Seriously FFX? why can't school start on Monday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask any parent in fairfax about the instruction and universally they will report it is BAD. This reverse instruction model is insane. Any unpopular kid ostracized and working alone in a group learning environment could be dead decomposing in a corner for several days before anyone would notice.

The principles stink because they don't care what happens in the classroom. They only care about the win-loss record of the football team.

The teachers are not smart. They are not experts in their fields. If they are asked a question that's not scripted from the lesson plan they downloaded from the internet last night they are clueless and become angry.

There is no joy in FCPS, because the teachers and administrators are not intellectuals. Everyday is just about covering your ass so the world doesn't find out how truly incapable and unprepared the instructors are to teach. There's no joy because there's never that eureka moment when a bright light flashes and a kid finally masters a concept they've been working on. FCPS teachers are so dull and disengaged they can't differentiate between a eureka moment and a oh crap this again moment.

Education does not get any worse than Fairfax Public Schools[u]

Another great DCUM quote for the "Hall of Shame".

[Anonymous]

To the pp who posted the greatest natural intectuals graduating from colleges may not be entering into k-12 education and consider compensation differentials that is understandable.

However, what is not understandable is why after ten years of teaching English teachers have not read the great classics or history teachers the same disciplinary equivalents. Why can't math teachers do calculus?

At 22 you are new and inexperienced. Why is it at 32 you have not broadened your base of knowledge and can barely remember the information you knew when you were a rookie teacher at 22.

Fairfax Public Schools will leave your children with less academic inquisitiveness than they arrived with

But the football games are fun and the boosters raise a ton of money!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask any parent in fairfax about the instruction and universally they will report it is BAD. This reverse instruction model is insane. Any unpopular kid ostracized and working alone in a group learning environment could be dead decomposing in a corner for several days before anyone would notice.

The principles stink because they don't care what happens in the classroom. They only care about the win-loss record of the football team.

The teachers are not smart. They are not experts in their fields. If they are asked a question that's not scripted from the lesson plan they downloaded from the internet last night they are clueless and become angry.

There is no joy in FCPS, because the teachers and administrators are not intellectuals. Everyday is just about covering your ass so the world doesn't find out how truly incapable and unprepared the instructors are to teach. There's no joy because there's never that eureka moment when a bright light flashes and a kid finally masters a concept they've been working on. FCPS teachers are so dull and disengaged they can't differentiate between a eureka moment and a oh crap this again moment.

Education does not get any worse than Fairfax Public Schools

That has not been my experience at all. I have two children who went through FCPS from kindergarten through 12th grade and are now in college. One is a Computer Engineering major and one is math/physics major, both a top 20 schools for their majors. They have been exceedingly well prepared for college, especially in science and math. Their HS classmates report similar experiences at their schools. While there were bumps in the road concerning aspects on one child's IEP in ES and MS (changes have been made for those who came after), their HS experience was phenomenal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask any parent in fairfax about the instruction and universally they will report it is BAD. This reverse instruction model is insane. Any unpopular kid ostracized and working alone in a group learning environment could be dead decomposing in a corner for several days before anyone would notice.

The principles stink because they don't care what happens in the classroom. They only care about the win-loss record of the football team.

The teachers are not smart. They are not experts in their fields. If they are asked a question that's not scripted from the lesson plan they downloaded from the internet last night they are clueless and become angry.

There is no joy in FCPS, because the teachers and administrators are not intellectuals. Everyday is just about covering your ass so the world doesn't find out how truly incapable and unprepared the instructors are to teach. There's no joy because there's never that eureka moment when a bright light flashes and a kid finally masters a concept they've been working on. FCPS teachers are so dull and disengaged they can't differentiate between a eureka moment and a oh crap this again moment.

Education does not get any worse than Fairfax Public Schools

The reverse model is not universal in FCPS. You seem very upset about this, and the wording of the post suggests that you are the poster who posts about this on a semi regular basis. I agree that the teaching in FCPS isn't that great, but it likely isn't worse than other school districts. Teaching is not a respected or highly paid job in this country, regardless of where you are. As a result, you tend to get mediocre teachers. You need to accept that and move on. The caliber of teachers won't change, so either accept it or homeschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the pp who posted the greatest natural intectuals graduating from colleges may not be entering into k-12 education and consider compensation differentials that is understandable.

However, what is not understandable is why after ten years of teaching English teachers have not read the great classics or history teachers the same disciplinary equivalents. Why can't math teachers do calculus?

At 22 you are new and inexperienced. Why is it at 32 you have not broadened your base of knowledge and can barely remember the information you knew when you were a rookie teacher at 22.

Fairfax Public Schools will leave your children with less academic inquisitiveness than they arrived with

But the football games are fun and the boosters raise a ton of money!

First, I don't buy into the idea that in order to be a good teacher you have to read "the great classics." There are many incredibly intelligent people who haven't. Also, if you acknowledge that the brightest don't go into teaching, why are you surprised 10 years later that the teachers are the same caliber as they were 10 years before? Intellect isn't something that is fluid.

[Anonymous]

What is universal is that every parent in fairfax county reports that their children are essentially home schooled. Reverse instruction is used across fairfax county and both parents and students equally hate it alike.

Students in FCPS are required to teach themselves higher order information and thinking skills. This teaching methodology is indefensible. If you don't like teaching ... don't, find a different job.
If you don't like the truth then improve your skills or find a different job.

The fact that FCPS has seasoned teachers who have not improved their teaching skills and their knowledge base since their rookie years is inexcusable.

