Admin needs to back down

[Anonymous]

BOE could do many things. Starting with eliminating ridiculous excess central office positions....hire full-time building subs, with benefits, at the step and rate the teacher would be hired as a regular classroom teacher. There are way too many positions that are useless in this district and important positions remain unfilled because working conditions, wages are stagnant, lack of benefits for support conditions, etc...etc... MCPS is a sinking ship. I know so many people changing districts next year. Many are taking pay cuts just to get the hell out of MCPS-things are that bad right now.

[Anonymous]

I think we are misunderstanding what the BoE does. I don’t think they have a fun level of control on these issues or with hiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BOE could do many things. Starting with eliminating ridiculous excess central office positions....hire full-time building subs, with benefits, at the step and rate the teacher would be hired as a regular classroom teacher. There are way too many positions that are useless in this district and important positions remain unfilled because working conditions, wages are stagnant, lack of benefits for support conditions, etc...etc... MCPS is a sinking ship. I know so many people changing districts next year. Many are taking pay cuts just to get the hell out of MCPS-things are that bad right now.

OMG OMG the sky is falling! What shall we do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BOE could do many things. Starting with eliminating ridiculous excess central office positions....hire full-time building subs, with benefits, at the step and rate the teacher would be hired as a regular classroom teacher. There are way too many positions that are useless in this district and important positions remain unfilled because working conditions, wages are stagnant, lack of benefits for support conditions, etc...etc... MCPS is a sinking ship. I know so many people changing districts next year. Many are taking pay cuts just to get the hell out of MCPS-things are that bad right now.

OMG OMG the sky is falling! What shall we do?

Do you really not think that kids and teachers feeling safe in schools is a priority? Talk to teachers- and not just at the W feeder schools. Try to understand what schools are like. Then report back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current MCPS elem teacher. Behavior is OFF THE CHAINS this year. Behavior issues meaning extreme behavior challenges - multiple classes have exit plans for evacuating the classroom due to a student having a meltdown (tearing everything from walls, hitting other students, throwing chairs and desks, etc.).

In addition, we also have multiple autistic students this year that need a one to one aide and it has not happened. I believe all behavior is a form of communication but those behavior issues make teaching the other students challenging. Students need to be in an environment where they are able to be supported to reach their full potential.

It is difficult to teach when a student is overstimulated and rolling around the floor screaming. Admin does not notice and advises us to continue building relationships (which I agree with but when you have a class of 20 and 4-5 have extreme behavior challenges, it feels very overwhelming). No consequences for disruptive behavior (not talking about the autistic students - totally different issue). We need more paraeducators, and they need to be treated like professionals. The paras at our school are pulled every day to sub. Admin has no clue what it’s like to constantly sub in various classrooms - no sub plans and students that know there are no consequences. We have to collect so much data there leaves little time for teaching (benchmark assessments, Eureka, reading comp checks, DIBELS every two weeks for students not meeting expectation, MAP math and reading tests - not to mention knowing every students 504/IEP accommodations for the assessment). Instead of offering support, admin demands we create parent newsletters every two weeks when we already have a difficult time getting parents to check folders on a weekly basis. Last, we have so many students that have experienced severe trauma (hence the severe behavior issues). Admin is clueless.

Students with special needs should be separated with qualified teachers and a supportive environment. Mainstreaming is horrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BOE could do many things. Starting with eliminating ridiculous excess central office positions....hire full-time building subs, with benefits, at the step and rate the teacher would be hired as a regular classroom teacher. There are way too many positions that are useless in this district and important positions remain unfilled because working conditions, wages are stagnant, lack of benefits for support conditions, etc...etc... MCPS is a sinking ship. I know so many people changing districts next year. Many are taking pay cuts just to get the hell out of MCPS-things are that bad right now.

OMG OMG the sky is falling! What shall we do?

