Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm
Sorry that you are having a hard time. However, can you step back and see how arrogant you (likely) were when you started just a few weeks ago? DCPS attracts/recruits urban teaching 'veterans' who assume that they can do what DCPS teachers cannot accomplish. It drives me nuts. Every year I see you all start the year with smug attitudes and then bail. Turns out that this is a tough as hell place to teach.

This is my first year teaching ever. I wasn't smug at all. I didn't assume much. I wanted to teach here, because I grew up here. I received a crappy education. My teachers used to turn on a video and walk out of the room. I wasn't prepared for college. Somehow I made it anyway. I wanted to help people who look like me see a world outside of the bubble that they know. I'm not leaving because it's "tough as hell." This place is hell.

I'm leaving because in the first week one teacher had his arm dislocated by a student while another suffered a broken hand. They threatened to rape a female teacher after work. One of my students was arrested in my classroom for fighting another student for "looking at him." That same day, another student was beaten unconscious in the classroom next door. The students intentionally threw laptops from the laptop cart to the ground, shattering them, because they "didn't feel like reading." All of these students are still enrolled. At most they received a two or three day suspension and returned with new shoes, new hairdos, and a new lore among their peers.

They sit in the classes on their phones, they gamble, they throw chairs and flip over tables in what our administration writes off as "attention seeking behavior" and all throughout this someone comes in to informally observe us and tell us how shitty of a job we're doing. They don't suspend or expel, because the goal is to reduce suspension numbers this year. I call parents everyday and, while a FEW apologize and say that they'll try to speak with their kids, the majority say something along the lines of "that's your problem," "I've washed my hands of my child," or "don't call me again."

My evaluation is based on their test scores, but 90% of my students are five or six years below grade level. They're working on learning basic subtraction in 10th grade Math. I don't fault them for that. The system failed them, but you can't put 28 of them in one class with one teacher and with these behaviors and expect any actual learning to occur. I have 34 in some classes despite union rules and the most I get is a stipend because it violates the agreement. I technically get a planning period each day, but I have meetings or am told to cover someone else's class 3-4 times a week. I leave the building around 5 after all of our after school meetings, then pick up my child. By the time I get home, it's after six. After my child is fed, then I get to grading and filling out paperwork for 215 kids. Then, I work on my lesson which is essentially a 90 minute presentation every single day.

Please don't lessen the experience by making it seem like we're just in a funk about kids who may be a little talkative.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is teaching really that bad these days or is it just tough teaching in DC? I attended one of the worst high schools in the DC suburbs and I don't ever recall a teacher quitting during the school year.

I've been working for DCPS for more than 10 years, and every year we are asked to do more. I can only imagine what it's like for a new teacher to come on board and be faced with our to-do list. It must be overwhelming. I'm not sure how I've survived this long.

It's so disappointing to hear how much teachers dislike their jobs. How can parents help?

Teachers don't dislike their jobs. It's the conditions & lack of support that's unique to DC. Many of those teachers leave and find teaching jobs they love elsewhere. And on more than one occasion they've said they love being treated as a professional and talked to with respect. The fights, cussing, teacher assaults are all things teachers dislike about DCPS. In no other place can a student cuss out a teacher and have admin shrug and say "Oh well. That's how it is here."[/quote]

At the Ward 8 school I teach at we have already lost some. It can be so hard to reach many of the students, and too often they are the ones most at risk and most in need of help. Some of students have so much anger. It can be shocking to see how destructive they can be. And too many don't care one bit about the consequences of there actions.

"What can parents do to help?"

Not bad mouth the school, teachers and education in general. Show respect and expect your kids to respect there teachers, school admin. etc.

Don't complain to or even within ear shot of your kids about all the things the school expects you to do and be careful about making accusations the school and it's teachers/admin.

Just try to do your best and please at least start with the assumption that we to are trying to do our best.

I understand that it may not be possible to always read to your kids or help them with some project. But try not to show that frustration to your kids. And do what you can even if it's only 5 minutes of reading when you can.

And please avoid comments like "I was never any good at math" or whatever subject.

And don't whine to your kid about have to sign the permission slip for a field trip.

I could go on. I am not trying to blame parents, I know it is not easy and I know many face challenges I don't as a parent. I am just trying to give some ideas on what parents can do to help. Thanks.