Have the teachers gotten worse over the years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have left. We have vacancies every year and they usually aren’t filled with a teacher. They’re filled with the subs parents complain about. Even the subs don’t last so then you get the problem of revolving subs. Some of the subs have no experience and just stare at their phones all day. Be careful what you suggest because you just might get it.

This isn’t true in our county, and no one of my acquaintance which covers three surrounding school systems has a kid that isn’t being taught by a teacher, but rather a sub. What system do you teach in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have left. We have vacancies every year and they usually aren’t filled with a teacher. They’re filled with the subs parents complain about. Even the subs don’t last so then you get the problem of revolving subs. Some of the subs have no experience and just stare at their phones all day. Be careful what you suggest because you just might get it.

This isn’t true in our county, and no one of my acquaintance which covers three surrounding school systems has a kid that isn’t being taught by a teacher, but rather a sub. What system do you teach in?

I’m a DP and the teacher above is correct.

Even if you and your cohort of acquaintances doesn’t currently have a long-term sub, it’s still happening. I have one in my dept, too.

And ask yourself another question: how many of the teachers are in their first three years in the building? Probably many. Turnover is constant right now because of teachers quitting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe teachers wouldn’t need to take so much time off if the job was what it was 20+ years ago. It’s not.

Exactly this. Exactly this.

I’ve been teaching for over 20 years. Every year is harder and every year is more stressful. I feel it in my back, my jaw, and my clenched muscles. This isn’t healthy.

And the downtrodden and defeated teachers in the faculty lounge? It wasn’t like this at the start of my career.

So leave. Complaining endlessly has never once improved anyone’s circumstances and this endless litany of (often astonishingly privileged) woe from teachers has made everyone immune.

This is a thread about teachers. You should expect that some of them are going to explain the working conditions to you. These aren’t expressions of resentment or anger; they are merely explanations of working conditions. Would I express this elsewhere? No. Does it belong here? Yes.

And if we all leave — because trust me when I say the majority of us feel this way — who would you replace us with? This shortage exists because of the very working conditions you don’t want to hear about. There aren’t people lining up for these jobs right now, so telling those of us who are passionate enough to endure these conditions to leave seems like a bad call.

Your “working conductions” allow you to have an entire summer off, every holiday with extended days off, multiple other breaks during the school year, off for snow, off when it’s cold out, etc. I do think you should be able to muster enough mental fortitude to be able to make it through Monday through Friday of the limited time school is in session. There is an abundance of time off built into the school year already

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of our new teachers aren’t traditionally trained anymore. Their student teaching is maybe 4 weeks during summer school and then they have their own classroom. It’s not nearly enough preparation and they tend to not last long. Most quit by the end of the first or second year. Sometimes they quit in the first year.

+1. My child's school had a teacher in training with her own classroom start a couple of years ago. She quit mid year this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have left. We have vacancies every year and they usually aren’t filled with a teacher. They’re filled with the subs parents complain about. Even the subs don’t last so then you get the problem of revolving subs. Some of the subs have no experience and just stare at their phones all day. Be careful what you suggest because you just might get it.

This isn’t true in our county, and no one of my acquaintance which covers three surrounding school systems has a kid that isn’t being taught by a teacher, but rather a sub. What system do you teach in?

I’m a DP and the teacher above is correct.

Even if you and your cohort of acquaintances doesn’t currently have a long-term sub, it’s still happening. I have one in my dept, too.

And ask yourself another question: how many of the teachers are in their first three years in the building? Probably many. Turnover is constant right now because of teachers quitting.

This doesn’t bother me. The older teachers have some of the worst entitlement problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe teachers wouldn’t need to take so much time off if the job was what it was 20+ years ago. It’s not.

Exactly this. Exactly this.

I’ve been teaching for over 20 years. Every year is harder and every year is more stressful. I feel it in my back, my jaw, and my clenched muscles. This isn’t healthy.

And the downtrodden and defeated teachers in the faculty lounge? It wasn’t like this at the start of my career.

