Real talk: are there going to be enough teachers for summer school?

[Anonymous]

I didn’t think the pay is good enough for me. I was concerned that mostly struggling learners would sign up, and I didn’t want to be cheap daycare for parents. That happened last time I worked summer school and I was worried it would be worse this year. Also MCPS has not been telling staff any details at all. All of the agreements and accommodations expire on June 17th and I don’t feel like being a test case for the issues that crop up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why will the fall be grueling?

Getting kids used to routines and procedures of being in school again who havent been in school for a year.

Indeed. With just the few kids back so far, it's been a struggle getting them back in the school routine the last couple months, and some still haven't really gotten it.

Are you talking about early elementary? Because after a few years of school, kids know exactly what they're supposed to be doing in class and a pandemic really isn't going to make them forget that. 6th and 9th are transition years to much larger buildings, multiple teachers and higher expectations, but apart from those specific grades, there's nothing grueling about returning to normal.

However, everyone needs a break this summer.

PP, have you been working from home for the past year? Let’s assume so - how do you feel about going back into the office and getting used to doing things differently? How about the metro? What about the elevator? Do you think you might be tired out? What if half your office is still working from home and you have to work out new ways of doing things? How about you got into a routine at home and now are trying to remember how you did laundry and dropped off the kids with your commute and being out of the house all day? It’s an adjustment! For everyone but particularly for kids. Every year after the summer kids need time to settle into the routine. This year those issues will be magnified.

What does any of this mean for summer school? Sure, kids need a break and balance. MCPS summer school is three week. They aren't going to do much. You can do a mix of breaks, travel, summer camps and summer school and still have time to spare.

Kids will be fine. If you cannot adapt as a parent and can afford it, hire someone to do the daily parenting for you. You are overly dramatic and making excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Going back to school in the fall will mean students have had a year and a half of doing whatever they wanted. I see it now with just a few kids in each classroom. I cannot imagine what fall will be like when they've been used to ruling the roost at home for so long. Every day, I have students tell me they don't want to do work or they don't feel like it. At home, they don't have to. Their parents don't make them. They do what they want when they want it.

Yeah, because their parents were working, for like the majority of the last 10 months that kids were virtually learning. Always the parents' fault though, right?

Yeah, good try, but no. The kids PP is referring to aren't the kids whose parents were working (which, over the course of the year, most kids' parents were). They're the kids whose parents said "ohhh, you poor baby! Those meanie teachers are making you do this fake computer school! It's so stupid! Don't worry. You don't have to do it if you don't want to."

Working and parenting are two separate issues. If you are working, you need child care and help. There were equity hubs for the low income, child care in the schools. The county offers day care vouchers for younger kids. If you choose not to pay for child care, especially if you can afford it but choose other nicer things instead, that's on you. There is zero excuse not to monitor your child and check daily to make sure they attended class and the assignments were done and have them make up if they didn't. If you cannot handle it, don't have more kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a kid registered, but the school is being super cagey about "confirming seats." I can't believe they are offering only $200 a week in extra pay for teaching summer school after this year--are any teachers taking them up on this? Trying to figure out what the backup plan will be.

I’m a teacher and at my school we do not have enough teachers yet. My principal just sent out an email begging for more and asking us to recruit teacher friends.

[Anonymous]

I can’t imagine they’ll be able to find enough teachers!

We are definitely passing on MCPS summer school for my kids.

Camps and possibly an online class or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm doing ESY. Which is not the same thing as summer school. I did find it amusing that when I got the email with the position offer, it contained a boilerplate caveat that I needed to respond within 48 hours or they would give it to the next person. This was followed by an email the next day from two separate departments pleading with people to apply for positions. Clearly, there was no "next person" in line behind me.

All of the teachers I work with typically do ESY. None of them are working this summer. We all need a break after this past year. I will do my required trainings and that is it.

[Anonymous]

The other thing to remember is that summer camps are harder to find this year or more expensive. For staff with kids, this makes it more difficult teach in the schools. I think a lot more teachers have signed up for virtual instruction though.

