To the parents in "good schools"

[Anonymous]

I have a moment now in between waiting for kids at different sports, but I wanted to write a post to maybe spur a real discussion.

I taught in FCPS for over 10 years. The first ten I worked in a high poverty, high ESOL school. It was an amazing experience. I learned so much as a teacher. I was constantly challenged and I was constantly pushed to come up with ways to reach our kids. I still remember the day when a kid I taught who spoke no English told me she got into TJ. This is why I love teaching. The school had a high turnover because it was a tough place to teach. They had a lot of people who used it to get into the system and then ran to schools where student performance wasn't an issue.

Well, life happened. I normally worked 12 hour days during the school year and usually spent Sunday afternoons planning for Monday. I had a baby. And another one. And I don't live near our school, so I decided to transfer to a new school closer to where we live. It's one of those affluent schools the SOL pass rates are so high no one even blinks an eye.

And the past few years has been easy. The kids are great (because I love kids and these kids are awesome too). The parents are responsive in a way that blows my mind. I send a note for supplies and am given tons. It's night and day. And I really love the community. These are good people.

But they deserve better. And by that I mean we coast. I will give an example. I had a teacher in my grade mention that her kids were not getting a math issue. I offered ten different ways to teach it beyond the default pacing guide and she shrugged and said she's sending home some worksheets and a note. The parents will either handle it or get the kids tutoring.

It hit me that these people who are spending so much money to live around here, who care so deeply, and who tout our school as amazing. It's not us. It's them. I don't know what to do that. Anyway, sorry for the vent, but if anyone feels this way, it might make me feel less bonkers.

[Anonymous]

1000% agree. I taught in a low income school for years until I had my first child. I switched to a wealthy school and lasted 1 year. The kids were amazing, the families were awesome, but the staff was mediocre at best. I went back to another high poverty school the next year and surrounded myself with amazing staff who bend over backwards to help kids be successful.

[Anonymous]

Yes. We know. The running sad joke around our school is that our teachers don't teach basic skills because they just expect the parents to do that.

[Anonymous]

The only time you get the cohort AND the faculty is a big money private.

[Anonymous]

I agree. And that's why there's such h a huge discrepancy between the scores of lower income students and the majority of the UMC kids. These teachers are complacent teaching easy kids who have parental support, know how to study and get lots of tutoring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree. And that's why there's such h a huge discrepancy between the scores of lower income students and the majority of the UMC kids. These teachers are complacent teaching easy kids who have parental support, know how to study and get lots of tutoring.

You mean in schools that have a lot of high achieving kids? Probably true. The principal doesn't require the extra effort by the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. And that's why there's such h a huge discrepancy between the scores of lower income students and the majority of the UMC kids. These teachers are complacent teaching easy kids who have parental support, know how to study and get lots of tutoring.

You mean in schools that have a lot of high achieving kids? Probably true. The principal doesn't require the extra effort by the teachers.

Yes. I mean in high rated schools. My schools rating dropped like a rock once great schools compared the scores of low income to high income. The school just wasn't as good for needier kids who needed more teaching

[Anonymous]

The more motivated, higher-achieving peer group at our pyramid makes a big difference. Even if some of the teachers were hard-working, there were more students who were happy to coast at our prior, lower-achieving school. It’s OK if some of the teachers get a bit lazy; the students at a top school will still push each other.

[Anonymous]

It does benefit staff and parents though to have less turnover. Having a sub for the year is not fun.

Ideally schools are places where teachers are interested in teaching but not burnt out.

[Anonymous]

OP, sounds like you teach elementary school where parents can have a big impact. Sorry that your peers are coasting.

I think in HS, it may be a different equation -- but maybe you or others have direct experience. In the lower HSs, my anecdotal info is that there are more behavioral problems that run teachers out of the school. In the higher SES HSs, they can hire the better teachers b/c more teachers apply and want to be where the kids want to learn (don't have to deal with disrespectful/disinterested/disruptive kids as much).

[Anonymous]

I know teachers who give 4th graders the name of websites to learn content instead of doing giving explicit lessons. It is sort of a combination of laziness and mediocrity.

[Anonymous]

I was reminded about this post from 4 years ago :

"I taught school. Any decent teacher can provide a challenge. She/he cannot provide competition. Seems like that is what a lot of posters on here expect."

How do you get the competition at high poverty / high ESOL school? Unless the school is a self selecting lottery school.

[Anonymous]

I don't know why but my point seems to be falling flat here.

Yes, the parents will pick up the slack. Yes, they will send materials, money or supplement. My school's attitude is always to push to the parents. A kid needs speech. Tell the parents and they'll get a private eval and services. A kid has ADHD issues possibly? No, we don't do Kid Watch if a kid is going well and meeting standards. Mom and Dad will step in.

When I worked in a Title I school, we were all about getting the kids the supports they needed. Now, it's the opposite.

And the kids doing well? Needing extensions? Well... (to semi-out myself) that's the whole AAP push. If you want that service, you better qualify. Otherwise, it's more of the same.

I love teaching. I love working less and getting outstanding reviews. But there is a part of me that thinks we are doing everything wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why but my point seems to be falling flat here.

Yes, the parents will pick up the slack. Yes, they will send materials, money or supplement. My school's attitude is always to push to the parents. A kid needs speech. Tell the parents and they'll get a private eval and services. A kid has ADHD issues possibly? No, we don't do Kid Watch if a kid is going well and meeting standards. Mom and Dad will step in.

When I worked in a Title I school, we were all about getting the kids the supports they needed. Now, it's the opposite.

And the kids doing well? Needing extensions? Well... (to semi-out myself) that's the whole AAP push. If you want that service, you better qualify. Otherwise, it's more of the same.

I love teaching. I love working less and getting outstanding reviews. But there is a part of me that thinks we are doing everything wrong.

You aren’t going to to get much out of this bunch. They’ve got too much personal
Investment in their purchased pyramid. They simply won’t hear this.

[Anonymous]

After our school became Title 1, some teachers left because they did not have the special credentials to teach at a Title 1 school. I believe it's up to the teachers to obtain the credentials themselves. Year after year, when the gap students would not score well, the teachers had to go through more training. Wash, rinse, repeat. At least Title 1 funding paid for that. I'm surprised you didn't get burned out, OP.

When my youngest was in lower ES, the teacher needed volunteers to read to the children. When I arrived, I was told it was for those who didn't have native English at home. And, if a student had native English (smaller %age of the class), I was told to read just a little, then "send them on their way". I wondered if this was the case when I was not there - just focus the attention where it was needed and send the rest on their way!