Advice to Kaya Henderson

[Anonymous]

IMPACT, if you actually read the Teaching and Learning Framework (TLF) and look at a level 4 "highly effective" is all about what students do with other students, ie. how they help one another to learn. At its heart a level 4 is about inquiry-based instruction. So I don't really know how it is meant to treat a teacher like a "child" or whatever other tantrums you've come up with. It's not designed for you to run the whole lesson yourself as if all learning and knowledge comes from you, the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Advice to DCUM: use your real names and the Chancellor and/or DCPS may consider your gripes more than just grumbling under your breath.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Advice to DCUM: use your real names and the Chancellor and/or DCPS may consider your gripes more than just grumbling under your breath.

Here's another idea: continue to post as if you're on an anonymous forum because uh that's what this is for.

And Kaya can take it or leave it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the description of the stresses of teachers and the low pay somewhat lacking in perspective. Many jobs have bad managers and stresses that sound just like what you are describing. And most of us don't have unions or even close to the protections that teachers are afforded. I'm an employee at will. They can fire me tomorrow, with or without cause and I don't get to appeal. And starting DCPS teachers make more money (and work fewer months and hours) than do may other careers. Read any literature on the subject of work environments across segments and you'll see employees are being asked to work more hours and do more with less. And we're all asked to do inane paperwork and reporting in all walks of life.

Teaching is a hard job, no doubt. But some perspective here wouldn't be bad.

WTU, you may now savage me because it's against the bible and constitution to dare say these things.

LOL! Note, many teachers are career changers and KNOW what "stressors" there are in other fields. They don't compare. Since when has losing that valuable contract meant that someone's future could be at stake? When is the last time you saw the union save anyone's job? Have you seen the statistics of the number of teachers with 20-30 years of teaching experience being let go right before they are up for retirement? Do you answer to 3 different sets of clients - students, parents, and administration all with different agendas and needs? You have no idea what it entails and until you do you probably shouldn't assume it is just comes with the territory because it doesn't. DCPS is the only district that uses IMPACT. It is not your typical evaluation. It is designed to make sure that teachers feel inadequate and requires them to tick off tasks that have nothing to do with how good an educator they are. That is not something that just comes with the territory. There is a reason Michelle Rhee was swept out of town.

You just made my point for me. The WTU crowd has no perspective and no context outside of DCPS. The questions you ask and statements you make illustrate that fact beautifllu. Thanks for making my point for me.

Note, many teachers are career changers and KNOW what "stressors" there are in other fields. - evidence to the contrary. See, all of the teacher defender posts above and below.

Since when has losing that valuable contract meant that someone's future could be at stake? - Not sure what you mean, but for many of us a single large client or deal could be lost or go out of business and our jobs are gone as a result. Shouldn't all the teachers who were employees elsewhere (see, above) know that?

When is the last time you saw the union save anyone's job? - You must be kidding, right? How about https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/decision-ordering-dc-to-rehire-75-teachers-is-upheld/2011/09/22/gIQAJMmkoK_story.html ? Not recent enough? How about February 2015 http://oea.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/oea/publication/attachments/Devarnita%20Williams%20v%20DCPS.pdf. In that one the teacher calling the kids "thieving ass kids" wasn't enough to get her fired. And please note that for the rest of us there's no appeal and no notice requirement. I do not think you understand what "at-will employment" means.

Do you answer to 3 different sets of clients - students, parents, and administration all with different agendas and needs? You have no idea what it entails and until you do you probably shouldn't assume it is just comes with the territory because it doesn't. - YES!!! It's called "my job". But the fact that you ask just shows that you really have no clue what the working world looks like outside of public education. The mere fact that you think that only teachers have multiple, dueling and inconsistent constituencies to serve proves my point.

It is not your typical evaluation. It is designed to make sure that teachers feel inadequate and requires them to tick off tasks that have nothing to do with how good an educator they are. Many of us work for companies that change management and philosophies over time. We agree with some and not with others. The rules change and things that we personally feel aren't important are emphasized or deemphasized. It's called "a job". And if we dislike thew new rules, we quit.

