Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tenure teachers may be difficult but new teachers are fair game with no security. At my school an AP was even making life hell for a National Board Cert Teacher. She survived the PAR process but had to defend and document every single day during the attacks when they were trying to snuff her out. She was a good teacher and teachers have to fight when bullies run the show. Wish admin had the same standards they might respect teachers more.

Let me start by saying that I am not an admin, but the NBCTs that I’ve worked with have not always been great teachers. About 1/4 were rockstars no matter what you threw at them. About 50% had a definite niche —they did well with a particular course or grade level OR, sadder still, were quite good with a particular type of student, but less successful with children who were exceptional in any way. And the last 1/4 were mediocre to down right awful. I couldn’t figure out how they got through the process. Or maybe they burned out during the process and were phoning it in.

Until this year, I’ve always felt too harried to undertake it. One of the niche teachers said I should give it a try when I get a job in a school that was less of a pressure cooker. I switched schools this year and now I feel like I might have the time in 2019-20. But I don’t think earning it would prove anything about how I teach in subsequent years.

My first and only thought when I see “NBCT” next to someone’s name is that they have enough free time to do it, not that they had amazing teaching skills that are above most others. I’m always thinking about doing it, but I haven’t yet hit a point where the time invested would be worth the paltry payoff. Maybe when my kids are in college or something.

Anonymous wrote:Remember the teacher in this massive thread: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/120/499746.page ? She apparently did finally get fired this year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tenure teachers may be difficult but new teachers are fair game with no security. At my school an AP was even making life hell for a National Board Cert Teacher. She survived the PAR process but had to defend and document every single day during the attacks when they were trying to snuff her out. She was a good teacher and teachers have to fight when bullies run the show. Wish admin had the same standards they might respect teachers more.

Let me start by saying that I am not an admin, but the NBCTs that I’ve worked with have not always been great teachers. About 1/4 were rockstars no matter what you threw at them. About 50% had a definite niche —they did well with a particular course or grade level OR, sadder still, were quite good with a particular type of student, but less successful with children who were exceptional in any way. And the last 1/4 were mediocre to down right awful. I couldn’t figure out how they got through the process. Or maybe they burned out during the process and were phoning it in.

Until this year, I’ve always felt too harried to undertake it. One of the niche teachers said I should give it a try when I get a job in a school that was less of a pressure cooker. I switched schools this year and now I feel like I might have the time in 2019-20. But I don’t think earning it would prove anything about how I teach in subsequent years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weast the smartest of the crew? Yikes! You mean the guy that brought us the Pearson disaster and then got a nice trip to Australia out of it? http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/12/pearson-weast-timeline.html

He was the smartest of the crew. I've worked under four supts in MCPS. Weast was able to create a professional growth system that is far superior to those in other counties. (I know b/c I've been trained in the MCPS protocol and in one used in three surrounding counties.)

Smith is no different; instead of developing curriculum to sell, he's purchasing canned curriculum. And he's relying upon EOS to make himself look good, too. I bet that when he retires with his fat pension, he'll be consulting for more big money.

Education is a business, people. In my experiences, those in central are not teacher-friendly, nor were many of them successful in the classroom. So how can we expect them to motivate tired and abused teachers?

Anonymous wrote:Weast the smartest of the crew? Yikes! You mean the guy that brought us the Pearson disaster and then got a nice trip to Australia out of it? http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/12/pearson-weast-timeline.html

Anonymous wrote:Fire the nasty secretaries. Too many people looking for jobs to keep on those that are mean to the community. Step aside and make room for people who are happy to be working in a school.

Anonymous wrote:Tenure teachers may be difficult but new teachers are fair game with no security. At my school an AP was even making life hell for a National Board Cert Teacher. She survived the PAR process but had to defend and document every single day during the attacks when they were trying to snuff her out. She was a good teacher and teachers have to fight when bullies run the show. Wish admin had the same standards they might respect teachers more.

Anonymous wrote:I inherited a teacher at my school who was involuntary transferred from her previous school and placed at mine. She tried but was completely ineffective and despite many attempts at coaching and support it was obvious that she shouldn't be teaching. It took me all year spending at least three days a week in her class observing her and writing her up to get her in front of the PAR panel. They recommended she be terminated but she chose to resign instead. MCEA makes it VERY difficult to get rid of teachers who are underperforming.