Reply to TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'd like to try and summarize so I can keep this straight in my head.

TPMS currently has an 8 period schedule and teachers voted to move it to a 7 period schedule.  This is inline with other MCPS MS but the vote did not engage the community (parents).  Teachers also voted not to increase class size.

As an example: if a grade has 100 kids.  There used to be 5 periods of English available so there would be 20 kids in a class.  Now there are only 4 periods of English available so there would be 25 kids in a class.  However, teachers also did not want class size to increase.

So budget will have to be allocated to increase teachers for core classes to keep the class size the same.  The budget will come from a decrease in the art and music budget.  As there will be less teachers for art and music, there will be less elective periods available and now students will be limited to one elective (language, art, or music)

Did I get all of that correct?[/quote]

What parent wouldn’t prefer their kid be in a class of 20 rather than 25? Five extra kids vying for the teacher’s attention vs. private music or art lessons is an easy call. [/quote]

It’s a matter of class size AND time. If the teachers have an extra class, they have less time to grade and prep lessons.

So the 25 in one class can get a better experience than the 20 in another, simply because the teacher had more time. Classes don’t create themselves; they are the product of many hours of preparation.

And frankly? I’ve taught classes of 36 and 38. 25 sounds like a dream. [/quote]

Is anyone naive enough to think that with one less class and a few less kids in a class, any teacher will make any more effort to engage the kids? The excuse will always be the same no matter what you decrease it to. Teachers are a population of woe is me folks who do nothing but tantrum about how unfair everything is. [/quote]

I’m guessing you’re the same supportive parent who just wrote “cry me a river” above?

So we “tantrum”’any time we simply mention a FACT about our jobs? If you’re this sensitive, you wouldn’t last an hour in a classroom.

Teachers work around the clock. I worked 13 hours yesterday. I’ll work only 9ish hours today because Fridays are my light days and I know I have all day on Saturday to work in my pajamas. And I do mean all day; it’ll be 10 hours. And this isn’t light work. This is sustained, thoughtful work.

And read that paragraph above. Did I complain or tantrum? No. I reasonably explained the workload of a teacher.

And you can say “cry me a river,” but to what end? Teachers are running as fast as they can from the classroom. Clearly our UNPAID summers aren’t the draw you think they are, nor are the fat salaries you think we have.

So, perhaps it’s time for you to stop your tantrum. People are being reasonable and mature here, so join the conversation. [/quote]

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