Teacher Training Days / Wednesdays?

[Anonymous]

I remeber reading an article earlier this year that DCPS was trying to institute a series of teacher training days. These were going to be (bi-weekly? monthly?) on Wednesdays.

I am in the process of gathering information to start the school search for next year.

A few questions:
1. Does anyone know what came of this?
2. If schools are closed for teacher workdays - is after care closed as well? (translation - I need to find back-up care for these days?)
3. I assume Charter Schools are able to follow their own calendar as opposed to having to follow the teacher training schedule that may be implemented.

Thanks for any insight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remeber reading an article earlier this year that DCPS was trying to institute a series of teacher training days. These were going to be (bi-weekly? monthly?) on Wednesdays.

I am in the process of gathering information to start the school search for next year.

A few questions:
1. Does anyone know what came of this?
2. If schools are closed for teacher workdays - is after care closed as well? (translation - I need to find back-up care for these days?)
3. I assume Charter Schools are able to follow their own calendar as opposed to having to follow the teacher training schedule that may be implemented.

Thanks for any insight

1. My understanding is that there was a lot of push back and this will not be happening.
2. Part of the plan was to have parks and recreation provide care options for children
3. Charters set their own schedules (and do their own hiring, set their own standards, and on and on - they are not part of DCPS although they are public).

[Anonymous]

THANK GOODNESS these are not happening!

[Anonymous]

http://www.k12.dc.us/schools/documents/calendars/DCPS-School-Calendar-2009-2010-Small.pdf

Link to DCPS school calendar for 2009-10. The teacher professional development days were moved to Fridays. There are a total of 5 throughout the year (my quick count). Whether there is aftercare or not on school closed day and on school half days is a school by school decision. Some schools have optional programs for an extra charge, some have no coverage at all. It depends in part on who and how the after care is run. At my kid's (now former, headed to a charter) DCPS elementary school, the aftercare was staffed primarily by teachers. Closed at noon on the half days for grading days, closed all days off. I've read websites of other schools where the aftercare appears to be run by outside providers, overseen by a parent board of directors, and there is care available for some/all of these types of days. Good luck, it's a scramble to count on the schools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.k12.dc.us/schools/documents/calendars/DCPS-School-Calendar-2009-2010-Small.pdf

Link to DCPS school calendar for 2009-10. The teacher professional development days were moved to Fridays. There are a total of 5 throughout the year (my quick count). Whether there is aftercare or not on school closed day and on school half days is a school by school decision. Some schools have optional programs for an extra charge, some have no coverage at all. It depends in part on who and how the after care is run. At my kid's (now former, headed to a charter) DCPS elementary school, the aftercare was staffed primarily by teachers. Closed at noon on the half days for grading days, closed all days off. I've read websites of other schools where the aftercare appears to be run by outside providers, overseen by a parent board of directors, and there is care available for some/all of these types of days. Good luck, it's a scramble to count on the schools!

I can get how many teachers use the "training" days as long weekends... a WASTE for everyone! As families will need to find expensive childcare arrangements and the teachers will not be partaking in the "professional development" to improve their classes. ARGH!!

[Anonymous]

The training that is offered to Dcps teachers can be a valuable experience for the staff. IF some staff take those days off then that is on them,but the training days should not be taken away because some teachers use the days for weekends. In other districts schools get out early one day a week-every week, around 2 or so for professional development. So I think that 5 or so days a year is not too much to ask, especially if it will be beneficial to the students.
If you need to pay for expensive childcare then that's what will happen. Why should teachers not get training to keep their skills up to date when other professions do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The training that is offered to Dcps teachers can be a valuable experience for the staff. IF some staff take those days off then that is on them,but the training days should not be taken away because some teachers use the days for weekends. In other districts schools get out early one day a week-every week, around 2 or so for professional development. So I think that 5 or so days a year is not too much to ask, especially if it will be beneficial to the students.
If you need to pay for expensive childcare then that's what will happen. Why should teachers not get training to keep their skills up to date when other professions do.

Most other professionals do it on their "own' time. Most of the US professional world works 230+ days per year. Teachers work around 190 days per year... perhaps they can train on the 40+ days they are not working when the professional world is (ie the parents of students they teach).

[Anonymous]

Boy would I ever be excited to teach your kid....or have you for a boss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The training that is offered to Dcps teachers can be a valuable experience for the staff. IF some staff take those days off then that is on them,but the training days should not be taken away because some teachers use the days for weekends. In other districts schools get out early one day a week-every week, around 2 or so for professional development. So I think that 5 or so days a year is not too much to ask, especially if it will be beneficial to the students.
If you need to pay for expensive childcare then that's what will happen. Why should teachers not get training to keep their skills up to date when other professions do.

Most other professionals do it on their "own' time. Most of the US professional world works 230+ days per year. Teachers work around 190 days per year... perhaps they can train on the 40+ days they are not working when the professional world is (ie the parents of students they teach).

Since when are teachers not professionals. Teachers are salaried employees who often do take classes and other trainings on Saturdays or in the evenings- many times without any kind of reimbursement for the extra hours or time given up. Teachers also quite often work after the 3:30 work day and take work home with them to complete during the evenings. As of right now teachers who work for DCPS are still working without a contract.

[Anonymous]

Well-said. --former DCPS teacher who left for greener (ie professional, non-abusive, non-punitive, non-constantly-set-up-to-fail...) pastures.

[kdreis]

While it is a pain in the neck for parents, I think it's important that ongoing professional learning time be provided during the school year. It allows teachers opportunities to immediately apply what they have learned. It communicates high expectations for teachers knowledge of best practices. Schools are able to coordinate learning among a whole staff and make certain practices standardized across the school. Structured learning for staff is a good thing for kids.

[Anonymous]

If you want the training to have any sort of collaborative element to it at all, then it really needs to be DURING the school year.

[Anonymous]

OK, so I am totally fine with teachers needing training during the school year, but what I want to know is if Rhee is going to do anything to make sure that teachers do not take 4 day weekends on the days where the PD days land on Fridays where there is a holiday on Monday. This seems rather fishy to me as it happens on;

- Oct 30th (there is a 1/2 Records Day the day before)

- January 15th (the Monday of the 18th is off) and there is a 1/2 Records days Friday January 22nd (AND this is after having two weeks off for christmas... I think teachers should do some Professional Development on Dec 22-23 and 28-30)

- February 12th, the 15th is a holiday

- March there is a week parent conferences on the 1st, professional development the 19th, 1/2 for records day the 26th, the entire next week off

Does anyone seem disturbed that there are so many days off, half days etc? How are they going to assure that teachers are not "sick" on the essential professional development days?

[Anonymous]

It is a lot of days off and half days, but kids are still in school for the required 180 days, right?

The record keeping 1/2 days are for teachers to work on report cards.

DCPS requires teachers to do a specific number of hours (90) every four years, in order to be recertified.

How does your boss assure that you are not "sick" on specific days?

[Anonymous]

I'm a DCPS teacher and I think the schedule is silly. I would prefer the training to take place immediately before classes start in August and immediately after classes end in June. That way, I would be able to implement the strategies during the schoolyear. Makes more sense for teachers, parents, and students.