Dear Parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If anyone is confused to why the teacher shortage gets worse every year...this thread tells a lot. Also FCPS has not lightened the load to let teachers teach and focus on students....lots of training, meetings, and paperwork fill the day. Don't like it....advocate for teachers! WE need smaller class size we need planning time to be untouched. WE need time to focus and teach students. STOP blaming the teachers.....let the school board know that we want our amazing teachers to be able to TEACH and GRADE and SUPPORT our kids. Teachers deserve to leave work at work just like the rest of you. No one is working after contract hours-teachers are done they want to go home and rest. Enough BS from entitled parents.

As to the bolded . . . hahahahahahahaha. This issue isn't that teachers are expected to work more than others, it's that teachers somehow think that they are the only ones who aren't. Some teachers complaint that they aren't treated like professionals, but then insist, per the comment above, on acting like that are clock-punching blue collar workers. Pick one.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad to see this thread drawing attention to the problem of slow grading. I know no teachers are getting fired for it, but parents are certainly justifying in airing their frustrations and concerns because lack of feedback is a huge hindrance to learning and getting interventions should a child need help. The consequences can be huge and last for years. I know because it happened with my son.

FCPS administers SO many assessments of kids to determine if they need help (iReady, DRA, SoLs, Reading inventory, Math Inventory, assorted ecarts, etc). Teachers' timing of grading class assignments isn't the issue around getting children who need help help.

Maybe they should drop common core for research based programs with workbooks and textbooks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad to see this thread drawing attention to the problem of slow grading. I know no teachers are getting fired for it, but parents are certainly justifying in airing their frustrations and concerns because lack of feedback is a huge hindrance to learning and getting interventions should a child need help. The consequences can be huge and last for years. I know because it happened with my son.

FCPS administers SO many assessments of kids to determine if they need help (iReady, DRA, SoLs, Reading inventory, Math Inventory, assorted ecarts, etc). Teachers' timing of grading class assignments isn't the issue around getting children who need help help.

Maybe they should drop common core for research based programs with workbooks and textbooks

Virginia doesn't have common core, but I agree with you. Standardized testing misses so much that a class assignment can reveal. We need much less testing of students and much, much more teaching of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad to see this thread drawing attention to the problem of slow grading. I know no teachers are getting fired for it, but parents are certainly justifying in airing their frustrations and concerns because lack of feedback is a huge hindrance to learning and getting interventions should a child need help. The consequences can be huge and last for years. I know because it happened with my son.

FCPS administers SO many assessments of kids to determine if they need help (iReady, DRA, SoLs, Reading inventory, Math Inventory, assorted ecarts, etc). Teachers' timing of grading class assignments isn't the issue around getting children who need help help.

This is the dumbest thing posted in this thread, and there's some stiff competition. Absolutely none of the things you listed will inform a parent or student if the kid is in danger of failing a class, or getting a very low grade in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad to see this thread drawing attention to the problem of slow grading. I know no teachers are getting fired for it, but parents are certainly justifying in airing their frustrations and concerns because lack of feedback is a huge hindrance to learning and getting interventions should a child need help. The consequences can be huge and last for years. I know because it happened with my son.

FCPS administers SO many assessments of kids to determine if they need help (iReady, DRA, SoLs, Reading inventory, Math Inventory, assorted ecarts, etc). Teachers' timing of grading class assignments isn't the issue around getting children who need help help.

Maybe they should drop common core for research based programs with workbooks and textbooks

They don't use common core.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad to see this thread drawing attention to the problem of slow grading. I know no teachers are getting fired for it, but parents are certainly justifying in airing their frustrations and concerns because lack of feedback is a huge hindrance to learning and getting interventions should a child need help. The consequences can be huge and last for years. I know because it happened with my son.

FCPS administers SO many assessments of kids to determine if they need help (iReady, DRA, SoLs, Reading inventory, Math Inventory, assorted ecarts, etc). Teachers' timing of grading class assignments isn't the issue around getting children who need help help.

