Ditch the PTA, join the Parents' Coalition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:06:20

Simple economics. If a society wants highly motivated, highly intelligent people to enter teaching then society needs to reward them as such. If not, then don't expect the best/brighest to enter the field of education.

You can't ask people to choose careers that require them to earn advanced degrees and skills that are mostly unique to education and then decide to pay them less because they are employable only within the field of education.

Two excellent points! The future of this county is in education. Crappy teachers = crappy product. Crappy product = crappy future. We have to treat teachers better (which also means less bashing from the public).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this board is hilarious, so what is it teachers: all about the kids or all about the benies?

I love this "last ditch" arguement by non-teachers. Such a cop out! You can't complain about your salary because you are then selfish and not doing it for "the kids". This makes me giggle.

I don't know a single teacher that got into teaching because of the salary. EVERY teacher I know loves working with children or teenagers and wanted to make a difference.

[Anonymous]

I know a lot of people for whom $70K a year, excellent benefits, 6 weeks in the summer to spend with family/pursue other interests, and union-protected job security, plus the opportunity to work with kids, would seem like a pretty great deal.

I think teachers should make a lot of money and get great benefits. I just don't get the constant "poor me" attitude.

I also think if we pay teachers more we need to expect more of them in terms of education. Lots of my kids' teachers can't write a grammatical sentence to save their lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a lot of people for whom $70K a year, excellent benefits, 6 weeks in the summer to spend with family/pursue other interests, and union-protected job security, plus the opportunity to work with kids, would seem like a pretty great deal.

I think teachers should make a lot of money and get great benefits. I just don't get the constant "poor me" attitude.

I also think if we pay teachers more we need to expect more of them in terms of education. Lots of my kids' teachers can't write a grammatical sentence to save their lives.

Sadly, looking at some of the material teachers send back home I am constantly reminded of the quality of public school teachers. Let's face it you can flunk high school, attend Columbia Community College (now known as an university!!!), get into a education program and start teaching!!! Today, teachers do the minimum in the classroom. They are silent when school systems implement nonsensical programs--Curriculum 2.0 and don't seem to care a bit that they are churning out barely able students. Let us see teachers and unions fight to teach our children well and I'll become a supporter. Until then, I feel more teacher accountability is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a lot of people for whom $70K a year, excellent benefits, 6 weeks in the summer to spend with family/pursue other interests, and union-protected job security, plus the opportunity to work with kids, would seem like a pretty great deal.

It is a GREAT deal, and part of the reason I LOVE teaching!!!!!!!

My question is, if you are all so upset at how "great" we've ot it, why didn't you become a teacher yourself?

[Anonymous]

Today, teachers do the minimum in the classroom. They are silent when school systems implement nonsensical programs--Curriculum 2.0 and don't seem to care a bit that they are churning out barely able students. Let us see teachers and unions fight to teach our children well and I'll become a supporter. Until then, I feel more teacher accountability is needed.

While I disagree that teachers do the bare minimum (our teacher was amazing for our child who has GT/LD issues), you bring up an interesting point. The teacher's union really seems to operate solely as an organized labor entity. Unions are in deep decline and public support is likely to keep decreasing, not increasing. If the union fought back on all the bad curricular reform ideas from an honest position of improving education rather than appearing to only fight teacher evaluation then they would receive much higher main stream political support. This translates into a better bargaining unti negotiation position.

I don't know any parents who support Curriculum 2.0. Its actually insulting that the county thinks this is an appropriate response to parental pressure to bring back more geography, social studies, science, art, and music. The sad reality is that most of the curricular reform is aimed at justifying spending less on students. Science, art, music, social studies and anything beyond teaching to the test through worksheets requires facilities, trained teachers and materials beyond a Xeroxed worksheet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Today, teachers do the minimum in the classroom. They are silent when school systems implement nonsensical programs--Curriculum 2.0 and don't seem to care a bit that they are churning out barely able students. Let us see teachers and unions fight to teach our children well and I'll become a supporter. Until then, I feel more teacher accountability is needed.

First, are you a teacher?

As a teacher I cannot tell you how many times I have been OUTRAGED with what I have seen around me. I have had students fail my class (a requirement for graduation) and watch them walk across the stage anyway. Grades simply get "overturned" becuase a lower graduation rate is not acceptable. My first year teaching I had 13 students drop out senior year but only five of them were listed as actual "drop-outs" because they came to the school and actually withdrew themselves. The other eight were still on the books because they didn't complete paper work.

Kids get passed through over and over again. They come to high school unable to read above a first grade level. How did they get there? Because middle schools aren't allowed to retain students so they just get passed along. This should be enough to anger every single parent.

I have complained at staff meetings, union meetings, the state, etc.. about VARIOUS problems I see in education. The result? You get blacklisted, surplussed, stuck with lousy classes, etc. It isn't that simple. So don't kid yourself that teachers are stitting around just collecting paychecks and having a fun summer at the beach. We are furious but really have NO voice. The county is just too big.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Today, teachers do the minimum in the classroom. They are silent when school systems implement nonsensical programs--Curriculum 2.0 and don't seem to care a bit that they are churning out barely able students. Let us see teachers and unions fight to teach our children well and I'll become a supporter. Until then, I feel more teacher accountability is needed.

First, are you a teacher?

As a teacher I cannot tell you how many times I have been OUTRAGED with what I have seen around me. I have had students fail my class (a requirement for graduation) and watch them walk across the stage anyway. Grades simply get "overturned" becuase a lower graduation rate is not acceptable. My first year teaching I had 13 students drop out senior year but only five of them were listed as actual "drop-outs" because they came to the school and actually withdrew themselves. The other eight were still on the books because they didn't complete paper work.

