demoralized in MCPS

[Anonymous]

DIBELS and TRC is beginning, middle and end of the year except if a student doesn't make the benchmark at those times. Far below students are tested every few weeks in between these benchmarks, below are tested every 4-6 weeks. So all year long is testing every few weeks. You have to stop teaching to test because it is one on one. ESOL testing is once a year in January/February. It is four subtests that take appr. one hour each. This can be done in groups but only if you have enough working computers (we don't have many). Some days, the wifi doesn't work at all in our school.

[magrathean]

Anonymous wrote:To improve morale, the solution isn’t to micromanage everyone, it’s to give everyone more flexibility and autonomy. I came to MCPS from another field and knew it was a bizarre way to treat adults, but it wasn’t until I left for another school system that I realized it wasn’t a “school thing” per se, but an MCPS thing. Other systems are managing people in a much more professional way. So many of the principals in MCPS are homegrown, they have no ability to look at all of this with fresh eyes. It’s all they know. It’s a shame so many good teachers are fleeing, but I don’t blame them.

Please, what school district? Are their sane districts out there for a teacher to work for in the DMV? DCPS and PGPS seem just as bad as MCPS, at least that is the feeling I get HERE from DCUM, LoL.

How about VA? Other MD counties? How do they compare?

I am in MCPS as a career changer and of the MANY jobs I've had, some with good bosses and management structures, some with less competent bosses and management structures, non have stunned me with the absolute level of incompetence MCPS has shown. MCPS blows the socks off anything I've ever experienced up until now for sheer managerial - not just incompetence - by downright hostility and mindblowing disrespect for it's teachers. I am trying to figure out if I should run screaming from just MCPS or public school systems in general. Do all public school district use Kafka's "The Trial" as an administrator training manual?

I want to dump MCPS like a hot potato, but fear other places are just as insane. Any suggestions?

(My students have been fine, usually great; heck even the few that did crazy things like throw desks at me are "just kids doing what kids do"; it is MCPS' refusal to hold them accountable in any way for their actions that drives me to distraction)

[Anonymous]

I don’t get all these ESOL teachers who complain about testing. Classroom teachers need to teach, test, and deal with all kinds of disruptions. ESOL teachers test 1on1 even when the test is online. They don’t have to deal with disruptive kids since the group size is less than 5. And why are they in so many meetings in and out of school throughout the entire year?
It’s an easy gig, that’s why they keep on working for many years even after being eligible for full retirement.

[Anonymous]

How long does it take to assess a student’s progress in math or English classes? Does one-on-one assessment only occur in ES? When a teacher does one-on-one assessment, what are the rest students doing in the classroom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long does it take to assess a student’s progress in math or English classes? Does one-on-one assessment only occur in ES? When a teacher does one-on-one assessment, what are the rest students doing in the classroom?

ES teacher here. Progress monitoring takes about 5ish minutes per student times however many students you need to test. Lowest students are tested every 3 weeks. In between benchmarks, you also need to add in testing each student’s reading level. That involves more time especially if they have grown a lot. KG teachers also have to do one on one math assessments 4 times per year. We give worksheets or students do centers during testing time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get all these ESOL teachers who complain about testing. Classroom teachers need to teach, test, and deal with all kinds of disruptions. ESOL teachers test 1on1 even when the test is online. They don’t have to deal with disruptive kids since the group size is less than 5. And why are they in so many meetings in and out of school throughout the entire year?
It’s an easy gig, that’s why they keep on working for many years even after being eligible for full retirement.

As an ESOL teacher in a relatively small ES, I test ESOL students for WIDA ACCESS for 4 weeks during Jan/Feb (incredibly monotonous after two weeks). I am also involved in MAP testing throughout the year for small group accommodations, Quarterly Assessments in Math, PARCC/MCAP testing, MISA testing and get this...we are giving another time-consuming ESOL test-- WIDA MODEL-- this May. Yes, May--which is when our ACCESS scores will come in. Why is the WIDA Model not given in the fall when the data might actually be useful for the school year?? Feels like a waste of time. Meanwhile I am suppose to be teaching small groups, giving grades, supporting students in the classroom and collaborating with teachers--In 5 different grade levels. All the testing in the second half of the school year means that I am not supporting my students very well. Aside from testing, I know schools also have ESOL teachers cover classroom teachers when subs don't show and cover lunches/recess when there are not enough paras.