So leave. Complaining endlessly has never once improved anyone’s circumstances and this endless litany of (often astonishingly privileged) woe from teachers has made everyone immune.

This is a thread about teachers. You should expect that some of them are going to explain the working conditions to you. These aren’t expressions of resentment or anger; they are merely explanations of working conditions. Would I express this elsewhere? No. Does it belong here? Yes.

And if we all leave — because trust me when I say the majority of us feel this way — who would you replace us with? This shortage exists because of the very working conditions you don’t want to hear about. There aren’t people lining up for these jobs right now, so telling those of us who are passionate enough to endure these conditions to leave seems like a bad call.

Thank you for the opportunity for a laugh. Teachers aren’t just complaining here. It’s all over social media just like I said— not to mention the group chats, teacher boards, and conversations.

I would tell any professional who made claims that their job was unhealthy that they should leave it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have left. We have vacancies every year and they usually aren’t filled with a teacher. They’re filled with the subs parents complain about. Even the subs don’t last so then you get the problem of revolving subs. Some of the subs have no experience and just stare at their phones all day. Be careful what you suggest because you just might get it.

This isn’t true in our county, and no one of my acquaintance which covers three surrounding school systems has a kid that isn’t being taught by a teacher, but rather a sub. What system do you teach in?

Baltimore City. I have a few friends in other urban districts and they also have vacancies filled by subs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I believe the rise of 1:1 devices and educational technology is a major factor. Districts like FCPS cut teachers and invested lots of money in tech and it hasn’t worked.

Will it burden teachers if parents start opting out of 1:1 devices?

[Anonymous]

It’s not the teachers, it’s tje kids - along with the horrible “best practices” that have come into vogue over the last couple of decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously, there are good teachers and bad teachers now, and there were good teachers and bad teachers then.

But an argument I've heard that supports your theory is that back in the day, teaching was one of only a few acceptable career paths for smart women. Nowadays, there are million career paths for smart women. So presumably, at least some women who would have been teachers if they were born in 1945 are instead running companies or working as high level executives, lawyers, doctors, etc.

Ok, I’m a teacher and have heard this theory repeatedly.
I am truly not being defensive when I say this, but I strongly believe that teachers are much better than they were in tje past Including what teachers were like back in the 80’s when I was growing up.

Having more career options available to women means that the women who choose to go into education are doing so of a true desire. Not just going into teaching because they have no other options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Veteran teacher here.

The younger teachers coming in are just as competent and just as ambitious as those of us who started 20-30 years ago.

The difference is they are under considerably more pressure with considerably less support.

The teachers haven’t changed. The job has.

I would say they are even more competent and ambitious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is an elementary education major. She’s gotten many comments about her easy major and her easy job. (People can be rude.)

As a teacher myself, I know she’s entering into a demanding and potentially soul-crushing field. She’s going to wear so many hats: educator, entertainer, counselor, data analyst, mediator, negotiator, and nurse. Magician, too, since she’s going to be expected to perform miracles with few resources (if any).

When I started, I was simply expected to teach, and maybe counsel a bit on the side. I was also given more time and more support than what she’s about to receive.

We now expect teachers to fix the problems of society that others can’t or won’t deal with.

I’m so proud of her for taking on this job, but I know the reality: over 50% quit in the first few years because the job demands too much. I encouraged her to consider another field, but she’s committed to this idea and very excited. And so I’ll support her.

And the profession will be lucky to have her, even if it’s just for a few years.

I started teaching over 25 years ago and people were saying the exact same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I believe the rise of 1:1 devices and educational technology is a major factor. Districts like FCPS cut teachers and invested lots of money in tech and it hasn’t worked.

Will it burden teachers if parents start opting out of 1:1 devices?

I already have a mostly screen-free classroom so it wouldn’t burden me. It’s the change the kids really need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe teachers wouldn’t need to take so much time off if the job was what it was 20+ years ago. It’s not.

Exactly this. Exactly this.

I’ve been teaching for over 20 years. Every year is harder and every year is more stressful. I feel it in my back, my jaw, and my clenched muscles. This isn’t healthy.

