My 4th grader has no teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- the 29 kids is one class. That class stays together. Here’s their schedule-

8:40- breakfast and morning circle with an “extra teacher” I think she teaches something else after she sees them.

9:15- this is reading time. They don’t know who is teaching it. They said they will try to get subs and the reading specialist will help when she can. If they don’t have a sub, it will be whomever is available.

11:15- lunch/recess

12:25- Specials. They are hoping to keep this class together and not with the not hired yet teachers.

1:10- Math with the math specialist. Once a teacher gets hired, they will be broken up into smaller classes.

2:30- Sci/SsThey don’t know who will cover. They are hoping for daily subs until they can find someone. Until then, it will most likely be a different teacher or para than reading as the teachers also all have different jobs.

The other classes get to just stay with 1 teacher all day. I know you all say that I should just think this is fine and normal, but different teachers all day and each day being different is not going to create the community that my child needs. And it will be a completely different experience than the other 4th grade classes.

Language arts either needs to be with the reading specialist (the same person every time) or one of the other grade level teachers. It shouldn't be a rotating cast of subs and fill ins. One of the other classes can have a rotating sub for science/ss too and that homeroom teacher can teach Language Arts twice per day--to your child's class and her class.

I don't know what it means that they'll be broken into small math classes eventually, but seems reasonable that they have math daily with the math specialist.

I'd worry less about science and ss and focus on getting a dedicated teacher for Language Arts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- the 29 kids is one class. That class stays together. Here’s their schedule-

8:40- breakfast and morning circle with an “extra teacher” I think she teaches something else after she sees them.

9:15- this is reading time. They don’t know who is teaching it. They said they will try to get subs and the reading specialist will help when she can. If they don’t have a sub, it will be whomever is available.

11:15- lunch/recess

12:25- Specials. They are hoping to keep this class together and not with the not hired yet teachers.

1:10- Math with the math specialist. Once a teacher gets hired, they will be broken up into smaller classes.

2:30- Sci/SsThey don’t know who will cover. They are hoping for daily subs until they can find someone. Until then, it will most likely be a different teacher or para than reading as the teachers also all have different jobs.

The other classes get to just stay with 1 teacher all day. I know you all say that I should just think this is fine and normal, but different teachers all day and each day being different is not going to create the community that my child needs. And it will be a completely different experience than the other 4th grade classes.

OP, I would go the central office to get my child moved to a different school, beg a charter school for admission or pay for private school. I would not leave my child in this situation. Your daughter is being babysat on this schedule. She is not being educated. It is not the schools fault but it is your problem. Math is the ONLY subject being taught on this schedule.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd very much familiarize myself with state regulations regarding class room teachers and licensing as well as the mechanisms to make a formal complaint (specifically the kind that will generate paperwork for the principal). I would then regularly make those complaints.

Also, I agree with this and find the school district ombudsman (if such exists), contact the school board and your city council person. If you cannot afford private you have to get this fixed STAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd very much familiarize myself with state regulations regarding class room teachers and licensing as well as the mechanisms to make a formal complaint (specifically the kind that will generate paperwork for the principal). I would then regularly make those complaints.

+1 always make it in writing and cc the superintendent and state doe

[Anonymous]

When my kid was in kindergarten (Richmond Public Schools) they pulled a few kids from each class out each day to meet with an assistant rather than hiring a 4th teacher. Somehow reducing the number of bodies in the room for a portion of the day helped them magically be under the standards of quality ratios.

I think you have every right to ask the principal why this is the solution (are there really ZERO teachers? Our urban elementary school was able to hire a bunch of 22 year old college grads and only has vacancies for things like long term sub). I'd like to believe this was literally the only thing your principal could come up with for the short term but it can't hurt to ask. But ultimately, I've made my peace with the shoe string budgets, overcrowded classrooms, and other compromises associated with public schools. I still believe in them and want to support them, and I think my kids will be more worldly and flexible as a result.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the shortage is real. My friend, who works in another county in MD, was just informed YESTERDAY that he has to return to the classroom for the year (he was promoted to central office a few years ago) unless he can find someone else to hire for the position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, the shortage is real. My friend, who works in another county in MD, was just informed YESTERDAY that he has to return to the classroom for the year (he was promoted to central office a few years ago) unless he can find someone else to hire for the position.

Yesterday? Yikes. How about giving time to prepare!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my kid was in kindergarten (Richmond Public Schools) they pulled a few kids from each class out each day to meet with an assistant rather than hiring a 4th teacher. Somehow reducing the number of bodies in the room for a portion of the day helped them magically be under the standards of quality ratios.

I think you have every right to ask the principal why this is the solution (are there really ZERO teachers? Our urban elementary school was able to hire a bunch of 22 year old college grads and only has vacancies for things like long term sub). I'd like to believe this was literally the only thing your principal could come up with for the short term but it can't hurt to ask. But ultimately, I've made my peace with the shoe string budgets, overcrowded classrooms, and other compromises associated with public schools. I still believe in them and want to support them, and I think my kids will be more worldly and flexible as a result.

They still need to be educated in the meanwhile, don't they? Sure, you can make peace with your kid lagging behind, but other parents don't accept this. The achievement gap remains for a reason. The parents who priortize education will make some alternate arrangements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- the 29 kids is one class. That class stays together. Here’s their schedule-

8:40- breakfast and morning circle with an “extra teacher” I think she teaches something else after she sees them.