[Anonymous]

OP- It could be worse. They could go to a four day school week like the one in Colorado. http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/747093.page

[Anonymous]

This is hilarious! The expectation in every profession is that individuals will grow and develop on the job. According to your logic a teacher at 32 should not be expected to grow professionally whatsoever beyond where they were intellectually a decade earlier.

If an English teacher has not read the classics how can they possibly teach the classics or comparative literature?

The problem with FCPS teachers is they have no desire for greatness. They are not inspired and they have no desire inspire greatness in their students. You throw them into groups and let them rot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is hilarious! The expectation in every profession is that individuals will grow and develop on the job. According to your logic a teacher at 32 should not be expected to grow professionally whatsoever beyond where they were intellectually a decade earlier.

If an English teacher has not read the classics how can they possibly teach the classics or comparative literature?

The problem with FCPS teachers is they have no desire for greatness. They are not inspired and they have no desire inspire greatness in their students. You throw them into groups and let them rot.

What I meant is there is a deference between knowledge and intelligence. The teacher will have more knowledge 10 years later, but won't be more intelligent, so will still be a mediocre teacher. Your expectations of where teachers should be 10 years later needs to take into consideration innate intelligence. Also, if a teacher is teaching the classics or comparative literature, they will have read what they are teaching. You can't possibly be suggesting they haven't read books they are teaching in class. You seem to think that there is a list of "great classics" that every English teacher must read, regardless of whether they cover those books in class. I disagree. Anyway, be realistic with your expectations. You can't start out with mediocre talent and expect greatness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many teachers are working parents, too. So unless their kids are already in school, they’ll also need to figure out childcare. It’s not like their lives are easier than ours or like teaching is a cushy gig. It’s not.

Yes. I’m a teacher and hate this as much as you. School should start on Monday. Finding one day childcare is horrible. My children’s school has open house that Monday morning and then we have the option of SACC but I’m at my school all day. DH is taking off the day to take them to the open house. Starting on Tuesday is inconvenient for everyone including teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many teachers are working parents, too. So unless their kids are already in school, they’ll also need to figure out childcare. It’s not like their lives are easier than ours or like teaching is a cushy gig. It’s not.

Yes. I’m a teacher and hate this as much as you. School should start on Monday. Finding one day childcare is horrible. My children’s school has open house that Monday morning and then we have the option of SACC but I’m at my school all day. DH is taking off the day to take them to the open house. Starting on Tuesday is inconvenient for everyone including teachers.

According to other teacher posters we're just whiny idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is hilarious! The expectation in every profession is that individuals will grow and develop on the job. According to your logic a teacher at 32 should not be expected to grow professionally whatsoever beyond where they were intellectually a decade earlier.

If an English teacher has not read the classics how can they possibly teach the classics or comparative literature?

The problem with FCPS teachers is they have no desire for greatness. They are not inspired and they have no desire inspire greatness in their students. You throw them into groups and let them rot.

What I meant is there is a deference between knowledge and intelligence. The teacher will have more knowledge 10 years later, but won't be more intelligent, so will still be a mediocre teacher. Your expectations of where teachers should be 10 years later needs to take into consideration innate intelligence. Also, if a teacher is teaching the classics or comparative literature, they will have read what they are teaching. You can't possibly be suggesting they haven't read books they are teaching in class. You seem to think that there is a list of "great classics" that every English teacher must read, regardless of whether they cover those books in class. I disagree. Anyway, be realistic with your expectations. You can't start out with mediocre talent and expect greatness.

They can't even follow basic practices though? Their way of giving feedback on writing is to give a grade on it and nothing more. Never any comments. How can children learn this way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is hilarious! The expectation in every profession is that individuals will grow and develop on the job. According to your logic a teacher at 32 should not be expected to grow professionally whatsoever beyond where they were intellectually a decade earlier.

If an English teacher has not read the classics how can they possibly teach the classics or comparative literature?

The problem with FCPS teachers is they have no desire for greatness. They are not inspired and they have no desire inspire greatness in their students. You throw them into groups and let them rot.

What I meant is there is a deference between knowledge and intelligence. The teacher will have more knowledge 10 years later, but won't be more intelligent, so will still be a mediocre teacher. Your expectations of where teachers should be 10 years later needs to take into consideration innate intelligence. Also, if a teacher is teaching the classics or comparative literature, they will have read what they are teaching. You can't possibly be suggesting they haven't read books they are teaching in class. You seem to think that there is a list of "great classics" that every English teacher must read, regardless of whether they cover those books in class. I disagree. Anyway, be realistic with your expectations. You can't start out with mediocre talent and expect greatness.

They can't even follow basic practices though? Their way of giving feedback on writing is to give a grade on it and nothing more. Never any comments. How can children learn this way?

You have to give up on this. You need to just supplement at home. FCPS is not good at teaching grammar or writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is universal is that every parent in fairfax county reports that their children are essentially home schooled. Reverse instruction is used across fairfax county and both parents and students equally hate it alike.

Students in FCPS are required to teach themselves higher order information and thinking skills. This teaching methodology is indefensible. If you don't like teaching ... don't, find a different job.
If you don't like the truth then improve your skills or find a different job.

The fact that FCPS has seasoned teachers who have not improved their teaching skills and their knowledge base since their rookie years is inexcusable.

Thats why we do Chinese school, and more than just for language. The level of the material and quality of the teaching is not up to our standards.

[Anonymous]

care.com and stfu