Why does my kid's school have SO MANY 'professional days'?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

The answers to this are going to vary school by school depending on the schedules and how they broke up their DL classes. At my school we use Wednesdays from 8:30-12:30 for a whole group meeting and then small groups (3-4 kids at a time) for ELA or Math depending on need. 1:30-3:30 is a meeting called looking at student work where we discuss needs that are coming up and how to address them, and then a team meeting where we calendar out the next week.

During M,Tu,Th,F we do whole group meetings and then A/B split the classes in half. So if group A is with the teacher, B is independent. That doesn't mean the teacher is free o do emails and planning. They are with other students. I think parents often forget that (given the number of texts I get when in small groups).

I hope that provides some clarity. I do know all schools are different.

This sounds like you ARE meeting with kids on Wednesdays, so I applaud you and thank you. And yeah, I know that everything varies by school and grade, etc. So thank you for the attempt at helping me understand, even if it might not translate to the specific circumstances of my kid's class.

The rest of it, is it just that teachers are doing more focused work with small groups or portions of the class? This kind of seems like what is happening and would explain some or all of the difference. So say you've got 2 hours of teacher instruction. The teacher sees half the kids in one hour and half in the other hour. Each kid only sees 1 hour of instruction, but the teacher provides two. Hmmmm...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'd think the "Professional Days" could be on Wednesdays, since teachers already have that day off.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

The answers to this are going to vary school by school depending on the schedules and how they broke up their DL classes. At my school we use Wednesdays from 8:30-12:30 for a whole group meeting and then small groups (3-4 kids at a time) for ELA or Math depending on need. 1:30-3:30 is a meeting called looking at student work where we discuss needs that are coming up and how to address them, and then a team meeting where we calendar out the next week.

During M,Tu,Th,F we do whole group meetings and then A/B split the classes in half. So if group A is with the teacher, B is independent. That doesn't mean the teacher is free o do emails and planning. They are with other students. I think parents often forget that (given the number of texts I get when in small groups).

I hope that provides some clarity. I do know all schools are different.

This sounds like you ARE meeting with kids on Wednesdays, so I applaud you and thank you. And yeah, I know that everything varies by school and grade, etc. So thank you for the attempt at helping me understand, even if it might not translate to the specific circumstances of my kid's class.

The rest of it, is it just that teachers are doing more focused work with small groups or portions of the class? This kind of seems like what is happening and would explain some or all of the difference. So say you've got 2 hours of teacher instruction. The teacher sees half the kids in one hour and half in the other hour. Each kid only sees 1 hour of instruction, but the teacher provides two. Hmmmm...

Read the post again. 8:30-12:30 is four hours, not two. The two hour block, 1:30-3:30, is for LASW and planning meetings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok what are Wednesdays then for teachers not providing content on those days? Pre-pandemic they had to plan, answer emails, etc., and they did all of that in the course of five days. why does the pandemic, particularly a YEAR into the pandemic, still require an extra day of planning each week? I’m specifically referencing all-DL teachers who don’t go in and only see kids virtually.

I mean, my kid’s teachers provides a total of 3.5 hours of in-person instruction on M, T, Th, and F. Assuming that teachers work 8 hours a day like normal full time employees, can’t the emailing and planning be done in the other 4.5 hours each day? What’s so hard about DL that it requires 8 additional hours per week of planning?

The answers to this are going to vary school by school depending on the schedules and how they broke up their DL classes. At my school we use Wednesdays from 8:30-12:30 for a whole group meeting and then small groups (3-4 kids at a time) for ELA or Math depending on need. 1:30-3:30 is a meeting called looking at student work where we discuss needs that are coming up and how to address them, and then a team meeting where we calendar out the next week.

During M,Tu,Th,F we do whole group meetings and then A/B split the classes in half. So if group A is with the teacher, B is independent. That doesn't mean the teacher is free o do emails and planning. They are with other students. I think parents often forget that (given the number of texts I get when in small groups).

I hope that provides some clarity. I do know all schools are different.

This sounds like you ARE meeting with kids on Wednesdays, so I applaud you and thank you. And yeah, I know that everything varies by school and grade, etc. So thank you for the attempt at helping me understand, even if it might not translate to the specific circumstances of my kid's class.

The rest of it, is it just that teachers are doing more focused work with small groups or portions of the class? This kind of seems like what is happening and would explain some or all of the difference. So say you've got 2 hours of teacher instruction. The teacher sees half the kids in one hour and half in the other hour. Each kid only sees 1 hour of instruction, but the teacher provides two. Hmmmm...

