DCPS teachers work to the clock

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would never ask other (majority male) professions to volunteer their time like we do teachers. Imagine asking a corporate lawyer to give up his weekend "for the client firms." He wouldn't do it, and he would be right not to.

Are you naive? Professionals of all kinds typically work well beyond a 40-hour week.

Yes, and they get paid for it through bonuses and raises. Teachers do not.

Wow. Not in my experience. Professionals are often required to work a lot of overtime with no compensation. I worked 90 hour weeks for three months straight and got a small raise and no bonus.

[Anonymous]

What profession are you in?

[Anonymous]

Some jobs are hourly, some are not. If your job is not an hourly job (e.g. fill this post for the shift from 11 to 7), then you are paid to do a job no matter how long it takes.

Which kind of job is teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some jobs are hourly, some are not. If your job is not an hourly job (e.g. fill this post for the shift from 11 to 7), then you are paid to do a job no matter how long it takes.

Which kind of job is teaching?

It's salaried when it behooves the school system but also hourly when it behooves the school system.

[Anonymous]

Teaching in DC is a professional, salaried position but the terms of the work are governed by a collective bargaining agreement.

So it is similar, but not the same as your private sector, non-CBA position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We would never ask other (majority male) professions to volunteer their time like we do teachers. Imagine asking a corporate lawyer to give up his weekend "for the client firms." He wouldn't do it, and he would be right not to.

YES!! THIS X 1 MILLION. THANK YOU FOR THIS POST. I SAY THIS ALL OF THE TIME...

---TEACHER/PARENT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would never ask other (majority male) professions to volunteer their time like we do teachers. Imagine asking a corporate lawyer to give up his weekend "for the client firms." He wouldn't do it, and he would be right not to.

I don't work in DCPS so I don't have a dog in this fight but I'd like to speak to this. Teachers are always guilted into doing "what's best for the kids". And because teachers are generally compassionate and caring people, they buy into it. Case in point--I was at a meeting today where teachers who teach what I teach were basically told that our jobs will be phased out over the next few years. Here was an actual quote from a real teacher upon hearing this "well, if it's best for kids then I can't be against the idea.".

Somewhere along the line teachers have forgotten that we're professionals being paid for doing a job. We're not volunteers. This isn't the Peace Corps. Way too many have been drinking the Kool-Aid to the detriment of their own health, family and wallet because they keep being told to "do what's best for the kids". I fully support teachers working to the rule. We're expected to give more of our personal time and money every year. I have a line item in my personal budget for doing my job. How many other professionals have to buy their own supplies to be able to do their job? I'm expected to run clubs after school without any compensation. Enough is enough. If I'm getting paid for working a certain number of hours per week then that's the number of hours I'm working. Especially since I'm salary when it behooves the school system, but hourly when it behooves the school system like when I have to take 4 hours of sick leave for a 30 minute doctor appointment. They can't have it both ways.

Enough is enough.

I fully agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would never ask other (majority male) professions to volunteer their time like we do teachers. Imagine asking a corporate lawyer to give up his weekend "for the client firms." He wouldn't do it, and he would be right not to.

YES!! THIS X 1 MILLION. THANK YOU FOR THIS POST. I SAY THIS ALL OF THE TIME...

---TEACHER/PARENT

Do you really not know anyone who ins't a teacher? Because if you did, you'd be embarrassed by your post. Clearly you don't know any lawyers!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would never ask other (majority male) professions to volunteer their time like we do teachers. Imagine asking a corporate lawyer to give up his weekend "for the client firms." He wouldn't do it, and he would be right not to.

I don't work in DCPS so I don't have a dog in this fight but I'd like to speak to this. Teachers are always guilted into doing "what's best for the kids". And because teachers are generally compassionate and caring people, they buy into it. Case in point--I was at a meeting today where teachers who teach what I teach were basically told that our jobs will be phased out over the next few years. Here was an actual quote from a real teacher upon hearing this "well, if it's best for kids then I can't be against the idea.".

Somewhere along the line teachers have forgotten that we're professionals being paid for doing a job. We're not volunteers. This isn't the Peace Corps. Way too many have been drinking the Kool-Aid to the detriment of their own health, family and wallet because they keep being told to "do what's best for the kids". I fully support teachers working to the rule. We're expected to give more of our personal time and money every year. I have a line item in my personal budget for doing my job. How many other professionals have to buy their own supplies to be able to do their job? I'm expected to run clubs after school without any compensation. Enough is enough. If I'm getting paid for working a certain number of hours per week then that's the number of hours I'm working. Especially since I'm salary when it behooves the school system, but hourly when it behooves the school system like when I have to take 4 hours of sick leave for a 30 minute doctor appointment. They can't have it both ways.

