Teachers, what surprised you most about the profession?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers: are there any federal or state policies that need to change to make teaching easier and more effective? (Aside from the obvious funding answer)

Outside of larger, expensive measures like smaller class sizes or hiring more teachers/aides, I think the easiest thing would be a return to textbooks, and by textbooks I don’t mean the actual physical textbooks, but the online component that goes with it. I am a math teacher, and during the shutdown a textbook company is temporarily allowing teachers in my district access to the online component of the program for free, and it has made a world of difference. There are a gazillion resources Laid out for us that would normally take us hours upon hours to scour the internet to try to find on our own. We are begging our principal to buy this program for us next year, but with budget cuts happening, I’m not holding my breath.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers: are there any federal or state policies that need to change to make teaching easier and more effective? (Aside from the obvious funding answer)

Outside of larger, expensive measures like smaller class sizes or hiring more teachers/aides, I think the easiest thing would be a return to textbooks, and by textbooks I don’t mean the actual physical textbooks, but the online component that goes with it. I am a math teacher, and during the shutdown a textbook company is temporarily allowing teachers in my district access to the online component of the program for free, and it has made a world of difference. There are a gazillion resources Laid out for us that would normally take us hours upon hours to scour the internet to try to find on our own. We are begging our principal to buy this program for us next year, but with budget cuts happening, I’m not holding my breath.

I looked at the VAS textbook with my students the other day. VAS is the only subject with a text in my grade. The students have hard copies at school and there’s an online version. With the online version you literally need to click until you get to the page you need! So if students need to read page 200 , there wasn’t just a link to take you there. I don’t teach VAS but was helping my students. Also, the print was rather small and I’m not sure why everything needs to be on screens. Sure it saves paper but at school they have hard copies anyway. I asked my students if they prefer the hard textbook and they all said yes.... So I agree that they need textbooks down here, but hard texts. The online versions are subpar due to the screen issue, page turning, and small font. I also don’t see why VAS is the only subject with a textbook. Origo is called a textbook by admin and that makes me laugh because the kids can’t even see it. It’s essentially a collection of weird math lessons only the teacher can log on to see. There’s far better math programs but VA probably chose Origo because it also has a list of VA standards. Maybe they could just choose a math program to follow in order rather than have crazy standards all over the place...

[Anonymous]

I wish we could go back to teaching the basics in the early grades. None of this ridiculous close reading for 90 minutes a day. Kids need to listen to books but not imitate high school and college kids by spending entire classes doing an analysis of why the author chose that vocab word instead of this one. Do kindergarteners who can barely write their names and hold a pencil need to be wasting time talking about shades of meaning? Nope. Math needs to be simpler because there are students who cannot handle learned 10 different "strategies" to add single digit numbers. We need to pre-test students for math and regroup them for each unit. The slower kids just need to basics. The higher kids can handle all of those strategies. We also need more recess. 10-15 minutes per day for little kids is not nearly enough.

[Anonymous]

Stop using suspension, graduation and teacher retention rates as such a big part of administrators' evaluations. It leads to major classroom disruption, low expectations for students and we are graduating kids that don't have basic skills to be successful in college.

Also stop pushing college as the only option. Lots of kids spend money taking remedial classes in college, don't graduate and have debt for the rest of their lives. Our low expectations are really harmful to students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop using suspension, graduation and teacher retention rates as such a big part of administrators' evaluations. It leads to major classroom disruption, low expectations for students and we are graduating kids that don't have basic skills to be successful in college.

Also stop pushing college as the only option. Lots of kids spend money taking remedial classes in college, don't graduate and have debt for the rest of their lives. Our low expectations are really harmful to students.

I would argue that this push for everyone to go to college is too high expectations for everyone. Fit is what we need to look at for each student. Do students even want to go to college? Let them know what else is available to them. I shouldn't be college or nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop using suspension, graduation and teacher retention rates as such a big part of administrators' evaluations. It leads to major classroom disruption, low expectations for students and we are graduating kids that don't have basic skills to be successful in college.

