demoralized in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t the contract state the work day is 7.5 hours excluding lunch? Demanding teachers to report to work an hour prior to the arrival of students every day does not seem right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t the contract state the work day is 7.5 hours excluding lunch? Demanding teachers to report to work an hour prior to the arrival of students every day does not seem right.

It’s like PP doesn’t have a first period class. That makes sense if she is supposed to report at 7:45 and PD 2 starts at 9:00 roughly.

Here’s a typical MS schedule:

Duty Day starts at 7:45

Pd 1 starts at 8:15

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In most non-hourly professions, if you’re not going to miss anything (ie instructional time) that you can’t make up on your own time, you wouldn’t have to fill out a leave slip for being 30 minutes late once in a blue moon. Private schools don’t operate like this. I have worked in both, and it’s that kind of nitpicking and not being treated like a professional (especially if I was staying late working on my own time every day) that convinced me to get out of public. That, and the stupidity of the people making the decisions about what’s in the best interest of kids.

I'm thankful that my principal is pretty understanding about things like this, but it's unpredictable depending on her mood. I have a friend whose principal made her come in 30 minutes before the duty day began for her post observation conference, but then the principal freaked out when she realized my friend had left 10 minutes before the duty day ended since she had an appointment she needed to be on time for, and she made her take 15 minutes of personal leave for it. You can't have it both ways.

Either way, we're treated like salaried workers when that's beneficial to the system but by the same token we're also treated like hourly employees when that's beneficial to the system. You can't have it both ways (stay late for this, come early for that, sponsor a club completely uncompensated, serve on the leadership team uncompensated, do whatever it takes to get the work done no matter how long it takes etc., but then also make people take leave for small amounts of time when they're not physically in the building but it doesn't impact instruction in any way). If it's a habit, address it with that person (don't punish every staff member for the one or two who take advantage) but I feel much more willing to put in extra time uncompensated for a principal who doesn't think it's a big deal if I'm 10 minutes late in the morning once in a while or have to leave 15 minutes before the duty day ends to get to an appointment once a month, as long as the work is done and I'm prepared for my students. We're all human and need to give each other the benefit of the doubt. Those kinds of work environments have been the least toxic ones I've experienced, and people are more motivated to go the extra mile than the schools where you're monitored every time you come and go.

Sometimes it's not even the principal. The attendance secretary at one W middle school is over the top when it comes to bean counting. I doubt the principal cares nearly as much as she does, though he hasn't done much to keep her crazy under control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should make all instruction Online. There is no reason for my kid to be going to school at all.

Dp. How are parents supposed to work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should make all instruction Online. There is no reason for my kid to be going to school at all.

Dp. How are parents supposed to work?

Anyone who wants to online homeschool right now, can do so. There are free programs out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In most non-hourly professions, if you’re not going to miss anything (ie instructional time) that you can’t make up on your own time, you wouldn’t have to fill out a leave slip for being 30 minutes late once in a blue moon. Private schools don’t operate like this. I have worked in both, and it’s that kind of nitpicking and not being treated like a professional (especially if I was staying late working on my own time every day) that convinced me to get out of public. That, and the stupidity of the people making the decisions about what’s in the best interest of kids.

I'm thankful that my principal is pretty understanding about things like this, but it's unpredictable depending on her mood. I have a friend whose principal made her come in 30 minutes before the duty day began for her post observation conference, but then the principal freaked out when she realized my friend had left 10 minutes before the duty day ended since she had an appointment she needed to be on time for, and she made her take 15 minutes of personal leave for it. You can't have it both ways.

Either way, we're treated like salaried workers when that's beneficial to the system but by the same token we're also treated like hourly employees when that's beneficial to the system. You can't have it both ways (stay late for this, come early for that, sponsor a club completely uncompensated, serve on the leadership team uncompensated, do whatever it takes to get the work done no matter how long it takes etc., but then also make people take leave for small amounts of time when they're not physically in the building but it doesn't impact instruction in any way). If it's a habit, address it with that person (don't punish every staff member for the one or two who take advantage) but I feel much more willing to put in extra time uncompensated for a principal who doesn't think it's a big deal if I'm 10 minutes late in the morning once in a while or have to leave 15 minutes before the duty day ends to get to an appointment once a month, as long as the work is done and I'm prepared for my students. We're all human and need to give each other the benefit of the doubt. Those kinds of work environments have been the least toxic ones I've experienced, and people are more motivated to go the extra mile than the schools where you're monitored every time you come and go.

