APS- so many teachers leaving

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a sped teacher in an inclusion class and I tend to agree with the PP that says inclusion is driving people away. We are rarely given the tools to do it successfully. The current plan to increase inclusion is going to drive more people away. As a SPED teacher you basically sign up to put yourself in danger (and that’s messed up too) gen Ed teachers don’t make that decision.

What is inclusion?

Inclusion is including ALL students in the general education class, instead of pulling students to a separate location to do their academics or due to their behavior. It’s nice in theory…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay more
Shrink class sizes
Stop allowing inclusion

WUT? In violation of federal law?

DP here, but I think it's pretty crazy that we expect teachers to handle such a broad range of abilities in one room, and that its become normal to empty a classroom because there is a child having a meltdown throwing things, who is a danger to themselves and others. We've burdened our teachers with too much.

We've burdened our teachers with parents like those on DCUM. That's what we've done. Instead of throwing out a bunch of bullsh8T suggestions based on what YOU as PARENTS want, if you want to make things better for teachers try asking TEACHERS what they want.

If I were an APS teacher with know-it-all parents like they have to deal with, not only would I quit -- I'd jump out the friggin window!!

Somebody needs a yoga class! It sounds like PP was being empathetic to teachers, not being a know it all! What has you so triggered?

Because it's obvious to me that that poster is arguing against "inclusion" because SHE doesn't want it in her kid's classroom, and I have no doubt that she's never spoken about the issue with any teacher. I really doubt that teachers are leaving APS in droves in protest over the system's "inclusion" policies. Cut me a break.

DP. It's usually poor form to call out other kids as being disruptive balls of fury who are harmful to the learning environment. It doesn't mean that some kids aren't a real problem for both the teachers and parents.

Except we're supposed to be talking about teachers. Not parents. So, alleged DP, I will ask again: how many teachers have you spoken to who have suggested that this is a major factor in their decision to leave APS?

I'm waiting.

No, I haven't talked to my kid's teacher about the child in the class who takes his shirt off each day and then throws things around the room. In third grade. You don't think that kind of daily experience would factor in to someone leaving a job? Why wouldn't it?

Thanks for making crystal clear that YOU have a major problem with inclusion and that you are projecting your views on to the teacher without having actually spoken to her. You've made my point.

Also, does that kid plan on staying in third grade with the same teacher next year? Didn't think so. So I somehow doubt he's the cause of her leaving the system.

Guess I have to come with the data from my poll of disgruntled teachers leaving the profession to please some people on an anonymous forum. What a strange take.

Strange take? Hardly. This whole thread is a bunch of parents talking about what teachers want and need and projecting their own wants and needs on to those teachers with barely any input from teachers themselves. It's a bunch of condescending bs.

I feel like we’re reading different threads. If you’re a teacher considering leaving the profession, then please offer your suggestions to make things better. If you’re not a teacher, then why do you think you know what they do/don’t want?

I'm NOT a teacher, and that's the whole point. Because I'm NOT a teacher, I'm not pretending to know what they want like the rest of you are.

Sorry but you have added nothing to this conversation but try to shoot down potential solutions. For what it’s worth, I have actually talked to several teachers at my kids school. I wanted to know why their teacher left halfway through the year! I wanted to know why behavior has been such a disaster! The number one thing I’ve heard is they’re not being supported by administration and parents with regard to behavior. This could be unique to our school, who knows, but to the PP who keeps shooting down suggestions, we still haven’t heard any of yours!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a sped teacher in an inclusion class and I tend to agree with the PP that says inclusion is driving people away. We are rarely given the tools to do it successfully. The current plan to increase inclusion is going to drive more people away. As a SPED teacher you basically sign up to put yourself in danger (and that’s messed up too) gen Ed teachers don’t make that decision.

What is inclusion?

Inclusion is including ALL students in the general education class, instead of pulling students to a separate location to do their academics or due to their behavior. It’s nice in theory…

“It’s nice in theory” could be the new mission statement of APS.

[Anonymous]

I'm hoping APS does exit interviews?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:400 openings, is this typical?

https://apps2.winocular.com/arlingtonps/workspace/wSpace.exe

I think many of them are summer school… because we are tired so no one wants to teach summer school.