This is the dumbest thing posted in this thread, and there's some stiff competition. Absolutely none of the things you listed will inform a parent or student if the kid is in danger of failing a class, or getting a very low grade in it.

I was responding to a parent who talked about "hindrance to learning and getting interventions" not a grade in a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that we don't know our kids were having a problem with the homework, quizzes, etc. until it's too late. Maybe the schools need to hire people whose job it is just to grade the daily work/worksheets and quizzes. Or bring in honor roll high school students who need volunteer hours and let them grade the worksheets. The unit tests can be graded by the teachers.

But things need to be graded fairly quickly so we can help our kids if they are struggling. I don't trust the teachers to let me know.

Without homework tests or any sort of feedback we've got no clue what is going on. Makes me wonder what is stressing teachers out at the elementary level without these things.

[Anonymous]

I'm a FCPS HS teacher. I have never had issues about returning grades in a timely manner.

This post makes me so very sad.

I know that most of the parents of the students in my class are supportive, decent people. However, threads like this show the horrible side of people. It is so hard to go to work knowing that there are people who are rallying for teachers to fail. Last year, one nutjob family complained to my principal that they didn't like the content that I was teaching (although it fell under the College Board's themes and topics for the AP class that I teach). They didn't like the answer they got from the principal (who supported me). They went to the cluster level. The executive principal also supported me. But do you know how disheartening it is to have to defend yourself against whackjobs like this who "demand" their "rights"? especially when they are told "no" because they are wrong? Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that we don't know our kids were having a problem with the homework, quizzes, etc. until it's too late. Maybe the schools need to hire people whose job it is just to grade the daily work/worksheets and quizzes. Or bring in honor roll high school students who need volunteer hours and let them grade the worksheets. The unit tests can be graded by the teachers.

But things need to be graded fairly quickly so we can help our kids if they are struggling. I don't trust the teachers to let me know.

Without homework tests or any sort of feedback we've got no clue what is going on. Makes me wonder what is stressing teachers out at the elementary level without these things.

You have report cards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that we don't know our kids were having a problem with the homework, quizzes, etc. until it's too late. Maybe the schools need to hire people whose job it is just to grade the daily work/worksheets and quizzes. Or bring in honor roll high school students who need volunteer hours and let them grade the worksheets. The unit tests can be graded by the teachers.

But things need to be graded fairly quickly so we can help our kids if they are struggling. I don't trust the teachers to let me know.

Without homework tests or any sort of feedback we've got no clue what is going on. Makes me wonder what is stressing teachers out at the elementary level without these things.

You have report cards.

Yep, and all the assessments. Also, I have 3 kids going through FCPS at different schools due to moves. Some teachers grade quickly, some more slowly. Some give hard to grade work (essays, projects), some give easy to grade work (multiple choice tests). I've NEVER had a teacher who didn't give some graded work back during each quarter--either on the learning management system or the actual papers. I tend to doubt people who say they never get any homework, tests, or any sort of feedback back. Did the teacher show no work/scores during the parent-teacher conference either?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that we don't know our kids were having a problem with the homework, quizzes, etc. until it's too late. Maybe the schools need to hire people whose job it is just to grade the daily work/worksheets and quizzes. Or bring in honor roll high school students who need volunteer hours and let them grade the worksheets. The unit tests can be graded by the teachers.

But things need to be graded fairly quickly so we can help our kids if they are struggling. I don't trust the teachers to let me know.

Without homework tests or any sort of feedback we've got no clue what is going on. Makes me wonder what is stressing teachers out at the elementary level without these things.

You have report cards.

I would happily trade report cards for graded homework. Knowing DC got a 3 vs 4 really does not tell me anything. Seeing how he is answering the bill orations on math or reading worksheets let’s me talk through with him to see if he understands now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that we don't know our kids were having a problem with the homework, quizzes, etc. until it's too late. Maybe the schools need to hire people whose job it is just to grade the daily work/worksheets and quizzes. Or bring in honor roll high school students who need volunteer hours and let them grade the worksheets. The unit tests can be graded by the teachers.

