Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools should think about paying retired math and English teachers to be graders just like college professors have TA’s.,
A grader could be assigned to an English or math teacher 10 hours a week and grade papers/tests at home. It would be a no benefits hourly rate position so way cheaper for the district than hiring another teacher. Teachers with young children, retired teachers, teachers with health issues would be willing to take this job. Get rid of all the instructional coaches and there is your funding. Ask any high school teacher whether they would want a grader or instructional coach.

I love, love, LOVE this idea.

I have nothing against instructional coaches, but that's not where I want to see money spent. An instructional coach isn't going to keep me from quitting. They don't reduce my workload. (They actually increase it.) A grader, though? YES!

+1 million

I’m in a private school so my classes are smaller, but it’s unrelenting and endless regardless. If I could afford it if quit and take the grader job.

They are not supposed to make you go to two CLTs a week. You are supposed to have four hours a week of unencumbered planning time. That’s one hour a day for four days, and the worthless CLT meeting the other day. I know they often make people go to two per week, but it’s against the regulation. It’s in the 4000s in the school board policies on the FCPS website if you want to look it up. Search under the school board tab.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The most passionate teacher I know of (15 year veteran, won national awards) just left to stay at home. Her husband makes a lot of money and they just didn’t need her paltry income with all the stress that comes with it. She was an AP teacher and was routinely getting kids who couldn’t read or write in high school. And discipline problems that derailed her class constantly. She used to be able to kick kids out of her class.

Are you serious that kids in high school can’t read or write? That seems like a pretty big problem, and it also seems outrageous given how much all the teachers here are claiming to spend on testing and grading. Surely we could figure it out before high school.

DP here.
I assume the claim is actually that the students can’t read or write well enough for that teacher’s AP class. That’s only going to make grading and planning take even more time since she would have to teach rudimentary skills as well as content.

And yes, it is a big problem.

Anonymous wrote:The most passionate teacher I know of (15 year veteran, won national awards) just left to stay at home. Her husband makes a lot of money and they just didn’t need her paltry income with all the stress that comes with it. She was an AP teacher and was routinely getting kids who couldn’t read or write in high school. And discipline problems that derailed her class constantly. She used to be able to kick kids out of her class.

Are you serious that kids in high school can’t read or write? That seems like a pretty big problem, and it also seems outrageous given how much all the teachers here are claiming to spend on testing and grading. Surely we could figure it out before high school.

Anonymous wrote:The most passionate teacher I know of (15 year veteran, won national awards) just left to stay at home. Her husband makes a lot of money and they just didn’t need her paltry income with all the stress that comes with it. She was an AP teacher and was routinely getting kids who couldn’t read or write in high school. And discipline problems that derailed her class constantly. She used to be able to kick kids out of her class.

80% of what bothers me with the job is behavioral issues with the kids.

I wouldn’t work in a district that required me to sub for other teachers. No way. Finding coverage is an admin job. Not my problem. They get paid the big bucks. Let them figure it out.

I am seeing younger teachers shift certifications, leave schools, or leave teaching entirely at a much higher rate than before. Teachers are trying to find a better fit more quickly or deciding to get out sooner rather than waste time. The current conditions are speeding up their decision-making/desperation. Older teachers are leaving as soon as they hit retirement eligibility rather than hanging in their a few extra years to improve their pension.

Anonymous wrote:

No, that wouldn’t change anything at the high school level. Disruptive kids tend not to come to class, and they are already tracked (AP/honors/gen Ed/double block). I have absolutely no behavior issues on my roster this year. I just have 150 good kids that I cannot adequately support because it is impossible to give meaningful instruction and feedback to that many kids in 40 hours a week.

Did you ever read "Horace's Compromise"? I remember this issue being discussed back in the 80s and 90s and the creation of Ted Sizer's "Coalition of Essential Schools". Don't know whatever happened to all his ideas.

Anonymous wrote: Then we started facing shortages, so one of my planning periods is now consistent sub duty.

That has been the most recent change, and the straw the broke the camel's back.

I've noticed teachers leaving at both ends of the experience spectrum. We've had teachers leave in their first few years and others retire a few years early.

This is my 30th year teaching in a FCPS ES. I need to decide this fall/early winter if I am going to retire at the end of this year or continue towards the end of the 2025-2026 SY as I always thought I would. (I'm eligible for full state, but reduced county retirement.) I'd continue to work, but would stop full-time teaching.

I try to leave by 4 p.m. every day. Other than a rushed lunch it's "go, go, go" from 8-4 (sometimes 4:30). So let's say 8-4, 40 hours on the lower estimate. I work probably 2-3 hours each night M-TH, so I'll add another 10 hours there and maybe 2-3 on Sunday night. That's a minimum of 52 hours and it's not even close enough to enough time to get everything done. I stress because I'm not getting everything done. I could work more hours, but then I'm tiring myself out and neglecting time with my family and time for myself.