[Anonymous]

I am an APS teacher. I have personally been a little disgruntled lately. I’m in a high school, and today, some of my students left for senior experience. Some came to say good-bye to me personally, or left me a thank you note. It made me much less disgruntled, and I felt much more why I do this. I don’t think we’re compensated well for the amount of work we do, but it is a wonderful job. I am encouraging my kid to write thank you cards to her teachers from now on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay more
Shrink class sizes
Stop allowing inclusion

WUT? In violation of federal law?

DP here, but I think it's pretty crazy that we expect teachers to handle such a broad range of abilities in one room, and that its become normal to empty a classroom because there is a child having a meltdown throwing things, who is a danger to themselves and others. We've burdened our teachers with too much.

This 1000X. Hey DCUM bootlickers, just because something is "Federal Law" doesn't mean it's a good idea. Try thinking for yourselves, or better yet, visit a classroom with a handful of erratic, intemittently medicated kids climbing on filing cabinets, throwing stuff and having toileting issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay more
Shrink class sizes
Stop allowing inclusion

WUT? In violation of federal law?

DP here, but I think it's pretty crazy that we expect teachers to handle such a broad range of abilities in one room, and that its become normal to empty a classroom because there is a child having a meltdown throwing things, who is a danger to themselves and others. We've burdened our teachers with too much.

We've burdened our teachers with parents like those on DCUM. That's what we've done. Instead of throwing out a bunch of bullsh8T suggestions based on what YOU as PARENTS want, if you want to make things better for teachers try asking TEACHERS what they want.

If I were an APS teacher with know-it-all parents like they have to deal with, not only would I quit -- I'd jump out the friggin window!!

Somebody needs a yoga class! It sounds like PP was being empathetic to teachers, not being a know it all! What has you so triggered?

Because it's obvious to me that that poster is arguing against "inclusion" because SHE doesn't want it in her kid's classroom, and I have no doubt that she's never spoken about the issue with any teacher. I really doubt that teachers are leaving APS in droves in protest over the system's "inclusion" policies. Cut me a break.

DP. It's usually poor form to call out other kids as being disruptive balls of fury who are harmful to the learning environment. It doesn't mean that some kids aren't a real problem for both the teachers and parents.

Except we're supposed to be talking about teachers. Not parents. So, alleged DP, I will ask again: how many teachers have you spoken to who have suggested that this is a major factor in their decision to leave APS?

I'm waiting.

I am a teacher and pro-inclusion. I teach inclusion classes and see the benefits of inclusion on a daily basis. But, I also see the downsides. To an earlier poster's point, it is very challenging for teachers to work with students of such a broad range, but most of us are willing to put in the work to do that. Inclusion is a valuable tool in helping so many students, within a certain level of boundaries. However, these days it IS true that there are sometimes students put into a classroom with SEVERE behavioral issues who completely traumatize the teacher(s) and students. In cases like this, the school/county has to provide extensive documentation that the student needs to have a special placement and this can take years. This means that a teacher and the students in the classroom can be dealing with violence, destruction, screaming, spitting, you name it every day. Oftentimes, with little to no support from their administration or the district. I can name two teachers who have left their county and one teacher who has retired early after having a year with a student like that. All have been in elementary school. Unless you have experienced that yourself, it can be hard to imagine it would make you leave the career. But, it actually does in some of the worst cases.

I agree that there are many parents who are anti-inclusion due to selfish reasons for the wants of their own individual children. I think that shows an incomplete understanding of the true value of inclusion. However, there certainly are circumstances where inclusion is being implemented in an extremely inappropriate and harmful way.

[Anonymous]

If you want teachers to stay, pressure your lawmakers to pass gun control legislation and close the loopholes.

[Anonymous]

I'll tell you why I left and why some other teachers I know left. COVID. We had young children unable to be vaccinated at home. Delta was raging and people were sending thier children into school sick.

PSA: Please don't send your kid into school sick.

Many students were not wearing masks. If they were they weren't on right. Getting sneezed and coughed on constantly is stressful when there's a deadly disease raging and you've got little one at home.

[Anonymous]

I'll tell you why I left and why some other teachers I know left. COVID. We had young children unable to be vaccinated at home. Delta was raging and people were sending thier children into school sick.

PSA: Please don't send your kid into school sick.

Many students were not wearing masks. If they were they weren't on right. Getting sneezed and coughed on constantly is stressful when there's a deadly disease raging and you've got little one at home.