And yes, classroom teachers juggle WAY too many things during the school day. No doubt. They are superheroes day in and day out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get all these ESOL teachers who complain about testing. Classroom teachers need to teach, test, and deal with all kinds of disruptions. ESOL teachers test 1on1 even when the test is online. They don’t have to deal with disruptive kids since the group size is less than 5. And why are they in so many meetings in and out of school throughout the entire year?
It’s an easy gig, that’s why they keep on working for many years even after being eligible for full retirement.

I've been both an elementary classroom teacher and an elementary ESOL teacher. What I can say is that there are challenges in both roles. I had the same view of ESOL teachers (which is why I wanted to become one), but once I was in the role I realized it wasn't exactly what I thought it would be like. I think things can vary school by school, though.

To address your questions--entry testing has to be 1:1. That is the way the test is designed. I guess theoretically if you had multiple students in similar grade bands (the entry test is grade banded) you could test multiple students at a time for the writing part if their proficiency levels are similar, but the three other domains have to be tested 1:1. In terms of ACCESS, I don't know how your school does it but we test in groups for listening, reading and writing. We used to test in groups for speaking, but this year central office said that we should test 1:1 for speaking so that's what we had to do. Kindergarten testing for ACCESS also is required to be 1:1. ACCESS testing is high stakes testing. It is unfortunately the only measurement used to determine students' ESOL levels and there is a lot riding on that both for students and for schools (allocations are determined on a proficiency based formula). We have to give the test as it's designed.

We also have to deal with the same disruptive kids as classroom teachers do. Kids don't decide to not be disruptive just because they're in ESOL. Last year I taught in a plug-in/co-teaching model and I was actually the person who had to deal with the disruptive kids (all the disruptive kids, not just ESOL kids) so that the classroom teacher could continue with guiding reading groups uninterrupted. Many days that meant I couldn't deliver the lessons I had created and prepared to align with the ELA lesson that day but was still responsible for my students knowing the concepts I had planned to teach them. This year I have at least one disruptive kid in each of my pull out groups which range in size from 5-8 (I can't fit more than that in my small teaching space).

As far as the meetings go, I have around 65 students on my caseload in three different grade levels. I have to attend EMT/IEP meetings for them, and the people who schedule the meetings don't take my schedule into account at all (they do make sure the classroom teacher isn't pulled from their lunch or planning times). That means that often when I have to attend these meetings I have to miss time with my students from one of my grade levels. We are also implementing Benchmark this year, and I am required to attend both the classroom teacher trainings and also the ELD trainings for Benchmark. I do secure subs and write sub plans, but most of the time my sub is pulled to cover a grade level classroom that doesn't have a sub. I'm also required to attend a weekly ESOL team meeting in addition to extended team plannings for the three grade levels I work with. I have one individual planning time per week, but I often lose that due to coverage being needed.

We are frequently asked to cover classrooms with no subs, as well as lunch and recess when paras are absent. It's usually a last second request which can be extremely frustrating when I have mapped out my day/week/unit and have to miss time with my students and then juggle different groups to get them back on track.

I'm going to be honest--I definitely didn't realize the work the ESOL teachers did when I was a classroom teacher. There are a lot of things I don't have to worry about anymore--attendance, lunch count, collecting field trip money etc. etc., but the paperwork is intense and difficult to understand the processes (and we don't get specialized time to complete it like special ed teachers do), the caseloads keep growing with serious scheduling challenges, and I have to spend a serious amount of time doing morning and afternoon duties (I can't go inside until after the last bus has left which often happens at the end of the duty day). I kind of didn't realize that they had to support WAY more than just my class and grade level. All teachers have to be flexible, but ESOL teachers have to be more flexible than most and they don't have the same control over scheduling and things like that as classroom teachers do. I didn't really consider anyone else's schedule when I made decisions to switch around the schedule for a day or would plan something I wouldn't want my kids to miss but didn't communicate that in advance to the ESOL teacher.

