Please SOUND OFF if you think FCPS is in decline!

[Anonymous]

I went to FCPS as a kid and got a solid education, back in the late 70s and 80s. Then I have taught here for 30 years. Here is what has changed in elementary schools.

No textbooks or workbooks. Well, one for social studies that was riddled with errors and corrected. Every lesson has to be downloaded off the computer by a teacher. Every lesson has to show differentiation if a principal walks in. Did you notice the part about no books? I have to group the kids into reading groups and then go find multiple copies of a book to read with them while the rest of them work on something independently and then we switch. I have to keep anecdotal records on every kid in the reading groups, and I can’t help the kids who are working at their seats because I am in a reading group.

I’m supposed to do project based learning along with drilling for Ecart and SOLs. I have to think up projects and find supplies and manage all that while I am keeping data on how many times the three special ed kids get out of their seats and I am checking the kid with autism every ten minutes to give him a token if he has not hit anyone. I have no spelling or grammar books. I’m supposed to teach that as embedded in my writing lessons, as kids are ready. The ESL kid is writing a complete sentence. The AAP kid is writing a book.

For math we are drawing pictures of times tables instead of memorizing them, and I want the kids to do actual problems on paper I must download a worksheet and go copy it.
The behavior is out of control but the principal wants to show reduced statistics so there are no consequences and we are told to not send kids to the office. Kids punch a teacher and arexdight back in class after taking a calming walk with an adult, which is reinforcing to them.
Now we’re going to give every kid a computer so they can increase their screen time?

It breaks my heart, and I’m a teacher who has won teaching awards and honors. I’m sick about it.

[Anonymous]

I had enough of virginia! had to move to montgomery county where we have no problems, no controversy and no unhappy parents!

[Anonymous]

I graduated from FCPS a while back (quite a while) and my children are just finishing. At all levels I have seen more issues with the fundamentals. This includes basic math, grammar, and science. Text books are not always available. FCPS still has very good teachers, but the frequency of encountering a bad teacher has gone up. More young teachers who don't stick with it (as I am sure it is very frustrating). It would be interesting to see the average age of FCPS teachers today vs. the average 30-40 years ago.

The AAP setup is not helping as more students leave base schools for centers, leaving the base schools to work more with the challenged students (not uncommonly on the poorer end or ESL).

Of course, this is just what I have seen and there are 24 FCPS pyramids out there, so others may have a completely different viewpoint. Perhaps just noticing the number of pyramids that are out of favor on this site tell us a bit about FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to FCPS as a kid and got a solid education, back in the late 70s and 80s. Then I have taught here for 30 years. Here is what has changed in elementary schools.

No textbooks or workbooks. Well, one for social studies that was riddled with errors and corrected. Every lesson has to be downloaded off the computer by a teacher. Every lesson has to show differentiation if a principal walks in. Did you notice the part about no books? I have to group the kids into reading groups and then go find multiple copies of a book to read with them while the rest of them work on something independently and then we switch. I have to keep anecdotal records on every kid in the reading groups, and I can’t help the kids who are working at their seats because I am in a reading group.

I’m supposed to do project based learning along with drilling for Ecart and SOLs. I have to think up projects and find supplies and manage all that while I am keeping data on how many times the three special ed kids get out of their seats and I am checking the kid with autism every ten minutes to give him a token if he has not hit anyone. I have no spelling or grammar books. I’m supposed to teach that as embedded in my writing lessons, as kids are ready. The ESL kid is writing a complete sentence. The AAP kid is writing a book.

For math we are drawing pictures of times tables instead of memorizing them, and I want the kids to do actual problems on paper I must download a worksheet and go copy it.
The behavior is out of control but the principal wants to show reduced statistics so there are no consequences and we are told to not send kids to the office. Kids punch a teacher and arexdight back in class after taking a calming walk with an adult, which is reinforcing to them.
Now we’re going to give every kid a computer so they can increase their screen time?

It breaks my heart, and I’m a teacher who has won teaching awards and honors. I’m sick about it.

This, this, this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I spend a lot of time in different classrooms in different schools watching the system in action.

