Anonymous wrote:OP here. No there are no special credentials beyond what you are teaching. SPED teachers need their credentials. ESOL is the same. But the K-6 folks, a license is a license. And the talk about special credentials or whatever is nonsense. We are the same.

I know there is a lot of saying well those parents aren't as great so your parents who do all of this are just better unless you believe poor people or non-native English speaks will never catch up (spoiler alert -- they can).

It's the wrong tack. You are being screwed wealthy parents. The SOL scores, the great school scores, the whole these kids all do well "Lake Webgone mentality is so, so problematic because we just push everything to you. You will get the tutor. Unless you complain, no one is calling an IEP meeting (this is the thing that makes me the most crazy). I hate this. I hate that advocating is second because the data says we are the best of the best.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just think it's harder to find advanced classes in a lower SES school. Plus more safety issues with the neighborhood. A school near us that is a little poorer had to stop teaching advanced math because there were only 3 kids in the grade at that level. Another school near us has two classes at that level. Also just a safer area to grow up.

You must not be familiar with the Rt 1 corridor. Mount Vernon has some VERY expensive, VERY nice neighborhoods - there are many neighborhoods along the Potomac River with multi-million dollar homes. You go less than a mile to Rt. 1 and find trailer parks and apartments. Both neighborhoods feed into the same elementary, middle and high school. I live in Mount Vernon in a very safe, very upper middle class neighborhood. I feel completely safe in my home and neighborhood.

And our elementary school offers advanced math. Our middle school has Honors classes and MVHS offers the full IB diploma, plus a few AP classes, Dual Enrollment classes and Honors.

Anonymous wrote:I just think it's harder to find advanced classes in a lower SES school. Plus more safety issues with the neighborhood. A school near us that is a little poorer had to stop teaching advanced math because there were only 3 kids in the grade at that level. Another school near us has two classes at that level. Also just a safer area to grow up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

the overall environment at the top pyramid is simply better, especially the work ethic of the students and the range of extra-curricular activities.

OP, I feel for you. I was you. I spent 10 years in a high poverty school, had kids, went to a high performing school because I, too, had kids and needed my life back. Sweetie and I say this nicely, but you just need to coast and enjoy your own kids. You can go back when they are older. I did. I love my high poverty, high ESOL elementary school. I am ready to be more of a teacher and less of a conduit.

Everything you said is true. But these parents don't care. Seriously. I mean, some of them might, but the quote above and high passing SOL test scores really is the entire key to parents calling a school "good." They don't care how this occurs. They'll supplement, so let them. Send home worksheets. Hell, I remember the day when my kids weren't getting a math concept. I tried to teach it and then basically said to the parents you all need to make sure your kids know this concept. It's an important standard, we test it and if their kids can't do it, it might impact their SOL performance. I did this with the blessing and support of my admin. And you know what? These parents got tutors, supplemented and everyone passed. I didn't have to do the heavy lifting because no one expects it. They want the cohort of kids. They want to avoid ESOL or high poverty issues. They want peers with college educated parents where college is an expectation. They want the extras raised by a well-funded PTA.

But they don't care, OP. Hope tomorrow is better, dear.

You sound unhinged, and not just a little bit. Get some extra rest this weekend.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids went to both an over 50% F&RL school and a very wealthy public school in the same district. I will not argue with you that the teachers in the poorer school were probably better skilled teachers. But my kids thrived more in the wealthy school. They don't need someone super skilled to teach them something 10 different ways. 3 ways or even 1 way was adequate for them to grasp and run with the concept. So, while the poorer school maybe "better" by the measure of teacher skill, the wealthier school was better for my kids to learn more faster. I get as a teacher you might prefer it the other way around.

Exactly. The amount of time spent reteaching kids while others sit or help read to those who aren't up to grade level, and retraining teachers year after year while test scores don't improve is exhausting.

I'm tired of watching programs/ events/ field trips threatened or eliminated because they are deemed not "inclusive" or watered down/cut in half so they can be more inclusive while friends in the same county in wealthier schools don't experience this.

Anonymous wrote:

the overall environment at the top pyramid is simply better, especially the work ethic of the students and the range of extra-curricular activities.

OP, I feel for you. I was you. I spent 10 years in a high poverty school, had kids, went to a high performing school because I, too, had kids and needed my life back. Sweetie and I say this nicely, but you just need to coast and enjoy your own kids. You can go back when they are older. I did. I love my high poverty, high ESOL elementary school. I am ready to be more of a teacher and less of a conduit.

Everything you said is true. But these parents don't care. Seriously. I mean, some of them might, but the quote above and high passing SOL test scores really is the entire key to parents calling a school "good." They don't care how this occurs. They'll supplement, so let them. Send home worksheets. Hell, I remember the day when my kids weren't getting a math concept. I tried to teach it and then basically said to the parents you all need to make sure your kids know this concept. It's an important standard, we test it and if their kids can't do it, it might impact their SOL performance. I did this with the blessing and support of my admin. And you know what? These parents got tutors, supplemented and everyone passed. I didn't have to do the heavy lifting because no one expects it. They want the cohort of kids. They want to avoid ESOL or high poverty issues. They want peers with college educated parents where college is an expectation. They want the extras raised by a well-funded PTA.

But they don't care, OP. Hope tomorrow is better, dear.

Anonymous wrote:My kids went to both an over 50% F&RL school and a very wealthy public school in the same district. I will not argue with you that the teachers in the poorer school were probably better skilled teachers. But my kids thrived more in the wealthy school. They don't need someone super skilled to teach them something 10 different ways. 3 ways or even 1 way was adequate for them to grasp and run with the concept. So, while the poorer school maybe "better" by the measure of teacher skill, the wealthier school was better for my kids to learn more faster. I get as a teacher you might prefer it the other way around.

Anonymous wrote:Sure they care. Otherwise, they wouldn't have taken care of what you didn't.

the overall environment at the top pyramid is simply better, especially the work ethic of the students and the range of extra-curricular activities.