Parents will never listen to this. They simply don't care if teachers or other kids get sick. All they care about is being able to drop off their kid so they can go to work or to the gym.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll tell you why I left and why some other teachers I know left. COVID. We had young children unable to be vaccinated at home. Delta was raging and people were sending thier children into school sick.

PSA: Please don't send your kid into school sick.

Many students were not wearing masks. If they were they weren't on right. Getting sneezed and coughed on constantly is stressful when there's a deadly disease raging and you've got little one at home.

Leaving the teaching profession after having kids is pretty common. Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good for them. I hope they find happiness

+1

I hate to see good teachers go, but no one should be subject to the abuses of the last few years.

If any of them are the teachers who refused to work in Fall 2020 (while their private school and non-blue area counterparts went to school just fine), then see you later. They owe children an apology too for how awfully they treated them.

Haha, you’re delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay more
Shrink class sizes
Stop allowing inclusion

WUT? In violation of federal law?

DP here, but I think it's pretty crazy that we expect teachers to handle such a broad range of abilities in one room, and that its become normal to empty a classroom because there is a child having a meltdown throwing things, who is a danger to themselves and others. We've burdened our teachers with too much.

We've burdened our teachers with parents like those on DCUM. That's what we've done. Instead of throwing out a bunch of bullsh8T suggestions based on what YOU as PARENTS want, if you want to make things better for teachers try asking TEACHERS what they want.

If I were an APS teacher with know-it-all parents like they have to deal with, not only would I quit -- I'd jump out the friggin window!!

Somebody needs a yoga class! It sounds like PP was being empathetic to teachers, not being a know it all! What has you so triggered?

Because it's obvious to me that that poster is arguing against "inclusion" because SHE doesn't want it in her kid's classroom, and I have no doubt that she's never spoken about the issue with any teacher. I really doubt that teachers are leaving APS in droves in protest over the system's "inclusion" policies. Cut me a break.

DP. It's usually poor form to call out other kids as being disruptive balls of fury who are harmful to the learning environment. It doesn't mean that some kids aren't a real problem for both the teachers and parents.

Except we're supposed to be talking about teachers. Not parents. So, alleged DP, I will ask again: how many teachers have you spoken to who have suggested that this is a major factor in their decision to leave APS?

I'm waiting.

No, I haven't talked to my kid's teacher about the child in the class who takes his shirt off each day and then throws things around the room. In third grade. You don't think that kind of daily experience would factor in to someone leaving a job? Why wouldn't it?

I am leaving partly to student behaviors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay more
Shrink class sizes
Stop allowing inclusion

WUT? In violation of federal law?

DP here, but I think it's pretty crazy that we expect teachers to handle such a broad range of abilities in one room, and that its become normal to empty a classroom because there is a child having a meltdown throwing things, who is a danger to themselves and others. We've burdened our teachers with too much.

We've burdened our teachers with parents like those on DCUM. That's what we've done. Instead of throwing out a bunch of bullsh8T suggestions based on what YOU as PARENTS want, if you want to make things better for teachers try asking TEACHERS what they want.

If I were an APS teacher with know-it-all parents like they have to deal with, not only would I quit -- I'd jump out the friggin window!!

Somebody needs a yoga class! It sounds like PP was being empathetic to teachers, not being a know it all! What has you so triggered?

Because it's obvious to me that that poster is arguing against "inclusion" because SHE doesn't want it in her kid's classroom, and I have no doubt that she's never spoken about the issue with any teacher. I really doubt that teachers are leaving APS in droves in protest over the system's "inclusion" policies. Cut me a break.

DP. It's usually poor form to call out other kids as being disruptive balls of fury who are harmful to the learning environment. It doesn't mean that some kids aren't a real problem for both the teachers and parents.

Except we're supposed to be talking about teachers. Not parents. So, alleged DP, I will ask again: how many teachers have you spoken to who have suggested that this is a major factor in their decision to leave APS?

I'm waiting.

No, I haven't talked to my kid's teacher about the child in the class who takes his shirt off each day and then throws things around the room. In third grade. You don't think that kind of daily experience would factor in to someone leaving a job? Why wouldn't it?

I'm sure that's better than some of the nasty parents they have to deal with. The screaming and cursing they endured from parents *during class*.

It's really not, but it's also not an either/or. It's often both.

A kid who is struggling is still a kid. Tough but teachers expect that to happen.

An adult who is lashing out at you in front of the whole class over teams? Totally unacceptable.

We expect it to happen a few times, not daily for several hours.