It's not that FCPS is in decline. It's that your kid has a cell phone, and you just cannot imagine how much that time and attention sink is hurting his/her education.

does

So why not have a no phone in classroom policy? If it is out, goes on teachers desk or sent to office. I never understood why it wasn’t a rule? We enforced from home by restricting as much as we could but as they got older we were told they also used in class. But once assignments over, rule should activate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had enough of virginia! had to move to montgomery county where we have no problems, no controversy and no unhappy parents!

Joke, right?

[Anonymous]

I have and FCPS junior and freshman, so we have been involved in FCPS for a dozen years. 5 schools between my kids. (ES base, ES AAP, MS, HS base, TJ). Both have gotten great educations. By far the weakest school was the ES base a dozen years ago— and it was a wealthy school. MS and HS (TJ and base) have been excellent. I think this is because ES has to differentiate too much within a classroom. Once you hit HS, AAP/AP, Honors, GE and ESL and significant special ed are on different tracks, in different classrooms. That helps a lot.

My kids are both ADHD/ 2e, and have benefits from having teachers who understand them and can accommodate them, without letting them off the hook. I am also ADHD, and really struggled in a way my kids have not had to because ADHD in women wasn’t a “thing” 25 years ago.

Eastern county IB is a joke, and they need to throw in the towel and keep it in one Eastern County magnet. But this has been a problem as long as my kids have been in FCPS. It’s baffling that they don’t move IB into some of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to FCPS as a kid and got a solid education, back in the late 70s and 80s. Then I have taught here for 30 years. Here is what has changed in elementary schools.

No textbooks or workbooks. Well, one for social studies that was riddled with errors and corrected. Every lesson has to be downloaded off the computer by a teacher. Every lesson has to show differentiation if a principal walks in. Did you notice the part about no books? I have to group the kids into reading groups and then go find multiple copies of a book to read with them while the rest of them work on something independently and then we switch. I have to keep anecdotal records on every kid in the reading groups, and I can’t help the kids who are working at their seats because I am in a reading group.

I’m supposed to do project based learning along with drilling for Ecart and SOLs. I have to think up projects and find supplies and manage all that while I am keeping data on how many times the three special ed kids get out of their seats and I am checking the kid with autism every ten minutes to give him a token if he has not hit anyone. I have no spelling or grammar books. I’m supposed to teach that as embedded in my writing lessons, as kids are ready. The ESL kid is writing a complete sentence. The AAP kid is writing a book.

For math we are drawing pictures of times tables instead of memorizing them, and I want the kids to do actual problems on paper I must download a worksheet and go copy it.
The behavior is out of control but the principal wants to show reduced statistics so there are no consequences and we are told to not send kids to the office. Kids punch a teacher and arexdight back in class after taking a calming walk with an adult, which is reinforcing to them.
Now we’re going to give every kid a computer so they can increase their screen time?

It breaks my heart, and I’m a teacher who has won teaching awards and honors. I’m sick about it.

I am just short of your 30 years with FCPS and I agree with and can relate to all that is in bold. In all my years of teaching grades 2, 3. or 4 I have never had a grammar or spelling textbook, so that hasn't changed. I never have been one to expect the students to just memorize multiplication tables and I do like the math workshop model, but we are just spread too thin when also planning and implementing reading groups, book clubs, reading workshop, and writing workshop. Add in morning meeting, Positivity Project and PBLs it's tough, if not impossible to do everything well.

Behaviors have become my biggest obstacles. I can't even begin to fathom how much instructional time has been lost this year due to disruptive behaviors. The SR&Rs basically states that protected is a student’s right to learn in an environment that allows them to acquire the best education available and that students have a responsibility to behave in such a manner that does not interfere with the safety and learning of others, but interference is almost constant. Sending students to the office used to be a last resort, it was seldom needed and it had to be a fairly major offense. Now after being told to not send students to the office for what I deemed pretty important issues or that it needed to be handled at the classroom level, I just don't send them. The behaviors have worsened, I continue to try every trick in the book within the range of what is allowed by administration, but I can't make them want to behave and not be disruptive. They should want to follow procedures and expectations for the good of the group. They should be willing to meet expectations after having basic procedures modeled for them over and over and over, but they don't I'm wearing down. I'm only one person and I'm outnumbered. Yes there is a 40 year age difference, but I'm outnumbered and overrun by elementary students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to FCPS as a kid and got a solid education, back in the late 70s and 80s. Then I have taught here for 30 years. Here is what has changed in elementary schools.

