demoralized in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:to bring this to the surface . . .

The salary schedule is indeed correct. My husband scrutinized it, and there were many complaints on the forum. My husband said it's probably a way to drive out senior teachers b/c newbies (who never last) are much cheaper.

No one cares about continuity, nor do they care about expertise, especially once online formats become the norm.

MCPS is done, people. Keep your eyes open.

Can you post it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to bring this to the surface . . .

The salary schedule is indeed correct. My husband scrutinized it, and there were many complaints on the forum. My husband said it's probably a way to drive out senior teachers b/c newbies (who never last) are much cheaper.

No one cares about continuity, nor do they care about expertise, especially once online formats become the norm.

MCPS is done, people. Keep your eyes open.

Can you post it?

There's no access from home.

There was a hard copy at meeting, and someone took a picture of it. I'll have to check on Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being out sick is a ton of work. Most teachers I know have to be really sick in order to stay home. Not only is it a lot of prep but students often misbehave for subs. Many subs leave the classroom a mess so it is even more work to clean it up the next day. The only people in education I know who make six figures are administrators. In our district, teachers top out at the higher end of $80K.

That isn't my experience. Almost every year my kid's teachers were absent a couple of days a quarter. I always thought public employees just had greater job security.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to bring this to the surface . . .

The salary schedule is indeed correct. My husband scrutinized it, and there were many complaints on the forum. My husband said it's probably a way to drive out senior teachers b/c newbies (who never last) are much cheaper.

No one cares about continuity, nor do they care about expertise, especially once online formats become the norm.

MCPS is done, people. Keep your eyes open.

Can you post it?

This is what big business has been doing for years. Ever wonder why the median age at companies like Google or Apple is 25-27?

[Anonymous]

Can you post it?

There's no access from home.

There was a hard copy at meeting, and someone took a picture of it. I'll have to check on Monday.
Please post it on Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to bring this to the surface . . .

The salary schedule is indeed correct. My husband scrutinized it, and there were many complaints on the forum. My husband said it's probably a way to drive out senior teachers b/c newbies (who never last) are much cheaper.

No one cares about continuity, nor do they care about expertise, especially once online formats become the norm.

MCPS is done, people. Keep your eyes open.

Can you post it?

This is what big business has been doing for years. Ever wonder why the median age at companies like Google or Apple is 25-27?

I'm the PP to whom you're responding.

You're spot on. Unfortunately, this doesn't benefit students. I have been working closely with a para who wants to become a teacher. Because of my experiences (I've been all over the county.) and years in, it's easy for me to allow him into the planning and delivery processes.

Sadly, us "old folks" are not respected, and yet, I have the most difficult kids compared to my colleagues - and I have yet to write one referral. No one cares about quality.

[Anonymous]

It's not all about money, either. I gave up money for creative freedom and haven't looked back. Frankly, what I save in therapy bills probably more than compensates for the pay cut. I'm re-energized and able to take on more outside work as well, ie tutoring. I went from MCPS to a Moco private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not all about money, either. I gave up money for creative freedom and haven't looked back. Frankly, what I save in therapy bills probably more than compensates for the pay cut. I'm re-energized and able to take on more outside work as well, ie tutoring. I went from MCPS to a Moco private.

I've been toying with this as well, as I'm paying for therapy right now.

The system is sick.

[Anonymous]

No one cares and they act like if a kid can't read and gets As in highschool it's normal. Newsflash the kid still can't read and it's all just bs to pretend progress by fraud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being out sick is a ton of work. Most teachers I know have to be really sick in order to stay home. Not only is it a lot of prep but students often misbehave for subs. Many subs leave the classroom a mess so it is even more work to clean it up the next day. The only people in education I know who make six figures are administrators. In our district, teachers top out at the higher end of $80K.

That isn't my experience. Almost every year my kid's teachers were absent a couple of days a quarter. I always thought public employees just had greater job security.

Those absences were not necessarily sick leave. Last year, I was absent eight times. All but two were professional leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being out sick is a ton of work. Most teachers I know have to be really sick in order to stay home. Not only is it a lot of prep but students often misbehave for subs. Many subs leave the classroom a mess so it is even more work to clean it up the next day. The only people in education I know who make six figures are administrators. In our district, teachers top out at the higher end of $80K.

That isn't my experience. Almost every year my kid's teachers were absent a couple of days a quarter. I always thought public employees just had greater job security.

Those absences were not necessarily sick leave. Last year, I was absent eight times. All but two were professional leave.