Sometimes it's not even the principal. The attendance secretary at one W middle school is over the top when it comes to bean counting. I doubt the principal cares nearly as much as she does, though he hasn't done much to keep her crazy under control.

At least two since I know of the secretary at one where the principal is female. But ultimately, despite being salaried, MCPS teachers are paid as hourly workers and this is how being late is treated for hourly workers like nurses as well. This thread is concerned about morale, but pretending that it isn’t bad for morale when some teachers consistently breeze in 2 min before their first class and are paid the same as those who report on time. The ones who arrive late 90% of the time aren’t the teachers staying until 6 pm. They are usually out the door a few minutes after the buses roll. As a result, others are covering their morning duties and hit up for class coverage more often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And in addition to the 190 days, we need to do summer trainings. I thought I thought we had the choice of doing online trainings (14 hours) but I was notified that because of not going in person in the middle of July and beginning of August — when I was out of the country — I now need to do 21 hours. The problem is that most of the training sessions are difficult to access. I was also reprimanded today for not being at work an hour before instruction. I explained about the weather and very slow traffic at no avail. It’s the disrespect and the lack of human compassion that makes many of us find a way to get out.

I also got that email. I thought some of the online mandatory trainings counted for some of it. I had no idea that I owe 21 hours!

I got that email, too. I don’t owe 21 hours, but I do “owe” a few. Part of the problem? Some online courses I took through the American Red Cross (approved by MCPS) don’t show up in the tally in the MCPS system. If past experience is prologue, it will take hours and hours of my time to “fix” this. So frustrated with MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should make all instruction Online. There is no reason for my kid to be going to school at all.

Dp. How are parents supposed to work?

Anyone who wants to online homeschool right now, can do so. There are free programs out there.

true

But you have to officially pull your kid out of school to homeschool. IIS, however, conducts the homeschool reviews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And in addition to the 190 days, we need to do summer trainings. I thought I thought we had the choice of doing online trainings (14 hours) but I was notified that because of not going in person in the middle of July and beginning of August — when I was out of the country — I now need to do 21 hours. The problem is that most of the training sessions are difficult to access. I was also reprimanded today for not being at work an hour before instruction. I explained about the weather and very slow traffic at no avail. It’s the disrespect and the lack of human compassion that makes many of us find a way to get out.

If you were going to arrive after your duty day starts, you follow protocol: call the office so they can be prepared in case you miss a meeting or they thought you’d be able to cover. And you take the appropriate amount of personal leave. This is not unfair. I was also late yesterday due to the rains, winds, and area drivers. At 7:30, I made the call. I arrived at 8:15 and filled out the leave slip for being 30 min late. Zero drama.

Lol

Maybe I'll buy you a punch card so you can clock in.

I predict you'll be on the admin track soon.

Oder why you were reprimanded. It wasn’t being late. It’s your sense of entitlement to not follow the same procedures as everyone else in your building. Why are you special and exempt?

Oder? The typo makes your response unclear.

I've been in two systems. In my other system, if we were late (due to heavy traffic, for example), a colleague covered. If we had to leave (a family emergency), someone would cover. Our school wasn't a factory. Admin was always informed and there were no issues.

That's not a sense of entitlement; that's being kind and compassionate.

Life OUTSIDE of the classroom happens. It doesn't stop b/c you clocked in by 7:30 am. So yes, just as I've gladly covered for colleagues who have had to deal with issues, my colleagues have gladly covered for me.

In MCPS, this used to be the case. not any longer . . .

When you suck the humanity out of a workplace, you don't keep employees.

You can't understand that??????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And in addition to the 190 days, we need to do summer trainings. I thought I thought we had the choice of doing online trainings (14 hours) but I was notified that because of not going in person in the middle of July and beginning of August — when I was out of the country — I now need to do 21 hours. The problem is that most of the training sessions are difficult to access. I was also reprimanded today for not being at work an hour before instruction. I explained about the weather and very slow traffic at no avail. It’s the disrespect and the lack of human compassion that makes many of us find a way to get out.

I also got that email. I thought some of the online mandatory trainings counted for some of it. I had no idea that I owe 21 hours!

I got that email, too. I don’t owe 21 hours, but I do “owe” a few. Part of the problem? Some online courses I took through the American Red Cross (approved by MCPS) don’t show up in the tally in the MCPS system. If past experience is prologue, it will take hours and hours of my time to “fix” this. So frustrated with MCPS.