No textbooks or workbooks. Well, one for social studies that was riddled with errors and corrected. Every lesson has to be downloaded off the computer by a teacher. Every lesson has to show differentiation if a principal walks in. Did you notice the part about no books? I have to group the kids into reading groups and then go find multiple copies of a book to read with them while the rest of them work on something independently and then we switch. I have to keep anecdotal records on every kid in the reading groups, and I can’t help the kids who are working at their seats because I am in a reading group.

I’m supposed to do project based learning along with drilling for Ecart and SOLs. I have to think up projects and find supplies and manage all that while I am keeping data on how many times the three special ed kids get out of their seats and I am checking the kid with autism every ten minutes to give him a token if he has not hit anyone. I have no spelling or grammar books. I’m supposed to teach that as embedded in my writing lessons, as kids are ready. The ESL kid is writing a complete sentence. The AAP kid is writing a book.

For math we are drawing pictures of times tables instead of memorizing them, and I want the kids to do actual problems on paper I must download a worksheet and go copy it.
The behavior is out of control but the principal wants to show reduced statistics so there are no consequences and we are told to not send kids to the office. Kids punch a teacher and arexdight back in class after taking a calming walk with an adult, which is reinforcing to them.
Now we’re going to give every kid a computer so they can increase their screen time?

It breaks my heart, and I’m a teacher who has won teaching awards and honors. I’m sick about it.

I am just short of your 30 years with FCPS and I agree with and can relate to all that is in bold. In all my years of teaching grades 2, 3. or 4 I have never had a grammar or spelling textbook, so that hasn't changed. I never have been one to expect the students to just memorize multiplication tables and I do like the math workshop model, but we are just spread too thin when also planning and implementing reading groups, book clubs, reading workshop, and writing workshop. Add in morning meeting, Positivity Project and PBLs it's tough, if not impossible to do everything well.

Behaviors have become my biggest obstacles. I can't even begin to fathom how much instructional time has been lost this year due to disruptive behaviors. The SR&Rs basically states that protected is a student’s right to learn in an environment that allows them to acquire the best education available and that students have a responsibility to behave in such a manner that does not interfere with the safety and learning of others, but interference is almost constant. Sending students to the office used to be a last resort, it was seldom needed and it had to be a fairly major offense. Now after being told to not send students to the office for what I deemed pretty important issues or that it needed to be handled at the classroom level, I just don't send them. The behaviors have worsened, I continue to try every trick in the book within the range of what is allowed by administration, but I can't make them want to behave and not be disruptive. They should want to follow procedures and expectations for the good of the group. They should be willing to meet expectations after having basic procedures modeled for them over and over and over, but they don't I'm wearing down. I'm only one person and I'm outnumbered. Yes there is a 40 year age difference, but I'm outnumbered and overrun by elementary students.

Wow. This is eye-opening. I have always felt for the teachers in this regard. There is only so much they can do.

[Anonymous]

22:05 here. I want to add that I think departmentalizing in the elementary school might be helpful. Each teacher could be a subject expert and set up the entire classroom for the subject taught. Imagine being able to focus on math and having the entire focus be on teaching math. The social studies teacher could focus on that subject, do some integration with writing and reading, but wouldn't have to set all of it aside after 30 minutes to pull out the science materials.

Another difficulty is the lack of computer resources. I know an earlier post spoke in a negative light about increasing screen time, but we are expected to complete eCart and i-Ready while scrabbling enough laptops together for a class. We are expected to utilize online research for Global Awareness projects and other PBLs, but the grade level has ~62 computers for ~150 students.

[Anonymous]

Not in FCPS but last year, we tried to departmentalize 2nd grade. 3rd grade and up have been departmentalized for years so the admin figured why not 2nd grade? It was a disaster so they switched back to a traditional classroom after the first quarter. As a teacher, I think departmentalization is great but it isn't about the teachers as we are told over and over again. That said, the same admin aims to try it again next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:22:05 here. I want to add that I think departmentalizing in the elementary school might be helpful. Each teacher could be a subject expert and set up the entire classroom for the subject taught. Imagine being able to focus on math and having the entire focus be on teaching math. The social studies teacher could focus on that subject, do some integration with writing and reading, but wouldn't have to set all of it aside after 30 minutes to pull out the science materials.