9:15- this is reading time. They don’t know who is teaching it. They said they will try to get subs and the reading specialist will help when she can. If they don’t have a sub, it will be whomever is available.

11:15- lunch/recess

12:25- Specials. They are hoping to keep this class together and not with the not hired yet teachers.

1:10- Math with the math specialist. Once a teacher gets hired, they will be broken up into smaller classes.

2:30- Sci/SsThey don’t know who will cover. They are hoping for daily subs until they can find someone. Until then, it will most likely be a different teacher or para than reading as the teachers also all have different jobs.

The other classes get to just stay with 1 teacher all day. I know you all say that I should just think this is fine and normal, but different teachers all day and each day being different is not going to create the community that my child needs. And it will be a completely different experience than the other 4th grade classes.

OP, I would go the central office to get my child moved to a different school, beg a charter school for admission or pay for private school. I would not leave my child in this situation. Your daughter is being babysat on this schedule. She is not being educated. It is not the schools fault but it is your problem. Math is the ONLY subject being taught on this schedule.

Good luck!

No charter schools in MCPS. Parents have no choice, unless they can afford private. It’s a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are just going to sit and read for two hours straight in the morning?

This happens a good amount in MCPS Elementary Schools. If your kid is reading above grade level, the teacher will focus on the other (lower) reading groups. While the teacher spends time with the lower reading groups, your kid (who is at or above grade level) will be given ‘independent work’.

MCPS believes that differentiation is bad for ‘Equity’ reasons. So it shoved kids all into the same class.

It’s pretty bad and many times, the kids who are above grade level are left to languish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids graduated out of MCPS last year. I spent a lot of my time through the years to research the MCPS curriculum and enrich, expand, accelerate it for my children. Yes, I did send them to MCPS for normal socialization, for learning how school works and other fun and interesting stuff, but my kids always had my home grown parallel system of education at home. I covered most of the subjects (between DH and I, we have multiple college degrees in multiple fields) at home, except for FL which was taught by an MCPS teacher

My kids were also in the magnet pipeline and I am sorry to say that even in the magnet programs, it was common to have dud teachers and worse administrators. Of course, the magnet programs were a 100 times better than the regular program because of the excellent cohort of students, the informed parents, and the pace and rigor of the curriculum - but it also fell short especially in middle school because of some terrible teachers, exceptionally evil and lazy administrators, and the general exodus of great teachers.

Unfortunately, all this was happening way before COVID. The quality of MCPS education has been going downhill for a long time because of the swinging pendulum of extreme right and extreme left.

I have no words of wisdom for OP. My heart aches for her and her child. Please do whatever is necessary to make sure that they are getting a very good education at home, in private schools, in private coaching classes, through online resources.

You're so extra. So was your response to a mention of not having a centralized teacher assignment in elementary.

There is a difference in being a tiger parent and your kid not having a teacher at all.......

+1 on bolded. No substance in that answer except for bragging and pats on the back

OP, I am so sorry for your situation. It truly sucks for your child. I dont think there is anything you can do, except to stay on top of her assignments, make sure nothing falls through the cracks with all the transitions. You might also want to ask school admin for designated person to send your questions/concerns to or a person that would "lead" parent communication for that class while the situation is being worked out. I am thinking in terms of weekly emails on what kids are learning in class/updates/etc. I do agree with the point that despite the challenges, your DD will be way ahead of her elementary peers when it comes to MS.

Seriously, are your kids as stupid as you? (Then why worry about them not having teachers? They are being taught to their potential.) Be happy that at least you are being provided some kind of babysitting.

What pats on the back? Education has been subpar for years in MCPS but those who complained about it were labelled "Tiger parents". People are now complaining about lack of qualified teachers in all schools and an eroded system in the name of equity. Sorry, but it will continue to suck for all of you. If the parents lack the wisdom to make alternate arrangements for their children's education that they are equally culpable. It will be interesting to see how these kids fare in high school and college. I will get my popcorn.

I agree, if the redoubled their focus on equity these problems would be solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at our school switch teachers for each subject.

+1 that was normal at my DC's elementary school 10 years ago even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD had 3rd, 4th and 5th grades in a trailer outside the main school building. Everyone's got something.

So your kid will learn to be very organized and not lose her stuff. She'll be ahead of the other kids in that regard come middle school.

I honestly do'nt see anything wrong with a trailer. Instead of going to a classroom in a building, you go to a classroom in a trailer. What is the big deal? Not having a teacher? That is chaotic for a fifth grader.

I'm sorry, OP. That sucks. It will be challenging for everyone, at least in the beginning. But kids are resilient and I'm sure you are providing lots of support so it'll be fine.

In the trailer, there is no running water or bathroom. Kids pair up and walk from the trailer to the main building. I always viewed it as a security issue in this day and age. No adult accompanies the child outside.

[Anonymous]

It baffles me that people truly think this is OK. It’s ok to look at positives but it’s also ok to acknowledge this is Bs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It baffles me that people truly think this is OK. It’s ok to look at positives but it’s also ok to acknowledge this is Bs

Agreed. And that is detrimental to all involved.