Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are "preps" in this context?

Interested as a parent of a former MCPS student with SN.

If a teacher teaches Math 6 and Math 7, they have two preps, i.e. two courses they have to prepare to teach.

Or English 6 and Advanced English 6.

Not in MCPS where all kids are advanced

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to your EFR. I believe there is language in the contract surrounding preps. I think 3 is the max, but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, the teacher can’t join MCEA due to religious convictions. I feel like admin knew which of us to pick on.

What does MCEA have to do with religion?

Some religions, or factions or certain religions (Jehovah's witness, seventh day adventist) prohibit union membership.

I seemed to miss that lesson in the bible.

For some religions with pacifism as a tenet, it’s carried over from violent strikes in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There was a point in history all over the world where strikers were expected to physically fight the police, private guards, and scabs (strikebreakers). For some faiths (not just Judeo-Christian ones), this expectation of violence was inconsistent with other teachings. Today, many Quakers belong to unions, but once it would have been unthinkable.

Seems a weak argument to have a blanket opposition to unions. Violence is a sin, sure. Biblical. Trying to make people's lives better is God's work. Also biblical. Unions, per se, aren't biblical.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to your EFR. I believe there is language in the contract surrounding preps. I think 3 is the max, but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, the teacher can’t join MCEA due to religious convictions. I feel like admin knew which of us to pick on.

What does MCEA have to do with religion?

Some religions, or factions or certain religions (Jehovah's witness, seventh day adventist) prohibit union membership.

I seemed to miss that lesson in the bible.

For some religions with pacifism as a tenet, it’s carried over from violent strikes in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There was a point in history all over the world where strikers were expected to physically fight the police, private guards, and scabs (strikebreakers). For some faiths (not just Judeo-Christian ones), this expectation of violence was inconsistent with other teachings. Today, many Quakers belong to unions, but once it would have been unthinkable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are "preps" in this context?

Interested as a parent of a former MCPS student with SN.

If a teacher teaches Math 6 and Math 7, they have two preps, i.e. two courses they have to prepare to teach.

Or English 6 and Advanced English 6.

Move to ES. Just one class to prep for.

OK, that class needs you to prep english, math, science, social studies...

I’d tell your friend to start brushing up the resume.

Ha, yes. 3 is the max. 2 is considered a blessing to language teachers, I've taught 4 and not gotten compensation because of loop holes.

Anonymous wrote:Asking for a colleague who is on the verge of quitting:

Can a MS teacher be forced to teach three preps next year when all other teachers in the same subject are teaching one or two preps? What’s more, one of the three preps is a new course to our school so there is no in-house support.

Three preps is not unusual. Out of 18 years teaching in both MS and HS I’ve had 3 preps about 12 times, and almost always was developing curriculum for one of those courses from scratch by myself.

Usually when one teacher ends up with a significantly higher workload than others in the department, other concessions are made to reduce burden such as not changing rooms or having your prep time in your classroom (not used by another teacher at that time). Maybe those preps are singletons, so you don’t have PLC meetings. Or maybe you get excused from some other duty.

This wouldn’t be something MCEA would get involved with, even if the teacher was a member. A smart principal/department head will work to make conditions acceptable so a teacher they want to keep doesn’t leave. Of course, the flip side is that a good way to make someone you don’t want to voluntarily leave is to give them a schedule they hate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are "preps" in this context?

Interested as a parent of a former MCPS student with SN.

If a teacher teaches Math 6 and Math 7, they have two preps, i.e. two courses they have to prepare to teach.

Thank you. Doesn't more preps make the job (and day?) more interesting? Like does one want to teacher Algebra I and Geometry (just 2 perps) every day all day over and over?

More preps make after the school day ends more difficult since I do all of my planning at home.

If I only have to plan for Algebra I, all of my effort and energy and time goes into it. My lessons are generally better the next day because I had more time to put into planning them. If I teach Alg 1 and Geometry, I split my time and energy and focus, making my lessons the next day weaker. Even more prep means each different course gets even less of my focus and I just end up exhausted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are "preps" in this context?

Interested as a parent of a former MCPS student with SN.

If a teacher teaches Math 6 and Math 7, they have two preps, i.e. two courses they have to prepare to teach.

Thank you. Doesn't more preps make the job (and day?) more interesting? Like does one want to teacher Algebra I and Geometry (just 2 perps) every day all day over and over?

Anonymous wrote:What are "preps" in this context?

Interested as a parent of a former MCPS student with SN.

If a teacher teaches Math 6 and Math 7, they have two preps, i.e. two courses they have to prepare to teach.

The contract language states, admin strives "to require no more than three separate preparations". So, technically 3 is allowed. There is language in the contract that allows you to reduce the number of meetings you attend (team, department, staff, class coverage, etc.) if you have more than 3 preps.

What are "preps" in this context?

Interested as a parent of a former MCPS student with SN.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to your EFR. I believe there is language in the contract surrounding preps. I think 3 is the max, but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, the teacher can’t join MCEA due to religious convictions. I feel like admin knew which of us to pick on.

What does MCEA have to do with religion?

Some religions, or factions or certain religions (Jehovah's witness, seventh day adventist) prohibit union membership.

I seemed to miss that lesson in the bible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to your EFR. I believe there is language in the contract surrounding preps. I think 3 is the max, but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, the teacher can’t join MCEA due to religious convictions. I feel like admin knew which of us to pick on.

What does MCEA have to do with religion?

Some religions, or factions or certain religions (Jehovah's witness, seventh day adventist) prohibit union membership.

Interesting. Thank you