Reply to MCPS Teachers - Do You Send Your Own Kids to Public School?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’m a huge advocate for free public education. I think quality education should be accessible to all regardless of income level. In MCPS, my children will attend public school. That said, we lived previously in an area where there was only one high school with nearly 8,000 students. Gang issues were pervasive. For the safety of my own children, I would have opted for private.

MCPS’ schools have their own issues but so do private schools. On the whole, you can get a really strong education and [b]often better what private schools offer[/b].[/quote]

You kid yourself. [/quote]

Sure. My 20 years of experience across school districts and private schools MUST be wrong.

Standards are higher in the private schools I’m affiliated with. I went 5 years without observations in public school. I’m observed 8 times a year now and I have to justify my curriculum choices to admin/curriculum advisors.

I was never asked for plans in public. I have to post my plans to parents and students each week now.

I’m sent to more trainings now, and they are actually useful, even to experienced teachers. In public, I sat through training for whatever the latest craze was, knowing it would be gone in a year anyway.

I am held accountable, and students are held accountable.

So yes, from my extensive experience I find private works far better for my own children and for my students. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.

[/quote]

Why would you go to a school that makes you justify your curriculum choices? No one wonder they hold you to a higher standard if no one is teaching the same thing.  [/quote]

Each teacher works with a content team. We plan the course together.

Because there SHOULD be a method of quality checking curricula and teaching methods. I want to bounce my ideas off others. It helps me as I align course content to standards, to students’ needs, etc. This is what education should look like because decisions are purposeful and backed by experience/research.

There was no oversight in public. A weak administrator would say “I have this great idea” and I had to implement it, even if I knew it didn’t meet any true purpose and it was just a colossal waste of students’ time.  [/quote]

You just have had a bad admin.  We have cohorts too and plan together!!   We have proven standards in  public we have to follow.  We have to help anyone who walks on our classrooms, not just the ones who can afford the “education” you seem to infer is superior at your school.  Sorry you had a bad experience for so long.  I would hate to have to do all that extra busy work. How do you even know someone is even qualified to approve curriculum? Are they better experts?  No thanks! No lesson is ever a waste of time with a good educator.  [/quote]

I’m glad you’re happy with your experience. I was not. I had no control over curricula, which was watered down and didn’t meet my students’ need. You’re worried about who approves my curriculum. Have you wondered about what passes for curricula in public systems? Who, many states away, created that? Did they meet your students to determine their needs and interests?

Good teaching isn’t busy work. I am willing to put in the legwork to tailor the class to my students. (And we use the same “proven standards” you do.)

And I agree with you on one thing: I do wish all students could have a great school experience. They all deserve it. But right now, that’s not the system we have. I tried for years to work in it and finally threw my hands up in defeat. Good for you that you haven’t.[/quote]

I don’t many educators who have given up that I work with. They are some of the most dedicated professionals ever.  [/quote]

You took your cut at me for switching to private. So you’ve resorted to personal attacks.

Well, we all have different experiences. I left after about 2/3rd of my department quit. I made it about 12 years, holding things together with duct tape for new teachers for half of that. I advocated for my students and my colleagues regularly.  I talked to the BOE to try to get support for my school, to no avail. I gave it my all.

But you are clearly the more dedicated professional than I am. [/quote]

Not saying that. But you are pretty clear that private is superior. It’s not. It depends on so many factors.  So don’t act like you can speak for all of MCPS. Thats my problem with you. I have worked at multiple schools and NEVER have seen a mass exodus.  The hundreds of teachers I have come across at many schools and experiences can’t all be subpar to your experience.  You speak to your own. Not to everyone’s.  It’s not perfect. There are struggles. There are things I don’t care for. But I also had policies I didn’t care for in private industry. I still see and experience a LOT of good in our schools. But maybe that’s my choice to see that along with many other educators who are starting next year, excited to see our students.  [/quote]

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