I’m sorry that you lack basic reasoning skills to understand the severity of the problem and instead, you’re choosing to make it seem as if the people in working in these buildings every single day are being hysterical. You clearly have no idea what is going on. Being willfully misinformed doesn’t make the actual problems go away. You’d think people would realize this but we aren’t dealing with the brightest bunch when it comes to DCUM forums.

[Anonymous]

All I can say is thank you, teachers! You are on the front lines and I appreciate everything you do. But this is unsustainable and you deserve more support. I don't understand why we can't do more to provide services for kids who have issues that make it impossible for teachers to teach and students to learn. I've considered applying to be a sub for days that I am not working but I don't have elementary teaching experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current MCPS elem teacher. Behavior is OFF THE CHAINS this year. Behavior issues meaning extreme behavior challenges - multiple classes have exit plans for evacuating the classroom due to a student having a meltdown (tearing everything from walls, hitting other students, throwing chairs and desks, etc.).

In addition, we also have multiple autistic students this year that need a one to one aide and it has not happened. I believe all behavior is a form of communication but those behavior issues make teaching the other students challenging. Students need to be in an environment where they are able to be supported to reach their full potential.

It is difficult to teach when a student is overstimulated and rolling around the floor screaming. Admin does not notice and advises us to continue building relationships (which I agree with but when you have a class of 20 and 4-5 have extreme behavior challenges, it feels very overwhelming). No consequences for disruptive behavior (not talking about the autistic students - totally different issue). We need more paraeducators, and they need to be treated like professionals. The paras at our school are pulled every day to sub. Admin has no clue what it’s like to constantly sub in various classrooms - no sub plans and students that know there are no consequences. We have to collect so much data there leaves little time for teaching (benchmark assessments, Eureka, reading comp checks, DIBELS every two weeks for students not meeting expectation, MAP math and reading tests - not to mention knowing every students 504/IEP accommodations for the assessment). Instead of offering support, admin demands we create parent newsletters every two weeks when we already have a difficult time getting parents to check folders on a weekly basis. Last, we have so many students that have experienced severe trauma (hence the severe behavior issues). Admin is clueless.

Students with special needs should be separated with qualified teachers and a supportive environment. Mainstreaming is horrible.

Mainstreaming isn’t going away. It isn’t always the case that the students with special needs are the most disrespectful or disruptive either. The things that students say to each other and adults is so much worse than it has been in the past. These are things that can’t be ignored and must be addressed. Many students have serious social emotional needs that often means they are unavailable to learn many days and this impacts the teaching and learning that happens in the classroom. I have multiple students who have had to visit the crisis center this year for threatening to harm themselves.

Do any of you have children in a school where there is an SESES program? If so, have you asked your children about what they observe throughout the day during lunch, recess, or just when walking in the halls? There is more profanity and crude language than you would ever imagine. Anyone walking in the hallway (or with their door open) hears the most awful language every single day. Staff members being physically and verbally attacked is the norm. Some students from programs like these are mainstreamed into general education classrooms for all or part of the day. It’s a lot for a general education teacher to manage.

[Anonymous]

The behaviors that used to get students placed in SESES are now accepted in gen ed. Forget needing to be at an SESES school, just walk past any 5th grade classrooms. No teachers should constantly deal with being cussed out by a 10 year old who gets no consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our principal is wonderful but he has a boss too and can't just cancel everything because we are stressed. The hardest part right now is the student behavior. My friends think I'm joking when I tell them what elementary kids are doing in classes with no repercussions. We have kids cussing out their teachers, running at full speed around the building, climbing on top of cabinets and just punching the crap out of each other for no reason. These aren't even students with services. These are kids who have experienced a tremendous amount of trauma during COVID and lack any self-regulation strategies. To my admin's credit, they do come when we call them but they can't really do anything. Nobody has been suspended this year because that's a big no-no in schools these days as we don't want to "perpetuate the school to prison pipeline". Parents are either unresponsive or at a loss too. Since I know DCUM is crawling with advocates, YES we are trying to collect data and do FBAs, etc. but this used to be one or two kids a year in the entire building. Not a few in each class across the building. We aren't even fully staffed anymore due to resignations. It would be great to wave a magic wand and have staff appear but no such luck. We've been approved for critical staffing to provide 1:1 support for one student but nobody is applying for the position. So right now, all non-classroom staff can't do their jobs because they are either covering lunch/recess, subbing for classes (there aren't subs), helping deal with behavior issues, or serving as the 1:1
I'm so sick of it. We can't get through lessons when a few kids in each class are just occupying 99% of our time and energy. I feel terrible for our kids who desperately want and need to learn. It doesn't help that we're trying to pretend that the pandemic didn't happen and we're still trying to teach grade-level content to students who lost so much time.
MCPS is losing a lot of staff. Higher ups in central are catching on that the grass IS greener in other districts.