And the downtrodden and defeated teachers in the faculty lounge? It wasn’t like this at the start of my career.

So leave. Complaining endlessly has never once improved anyone’s circumstances and this endless litany of (often astonishingly privileged) woe from teachers has made everyone immune.

This is a thread about teachers. You should expect that some of them are going to explain the working conditions to you. These aren’t expressions of resentment or anger; they are merely explanations of working conditions. Would I express this elsewhere? No. Does it belong here? Yes.

And if we all leave — because trust me when I say the majority of us feel this way — who would you replace us with? This shortage exists because of the very working conditions you don’t want to hear about. There aren’t people lining up for these jobs right now, so telling those of us who are passionate enough to endure these conditions to leave seems like a bad call.

Thank you for the opportunity for a laugh. Teachers aren’t just complaining here. It’s all over social media just like I said— not to mention the group chats, teacher boards, and conversations.

I would tell any professional who made claims that their job was unhealthy that they should leave it.

You have yet to answer my question: who will replace us as we continue to leave?

Those of us within the school buildings know we have two options:
1. Join the mass departure
2. Speak up about what’s going on in schools in a hope that conditions can improve. (You, I suppose, call that “complaining.”)

One of these options has the chance to fix the profession and therefore fix education for students. The other just continues the decline.

If you don’t want to hear teachers discussing their experiences, then I recommend getting off threads about teaching. You control your social media algorithm, so clearly you’re looking for this info if you’re getting so much of it. Interestingly, I don’t get that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe teachers wouldn’t need to take so much time off if the job was what it was 20+ years ago. It’s not.

Exactly this. Exactly this.

I’ve been teaching for over 20 years. Every year is harder and every year is more stressful. I feel it in my back, my jaw, and my clenched muscles. This isn’t healthy.

And the downtrodden and defeated teachers in the faculty lounge? It wasn’t like this at the start of my career.

So leave. Complaining endlessly has never once improved anyone’s circumstances and this endless litany of (often astonishingly privileged) woe from teachers has made everyone immune.

This is a thread about teachers. You should expect that some of them are going to explain the working conditions to you. These aren’t expressions of resentment or anger; they are merely explanations of working conditions. Would I express this elsewhere? No. Does it belong here? Yes.

And if we all leave — because trust me when I say the majority of us feel this way — who would you replace us with? This shortage exists because of the very working conditions you don’t want to hear about. There aren’t people lining up for these jobs right now, so telling those of us who are passionate enough to endure these conditions to leave seems like a bad call.

Thank you for the opportunity for a laugh. Teachers aren’t just complaining here. It’s all over social media just like I said— not to mention the group chats, teacher boards, and conversations.

I would tell any professional who made claims that their job was unhealthy that they should leave it.

You have yet to answer my question: who will replace us as we continue to leave?

Those of us within the school buildings know we have two options:
1. Join the mass departure
2. Speak up about what’s going on in schools in a hope that conditions can improve. (You, I suppose, call that “complaining.”)

One of these options has the chance to fix the profession and therefore fix education for students. The other just continues the decline.

If you don’t want to hear teachers discussing their experiences, then I recommend getting off threads about teaching. You control your social media algorithm, so clearly you’re looking for this info if you’re getting so much of it. Interestingly, I don’t get that much.

No, complaining about a problem constantly has actually never once fixed a profession. The only thing that does is organized reform and the only way you get THAT is by convincing a critical mass of voters (or donors) that you deserve their help.

Look at the NYC nursing strike. The reason that worked is because the public views nurses as honest and ethical— moreso than teachers. When the pandemic happened nurses put their lives and families at risk to help the sick. Teachers— at least in some counties— stayed home and demanded to keep staying home even after a vaccine was available to them.

No one is going to rally to the defense of teachers until they start showing value to the community. Which means to the parents of their students. A more productive use of “speaking up” would be leading the charge against screens in the classroom, advocating the rational calendars that support families, etc.

Take it from the nurses.

Or leave. Schools will replace you.

If you can’t