Teacher might quit
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Anonymous
Well many of these kids had both parents working outside the home and were entrusted to a MS or HS kid who has their own DL to do. And were plopped in front of a screen 7 hours a day. It’s like teachers don’t get that FCPS is 1/3 FARMS. They seem to believe every parent has a SAHM who could sit their with their kid and do school all day. What happened at home? Parents were doing their jobs, dealing with multiple kids, dealing with elderly parents, cobbling together sunstandard childcare on a day to days basis, losing jobs, getting sick, being evicted…. |
Anonymous
I suspect you aren’t required to wear as many hats at your job as your standard elementary school teacher. They need to be content specialists, presenters, curriculum planners, librarians, coaches, tech experts, data analysis workers, health aides, social workers, substitute teachers, and counselors… often simultaneously. As for the child care component of their jobs, they often fill all of these roles with 25-30 students in a class. I doubt your standard child care facility is allowed to have an child to adult ratio that high. Yes, *somebody* has to take care of young children during the work day, but since “child care expert” is merely one of the MANY responsibilities placed on an elementary school teacher, I can see why they get frustrated. It doesn’t acknowledge the size of their caseload. I teach high school so my situation is very different. I have great respect for elementary teachers simply because they are able to do so much in a day and still stand at the end. |
Anonymous
+100 |
Anonymous
Because every parent is rich and there were lots of options for good childcare last year? |
Anonymous
I used to have great respect ES teachers. But the “I’m not an essential worker,” “how dare you call me a public servant,” “childcare isn’t my job” rhetoric has really eroded that respect. There is a BIG difference between saying “childcare is one component,, and teachers have a lot on their plate” and saying “childcare isn’t my job,” which is what teachers on here are saying. Many of us view childcare as the most important piece for young kids, because kids who don’t feel safe and cared for can’t learn effectively. It takes a lot f gall to say that isnt part of your job AND you need a raise. |
Anonymous
| “We believe in the power of public education. Or, we did” |
Anonymous
I am a lawyer who has been subbing when possible at my kids’ school because they cannot find subs. You have no idea. Teachers have such a hard job. It makes my lawyer job sitting at the computer and typing stuff look like okay. If we don’t figure out how to support teachers better, we won’t have any good ones left. Stop calling them childcare workers if they don’t like it. They are professionals who deserve respect. No one would ever call you a data clerk and you know it. |
Anonymous
“I’ve lost respect for teachers because I disagree with how they frame their argument” |
Anonymous
Thank you! I’m a teacher who has moved into a hybrid admin role this year (bc school districts are too cheap to hire two positions so they have people like me do admin work at a teacher salary lol). It’s been such a breath of fresh air to have that second half of the day to do data entry, slide presentations, grading, parent contact in SILENCE. I don’t think non teachers could ever understand the balancing of all the “non - teaching” responsibilities of the job (shared well 2 or 3 posts up) while also managing a classroom of 20-25 children. Truly the most exhausting role out there. |
Anonymous
Welcome to being a parent during a global pandemic. |
Anonymous
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Let's see.
- a chair thrown at another kid - threatening to stab someone with scissors - humming to soothe herself (distracting to everyone else in the room, but it's supposed to be ok) - a few who can't focus because they are hungry or there are major problems at home. - a few IEP's in one room with one support staff for all of them. Sounds like a treat doesn't it?? This was ds's classroom one year. I saw the chair being thrown. The humming was over the top distracting. Somehow in all of this the teacher was supposed to teach. What a fricken zoo. That teacher lasted 8 years. |
Anonymous
And even if some of those components are missing, throw in 3 ESOL students who can’t say a sentence in English and receive minimal support. |
Anonymous
The students are poorly behaved because many of their parents don't teach them how to behave and they missed a year of school where they would've learned how to behave. So now they are a year older chronologically but still act like they are younger. My first-grade colleagues are basically teaching first-grade content to kindergarteners who are not ready for it and they are acting like much younger kids. No attention span, say rude things to the teacher and each other, get angry and shut down or explode, are unkind to each other, can't stop touching each other, etc. It's a hot mess. Some parents opted out of putting their kindergarteners online so now we have first graders who have never learned anything academic at all. This is the first year we've had first graders who don't know how to write their name or even recognize it on their locker, etc. Parents have also been bad talking teachers saying it was our fault that the district didn't open school last year. Yeah, we don't have that power. Not even close. We went back when they sent us back. The kids have repeated some of this trash talk to us. Parents- please don't bad talk your kid's teacher in front of them. I have a kid too and while there were a few of his teachers that I didn't particularly like, I never said that in front of him. This year, there are no subs so teachers often have no planning period at all because we are covering for the absent teacher. Some teachers double up on classes so they have wall-to-wall students all day. That means you have double the behavior issues. Teachers are exhausted and that is why some school districts have been giving half days here and there. I'd rather they increase the sub pay to whatever attracts people to the job than give us a half-day. Teachers are on the edge and some have decided it isn't worth staying. They have combined 3 kindergarten classes at my school into one large class because they can't find maternity leave coverage. 70 kids in one room is too much. I can't quit but I do think about it from time to time. Basically, I just count the days/hours until the next weekend/break. |
Anonymous
| PP again. Also, unusual/over-the-top behaviors are much more common and frequent. In a normal year, I might have 1-2 students who might have behavior issues. They might scream at me/other teachers or other students. They might physically lash out or destroy things when they get upset. They might shut down and rock themselves to soothe. We involved this school psychologist and social worker and sometimes they get better. Sometimes not but we have extra help for them. This year, I have 4 of these students and most of the other classes do too. Our social worker and school psychologist cannot help with all of these outbursts anymore. Why are there so many? Many come to school from violent or chaotic homes. They just spent more than a year at home instead of in school. It shows. Most of their parents cannot be reached to even try to help them. Some refuse to talk to us because they say that it is our job to watch their kid at school. Some claim their kid is fine at home. Maybe they are but at school, there are a series of expectations placed on kids. A lot of school is doing things they may not want to do. At home, their parents let them do what they want to avoid these confrontations (the parents often tell us this). Now, when we ask Johnny to give back the tablet or stop playing in a center, Johnny lashes out. He isn't used to be told "stop" or "no." Multiple Johnny times four and multiple outbursts a day..... |
Anonymous
| I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there. |