I think the point being made, albeit not in the best way, is that you are comparing a private sector position to a public sector position. Those are two vastly different work environments. I worked in the private sector before becoming a teacher. I know what stress in my previous job felt like. It is completely different from what I deal with now. Now I am responsible for the education of 150 students coming from various backgrounds, shapes and sizes. When I was observed in my previous job, I only had to make sure that I was on point. Now, I have upwards of 36 other bodies in my room when someone comes in to observe me. In my private sector job I only had two reviews a year. At my school, my classroom has a revolving door. I am to the point where I don't even care who comes in anymore. If they don't like what they see, they can come talk to me about it but they will probably just fire me instead. Also, that oea site doesn't work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMPACT, if you actually read the Teaching and Learning Framework (TLF) and look at a level 4 "highly effective" is all about what students do with other students, ie. how they help one another to learn. At its heart a level 4 is about inquiry-based instruction. So I don't really know how it is meant to treat a teacher like a "child" or whatever other tantrums you've come up with. It's not designed for you to run the whole lesson yourself as if all learning and knowledge comes from you, the teacher.

Right! Because IMPACT is just based on teach 4. OK!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for DCPS is no more stressful than an average urban school district of similar demographics, characteristics, etc. And that means--not particularly easy unless you've either got what it takes or are a good learner. And a lot of folks don't fit this bill. A few other soapbox opinions: TFAers are generally worthless, people's pipe-dreams for a gifted program in the same manner as they have in Fairfax or Montgomery County is not going to happen and is simply a sociology experiment to help well-to-do kids not have to be surrounded by "the masses".

Most teachers in DC have 4 or 5 unannounced observations per year. This means that at any time, on any day an administrator or a "master educator" can walk into a classroom and say they are there to observe the teacher for 30 minutes. I do not know of any other district that has this type of observation policy. It is extremely stressful, particularly in schools with very challenging behaviors.

Is this a bad thing? Serious question. If you are doing a good job and are a confident, consummate professional, what would be the concern with multiple unscheduled observations?

Because again it isn't just a matter of it being a few unscheduled observations. Have some stranger pop up on you for a 30 minute snapshot of your day and determine if you are qualified do your job based on what happens in that 30 minutes. Do you have a client unwilling to agree to the terms you proposed. Marked down. Did you have a kid vomit on the rug right before this observer walked in the room and you now need to get 18-30 people refocused and back on track. Too bad. Until you have had to be scrutinized and raked over the coals to justify every single action and decision you made in that 30 minutes you can't imagine how disrespectful it feels to be a professional treated like a child.

I doubt anyone would object to longer observations as it will give the person a better picture of what they are seeing.

This doesn't sound that unreasonable, actually. Over the course of school year, a teacher is observed for between 120 - 150 minutes (less than 2 hours total)? Most professionals have to be on their game, delivering and performing 100% of the time. Maybe the solution is longer observations with more frequency, or cameras in the classroom. To your point, instead of a few unscheduled observation, this could provide a better picture of how the classroom functions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Advice to DCUM: use your real names and the Chancellor and/or DCPS may consider your gripes more than just grumbling under your breath.

Actually we take surveys all of the time and express the same thoughts. Some sit on the Chancellor's panel. It falls of deaf ears.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the description of the stresses of teachers and the low pay somewhat lacking in perspective. Many jobs have bad managers and stresses that sound just like what you are describing. And most of us don't have unions or even close to the protections that teachers are afforded. I'm an employee at will. They can fire me tomorrow, with or without cause and I don't get to appeal. And starting DCPS teachers make more money (and work fewer months and hours) than do may other careers. Read any literature on the subject of work environments across segments and you'll see employees are being asked to work more hours and do more with less. And we're all asked to do inane paperwork and reporting in all walks of life.

Teaching is a hard job, no doubt. But some perspective here wouldn't be bad.

WTU, you may now savage me because it's against the bible and constitution to dare say these things.

LOL! Note, many teachers are career changers and KNOW what "stressors" there are in other fields. They don't compare. Since when has losing that valuable contract meant that someone's future could be at stake? When is the last time you saw the union save anyone's job? Have you seen the statistics of the number of teachers with 20-30 years of teaching experience being let go right before they are up for retirement? Do you answer to 3 different sets of clients - students, parents, and administration all with different agendas and needs? You have no idea what it entails and until you do you probably shouldn't assume it is just comes with the territory because it doesn't. DCPS is the only district that uses IMPACT. It is not your typical evaluation. It is designed to make sure that teachers feel inadequate and requires them to tick off tasks that have nothing to do with how good an educator they are. That is not something that just comes with the territory. There is a reason Michelle Rhee was swept out of town.