Also stop pushing college as the only option. Lots of kids spend money taking remedial classes in college, don't graduate and have debt for the rest of their lives. Our low expectations are really harmful to students.

I disagree with you about not using teacher retention in administrator evaluations. High turnover is usually a sign of bad leadership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Stop using suspension, graduation and teacher retention rates as such a big part of administrators' evaluations. It leads to major classroom disruption, low expectations for students and we are graduating kids that don't have basic skills to be successful in college.

Also stop pushing college as the only option. Lots of kids spend money taking remedial classes in college, don't graduate and have debt for the rest of their lives. Our low expectations are really harmful to students.


I disagree with you about not using teacher retention in administrator evaluations. High turnover is usually a sign of bad leadership.

I'm not sure if this is what the original poster was getting at, but some principals will make it difficult for teachers to move. Then, you have someone stuck at the school and possibly now the principal's target. Though many people eventually managed to leave at this school, the principal was very punitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish we could go back to teaching the basics in the early grades. None of this ridiculous close reading for 90 minutes a day. Kids need to listen to books but not imitate high school and college kids by spending entire classes doing an analysis of why the author chose that vocab word instead of this one. Do kindergarteners who can barely write their names and hold a pencil need to be wasting time talking about shades of meaning? Nope. Math needs to be simpler because there are students who cannot handle learned 10 different "strategies" to add single digit numbers. We need to pre-test students for math and regroup them for each unit. The slower kids just need to basics. The higher kids can handle all of those strategies. We also need more recess. 10-15 minutes per day for little kids is not nearly enough.

As a parent, I’d like to see schools stop doing this too. But, who makes these decisions? Who has the power to change it? Is this decision at the state level? Do individuals districts decide? Principals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop using suspension, graduation and teacher retention rates as such a big part of administrators' evaluations. It leads to major classroom disruption, low expectations for students and we are graduating kids that don't have basic skills to be successful in college.

Also stop pushing college as the only option. Lots of kids spend money taking remedial classes in college, don't graduate and have debt for the rest of their lives. Our low expectations are really harmful to students.

I disagree with you about not using teacher retention in administrator evaluations. High turnover is usually a sign of bad leadership.

I disagree with you because I’ve had an admin mark me way lower than deserved after telling them I planned to leave the district. I assumed it was because losing someone after one year would make them look bad unless that teacher were marked ineffective or needs improvement. I think it’s dangerous to do what you’re saying because admins will make sure their evaluations match what they want. If they think you want to switch schools or districts then you’re no good. Even if you’re only okay they’ll mark you up if they think they’ll retain you if they have trouble retaining teachers. That way it looks like they’re good at keeping the “good” teachers and losing the “bad” ones. It’s really messed up because who is going to come double check how accurate their evaluations are? No one from outside the school.

[Anonymous]

I'm hoping to start my Master's in ECE in September. Am I better off being an aid and making money by tutoring?
I really don't want all the drama that comes with being a teacher.

[Anonymous]

In my list of surprises, I also didn't include stuff about basic resources! It's become so normal for me, I forget that it would be shocking to others. Also shocking was the level of internal segregation. The school serves a wealthy (mostly white) neighborhood and a poorer (mostly Hispanic) neighborhood. The student body is about 50-50%. But really there are two schools going on inside the one school.

I don't work in a DC metro area school. It's a midsize district in a city location (high school).

Bathrooms never have hand soap. Toilet paper runs out midway through the year and then there is no toilet paper or hand soap. Rooms are overcrowded and never have enough desks or books.

We are allowed one box of kleenex and one whiteboard pen per week (not enough). Copies are limited and the copier is frequently broke

I'm not sure how they expect us to teach with no way to write on the board, no way photocopy a sheet, and no books - but they do.

The school is pretty much segregated with the wealthy white kids taking APs and honors classes- which are smaller since not everyone can get in, participating in extracurricular activities, and doing sports. The poorer kids of color are in large remedial or standard classes. They never seem to be able to get eligible for sports or onto any teams. They are often given the newer, less experienced teachers who can't control a classroom.

