 20% of it. The school board has to find the other 80%. Google the "JLARC report" if you want to get into the weeds.

Yes, I expect teachers and honestly any paid APS employee to be the professionals. Especially around my children. I see too much bad behavior not just fro kids but also from the adults when I volunteer in the school, and my children tell me how bad some of their teachers are. If teaching has become that demoralizing that you have to take it out on the kids, PLEASE LEAVE! Go find your next career in the private sector.

As for question #3, I would have walked away too. Remember during the pandemic when people got fed up with their working conditions and quit en masse? Even McDonalds had to raise their salary and provide somewhat decent benefits to get people back flipping burgers. APS has a union now too. I wonder just how effective they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and no, this isn't how it works. (Plus, PLENTY of parents give me $...allowed or not.)

You want teachers to stay? Parent your child. Get them off screens (teachers cannot compete with non stop entertainment).
Support us: call the principals with good news about us.
Talk to admin about discipling kids. Be pro suspending kids, and bringing back detention.
Admin doesn't enforce anything anymore because they're afraid of parents so teachers have to deal with kids misbehaving all day.

I’m fine if you leave with this attitude

[Anonymous]

Never

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a summer job and it won’t be a problem. I’d agree to make 30% less money if I had summers off.

Same !! 100% I would give up $$ for time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and no, this isn't how it works. (Plus, PLENTY of parents give me $...allowed or not.)

You want teachers to stay? Parent your child. Get them off screens (teachers cannot compete with non stop entertainment).
Support us: call the principals with good news about us.
Talk to admin about discipling kids. Be pro suspending kids, and bringing back detention.
Admin doesn't enforce anything anymore because they're afraid of parents so teachers have to deal with kids misbehaving all day.

I hope you move on from APS. I wouldn't want my children being taught by you. Yikes.

Sorry about your raise though. Teachers do deserve better.

You cannot assume PP is addressing you specifically when she says "parent your child." She's talking about what teachers want generally, and enough parents do neglect to parent their children to the point where teachers are stuck with the task. Obviously someone who is going to talk to admin about disciplining kids isn't going to be the type of parent who has to parent their child.

Please don't hope that PP moves on. We really do need teachers to stay.

OP.

I get that the teaching isn't what it used to be and that there's a lot of disrespect from all sides, and that the pay raise is insulting too. But in the end, just like I don't like angry parents around my children, I don't want bitter teachers to spend 6 hours/day with them either. Get yourselves together or get out of the profession please.

Yep the bitter teachers who complain about their students daily DO take it out on the students.

Signed,
Family member of a teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a summer job and it won’t be a problem. I’d agree to make 30% less money if I had summers off.

Oh yes, the “summers off” statement. When you work 60+ hours a week at a job that provides absolutely no down time and no flexibility, those UNPAID summers become the only break you get.

And many of us end up working job #2. It’s not like we are lazing around the pool.

And on topic: please don’t get me anything. I’m a professional and I’m simply doing my job.

Literally everyone is working long hours. Literally everyone would NOT complain about summers off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS is only giving teachers a 1.25% raise this year. With inflation, this translates to actually making less money than last year. Hoping we don't lose some fantastic teachers over the summer...neighboring districts did much better.

And 1.25% is more than some of us are getting in our jobs. So, we are to spend that giving gifts to all of our kids' teachers, some of whom aren't particularly good? Cost of living has gone up for all of us. Notes of appreciation should be just as rewarding, or more so, than a gift. We all would appreciate that type of acknowledgement.

I’m all for acknowledgement of teachers. But I bet a parent of a young kid wrote this post. I have multiple kids in secondary school. Do you have any understanding of how many teachers they have between them? How much money do you expect me to shell out for a nice gift???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and no, this isn't how it works. (Plus, PLENTY of parents give me $...allowed or not.)

You want teachers to stay? Parent your child. Get them off screens (teachers cannot compete with non stop entertainment).
Support us: call the principals with good news about us.
Talk to admin about discipling kids. Be pro suspending kids, and bringing back detention.
Admin doesn't enforce anything anymore because they're afraid of parents so teachers have to deal with kids misbehaving all day.

I’m fine if you leave with this attitude

I thought the same way until I became a teacher! I don’t like the way PP is spurning the idea of a nice gift but the reasons teachers are leaving isn’t pay. Pay has always been lackluster. The deal was that you accept bad pay for rewarding job with more feee time. But the educational and social landscape has completely changed. It’s not rewarding because as things are it’s anyone’s guess whether or not kids will actually learn something, you really have to work more than your 7.5 contract hours in order to make things run remotely smoothly, and many teachers have to work during the summer and do side gigs to make ends meet.

If you don’t want burned out, stressed out teachers who don’t have the emotional bandwidth to be patient with your kids, or if you don’t want teacher shortages to increase, PP does actually have some good suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a summer job and it won’t be a problem. I’d agree to make 30% less money if I had summers off.

Oh yes, the “summers off” statement. When you work 60+ hours a week at a job that provides absolutely no down time and no flexibility, those UNPAID summers become the only break you get.

And many of us end up working job #2. It’s not like we are lazing around the pool.

And on topic: please don’t get me anything. I’m a professional and I’m simply doing my job.

Literally everyone is working long hours. Literally everyone would NOT complain about summers off.

PLEASE don’t use “literally”. I know plenty of people making 2 or 3 times more than me who work about 20 hours a week. There are threads under “jobs and careers” here on DCUM where people admit to doing 2-3 hours of work a day.

And the offer still stands: if you want summers off, then quit your job and enter the classroom. We have openings because teachers are fleeing. Why haven’t you done that yet? Stop complaining and join an alternative route to education program today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS is only giving teachers a 1.25% raise this year. With inflation, this translates to actually making less money than last year. Hoping we don't lose some fantastic teachers over the summer...neighboring districts did much better.

And 1.25% is more than some of us are getting in our jobs. So, we are to spend that giving gifts to all of our kids' teachers, some of whom aren't particularly good? Cost of living has gone up for all of us. Notes of appreciation should be just as rewarding, or more so, than a gift. We all would appreciate that type of acknowledgement.

I’m all for acknowledgement of teachers. But I bet a parent of a young kid wrote this post. I have multiple kids in secondary school. Do you have any understanding of how many teachers they have between them? How much money do you expect me to shell out for a nice gift???

Agree. I agree with OP in theory and I do think that something thoughtful is important for elementary. But it’s just too much for middle and high school. Being involved and supporting your child in education are amazing gifts. Trying to teach a kid whose parent hasn’t supported their education with things like encouraging good behavior in the classroom and educational activities like reading at home is so hard and for me it reduces my QOL more than a too-small COL increase.

But OP your heart is in the right place and I’m sure your gifts are appreciated!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and no, this isn't how it works. (Plus, PLENTY of parents give me $...allowed or not.)

You want teachers to stay? Parent your child. Get them off screens (teachers cannot compete with non stop entertainment).
Support us: call the principals with good news about us.
Talk to admin about discipling kids. Be pro suspending kids, and bringing back detention.
Admin doesn't enforce anything anymore because they're afraid of parents so teachers have to deal with kids misbehaving all day.

I’m fine if you leave with this attitude

What attitude did PP display? The PP had great suggestions. PP also had an acceptable tone.

Am I correct in assuming that any time a teacher voices anything at all, you’ll see it as complaining? How very DCUM, the place that loves to hate teachers.