Read the post again. 8:30-12:30 is four hours, not two. The two hour block, 1:30-3:30, is for LASW and planning meetings.

Right, I'm the PP and not asking about her specific Wednesdays. I'm trying to fathom what's happening for my kid, who has no programming on Wednesdays. The two-hour example was purely a scenario in which I was trying to explain to myself why it seems like teachers are doing less.

[Anonymous]

Why do teachers need so many professional days? They are being taught how to be professional. Is that the answer you want?

[Anonymous]

It's a shame that this doesn't translate into anything useful--like better education for the children.

[Anonymous]

Assuming most or all of you are not teachers I'm going to tell you what 99% of all teachers hate the absolute most about their jobs. It is the reason many leave the profession and many others sometimes just hate it.

Parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it ITS? Because they have a million and think nothing of tossing away the children's instructional time and inconveniencing parents.

+1
I used like our school and thought they wanted the best for our children. The sped team is the only reason we haven't left yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assuming most or all of you are not teachers I'm going to tell you what 99% of all teachers hate the absolute most about their jobs. It is the reason many leave the profession and many others sometimes just hate it.

Parents.

OMG its the one thing I hate the most about our school. But I found like minded parents who don't think that schools exist for free daycare and teachers are their servants and its made a huge difference in my personal happiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming most or all of you are not teachers I'm going to tell you what 99% of all teachers hate the absolute most about their jobs. It is the reason many leave the profession and many others sometimes just hate it.

Parents.

OMG its the one thing I hate the most about our school. But I found like minded parents who don't think that schools exist for free daycare and teachers are their servants and its made a huge difference in my personal happiness.

I will also add - its great that they do one PD day a month (in the before) BUUUUT the way they schedule it is horrible. I remember one year we didn't have school on Monday for two months in a row and then the following year 6 fridays in a row. Its fine but so many school activities are every Monday or every X day.

Also DCPS calendar - the actual calendar you look at on line is crap. Who can read this? Why is it done in the least user friendly way?

I did call and the person who put it up told me that the boss wanted it this way. She didn't agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming most or all of you are not teachers I'm going to tell you what 99% of all teachers hate the absolute most about their jobs. It is the reason many leave the profession and many others sometimes just hate it.

Parents.

OMG its the one thing I hate the most about our school. But I found like minded parents who don't think that schools exist for free daycare and teachers are their servants and its made a huge difference in my personal happiness.

I’m not a teacher and I don’t like the parents at our school. I stay for the teachers. Certainly not for the families.

[Anonymous]

I too mostly hate people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assuming most or all of you are not teachers I'm going to tell you what 99% of all teachers hate the absolute most about their jobs. It is the reason many leave the profession and many others sometimes just hate it.

Parents.

Honestly want to know, what exactly is it that parents do? I need examples.

I just have a hard time imagining because while I have been vocal to the administration about reopening, and often bring concerns to them, I do not bother our teachers with much. Occasionally send a message asking if they can comment or consider some aspect of my kid's learning which isn't working, but that's about it. Basically we don't communicate a whole lot. I used to stop by at pickup and chat, and even then worried they didn't want to hear from me, but then sometimes I think teachers want to hear from parents more, to form a relationship - so which is it?

I just wonder what are people doing that you hate???

[Anonymous]

At our DCPS they would often plan something for at least some of the kids. Like certain grades would watch a musical performance in the auditorium, supervised by aides. They were reluctant to give up any time that could be filled with a worthwhile enrichment. I didn't realize how good we had it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming most or all of you are not teachers I'm going to tell you what 99% of all teachers hate the absolute most about their jobs. It is the reason many leave the profession and many others sometimes just hate it.

Parents.

Honestly want to know, what exactly is it that parents do? I need examples.

I just have a hard time imagining because while I have been vocal to the administration about reopening, and often bring concerns to them, I do not bother our teachers with much. Occasionally send a message asking if they can comment or consider some aspect of my kid's learning which isn't working, but that's about it. Basically we don't communicate a whole lot. I used to stop by at pickup and chat, and even then worried they didn't want to hear from me, but then sometimes I think teachers want to hear from parents more, to form a relationship - so which is it?

I just wonder what are people doing that you hate???

You have literally no idea how terrible parents can be in private to teachers. I taught in the past and a handful of parents with terrible behavior really could ruin a teacher's year.