You just made my point for me. The WTU crowd has no perspective and no context outside of DCPS. The questions you ask and statements you make illustrate that fact beautifllu. Thanks for making my point for me.

Note, many teachers are career changers and KNOW what "stressors" there are in other fields. - evidence to the contrary. See, all of the teacher defender posts above and below.

Since when has losing that valuable contract meant that someone's future could be at stake? - Not sure what you mean, but for many of us a single large client or deal could be lost or go out of business and our jobs are gone as a result. Shouldn't all the teachers who were employees elsewhere (see, above) know that?

When is the last time you saw the union save anyone's job? - You must be kidding, right? How about https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/decision-ordering-dc-to-rehire-75-teachers-is-upheld/2011/09/22/gIQAJMmkoK_story.html ? Not recent enough? How about February 2015 http://oea.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/oea/publication/attachments/Devarnita%20Williams%20v%20DCPS.pdf. In that one the teacher calling the kids "thieving ass kids" wasn't enough to get her fired. And please note that for the rest of us there's no appeal and no notice requirement. I do not think you understand what "at-will employment" means.

Do you answer to 3 different sets of clients - students, parents, and administration all with different agendas and needs? You have no idea what it entails and until you do you probably shouldn't assume it is just comes with the territory because it doesn't. - YES!!! It's called "my job". But the fact that you ask just shows that you really have no clue what the working world looks like outside of public education. The mere fact that you think that only teachers have multiple, dueling and inconsistent constituencies to serve proves my point.

It is not your typical evaluation. It is designed to make sure that teachers feel inadequate and requires them to tick off tasks that have nothing to do with how good an educator they are. Many of us work for companies that change management and philosophies over time. We agree with some and not with others. The rules change and things that we personally feel aren't important are emphasized or deemphasized. It's called "a job". And if we dislike thew new rules, we quit.

Right! You are so right! Now move along to another thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for DCPS is no more stressful than an average urban school district of similar demographics, characteristics, etc. And that means--not particularly easy unless you've either got what it takes or are a good learner. And a lot of folks don't fit this bill. A few other soapbox opinions: TFAers are generally worthless, people's pipe-dreams for a gifted program in the same manner as they have in Fairfax or Montgomery County is not going to happen and is simply a sociology experiment to help well-to-do kids not have to be surrounded by "the masses".

Most teachers in DC have 4 or 5 unannounced observations per year. This means that at any time, on any day an administrator or a "master educator" can walk into a classroom and say they are there to observe the teacher for 30 minutes. I do not know of any other district that has this type of observation policy. It is extremely stressful, particularly in schools with very challenging behaviors.

Is this a bad thing? Serious question. If you are doing a good job and are a confident, consummate professional, what would be the concern with multiple unscheduled observations?

Because again it isn't just a matter of it being a few unscheduled observations. Have some stranger pop up on you for a 30 minute snapshot of your day and determine if you are qualified do your job based on what happens in that 30 minutes. Do you have a client unwilling to agree to the terms you proposed. Marked down. Did you have a kid vomit on the rug right before this observer walked in the room and you now need to get 18-30 people refocused and back on track. Too bad. Until you have had to be scrutinized and raked over the coals to justify every single action and decision you made in that 30 minutes you can't imagine how disrespectful it feels to be a professional treated like a child.

That's what the rest of us call "our jobs".

Then that is really sad and perhaps you should also consider a career change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Advice to DCUM: use your real names and the Chancellor and/or DCPS may consider your gripes more than just grumbling under your breath.

You do the same!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the description of the stresses of teachers and the low pay somewhat lacking in perspective. Many jobs have bad managers and stresses that sound just like what you are describing. And most of us don't have unions or even close to the protections that teachers are afforded. I'm an employee at will. They can fire me tomorrow, with or without cause and I don't get to appeal. And starting DCPS teachers make more money (and work fewer months and hours) than do may other careers. Read any literature on the subject of work environments across segments and you'll see employees are being asked to work more hours and do more with less. And we're all asked to do inane paperwork and reporting in all walks of life.