At the beginning of the SY we were expected to offer conferences with every family by a certain date in September (I know this wasn't required at every school). Those ate up planning time. Two CTs a week during planning time are usually not very valuable. I get more accomplished when I have the time to do with as I wish.

There are too many assessments. VGA, iReady, DSA (spelling), PRF (reading). They eat up instructional time. The PRF is a 1:1 assessment that had to be done by the end of September. Each child's result had to be entered into iReady. The DSA had to be entered into a spreadsheet (more planning time). Now, based on PRF results I need to assess some using CORE and/or PASS (I haven't yet reviewed the training for those.) Add to this planning for instruction that includes everything that admin expects to see (Morning Meeting, math groups, math stations, reading groups, intervention groups, writing conferences, plus science and SS). Honestly, I haven't started stations or working with many small groups yet since most of that time has been taken up by assessments. Again, I find this stressful because I just don't feel like I'm getting much instruction in and if admin came in the workshop models aren't in full mode as they's like to see. I try to check student work when I can. I prioritize what gets checked.

Next up, first quarter conferences.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools should think about paying retired math and English teachers to be graders just like college professors have TA’s.,
A grader could be assigned to an English or math teacher 10 hours a week and grade papers/tests at home. It would be a no benefits hourly rate position so way cheaper for the district than hiring another teacher. Teachers with young children, retired teachers, teachers with health issues would be willing to take this job. Get rid of all the instructional coaches and there is your funding. Ask any high school teacher whether they would want a grader or instructional coach.

I love, love, LOVE this idea.

I have nothing against instructional coaches, but that's not where I want to see money spent. An instructional coach isn't going to keep me from quitting. They don't reduce my workload. (They actually increase it.) A grader, though? YES!

This TA idea is what I suggested ina other thread and alluded to it above in this one. As a parent with one kid who has a 504 I saw how much time away from class and grading it time was required for teachers FOR ONE meeting. And I know there are before and after meetings. There definitely needs to be another category of educators (like TAs) to help with the teacher load. Sadly I doubt this will come to fruition.

I'm the PP who loves your idea. I agree that it isn't going to come to fruition, but I'm going to dream anyway. Thank you for seeing the need and for supporting teachers! I really appreciate this.
Back to more essays, but now with the dream of a TA!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to the powers that be that control the purse strings. Teachers are leaving because they are not paid enough for the hours and abuse that they put up with. I am a teacher and have worked most of the weekend - as usual.

I refuse to work over the weekend anymore. I could work around the clock and still not feel like it's all done. It's too much.

It’s kinda like government consulting except with lower pay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools should think about paying retired math and English teachers to be graders just like college professors have TA’s.,
A grader could be assigned to an English or math teacher 10 hours a week and grade papers/tests at home. It would be a no benefits hourly rate position so way cheaper for the district than hiring another teacher. Teachers with young children, retired teachers, teachers with health issues would be willing to take this job. Get rid of all the instructional coaches and there is your funding. Ask any high school teacher whether they would want a grader or instructional coach.

I love, love, LOVE this idea.

I have nothing against instructional coaches, but that's not where I want to see money spent. An instructional coach isn't going to keep me from quitting. They don't reduce my workload. (They actually increase it.) A grader, though? YES!

This TA idea is what I suggested ina other thread and alluded to it above in this one. As a parent with one kid who has a 504 I saw how much time away from class and grading it time was required for teachers FOR ONE meeting. And I know there are before and after meetings. There definitely needs to be another category of educators (like TAs) to help with the teacher load. Sadly I doubt this will come to fruition.

Anonymous wrote:Talk to the powers that be that control the purse strings. Teachers are leaving because they are not paid enough for the hours and abuse that they put up with. I am a teacher and have worked most of the weekend - as usual.

I refuse to work over the weekend anymore. I could work around the clock and still not feel like it's all done. It's too much.

Anonymous wrote:Schools should think about paying retired math and English teachers to be graders just like college professors have TA’s.,
A grader could be assigned to an English or math teacher 10 hours a week and grade papers/tests at home. It would be a no benefits hourly rate position so way cheaper for the district than hiring another teacher. Teachers with young children, retired teachers, teachers with health issues would be willing to take this job. Get rid of all the instructional coaches and there is your funding. Ask any high school teacher whether they would want a grader or instructional coach.

I love, love, LOVE this idea.

I have nothing against instructional coaches, but that's not where I want to see money spent. An instructional coach isn't going to keep me from quitting. They don't reduce my workload. (They actually increase it.) A grader, though? YES!