I don’t hold it against teachers when they’re out. They are exposed to so many germs from kids who are sent to school sick. I’d rather a teacher take a sick day than come in to work and spread their germs. There are also teachers with chronic illnesses who have to manage their symptoms and attend frequent medical appointments and treatments. You can’t conveniently schedule every illness and medical appointment during school breaks. I have Crohn’s and am very thankful I get to work from home. When I’m in a flare, I’m in the bathroom constantly. I can’t imagine dealing with that and having to face a classroom full of children for who I am responsible. I also need IV treatments every 6 weeks and my job gives me the flexibility to do that. The treatments suppress my immune system so I’d be out constantly if I worked in a school, but I would be protected under FMLA. Teachers are human and have health issues just like any other human. Probably more so from the constant exposure to germs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being out sick is a ton of work. Most teachers I know have to be really sick in order to stay home. Not only is it a lot of prep but students often misbehave for subs. Many subs leave the classroom a mess so it is even more work to clean it up the next day. The only people in education I know who make six figures are administrators. In our district, teachers top out at the higher end of $80K.

That isn't my experience. Almost every year my kid's teachers were absent a couple of days a quarter. I always thought public employees just had greater job security.

Those absences were not necessarily sick leave. Last year, I was absent eight times. All but two were professional leave.

I don’t hold it against teachers when they’re out. They are exposed to so many germs from kids who are sent to school sick. I’d rather a teacher take a sick day than come in to work and spread their germs. There are also teachers with chronic illnesses who have to manage their symptoms and attend frequent medical appointments and treatments. You can’t conveniently schedule every illness and medical appointment during school breaks. I have Crohn’s and am very thankful I get to work from home. When I’m in a flare, I’m in the bathroom constantly. I can’t imagine dealing with that and having to face a classroom full of children for who I am responsible. I also need IV treatments every 6 weeks and my job gives me the flexibility to do that. The treatments suppress my immune system so I’d be out constantly if I worked in a school, but I would be protected under FMLA. Teachers are human and have health issues just like any other human. Probably more so from the constant exposure to germs.

I worked with a wonderful teacher who taught past her 30-year retirement mark. She had cancer, and the treatments made her sick in the morning. The principal at the time allowed her to craft a schedule that worked well for her. Her colleagues were more than willing to help by switching their schedules to accommodate her. It was rough, but she was a trooper and hardly ever missed days.

That empathy - what you've posted about in fact - is lacking in the system.

Thank you for your post. I'm glad your position works for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being out sick is a ton of work. Most teachers I know have to be really sick in order to stay home. Not only is it a lot of prep but students often misbehave for subs. Many subs leave the classroom a mess so it is even more work to clean it up the next day. The only people in education I know who make six figures are administrators. In our district, teachers top out at the higher end of $80K.

That isn't my experience. Almost every year my kid's teachers were absent a couple of days a quarter. I always thought public employees just had greater job security.

Those absences were not necessarily sick leave. Last year, I was absent eight times. All but two were professional leave.

People forget that teachers have their own children who often get sick. My husband's job is much more flexible than mine in his position. So he stays home. But when we both taught, we flipped.

[Anonymous]

About 15 years ago, while teaching in high school, my principal showed m e a lot of compassion by making my schedule flexible enough to drop my then toddler to a daycare bear my home that started at 8 am. I basically started my day with period 3 and taught 4 classes back to back until my lunch break. None of my coworkers minded thus arrangement. Nowadays I’m elsewhere where the expectation is to get to school an hour prior to instructional time. This is definitely not contractual; however the principal believes that the earlier one arrives the better prepared he or she is. So there are cars in there are cars parked in the lot waiting for building service to arrive. If I need to schedule a therapy appt. early in the morning, and arrive 20 minutes before starting time, I better go and fill out a leave form prior entering my room before the principal and secretary receive scores of mails if my arrival time from teachers who are keeping tabs on others.
The principal sets the tone for the school climate and unfortunately I’m in a place where put downs, getting someone in trouble and “gotcha” rules among teachers and gets them brownie points with administration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to bring this to the surface . . .

The salary schedule is indeed correct. My husband scrutinized it, and there were many complaints on the forum. My husband said it's probably a way to drive out senior teachers b/c newbies (who never last) are much cheaper.

No one cares about continuity, nor do they care about expertise, especially once online formats become the norm.

MCPS is done, people. Keep your eyes open.

Can you post it?

This is what big business has been doing for years. Ever wonder why the median age at companies like Google or Apple is 25-27?

I'm the PP to whom you're responding.

You're spot on. Unfortunately, this doesn't benefit students. I have been working closely with a para who wants to become a teacher. Because of my experiences (I've been all over the county.) and years in, it's easy for me to allow him into the planning and delivery processes.

Sadly, us "old folks" are not respected, and yet, I have the most difficult kids compared to my colleagues - and I have yet to write one referral. No one cares about quality.

Yes, agree, I should have stated that although big companies do this, I think it's foolish and short-sighted. The problem is the kids right of school end up running things but have no one to learn from.