I don't think at this point I would want to go back to being a classroom teacher, but being an ESOL teacher is definitely more work than I figured it would be and passing the Praxis didn't really prepare me for understanding how language learning really works and what I need to do to support that. Luckily I've had helpful teammates who have been patient with me and have been supporting me. Sorry you seem to be having a tough year. Have you considered a change in position? Sometimes switching it up can really help.

[magrathean]

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.

Haha! I didn't get that email- found out because my RT told me I was on the "need 21 hours list". Hilarous thing is I COULD NOT do it in July or August because I wasn't hired until SEPTEMBER. And though MCPS didnt get around to offering me a contract until AFTER the school year began, I was held responsible for NOT being there during the preservice week for which I wasn't YET A CONTRACTED TEACHER. And that, my friends is how the M***F**Kers of MCPS work. Nothing, EVER, is THEIR fault; it is ALWAYS your fault! So done with them.

[magrathean]

Anonymous wrote:Once MD school systems start using test scores in evaluations, some of y’all are screwed. So you should be motivated to try to prop up SLOs as long as you can since you won’t quit and let someone who can teach take your place.

PLEASE, let them start using my students test scores to evaluate me! I WOULD LOVE THAT. My students have always done better then MCPS averages, and also meet or exceed the averages at my school (eg on say 19 or 20 of 22 so called "standards" my students will exceed my school averages, and on only 2 or 3 of 22 will the students I've taught be below or equal my school averages).

My SLO, on the other hand, is the document MCPS uses to demonstrate that I cannot do the undo-able, namely force a student that doesn't want to learn to learn. "Johnny has earned a D or E in math every semester for the last 8 years. Why were you incapable of getting Johnny, who that can't add 2 digit numbers, to earn an "A" in Honors PreCalculus? You must be a terrible teacher."

The SLO COULD be amazingly useful; but as far as I can tell, the MCPS main use of it is as a weapon against teachers.
Again, I am done with MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get all these ESOL teachers who complain about testing. Classroom teachers need to teach, test, and deal with all kinds of disruptions. ESOL teachers test 1on1 even when the test is online. They don’t have to deal with disruptive kids since the group size is less than 5. And why are they in so many meetings in and out of school throughout the entire year?
It’s an easy gig, that’s why they keep on working for many years even after being eligible for full retirement.

I've been both an elementary classroom teacher and an elementary ESOL teacher. What I can say is that there are challenges in both roles. I had the same view of ESOL teachers (which is why I wanted to become one), but once I was in the role I realized it wasn't exactly what I thought it would be like. I think things can vary school by school, though.

To address your questions--entry testing has to be 1:1. That is the way the test is designed. I guess theoretically if you had multiple students in similar grade bands (the entry test is grade banded) you could test multiple students at a time for the writing part if their proficiency levels are similar, but the three other domains have to be tested 1:1. In terms of ACCESS, I don't know how your school does it but we test in groups for listening, reading and writing. We used to test in groups for speaking, but this year central office said that we should test 1:1 for speaking so that's what we had to do. Kindergarten testing for ACCESS also is required to be 1:1. ACCESS testing is high stakes testing. It is unfortunately the only measurement used to determine students' ESOL levels and there is a lot riding on that both for students and for schools (allocations are determined on a proficiency based formula). We have to give the test as it's designed.

We also have to deal with the same disruptive kids as classroom teachers do. Kids don't decide to not be disruptive just because they're in ESOL. Last year I taught in a plug-in/co-teaching model and I was actually the person who had to deal with the disruptive kids (all the disruptive kids, not just ESOL kids) so that the classroom teacher could continue with guiding reading groups uninterrupted. Many days that meant I couldn't deliver the lessons I had created and prepared to align with the ELA lesson that day but was still responsible for my students knowing the concepts I had planned to teach them. This year I have at least one disruptive kid in each of my pull out groups which range in size from 5-8 (I can't fit more than that in my small teaching space).

As far as the meetings go, I have around 65 students on my caseload in three different grade levels. I have to attend EMT/IEP meetings for them, and the people who schedule the meetings don't take my schedule into account at all (they do make sure the classroom teacher isn't pulled from their lunch or planning times). That means that often when I have to attend these meetings I have to miss time with my students from one of my grade levels. We are also implementing Benchmark this year, and I am required to attend both the classroom teacher trainings and also the ELD trainings for Benchmark. I do secure subs and write sub plans, but most of the time my sub is pulled to cover a grade level classroom that doesn't have a sub. I'm also required to attend a weekly ESOL team meeting in addition to extended team plannings for the three grade levels I work with. I have one individual planning time per week, but I often lose that due to coverage being needed.