Kids get passed through over and over again. They come to high school unable to read above a first grade level. How did they get there? Because middle schools aren't allowed to retain students so they just get passed along. This should be enough to anger every single parent.

I have complained at staff meetings, union meetings, the state, etc.. about VARIOUS problems I see in education. The result? You get blacklisted, surplussed, stuck with lousy classes, etc. It isn't that simple. So don't kid yourself that teachers are stitting around just collecting paychecks and having a fun summer at the beach. We are furious but really have NO voice. The county is just too big.

First, to answer your question: YES. You pretty much summed up what I feel. I am working on giving folks like me, and perhaps if I may say so, you, a voice in the mix. I must add that I am not too thrilled with parents as well. Parents need to show they care by sending to school well behaved kids who want to learn. So, how many teachers are willing to rise up for a better education for our kids and yours?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a lot of people for whom $70K a year, excellent benefits, 6 weeks in the summer to spend with family/pursue other interests, and union-protected job security, plus the opportunity to work with kids, would seem like a pretty great deal.

It is a GREAT deal, and part of the reason I LOVE teaching!!!!!!!

My question is, if you are all so upset at how "great" we've ot it, why didn't you become a teacher yourself?

I'm not at all upset at how great you have it and freely admit I could never be a teacher. I think teachers deserve a lot -- I just don't get why so many aren't happy with this.

[Anonymous]

I have to echo the second PP's thoughts.

I've been in the system for quite a long time; this is my second career. I lasted. Sadly, I can't say the same for many others - either new teachers or those transitioning into this field from another career.

Although I'm not thrilled with the curriculum, I am creative enough to make it more than it is WHILE hitting the significant indicators. I differentiate b/c I have multiple reading levels in all of my classes. So I spend HOURS finding materials that cover the same subject matter that's easily accessible for low readers and challenging for high readers. Aside from research, there are HOURS of planning based on materials - planning unit after unit, lesson after lesson. And then there are HOURS of grading. I had to give up AP literature b/c the planning and grading were interfering too much with my personal life. NO JOB is worth more than my own kids.

And while I've come across the most wonderful parents over my many years in the system, I will place blame on parents first if a child constantly misbehaves. I've seen both ends - children in homeless shelters, children driving SUVs to school. Dysfunction is dysfunction - whether it's from neglect or enabling.

So to those of you who think we have it made, try the job for a day. You'll sink; that much I can guarantee. Sadly, it's the public's opinion that makes our lives more and more miserable each year. So when you complain about poor quality, put your money where your mouth is, as school systems are now becoming a revolving door due to poor working conditions, low pay, and ugly perceptions as to who we are and what we do.

It will only get worse, and those of us in the classroom are not to blame. Many of YOU are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Today, teachers do the minimum in the classroom. They are silent when school systems implement nonsensical programs--Curriculum 2.0 and don't seem to care a bit that they are churning out barely able students. Let us see teachers and unions fight to teach our children well and I'll become a supporter. Until then, I feel more teacher accountability is needed.

First, are you a teacher?

As a teacher I cannot tell you how many times I have been OUTRAGED with what I have seen around me. I have had students fail my class (a requirement for graduation) and watch them walk across the stage anyway. Grades simply get "overturned" becuase a lower graduation rate is not acceptable. My first year teaching I had 13 students drop out senior year but only five of them were listed as actual "drop-outs" because they came to the school and actually withdrew themselves. The other eight were still on the books because they didn't complete paper work.

Kids get passed through over and over again. They come to high school unable to read above a first grade level. How did they get there? Because middle schools aren't allowed to retain students so they just get passed along. This should be enough to anger every single parent.

I have complained at staff meetings, union meetings, the state, etc.. about VARIOUS problems I see in education. The result? You get blacklisted, surplussed, stuck with lousy classes, etc. It isn't that simple. So don't kid yourself that teachers are stitting around just collecting paychecks and having a fun summer at the beach. We are furious but really have NO voice. The county is just too big.

[Anonymous]

I wish I could ditch the PTA, but this is the only way to get information about your DC's school.

[Anonymous]

Ever see the old Mel Gibson movie "Conspiracy Theory"? This is what the PC reminds me of to some degree. Come up with enough outlandishly crazy ideas and accusations and eventually they'll get one right.

Witness the hysteria they tried to create with the Wootton concert or the way they are running with the accusations that Highland Elementary cheated on their test scores.

[Anonymous]

The Montgomery County PTA is a complete joke. They have just elected a child to their executive committee. Somebody added the name of a 15 year old boy to the slate but everybody voting thought they were voting for an adult. Embarassing to say the least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ever see the old Mel Gibson movie "Conspiracy Theory"? This is what the PC reminds me of to some degree. Come up with enough outlandishly crazy ideas and accusations and eventually they'll get one right.

Witness the hysteria they tried to create with the Wootton concert or the way they are running with the accusations that Highland Elementary cheated on their test scores.

Be realistic. PC is a group that exists to promote Janis and Roseanne and ..... The group seems to be using the blog to create hysteria and generate attention to promote the political aspiration of some in the group. Yes, they take shots at the PTA but are they any better?

Look at the blog and you will notice some post under pseudonyms!!! So much for transparency!!!! So, look at the list and get to know the folks to avoid.

Otherwise, enjoy the blog for what it is--a gossip column.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Montgomery County PTA is a complete joke. They have just elected a child to their executive committee. Somebody added the name of a 15 year old boy to the slate but everybody voting thought they were voting for an adult. Embarassing to say the least.

the former pres Kay Romero often misled the Delegates with regards to voting.