Teaching is a hard job, no doubt. But some perspective here wouldn't be bad.

WTU, you may now savage me because it's against the bible and constitution to dare say these things.

LOL! Note, many teachers are career changers and KNOW what "stressors" there are in other fields. They don't compare. Since when has losing that valuable contract meant that someone's future could be at stake? When is the last time you saw the union save anyone's job? Have you seen the statistics of the number of teachers with 20-30 years of teaching experience being let go right before they are up for retirement? Do you answer to 3 different sets of clients - students, parents, and administration all with different agendas and needs? You have no idea what it entails and until you do you probably shouldn't assume it is just comes with the territory because it doesn't. DCPS is the only district that uses IMPACT. It is not your typical evaluation. It is designed to make sure that teachers feel inadequate and requires them to tick off tasks that have nothing to do with how good an educator they are. That is not something that just comes with the territory. There is a reason Michelle Rhee was swept out of town.

You just made my point for me. The WTU crowd has no perspective and no context outside of DCPS. The questions you ask and statements you make illustrate that fact beautifllu. Thanks for making my point for me.

Note, many teachers are career changers and KNOW what "stressors" there are in other fields. - evidence to the contrary. See, all of the teacher defender posts above and below.

Since when has losing that valuable contract meant that someone's future could be at stake? - Not sure what you mean, but for many of us a single large client or deal could be lost or go out of business and our jobs are gone as a result. Shouldn't all the teachers who were employees elsewhere (see, above) know that?

When is the last time you saw the union save anyone's job? - You must be kidding, right? How about https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/decision-ordering-dc-to-rehire-75-teachers-is-upheld/2011/09/22/gIQAJMmkoK_story.html ? Not recent enough? How about February 2015 http://oea.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/oea/publication/attachments/Devarnita%20Williams%20v%20DCPS.pdf. In that one the teacher calling the kids "thieving ass kids" wasn't enough to get her fired. And please note that for the rest of us there's no appeal and no notice requirement. I do not think you understand what "at-will employment" means.

Do you answer to 3 different sets of clients - students, parents, and administration all with different agendas and needs? You have no idea what it entails and until you do you probably shouldn't assume it is just comes with the territory because it doesn't. - YES!!! It's called "my job". But the fact that you ask just shows that you really have no clue what the working world looks like outside of public education. The mere fact that you think that only teachers have multiple, dueling and inconsistent constituencies to serve proves my point.

It is not your typical evaluation. It is designed to make sure that teachers feel inadequate and requires them to tick off tasks that have nothing to do with how good an educator they are. Many of us work for companies that change management and philosophies over time. We agree with some and not with others. The rules change and things that we personally feel aren't important are emphasized or deemphasized. It's called "a job". And if we dislike thew new rules, we quit.

I think the point being made, albeit not in the best way, is that you are comparing a private sector position to a public sector position. Those are two vastly different work environments. I worked in the private sector before becoming a teacher. I know what stress in my previous job felt like. It is completely different from what I deal with now. Now I am responsible for the education of 150 students coming from various backgrounds, shapes and sizes. When I was observed in my previous job, I only had to make sure that I was on point. Now, I have upwards of 36 other bodies in my room when someone comes in to observe me. In my private sector job I only had two reviews a year. At my school, my classroom has a revolving door. I am to the point where I don't even care who comes in anymore. If they don't like what they see, they can come talk to me about it but they will probably just fire me instead. Also, that oea site doesn't work.

This person who is posting responses is clueless. They probably don't even work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for DCPS is no more stressful than an average urban school district of similar demographics, characteristics, etc. And that means--not particularly easy unless you've either got what it takes or are a good learner. And a lot of folks don't fit this bill. A few other soapbox opinions: TFAers are generally worthless, people's pipe-dreams for a gifted program in the same manner as they have in Fairfax or Montgomery County is not going to happen and is simply a sociology experiment to help well-to-do kids not have to be surrounded by "the masses".

Most teachers in DC have 4 or 5 unannounced observations per year. This means that at any time, on any day an administrator or a "master educator" can walk into a classroom and say they are there to observe the teacher for 30 minutes. I do not know of any other district that has this type of observation policy. It is extremely stressful, particularly in schools with very challenging behaviors.

