Reply to Why are our teachers being paid to do 0-30 minutes of teaching every day?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don't know where 1:30 teaches but it certainly isn't FCPS. I have worked maybe 5 hours/week since schools closed down (ES classroom teacher). [/quote]

How? I teach at the upper elementary level in MCPS. Per the county, I have one academic zoom meeting each day (M, W, F - Math, Tues/Thurs - ELA). My sessions are longer than 30 minutes. I start letting students in around 10:25, but many have been joining the meetings late. As a result, I would say my meetings have generally ended around 11:20/11:30. I am finding that several of the kids have not completed the assignments they have been asked to complete prior to our class meetings. This means I end up teaching the concepts, rather than “debriefing” as directed  by the county. Students can’t analyze and synthesize about the concepts if they haven’t watched the math videos and worked on the problems. In MCPS, both the math and reading curriculums being used are BRAND NEW to many teachers. I go through all of the steps the students go through. Prior to a math lesson, I watch the video myself, pausing and taking notes. I need to know the vocabulary used in the video. I need to know exactly how something is being explained and modeled in the video. I work through all the practice problems myself so I have a resource to share with my students. I’m reading all of my students’ responses to the posted discussion question so I can address any misconceptions during our live meeting. I’m checking students’ exit cards and giving them feedback. I’m responding to students’ emails when they need help with something. This is just for math. The reading is even more prep work. I meet with my teammates via zoom regularly to discuss implementation of plans and creating resources for the students. We have been having regular, virtual staff meetings as well.

If you are honestly working the hours you shared in your post, something’s wrong with what you’re doing. I would venture to say your students aren’t getting much out of all of this, if you’re not putting in the work.

I know things are different in middle school and high school. I have a child in high school. His assignments are posted on Monday and the due dates are listed. There is an optional scheduled zoom meeting once a week that he can join if he has questions. However, it’s optional, so at the high school level it’s possible that a student will have zero face time with a teacher. They just go through their posted assignments, complete, and submit. At the elementary level, we are meeting with the students every day. Students have both pre and post assignments that they complete each day. Teachers at my school are spending several hours working each day. It’s ALL brand new for many of us! The technology, the curriculum, etc....it’s all new. I’m learning more each day, because there is no other option.

Parents...to assume all teachers are spending “0-30” minutes teaching each day is insulting. Just as I have no idea what you’re doing all day, you have no idea what I am doing all day. 
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