I could have written this word for word. I have friends at three other elem schools and 2 have expressed similar feelings as well. Particularly spot on was the comment about the few kids in the class that drain 99% of our time and energy. I’m not sure exactly where the disconnect but I have friends that teach in Howard, AA, Balt City along with other states and they are shocked at what I describe to them. Anecdotal I know but eye opening about the differences nonetheless.

What's been written above is occurring in districts and counties in which administrators and government leaders don't believe in consequences for students or adults. The toll will continue to be heavy. Along with appropriate incentives and instruction, most people on this earth need to understand that wrong behavior has consequences. People are fooling themselves to think otherwise, and allowing our children to think that way will likely lead to prison eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BOE could do many things. Starting with eliminating ridiculous excess central office positions....hire full-time building subs, with benefits, at the step and rate the teacher would be hired as a regular classroom teacher. There are way too many positions that are useless in this district and important positions remain unfilled because working conditions, wages are stagnant, lack of benefits for support conditions, etc...etc... MCPS is a sinking ship. I know so many people changing districts next year. Many are taking pay cuts just to get the hell out of MCPS-things are that bad right now.

OMG OMG the sky is falling! What shall we do?

I find it highly suspicious that this ridiculous comment came at the same time that the thread that liked to the Washington Post article about the troubles in MCPS bathrooms was deleted. We are obviously spending taxpayer dollars for people to obfuscate and deny the truth and demean and belittle those who care enough to speak out.

The WP article shows examples of the situations in schools that teachers are pointing out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current MCPS elem teacher. Behavior is OFF THE CHAINS this year. Behavior issues meaning extreme behavior challenges - multiple classes have exit plans for evacuating the classroom due to a student having a meltdown (tearing everything from walls, hitting other students, throwing chairs and desks, etc.).

In addition, we also have multiple autistic students this year that need a one to one aide and it has not happened. I believe all behavior is a form of communication but those behavior issues make teaching the other students challenging. Students need to be in an environment where they are able to be supported to reach their full potential.

It is difficult to teach when a student is overstimulated and rolling around the floor screaming. Admin does not notice and advises us to continue building relationships (which I agree with but when you have a class of 20 and 4-5 have extreme behavior challenges, it feels very overwhelming). No consequences for disruptive behavior (not talking about the autistic students - totally different issue). We need more paraeducators, and they need to be treated like professionals. The paras at our school are pulled every day to sub. Admin has no clue what it’s like to constantly sub in various classrooms - no sub plans and students that know there are no consequences. We have to collect so much data there leaves little time for teaching (benchmark assessments, Eureka, reading comp checks, DIBELS every two weeks for students not meeting expectation, MAP math and reading tests - not to mention knowing every students 504/IEP accommodations for the assessment). Instead of offering support, admin demands we create parent newsletters every two weeks when we already have a difficult time getting parents to check folders on a weekly basis. Last, we have so many students that have experienced severe trauma (hence the severe behavior issues). Admin is clueless.

Students with special needs should be separated with qualified teachers and a supportive environment. Mainstreaming is horrible.

The most disrespectful behaviorallly challenged kids at all my DCs schools do not have special needs. What are you talking about?