[Anonymous]

We will probably know soon about the summer programs. I think the deadline to get a bonus for signing up to teach expires on May 28th. Many of the summer programs are 6 weeks - like the ones at the title 1 schools. And ESY can go 4-6 weeks long. I saw that there are a crazy amount of summer trainings this year. Why???
As someone who has been in the county for roughly 22 plus years, I think my hourly rate would be 50 dollars prior to taxes. I can definitely make more tutoring with way less stress. Not that I will be working this summer.

[Anonymous]

Principals are advising teachers not to work summer school unless they absolutely have to. They want their teachers to come back in the fall and know they're on the brink. Some schools won't be having summer school at all per principal insistence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Required summer training? Um, nope. Now if they want to pay a stipend, maybe. It depends on how much the stipend is. But they cannot require my presence at a training over the summer.

I guess you're not a teacher.

Yes I am. My contract is for 190 days and that is all I am required to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Required summer training? Um, nope. Now if they want to pay a stipend, maybe. It depends on how much the stipend is. But they cannot require my presence at a training over the summer.

I guess you're not a teacher.

Yes I am. My contract is for 190 days and that is all I am required to work.

Didn't the union send out an email about this? The district can't force people to work over the summer (including training?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Required summer training? Um, nope. Now if they want to pay a stipend, maybe. It depends on how much the stipend is. But they cannot require my presence at a training over the summer.

I guess you're not a teacher.

Yes I am. My contract is for 190 days and that is all I am required to work.

Didn't the union send out an email about this? The district can't force people to work over the summer (including training?)

Aren't there 16 unscheduled duty hours for training?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Required summer training? Um, nope. Now if they want to pay a stipend, maybe. It depends on how much the stipend is. But they cannot require my presence at a training over the summer.

I guess you're not a teacher.

Yes I am. My contract is for 190 days and that is all I am required to work.

Didn't the union send out an email about this? The district can't force people to work over the summer (including training?)

Aren't there 16 unscheduled duty hours for training?

No “salary” days this summer. We are back to regular pre-Hogan calendar where we don’t have to end by June 15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why will the fall be grueling?

Getting kids used to routines and procedures of being in school again who havent been in school for a year.

Indeed. With just the few kids back so far, it's been a struggle getting them back in the school routine the last couple months, and some still haven't really gotten it.

Are you talking about early elementary? Because after a few years of school, kids know exactly what they're supposed to be doing in class and a pandemic really isn't going to make them forget that. 6th and 9th are transition years to much larger buildings, multiple teachers and higher expectations, but apart from those specific grades, there's nothing grueling about returning to normal.

However, everyone needs a break this summer.

PP, have you been working from home for the past year? Let’s assume so - how do you feel about going back into the office and getting used to doing things differently? How about the metro? What about the elevator? Do you think you might be tired out? What if half your office is still working from home and you have to work out new ways of doing things? How about you got into a routine at home and now are trying to remember how you did laundry and dropped off the kids with your commute and being out of the house all day? It’s an adjustment! For everyone but particularly for kids. Every year after the summer kids need time to settle into the routine. This year those issues will be magnified.

What does any of this mean for summer school? Sure, kids need a break and balance. MCPS summer school is three week. They aren't going to do much. You can do a mix of breaks, travel, summer camps and summer school and still have time to spare.

Kids will be fine. If you cannot adapt as a parent and can afford it, hire someone to do the daily parenting for you. You are overly dramatic and making excuses.

Way to miss the point. Are you this nasty and incapable of empathy in real life or is it just on every thread here on DCUM?

[Anonymous]

This teacher will be traveling and spending much needed time with her children, husband and family. I get to see my family as I have not seen them since November 2019. I look forward to returning to a normal school in the fall and never want to hear the beep of zoom again with kid's in the waiting room, you're muted, nor see a black screen again. No computer's in class next year. We are going old school and my poor babies will learn to read and write properly.