Weeks with a day off- use Wednesday?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Teachers have negotiated prep time and professional development in their contracts (because they need it and administers would steal the time if they could). From my understanding with the way the distance learning schedules are set up, in order to meet the requirements, Wednesdays have to be reserved for prep time.

I Keep hearing this but I don’t get this argument. On M, T, Th and F, about half the day is dedicated to “asynchronous learning” - Isn’t all that time teacher prep time? Why do they also need at least half of the day on Wednesday? For grades 6-8, the teachers only have contact with their students 2x per week. It seems like a really big challenge for teachers to deliver the required curriculum to students with only 2 classes per week (or one on weeks when there is a holiday).

As the teacher who posted above- yes!!! I want as much time with them as possible.

Have you told the union this? The fact of the matter is that the Union speaks for teachers and is saying loudly and clearly that teachers do not want as much time with kids as possible. In fact the union is being pretty clear that teachers do not care about the students at all.

Seriously? We’re still saying this BS?? The union didn’t decide on Wednesday, the district did because DL takes a lot more planning if you are a good teacher and have boundaries.

If you’re a mediocre teacher or one with no boundaries, feel free to teach all day Wednesday as well. Or better yet get less pay and teach easier at a charter.

It is sooooooooooooo hard to understand why DCPS teachers and the WTU have such a piss poor reputation and image. Stop typing and talking. You aren't helping your cause.

Who cares about what parents think, like really? If you don’t like it you’ll either homeschool or go private. It doesn’t change my job. I don’t have a ‘cause’ this is a freaking job and it’s just funny that parents on this forum cry about DCPS’ decisions when in the hybrid model there is not Wednesday. You realize students are in groups right? There are 5 days in the week, hard to give equitable time in uneven numbers and this will hopefully help with a smoother transition to hybrid in 2021.

I understand that the present schedule anticipates a pivot to hybrid. Are you says ng you don’t actually need all these hours for planning?

Why do people keep insisting this is planning? At my school we have live instruction in the am and then meetings from 12:30-3:30. I’m going to be sitting in a useless LEAP meeting instead of being able to plan for my classes.

NP - at our school, Hearst, we were specifically told Wednesdays are for teacher planning. No live instruction. What lucky school are you teaching at?

NP: My 3rd grader is at Murch and she has live instruction on Wednesday from 9-12.

At my charter, students have a shorter day with small group tutoring, one-on-one check-ins and specials on Wednesday. When we were planning for the hybrid model with schools open in person, school buildings were going to be closed on Wednesday for cleaning but teachers and students were still expected to have class virtually.

[Anonymous]

I was kind of bitter about Wednesdays, but honestly, I’m feeling a little relieved to have a reprieve from managing my (young) kids’ school schedules today. I may even get a little work done at my job today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was kind of bitter about Wednesdays, but honestly, I’m feeling a little relieved to have a reprieve from managing my (young) kids’ school schedules today. I may even get a little work done at my job today.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was kind of bitter about Wednesdays, but honestly, I’m feeling a little relieved to have a reprieve from managing my (young) kids’ school schedules today. I may even get a little work done at my job today.

This

Yes! I woke up wit a sigh of relief.

[Anonymous]

Why not Friday off so we could at least have a long weekend?

[Anonymous]

If — and it’s a big “if” schools transition to hybrid — can we all please recognize that not going to school and reserving that for deep cleaning is idiotic? It is not only not supported by any evidence that it does anything but make people feel better but it’s a huge waste of resources and a missed opportunity for learning. We are making the dumbest decision over and over again. I just do not get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A full day of teacher prep and planning each week? Ridiculous. We're forming Wed field trip small groups for interested families in our grade at our school. The Mayor and WTU are really letting families down. No wonder pods and DL supervision groups are popping up like mushrooms after the rain.

DCPS teacher here. I’m not sure some of you understand what we are undertaking here. First our school has live morning meetings and 1:1 student check ins on Wednesday. We also have all our required LEAP and staff meetings and grade-level team planning time. In the couple of hours left we’re helping with asynch learning issues for students, trying to untangle our tech issues and wrestle this monster of a learning platform to the ground. It’s a very difficult platform to learn and extremely cumbersome to use for creating lessons. ALL the teachers I know are working well into the night every night. I realize that parents are struggling mightily too. This is awful for everyone so let’s please just try and have each other’s backs some so we can use our remaining energy to benefit our children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not Friday off so we could at least have a long weekend?

After all that I had to endure on Monday and Tuesday, today was a sign of relief. It’s a good balance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not Friday off so we could at least have a long weekend?

Wednesday's fine since it's not like we're going on vacation. But for God's sake, please get rid of the morning meeting so we can let our kids sleep in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A full day of teacher prep and planning each week? Ridiculous. We're forming Wed field trip small groups for interested families in our grade at our school. The Mayor and WTU are really letting families down. No wonder pods and DL supervision groups are popping up like mushrooms after the rain.

DCPS teacher here. I’m not sure some of you understand what we are undertaking here. First our school has live morning meetings and 1:1 student check ins on Wednesday. We also have all our required LEAP and staff meetings and grade-level team planning time. In the couple of hours left we’re helping with asynch learning issues for students, trying to untangle our tech issues and wrestle this monster of a learning platform to the ground. It’s a very difficult platform to learn and extremely cumbersome to use for creating lessons. ALL the teachers I know are working well into the night every night. I realize that parents are struggling mightily too. This is awful for everyone so let’s please just try and have each other’s backs some so we can use our remaining energy to benefit our children.

What school is doing 1:1 meetings with kids? Sounds great.

[Anonymous]

DCPS loves to crack down hard on parents whose children accumulate more than 5 unexcused absences. Social workers knock on the door. So we need clarification of log-in requirements in writing ASAP. School's discretion doesn't do it for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS loves to crack down hard on parents whose children accumulate more than 5 unexcused absences. Social workers knock on the door. So we need clarification of log-in requirements in writing ASAP. School's discretion doesn't do it for me.

There aren’t enough social workers to keep up with how many kids are going to not be logging on regularly. There’s no way they are going to track and follow up like normally do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not Friday off so we could at least have a long weekend?

Wednesday's fine since it's not like we're going on vacation. But for God's sake, please get rid of the morning meeting so we can let our kids sleep in.

lots of families are still taking vacations. I know at least dozen families that all went away in August and plan to do so again in October.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A full day of teacher prep and planning each week? Ridiculous. We're forming Wed field trip small groups for interested families in our grade at our school. The Mayor and WTU are really letting families down. No wonder pods and DL supervision groups are popping up like mushrooms after the rain.

DCPS teacher here. I’m not sure some of you understand what we are undertaking here. First our school has live morning meetings and 1:1 student check ins on Wednesday. We also have all our required LEAP and staff meetings and grade-level team planning time. In the couple of hours left we’re helping with asynch learning issues for students, trying to untangle our tech issues and wrestle this monster of a learning platform to the ground. It’s a very difficult platform to learn and extremely cumbersome to use for creating lessons. ALL the teachers I know are working well into the night every night. I realize that parents are struggling mightily too. This is awful for everyone so let’s please just try and have each other’s backs some so we can use our remaining energy to benefit our children.

+1

Our Wednesdays are all meetings in the morning, then office hours/small group instruction in the afternoon. I usually meet with kids after school 2 or 3 days a week for extra help. Now most of that time has to happen on Wednesday afternoons. And I think the kids need a break from a full day of screens full week. It is a long day to be on the screen for 5.5 hours.