Another difficulty is the lack of computer resources. I know an earlier post spoke in a negative light about increasing screen time, but we are expected to complete eCart and i-Ready while scrabbling enough laptops together for a class. We are expected to utilize online research for Global Awareness projects and other PBLs, but the grade level has ~62 computers for ~150 students.

My kid’s ES dI d this beginning in 4th grade. 3 teachers— one math, one science, one reading. They each taught their own class social studies. Helped the kids prepare for MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not in FCPS but last year, we tried to departmentalize 2nd grade. 3rd grade and up have been departmentalized for years so the admin figured why not 2nd grade? It was a disaster so they switched back to a traditional classroom after the first quarter. As a teacher, I think departmentalization is great but it isn't about the teachers as we are told over and over again. That said, the same admin aims to try it again next year.

22:12 here. I can see how it might be a lot of transitioning for 2nd graders. Is that what didn't work?

[Anonymous]

PP- It didn't work for that particular class. Next year, there will be a lot fewer 2nd graders and they are more advanced (small class sizes do make a huge difference!) so we will see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to FCPS as a kid and got a solid education, back in the late 70s and 80s. Then I have taught here for 30 years. Here is what has changed in elementary schools.

No textbooks or workbooks. Well, one for social studies that was riddled with errors and corrected. Every lesson has to be downloaded off the computer by a teacher. Every lesson has to show differentiation if a principal walks in. Did you notice the part about no books? I have to group the kids into reading groups and then go find multiple copies of a book to read with them while the rest of them work on something independently and then we switch. I have to keep anecdotal records on every kid in the reading groups, and I can’t help the kids who are working at their seats because I am in a reading group.

I’m supposed to do project based learning along with drilling for Ecart and SOLs. I have to think up projects and find supplies and manage all that while I am keeping data on how many times the three special ed kids get out of their seats and I am checking the kid with autism every ten minutes to give him a token if he has not hit anyone. I have no spelling or grammar books. I’m supposed to teach that as embedded in my writing lessons, as kids are ready. The ESL kid is writing a complete sentence. The AAP kid is writing a book.

For math we are drawing pictures of times tables instead of memorizing them, and I want the kids to do actual problems on paper I must download a worksheet and go copy it.
The behavior is out of control but the principal wants to show reduced statistics so there are no consequences and we are told to not send kids to the office. Kids punch a teacher and arexdight back in class after taking a calming walk with an adult, which is reinforcing to them.
Now we’re going to give every kid a computer so they can increase their screen time?

It breaks my heart, and I’m a teacher who has won teaching awards and honors. I’m sick about it.

I am just short of your 30 years with FCPS and I agree with and can relate to all that is in bold. In all my years of teaching grades 2, 3. or 4 I have never had a grammar or spelling textbook, so that hasn't changed. I never have been one to expect the students to just memorize multiplication tables and I do like the math workshop model, but we are just spread too thin when also planning and implementing reading groups, book clubs, reading workshop, and writing workshop. Add in morning meeting, Positivity Project and PBLs it's tough, if not impossible to do everything well.

Behaviors have become my biggest obstacles. I can't even begin to fathom how much instructional time has been lost this year due to disruptive behaviors. The SR&Rs basically states that protected is a student’s right to learn in an environment that allows them to acquire the best education available and that students have a responsibility to behave in such a manner that does not interfere with the safety and learning of others, but interference is almost constant. Sending students to the office used to be a last resort, it was seldom needed and it had to be a fairly major offense. Now after being told to not send students to the office for what I deemed pretty important issues or that it needed to be handled at the classroom level, I just don't send them. The behaviors have worsened, I continue to try every trick in the book within the range of what is allowed by administration, but I can't make them want to behave and not be disruptive. They should want to follow procedures and expectations for the good of the group. They should be willing to meet expectations after having basic procedures modeled for them over and over and over, but they don't I'm wearing down. I'm only one person and I'm outnumbered. Yes there is a 40 year age difference, but I'm outnumbered and overrun by elementary students.

Wow. This is eye-opening. I have always felt for the teachers in this regard. There is only so much they can do.

Yup, these are the pathologies of high poverty schools. It's absolutely the result of the fact that the school system's poverty has increased.