We are frequently asked to cover classrooms with no subs, as well as lunch and recess when paras are absent. It's usually a last second request which can be extremely frustrating when I have mapped out my day/week/unit and have to miss time with my students and then juggle different groups to get them back on track.

I'm going to be honest--I definitely didn't realize the work the ESOL teachers did when I was a classroom teacher. There are a lot of things I don't have to worry about anymore--attendance, lunch count, collecting field trip money etc. etc., but the paperwork is intense and difficult to understand the processes (and we don't get specialized time to complete it like special ed teachers do), the caseloads keep growing with serious scheduling challenges, and I have to spend a serious amount of time doing morning and afternoon duties (I can't go inside until after the last bus has left which often happens at the end of the duty day). I kind of didn't realize that they had to support WAY more than just my class and grade level. All teachers have to be flexible, but ESOL teachers have to be more flexible than most and they don't have the same control over scheduling and things like that as classroom teachers do. I didn't really consider anyone else's schedule when I made decisions to switch around the schedule for a day or would plan something I wouldn't want my kids to miss but didn't communicate that in advance to the ESOL teacher.

I don't think at this point I would want to go back to being a classroom teacher, but being an ESOL teacher is definitely more work than I figured it would be and passing the Praxis didn't really prepare me for understanding how language learning really works and what I need to do to support that. Luckily I've had helpful teammates who have been patient with me and have been supporting me. Sorry you seem to be having a tough year. Have you considered a change in position? Sometimes switching it up can really help.

ESOL teacher here. We always have a few role changers who think ESOL is easy until they do it. I’d love to teach my groups for a straight week but I can’t because I’m the floating sub for my grade levels. They don’t even bother looking for a sub anymore. I have my SLO data due in less than a month but I don’t even get time to teach much anymore so there go many of my scores. I didn’t need that pay raise anyway!

[Anonymous]

Read the Superintendent salary increase thread. There's a link to his new benefits as agreed by the Board of Education. Wow. Just wow. Great for teacher morale.

Makes me not want to support the Apple Ballot come November if any of the current Board Members are on it.

[Anonymous]

magrathean 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.

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.

Haha! I didn't get that email- found out because my RT told me I was on the "need 21 hours list". Hilarous thing is I COULD NOT do it in July or August because I wasn't hired until SEPTEMBER. And though MCPS didnt get around to offering me a contract until AFTER the school year began, I was held responsible for NOT being there during the preservice week for which I wasn't YET A CONTRACTED TEACHER. And that, my friends is how the M***F**Kers of MCPS work. Nothing, EVER, is THEIR fault; it is ALWAYS your fault! So done with them.

That’s classic MCPS. It could be an article in The Onion. The rigidity is astounding. A teacher can volunteer their time, btw, to do something amazing and life changing for their students, but the county will find a way to stop them from doing that for some dumb backwards, nonsensical reason while holding them to hours they “should” have put in before they were hired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read the Superintendent salary increase thread. There's a link to his new benefits as agreed by the Board of Education. Wow. Just wow. Great for teacher morale.

Makes me not want to support the Apple Ballot come November if any of the current Board Members are on it.

Don't.

The union is a joke. The salary and benefits are solid, but that's how they "trap you." You sell your soul. The system benefits those at the top and many who aren't in tested content areas. Not bashing colleagues - But the inequity is real!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read the Superintendent salary increase thread. There's a link to his new benefits as agreed by the Board of Education. Wow. Just wow. Great for teacher morale.

Makes me not want to support the Apple Ballot come November if any of the current Board Members are on it.

I always vote the Apple ballot! It makes voting easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read the Superintendent salary increase thread. There's a link to his new benefits as agreed by the Board of Education. Wow. Just wow. Great for teacher morale.

Makes me not want to support the Apple Ballot come November if any of the current Board Members are on it.

I always vote the Apple ballot! It makes voting easy.

Bc you can't think for yourself?