After requesting supplies from parents with little success, one honors geometry teacher gave her students extra credit for bringing in kleenex, paper towels, whiteboard markers, hand soap and hand sanitizer. She was flooded with supplies by the involved parents who wanted their kids to get the extra credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm hoping to start my Master's in ECE in September. Am I better off being an aid and making money by tutoring?
I really don't want all the drama that comes with being a teacher.

Honestly, I loved my teaching job but I wouldn't recommend it as a career.

I eventually went and got a PhD and teach at a university now. I miss high school students, but the level of insane stress and hours worked at the high school was killing me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm hoping to start my Master's in ECE in September. Am I better off being an aid and making money by tutoring?
I really don't want all the drama that comes with being a teacher.

m

Don’t spend money on a masters if you don’t want to teach. If you have a spouse who can support you then being an aid and tutor will be less stressful. Those positions don’t require a masters and they pay horribly, hence make sure you have someone will to help support you. If I had a rich husband I would be an aid instead. I’ve been one during college so I can attest that it’s way less time consuming and stress. Also way less money though... and it’s still stressful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop using suspension, graduation and teacher retention rates as such a big part of administrators' evaluations. It leads to major classroom disruption, low expectations for students and we are graduating kids that don't have basic skills to be successful in college.

Also stop pushing college as the only option. Lots of kids spend money taking remedial classes in college, don't graduate and have debt for the rest of their lives. Our low expectations are really harmful to students.

I disagree with you about not using teacher retention in administrator evaluations. High turnover is usually a sign of bad leadership.

I disagree with you because I’ve had an admin mark me way lower than deserved after telling them I planned to leave the district. I assumed it was because losing someone after one year would make them look bad unless that teacher were marked ineffective or needs improvement. I think it’s dangerous to do what you’re saying because admins will make sure their evaluations match what they want. If they think you want to switch schools or districts then you’re no good. Even if you’re only okay they’ll mark you up if they think they’ll retain you if they have trouble retaining teachers. That way it looks like they’re good at keeping the “good” teachers and losing the “bad” ones. It’s really messed up because who is going to come double check how accurate their evaluations are? No one from outside the school.

+1

Some schools always have high turnover because the student population has needs that are difficult for a teacher to meet year after year. You need a recommendation from your principal or AP to get a new job. They could make it really tough to leave or be vindictive. And you could look at teacher turnover over a several year period to look for patterns. One year is not indicative of anything. One year at my school 10 teachers left for various reasons, only one of which was about admin. The following year only one teacher left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop using suspension, graduation and teacher retention rates as such a big part of administrators' evaluations. It leads to major classroom disruption, low expectations for students and we are graduating kids that don't have basic skills to be successful in college.

Also stop pushing college as the only option. Lots of kids spend money taking remedial classes in college, don't graduate and have debt for the rest of their lives. Our low expectations are really harmful to students.

I disagree with you about not using teacher retention in administrator evaluations. High turnover is usually a sign of bad leadership.

I disagree with you because I’ve had an admin mark me way lower than deserved after telling them I planned to leave the district. I assumed it was because losing someone after one year would make them look bad unless that teacher were marked ineffective or needs improvement. I think it’s dangerous to do what you’re saying because admins will make sure their evaluations match what they want. If they think you want to switch schools or districts then you’re no good. Even if you’re only okay they’ll mark you up if they think they’ll retain you if they have trouble retaining teachers. That way it looks like they’re good at keeping the “good” teachers and losing the “bad” ones. It’s really messed up because who is going to come double check how accurate their evaluations are? No one from outside the school.

+1

Some schools always have high turnover because the student population has needs that are difficult for a teacher to meet year after year. You need a recommendation from your principal or AP to get a new job. They could make it really tough to leave or be vindictive. And you could look at teacher turnover over a several year period to look for patterns. One year is not indicative of anything. One year at my school 10 teachers left for various reasons, only one of which was about admin. The following year only one teacher left.

I should have specified - I work at a charter. It’s a completely different world. High turnovers at charters are definitely a red flag.