So how will we be penalized for THEIR error? through out paychecks?

There's no way this will be resolved in an efficient and just manner. And we wonder why teachers are jumping ship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And in addition to the 190 days, we need to do summer trainings. I thought I thought we had the choice of doing online trainings (14 hours) but I was notified that because of not going in person in the middle of July and beginning of August — when I was out of the country — I now need to do 21 hours. The problem is that most of the training sessions are difficult to access. I was also reprimanded today for not being at work an hour before instruction. I explained about the weather and very slow traffic at no avail. It’s the disrespect and the lack of human compassion that makes many of us find a way to get out.

If you were going to arrive after your duty day starts, you follow protocol: call the office so they can be prepared in case you miss a meeting or they thought you’d be able to cover. And you take the appropriate amount of personal leave. This is not unfair. I was also late yesterday due to the rains, winds, and area drivers. At 7:30, I made the call. I arrived at 8:15 and filled out the leave slip for being 30 min late. Zero drama.

Lol

Maybe I'll buy you a punch card so you can clock in.

I predict you'll be on the admin track soon.

Oder why you were reprimanded. It wasn’t being late. It’s your sense of entitlement to not follow the same procedures as everyone else in your building. Why are you special and exempt?

Oder? The typo makes your response unclear.

I've been in two systems. In my other system, if we were late (due to heavy traffic, for example), a colleague covered. If we had to leave (a family emergency), someone would cover. Our school wasn't a factory. Admin was always informed and there were no issues.

That's not a sense of entitlement; that's being kind and compassionate.

Life OUTSIDE of the classroom happens. It doesn't stop b/c you clocked in by 7:30 am. So yes, just as I've gladly covered for colleagues who have had to deal with issues, my colleagues have gladly covered for me.

In MCPS, this used to be the case. not any longer . . .

When you suck the humanity out of a workplace, you don't keep employees.

You can't understand that??????

But there isn’t always someone available to cover willingly. So when you show up late, admin has to force coverage and now, they have pay that person who covered your class. So it is only fair that your pay is docked.

I don’t teach period 1 so I always get called to cover the classes of people whose subs don’t show or they are running late. I don’t mind when it’s the sub situation, but there’s one teacher who is twenty minutes late every Monday and every Friday. That’s almost half my 45 min planning period gone. Sometimes she walks in with Starbucks. The extra $7.50 in my paycheck doesn’t makeup for having to rush to prepare for my classes. She’s not running late because of traffic or a sick baby. Where is her compassion for the people she’s screwing over twice a week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And in addition to the 190 days, we need to do summer trainings. I thought I thought we had the choice of doing online trainings (14 hours) but I was notified that because of not going in person in the middle of July and beginning of August — when I was out of the country — I now need to do 21 hours. The problem is that most of the training sessions are difficult to access. I was also reprimanded today for not being at work an hour before instruction. I explained about the weather and very slow traffic at no avail. It’s the disrespect and the lack of human compassion that makes many of us find a way to get out.

If you were going to arrive after your duty day starts, you follow protocol: call the office so they can be prepared in case you miss a meeting or they thought you’d be able to cover. And you take the appropriate amount of personal leave. This is not unfair. I was also late yesterday due to the rains, winds, and area drivers. At 7:30, I made the call. I arrived at 8:15 and filled out the leave slip for being 30 min late. Zero drama.

Lol

Maybe I'll buy you a punch card so you can clock in.

I predict you'll be on the admin track soon.

Oder why you were reprimanded. It wasn’t being late. It’s your sense of entitlement to not follow the same procedures as everyone else in your building. Why are you special and exempt?

Oder? The typo makes your response unclear.

I've been in two systems. In my other system, if we were late (due to heavy traffic, for example), a colleague covered. If we had to leave (a family emergency), someone would cover. Our school wasn't a factory. Admin was always informed and there were no issues.

That's not a sense of entitlement; that's being kind and compassionate.

Life OUTSIDE of the classroom happens. It doesn't stop b/c you clocked in by 7:30 am. So yes, just as I've gladly covered for colleagues who have had to deal with issues, my colleagues have gladly covered for me.

In MCPS, this used to be the case. not any longer . . .

When you suck the humanity out of a workplace, you don't keep employees.

You can't understand that??????