Enough is enough.

I fully agree with this.

All these other professions that you speak of that are salaried and require more than 40 work hours a week are also professions where there is nowhere near as low a cap on salary as with teachers. You cite your accomplishments and contributions to your company and can move into a different job with higher salary and build and build and build. At least that's what professionals work towards. Teachers cap out and still continue to use their own time to keep afloat. It's comparing apples to oranges. There's really no job growth with teachers. Once you cap off at the highest "step" that's it. No chance at VP, no stock options, no making partner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would never ask other (majority male) professions to volunteer their time like we do teachers. Imagine asking a corporate lawyer to give up his weekend "for the client firms." He wouldn't do it, and he would be right not to.

I don't work in DCPS so I don't have a dog in this fight but I'd like to speak to this. Teachers are always guilted into doing "what's best for the kids". And because teachers are generally compassionate and caring people, they buy into it. Case in point--I was at a meeting today where teachers who teach what I teach were basically told that our jobs will be phased out over the next few years. Here was an actual quote from a real teacher upon hearing this "well, if it's best for kids then I can't be against the idea.".

Somewhere along the line teachers have forgotten that we're professionals being paid for doing a job. We're not volunteers. This isn't the Peace Corps. Way too many have been drinking the Kool-Aid to the detriment of their own health, family and wallet because they keep being told to "do what's best for the kids". I fully support teachers working to the rule. We're expected to give more of our personal time and money every year. I have a line item in my personal budget for doing my job. How many other professionals have to buy their own supplies to be able to do their job? I'm expected to run clubs after school without any compensation. Enough is enough. If I'm getting paid for working a certain number of hours per week then that's the number of hours I'm working. Especially since I'm salary when it behooves the school system, but hourly when it behooves the school system like when I have to take 4 hours of sick leave for a 30 minute doctor appointment. They can't have it both ways.

Enough is enough.

I fully agree with this.

All these other professions that you speak of that are salaried and require more than 40 work hours a week are also professions where there is nowhere near as low a cap on salary as with teachers. You cite your accomplishments and contributions to your company and can move into a different job with higher salary and build and build and build. At least that's what professionals work towards. Teachers cap out and still continue to use their own time to keep afloat. It's comparing apples to oranges. There's really no job growth with teachers. Once you cap off at the highest "step" that's it. No chance at VP, no stock options, no making partner.

And no project manager roles, management track, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dcps teacher here. I could never work to the clock. My allegiance is to the kids, not dcps and that means doing what's right for them. Not looking for any pats on the back..I just don't know how people do it. I envy the teachers who manage to get out of the building at 3;30. Can't for the life of me figure out how they do it and manage to get their work done.

I'm a DCPS teacher and I leave at 330 everyday. I also get to work at 7:30, work through my lunch and prep time. I will work my butt off for my kids till 3:30. But I have small children at home and I refuse to neglect my own children because of my job. I work on the weekends during nap time and will work after my kids go to bed at night. But from 3:30-8:30 I am 100% mom and I'm sorry if people think I'm a bad teacher because of it. BTW, I get stellar observation scores before someone tries to say otherwise.

I'm PP. How long have you been teaching? Are you a long time veteran? Maybe that has something to do with it. I'm a specials teacher at a school with many "challenges" and it's still so overwhelming. I too, plan through my lunch and planning periods....and I get adequate observation scores.

To the PP who gets out at 3:30 with stellar observations, do you work at a title I school?

Yes I do work at a Title 1 school and have been there for the past 9 years. I'm a special education teacher who teaches three different grade levels. I plan smart not hard. I rarely talk and gossip with co workers. I use every available minute at school to plan. I am diligent about prioritizing my time. I understand it's harder for others but when I had my kids I told myself I was done staying till 4:30/5:00 everyday. My kids deserve me not an absent mom.

The special ed part explains a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, on the clock. Does that mean working more than the 6 hour school hours?
Does that mean working over Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break, which the rest of the US requires vacation time that teachers don't have to work?
What about the professional days that always seem to fall around long weekends?
Give us a break. You get 2 months off with a million off days that no one outside of teaching gets.
And PS., the majority of the US population only gets 2-3 weeks of vacation. Stop whining.

LOL you are clueless. Teach for a week in a school and then say this.