Why does no one acknowledge how overworked teachers are?

[Anonymous]

My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't want to derail this thread as a non-teacher but as a parent I am deeply concerned by the state of education in our country and therefore am reading threads like this to learn and hear perspectives.

For context, I often disagree with the educational policies that both political parties espouse and have considered myself a moderate independent for several years. I believe that we need a robust, thriving capitalist economy that innovates and offers diverse employment opportunities. I also believe that our nation needs to be investing in education and teachers much more efficiently and effectively than it currently is.

Culturally somehow we adults have also really lost sight of acting consistently and making small choices in the best interests of students. There is a palpable sense of overwhelm everywhere with teachers, administrators, and parents. Behavior standards, safety, grading standards, and so many other elements in schools are crumbling. There seem to be whipsaw decisions determining best practices in teaching and frequent ideological warfare instead of solutions and compromises. And yet the same rigid curricula often seem to permeate schools that doesn't necessarily prepare students well for college and/or the job market.

So. There seems to be little doubt that we need to attract teachers to the profession, we need to improve teacher quality standards, and teachers need to be able to afford to live comfortably. I don't know enough about the red tape teachers face but there seems to be a lot of that too.

What would move the needle? A loan forgiveness program that would waive loans while the teacher is actively employed and meeting certain standards? What would those standards look like? Is there a bonus structure that can be implemented to encourage excellence? Is there a more reasonable way to help ESOL/FARMS/SN kids get the support they need while not straining attention for classmates that are ready to move faster? What is preventing behavior mandates that phones are put away during class, kids are expected to behave and abusive parent entitlement behaviors are not placated?

I'd like to advocate for positive change. The solutions are not solely in voting for one political party IMO. Would value your insights, if you are willing to offer them

These already exist in DCPS. If you look up news on our bonus system IMPACT, you'll see that it is one of the highest causes for teachers wanting to leave DCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This generation of teachers is the most under-worked and over-entitled ever.

In the 1970s my mother would carry bags of books home with her every single night and sit up grading her HS kids French homework, putting in corrections and encouragement and grades. Every single night.

Homework just doesn't exist on that level any more. You'r'e lucky if the teacher checks its been done, but they don't engage with it at all.

I do this. Every single night. I work every Saturday. Every Sunday. I am comfortable estimating I work 70 hours at least one week a month and never under 60. My coworkers are quitting because of the workload and I’m seriously considering it.

I’m underworked and over-entitled?

You teach Elementary. there is a world of difference between Elementary and High School in terms of workload and rigor. You are basically spending your weekend putting smiley faces on bad pictures.

Now this right here is a troll. I'd encourage others to ignore going forward

No. What I am is a critic. I am the original poster of the mother who was a teacher in the 70s who bust a nut every night for her HS students. I'm also a parent of 2 kids in the US education system and I've met exactly 1 excellent teacher in their ES experience and 0 in their MS experience and probably 2 maybe 3 excellent teachers in their HS experience. The rest have been bottom-feeders, bottom feeders who are uninspiring and entitled, who think staying after school for 30 mins is a HUGE impingement on their lives, who literally don't give a F about the individuals in their class.

Who in their right mind would become a teacher these days? Nothing but contempt from parents, orders from the school system, all for low pay and high stress. In the past, it was a women's job, because women couldn't become rocket scientists, computer programmers, politicians, etc. Now they can. The best and the brightest are NOT going into education

That is correct, the bottom 20% are going into education thinking it is going to be an easy ride.

Ah yes, the bottom 20% are teaching your kids Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Music, and how to write a coherent essay.

...yeah

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't want to derail this thread as a non-teacher but as a parent I am deeply concerned by the state of education in our country and therefore am reading threads like this to learn and hear perspectives.

For context, I often disagree with the educational policies that both political parties espouse and have considered myself a moderate independent for several years. I believe that we need a robust, thriving capitalist economy that innovates and offers diverse employment opportunities. I also believe that our nation needs to be investing in education and teachers much more efficiently and effectively than it currently is.