But things need to be graded fairly quickly so we can help our kids if they are struggling. I don't trust the teachers to let me know.

Without homework tests or any sort of feedback we've got no clue what is going on. Makes me wonder what is stressing teachers out at the elementary level without these things.

You have no idea why an ES teacher is stressed? How about 3 hours during the school week to plan, make copies, and grade because 2 hours are used for useless meetings where we are told what to do. How about 25-28 kids with a huge spectrum of needs and abilities. That is why they are stressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that we don't know our kids were having a problem with the homework, quizzes, etc. until it's too late. Maybe the schools need to hire people whose job it is just to grade the daily work/worksheets and quizzes. Or bring in honor roll high school students who need volunteer hours and let them grade the worksheets. The unit tests can be graded by the teachers.

But things need to be graded fairly quickly so we can help our kids if they are struggling. I don't trust the teachers to let me know.

Without homework tests or any sort of feedback we've got no clue what is going on. Makes me wonder what is stressing teachers out at the elementary level without these things.

You have report cards.

I would happily trade report cards for graded homework. Knowing DC got a 3 vs 4 really does not tell me anything. Seeing how he is answering the bill orations on math or reading worksheets let’s me talk through with him to see if he understands now.

First off homework is practice and should not be graded. Many kids get help on HW and others have no help. I go over HW in class so kids can check their answers. Every ES gives assessments that are graded. Discuss at parent/teacher conference. I have had the following happen:

Kids take out graded work and throw out before parents see it
Parents don’t look through folder at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m just giving less assignments this year. Or creating worksheets that self check, or using computer programs that score immediately. I have way way way too many students to give consistent, meaningful feedback this year. 150 students x1 minute each is 2.5 hours, my entire unencumbered planning for the week. When do I plan lessons? When do i contact families to inform them of Johnny’s struggles with xyz? When do I make copies?

You want real feedback, I need 100 kids, not 150. I need 1 prep, not 3. I need 5+ hours a week of dedicated planning, not 3. I need curriculum to fall back on so I don’t have to make it all from scratch when I’m handed yet another prep I’ve never taught before.

Will I try my butt off to get your kids feedback? Absolutely. But I have only given one assignment in each class so far and already spent 4 hours today (sunday) grading. That’s burnout in a sentence. And when I quit because I can’t keep up, there’s no one left to fill my role.

Please handle your kids’ teachers with care this year. We’re (mostly) all really, really struggling to do this job well and I’m not sure it can be in the current conditions.

Parents are fine with worksheets that self-check or computer programs that score immediately. Those provide feedback for children and parents. What parents are looking for is hard gauges as to how their kid is doing. In this day and age, if you are not using technology as a valid aid, you are behind the times re: teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that we don't know our kids were having a problem with the homework, quizzes, etc. until it's too late. Maybe the schools need to hire people whose job it is just to grade the daily work/worksheets and quizzes. Or bring in honor roll high school students who need volunteer hours and let them grade the worksheets. The unit tests can be graded by the teachers.

But things need to be graded fairly quickly so we can help our kids if they are struggling. I don't trust the teachers to let me know.

Without homework tests or any sort of feedback we've got no clue what is going on. Makes me wonder what is stressing teachers out at the elementary level without these things.

You have report cards.

I would happily trade report cards for graded homework. Knowing DC got a 3 vs 4 really does not tell me anything. Seeing how he is answering the bill orations on math or reading worksheets let’s me talk through with him to see if he understands now.

First off homework is practice and should not be graded. Many kids get help on HW and others have no help. I go over HW in class so kids can check their answers. Every ES gives assessments that are graded. Discuss at parent/teacher conference. I have had the following happen:

Kids take out graded work and throw out before parents see it
Parents don’t look through folder at all

Yep, classwork and homework are for practice. Consider asking the teacher: where does my student need more practice?