Mainstreaming isn’t going away. It isn’t always the case that the students with special needs are the most disrespectful or disruptive either. The things that students say to each other and adults is so much worse than it has been in the past. These are things that can’t be ignored and must be addressed. Many students have serious social emotional needs that often means they are unavailable to learn many days and this impacts the teaching and learning that happens in the classroom. I have multiple students who have had to visit the crisis center this year for threatening to harm themselves.

Do any of you have children in a school where there is an SESES program? If so, have you asked your children about what they observe throughout the day during lunch, recess, or just when walking in the halls? There is more profanity and crude language than you would ever imagine. Anyone walking in the hallway (or with their door open) hears the most awful language every single day. Staff members being physically and verbally attacked is the norm. Some students from programs like these are mainstreamed into general education classrooms for all or part of the day. It’s a lot for a general education teacher to manage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current MCPS elem teacher. Behavior is OFF THE CHAINS this year. Behavior issues meaning extreme behavior challenges - multiple classes have exit plans for evacuating the classroom due to a student having a meltdown (tearing everything from walls, hitting other students, throwing chairs and desks, etc.).

In addition, we also have multiple autistic students this year that need a one to one aide and it has not happened. I believe all behavior is a form of communication but those behavior issues make teaching the other students challenging. Students need to be in an environment where they are able to be supported to reach their full potential.

It is difficult to teach when a student is overstimulated and rolling around the floor screaming. Admin does not notice and advises us to continue building relationships (which I agree with but when you have a class of 20 and 4-5 have extreme behavior challenges, it feels very overwhelming). No consequences for disruptive behavior (not talking about the autistic students - totally different issue). We need more paraeducators, and they need to be treated like professionals. The paras at our school are pulled every day to sub. Admin has no clue what it’s like to constantly sub in various classrooms - no sub plans and students that know there are no consequences. We have to collect so much data there leaves little time for teaching (benchmark assessments, Eureka, reading comp checks, DIBELS every two weeks for students not meeting expectation, MAP math and reading tests - not to mention knowing every students 504/IEP accommodations for the assessment). Instead of offering support, admin demands we create parent newsletters every two weeks when we already have a difficult time getting parents to check folders on a weekly basis. Last, we have so many students that have experienced severe trauma (hence the severe behavior issues). Admin is clueless.

Students with special needs should be separated with qualified teachers and a supportive environment. Mainstreaming is horrible.

Mainstreaming isn’t going away. It isn’t always the case that the students with special needs are the most disrespectful or disruptive either. The things that students say to each other and adults is so much worse than it has been in the past. These are things that can’t be ignored and must be addressed. Many students have serious social emotional needs that often means they are unavailable to learn many days and this impacts the teaching and learning that happens in the classroom. I have multiple students who have had to visit the crisis center this year for threatening to harm themselves.

Do any of you have children in a school where there is an SESES program? If so, have you asked your children about what they observe throughout the day during lunch, recess, or just when walking in the halls? There is more profanity and crude language than you would ever imagine. Anyone walking in the hallway (or with their door open) hears the most awful language every single day. Staff members being physically and verbally attacked is the norm. Some students from programs like these are mainstreamed into general education classrooms for all or part of the day. It’s a lot for a general education teacher to manage.

My child is at a school with an SESES program and there are very few students in the program. My child has a couple in one of their classes. No problems at all.

[Anonymous]

I teach and the teachers are generally doing ok at our school, but it sounds like from talking with friends that elementary is where it's not great right now.

[Anonymous]

I'm leaving this year. PGCPS is looking pretty good and their pay is comparative these days. I would work anywhere BUT MCPS. OP is correct- I don't know where it is coming from, but administrators need get it together. I've never had so many unreasonable demands from admin (who don't know the curriculum or what it entails) trying to micromanage not just my classroom, but the entire school. They are literally grasping to regain any kind of control they have because they realize they have none over students and it is ruining teachers. Tons of admin worked the bare minimum of 5 years in a classroom before getting out and haven't had the classroom experience in years. They are no more informed on best practices than your average Joe off the street, but they think they do because they taught for a few years in the early aughts.