Culturally somehow we adults have also really lost sight of acting consistently and making small choices in the best interests of students. There is a palpable sense of overwhelm everywhere with teachers, administrators, and parents. Behavior standards, safety, grading standards, and so many other elements in schools are crumbling. There seem to be whipsaw decisions determining best practices in teaching and frequent ideological warfare instead of solutions and compromises. And yet the same rigid curricula often seem to permeate schools that doesn't necessarily prepare students well for college and/or the job market.

So. There seems to be little doubt that we need to attract teachers to the profession, we need to improve teacher quality standards, and teachers need to be able to afford to live comfortably. I don't know enough about the red tape teachers face but there seems to be a lot of that too.

What would move the needle? A loan forgiveness program that would waive loans while the teacher is actively employed and meeting certain standards? What would those standards look like? Is there a bonus structure that can be implemented to encourage excellence? Is there a more reasonable way to help ESOL/FARMS/SN kids get the support they need while not straining attention for classmates that are ready to move faster? What is preventing behavior mandates that phones are put away during class, kids are expected to behave and abusive parent entitlement behaviors are not placated?

I'd like to advocate for positive change. The solutions are not solely in voting for one political party IMO. Would value your insights, if you are willing to offer them

These already exist in DCPS. If you look up news on our bonus system IMPACT, you'll see that it is one of the highest causes for teachers wanting to leave DCPS

Also PSLF & TLF

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

There obviously seems to be a systemic effort to force our public schools to ultimately fail.

How exactly does anyone believe otherwise?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

There obviously seems to be a systemic effort to force our public schools to ultimately fail.

How exactly does anyone believe otherwise?

63 pages and finally someone points out the reason everyone’s fighting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

There obviously seems to be a systemic effort to force our public schools to ultimately fail.

How exactly does anyone believe otherwise?

Reminds me of the honorous policies put in place on USPS these past few decades which has been accompanied with a steady decline in service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

There obviously seems to be a systemic effort to force our public schools to ultimately fail.

How exactly does anyone believe otherwise?

well, the experience above sounds like a lot of post-secondary education experiences. So I don't think it's specifically about education, just about the weird hurdles put into place in post-secondary education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

There obviously seems to be a systemic effort to force our public schools to ultimately fail.

How exactly does anyone believe otherwise?

A GOP fever-dream for decades. Their astroturf team has its directives to push these policies in places like DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

There obviously seems to be a systemic effort to force our public schools to ultimately fail.

How exactly does anyone believe otherwise?

A GOP fever-dream for decades. Their astroturf team has its directives to push these policies in places like DCUM.

Ha, not DCUM. They think bigger than that

https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/07/arizona-fight-koch-brothers-school-vouchers

[Anonymous]

Special interests want public money to pay for religious school, private schools, home schools etc. They do not view diversity as a strength and only seek to carve up education for their own benefit. The end result is efforts that look remarkably similar to segregation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

My son’s business internships have been fairly low stress and well paid. He goes out to business meals with colleagues that are all paid for. He doesn’t need a PT job because he is being paid. He has no work outside of his 9-5.

If people want to attract students to teaching, something needs to change. They could start by paying student teachers.

There obviously seems to be a systemic effort to force our public schools to ultimately fail.

How exactly does anyone believe otherwise?

63 pages and finally someone points out the reason everyone’s fighting.

I pointed this out much earlier and people disagreed, thought i was pulling politics into it unnecessarily

[Anonymous]

Once ChatGPT starts teaching children. It should provide some relief and it never gets tired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

Which college required such intensive student teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My year long student teaching program was the most grueling year of my life. I had to submit detailed lesson plans for every single word that came out of my mouth in a 7 hr day one week in advance. I even had to submit lesson plans for weekly spelling tests. After school I had to attend 3+ hrs of grad classes at night. Weekends were spent writing the lesson plans and finding/making materials (pre-internet). While it wasn’t cognitively challenging work, it was exhausting nonetheless. All of it was unpaid and I had to work PT to help pay expenses (plus my student loan had to be repaid after I graduated).

Which college required such intensive student teaching?

A Master’s in Education