But there isn’t always someone available to cover willingly. So when you show up late, admin has to force coverage and now, they have pay that person who covered your class. So it is only fair that your pay is docked.

I don’t teach period 1 so I always get called to cover the classes of people whose subs don’t show or they are running late. I don’t mind when it’s the sub situation, but there’s one teacher who is twenty minutes late every Monday and every Friday. That’s almost half my 45 min planning period gone. Sometimes she walks in with Starbucks. The extra $7.50 in my paycheck doesn’t makeup for having to rush to prepare for my classes. She’s not running late because of traffic or a sick baby. Where is her compassion for the people she’s screwing over twice a week?

Then that’s a situation that admin needs to become aware of and handle directly with that person. FWIW at least you get paid something to cover. In elementary school we don’t get paid anything to cover classes.

[Anonymous]

I just feel bad because the p made me fraud the numbers. I always worked hard fory own grades and then you become a teacher and principals want you to fraud so much it's sickening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And in addition to the 190 days, we need to do summer trainings. I thought I thought we had the choice of doing online trainings (14 hours) but I was notified that because of not going in person in the middle of July and beginning of August — when I was out of the country — I now need to do 21 hours. The problem is that most of the training sessions are difficult to access. I was also reprimanded today for not being at work an hour before instruction. I explained about the weather and very slow traffic at no avail. It’s the disrespect and the lack of human compassion that makes many of us find a way to get out.

If you were going to arrive after your duty day starts, you follow protocol: call the office so they can be prepared in case you miss a meeting or they thought you’d be able to cover. And you take the appropriate amount of personal leave. This is not unfair. I was also late yesterday due to the rains, winds, and area drivers. At 7:30, I made the call. I arrived at 8:15 and filled out the leave slip for being 30 min late. Zero drama.

Lol

Maybe I'll buy you a punch card so you can clock in.

I predict you'll be on the admin track soon.

Oder why you were reprimanded. It wasn’t being late. It’s your sense of entitlement to not follow the same procedures as everyone else in your building. Why are you special and exempt?

Oder? The typo makes your response unclear.

I've been in two systems. In my other system, if we were late (due to heavy traffic, for example), a colleague covered. If we had to leave (a family emergency), someone would cover. Our school wasn't a factory. Admin was always informed and there were no issues.

That's not a sense of entitlement; that's being kind and compassionate.

Life OUTSIDE of the classroom happens. It doesn't stop b/c you clocked in by 7:30 am. So yes, just as I've gladly covered for colleagues who have had to deal with issues, my colleagues have gladly covered for me.

In MCPS, this used to be the case. not any longer . . .

When you suck the humanity out of a workplace, you don't keep employees.

You can't understand that??????

But there isn’t always someone available to cover willingly. So when you show up late, admin has to force coverage and now, they have pay that person who covered your class. So it is only fair that your pay is docked.

I don’t teach period 1 so I always get called to cover the classes of people whose subs don’t show or they are running late. I don’t mind when it’s the sub situation, but there’s one teacher who is twenty minutes late every Monday and every Friday. That’s almost half my 45 min planning period gone. Sometimes she walks in with Starbucks. The extra $7.50 in my paycheck doesn’t makeup for having to rush to prepare for my classes. She’s not running late because of traffic or a sick baby. Where is her compassion for the people she’s screwing over twice a week?

Then that’s a situation that admin needs to become aware of and handle directly with that person. FWIW at least you get paid something to cover. In elementary school we don’t get paid anything to cover classes.

Principals should deal with these one off situations separately and handle the individuals who abuse the system, not treat everyone like children because a few take advantage of the system. For whatever reason, our attendance secretary is one of the most judgey, power hungry and unhappy people in our school. I don't know how my principal can stand her. And those two have been together professionally for years now. The only good thing is that she's the only one willing to take on the most nasty, "mean girl" department chair in the building. The two women hate each other.

[Anonymous]

These conversations remind me of a teacher who was awarded rookie or the year and teacher of the year. This was about 30 years ago in a different school system. She used to report to work at least 90 minutes before the start of the school day. The principal thought very highly of her until his own wife took over the classroom when she left to participate in month long seminar in London. The wife, a recently retired educator, was flabbergasted and I remember her telling me how she needed to “spoon feed“ each one of these 3rd graders who were supposedly excelling in every subject.
People, getting to work early does not necessarily translate to excellence in teaching.