Is this a bad thing? Serious question. If you are doing a good job and are a confident, consummate professional, what would be the concern with multiple unscheduled observations?

Is this a serious question, go spend a day East of the River, unannounced in a classroom and see what happens. Sometimes just walking through the halls is toxic and your career depends on this. I've known numerous teachers be ineffective in DC and go to Alexandria and Fairfax and be effective, the whole system is chaotic and up until recently was designed to fire a certain number of teachers every year regardless of how effective you were. It's madness, trust those that know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Advice to DCUM: use your real names and the Chancellor and/or DCPS may consider your gripes more than just grumbling under your breath.

Here's another idea: continue to post as if you're on an anonymous forum because uh that's what this is for.

And Kaya can take it or leave it.

She'll probably leave it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for DCPS is no more stressful than an average urban school district of similar demographics, characteristics, etc. And that means--not particularly easy unless you've either got what it takes or are a good learner. And a lot of folks don't fit this bill. A few other soapbox opinions: TFAers are generally worthless, people's pipe-dreams for a gifted program in the same manner as they have in Fairfax or Montgomery County is not going to happen and is simply a sociology experiment to help well-to-do kids not have to be surrounded by "the masses".

Most teachers in DC have 4 or 5 unannounced observations per year. This means that at any time, on any day an administrator or a "master educator" can walk into a classroom and say they are there to observe the teacher for 30 minutes. I do not know of any other district that has this type of observation policy. It is extremely stressful, particularly in schools with very challenging behaviors.

Is this a bad thing? Serious question. If you are doing a good job and are a confident, consummate professional, what would be the concern with multiple unscheduled observations?

Because again it isn't just a matter of it being a few unscheduled observations. Have some stranger pop up on you for a 30 minute snapshot of your day and determine if you are qualified do your job based on what happens in that 30 minutes. Do you have a client unwilling to agree to the terms you proposed. Marked down. Did you have a kid vomit on the rug right before this observer walked in the room and you now need to get 18-30 people refocused and back on track. Too bad. Until you have had to be scrutinized and raked over the coals to justify every single action and decision you made in that 30 minutes you can't imagine how disrespectful it feels to be a professional treated like a child.

That's what the rest of us call "our jobs".

Then that is really sad and perhaps you should also consider a career change.

And you might consider getting a "job". Cause if this all surprises you then you are living in a housewive's dream. Or maybe you're just a DCPS teacher!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for DCPS is no more stressful than an average urban school district of similar demographics, characteristics, etc. And that means--not particularly easy unless you've either got what it takes or are a good learner. And a lot of folks don't fit this bill. A few other soapbox opinions: TFAers are generally worthless, people's pipe-dreams for a gifted program in the same manner as they have in Fairfax or Montgomery County is not going to happen and is simply a sociology experiment to help well-to-do kids not have to be surrounded by "the masses".

Most teachers in DC have 4 or 5 unannounced observations per year. This means that at any time, on any day an administrator or a "master educator" can walk into a classroom and say they are there to observe the teacher for 30 minutes. I do not know of any other district that has this type of observation policy. It is extremely stressful, particularly in schools with very challenging behaviors.

Is this a bad thing? Serious question. If you are doing a good job and are a confident, consummate professional, what would be the concern with multiple unscheduled observations?

Because again it isn't just a matter of it being a few unscheduled observations. Have some stranger pop up on you for a 30 minute snapshot of your day and determine if you are qualified do your job based on what happens in that 30 minutes. Do you have a client unwilling to agree to the terms you proposed. Marked down. Did you have a kid vomit on the rug right before this observer walked in the room and you now need to get 18-30 people refocused and back on track. Too bad. Until you have had to be scrutinized and raked over the coals to justify every single action and decision you made in that 30 minutes you can't imagine how disrespectful it feels to be a professional treated like a child.

That's what the rest of us call "our jobs".

Then that is really sad and perhaps you should also consider a career change.

And you might consider getting a "job". Cause if this all surprises you then you are living in a housewive's dream. Or maybe you're just a DCPS teacher!

Nope. No need for a job. That's why I dedicated time getting multiple degrees and certifications so I could have a career.