Hey, I Know That Pregnant Lady!
Last night, teachers were out in force telling local media and our school board about the bad decision-making process that results in less planning time for teachers next year. (Watch the videos and spot familiar faces!)
Most every MSM outlet is on the bandwagon, trying to imply that now elementary, middle and high school teachers will be teaching an equal amount of time. Keep repeating that lie and no doubt most will start to believe it.
In the end, though, we all know that this is going to hurt our kids, our community, ourselves. Less time for everything because of a lack of leadership or accountability.
Related news:
"In the past few weeks, 702 teachers were notified their jobs are being cut in August because of course and schedule changes, said Joe Perez, a district personnel services manager."
A new video has been added here regarding last night's demonstration.
Another take on the meeting.
And yet another.
posted by kate @ 11:50 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
"Teachers have been trying to convince the school board since February that teaching six instead of five classes a day with less planning time won't be good for students."
Question, and this is sincere:
So an hour that had been free for the teacher to "plan" will now be used to teach, and the teachers are saying taking away this hour will hurt the students because it reduces the teacher time to plan their lessons. Tell me, why can't the teachers take an hour either after school has let out or later on in the day and make up for the hour they lost? You are salaried employees and not paid by the hour, right?
The situation isn't that easy. Yes, our hour has been taken away from us. But effective planning takes more than an hour a day.
Are you sincere? We'll see.
Planning for an avg. classroom takes a while because of the different learning abilities and styles. An effective teacher researches and studies different and modern ways to teach our kids. Takes a while to do it right.
Then we've got to communicate with parents, other teachers, make copies, grade papers and notebooks and tests, record grades, sponsor clubs, complete paperwork for clubs, attend and chaperone afterschool activities, go to the bathroom, scarf down lunch, maintain special ed paperwork and deadlines and audits.
Know what? I'm forgetting tons more. Which means that most teachers come in early, work past the end of the school day, and/or take work home. Many give the kids busy work to get done with some of it during the day as well.
I don't think many beginning teachers understand this. And I think that when they do, they get out. Which explains the high dropout rate of teachers within the first five years.
I'm approaching the end of my fourth. Tick Tock.
RW,
You're also oversimplifying by making an hour for hour substitution. You must also account for the fact that going from five to six is a 20% increase in workload while taking away 50% of the planning time. Never mind that the lost time also has to be added either before or after affecting schedules of other personal obligations. I know two teachers, and they both spend way more of their free time at home doing school work than I'd do for my current job. It's much more than a one-for-one swap. I'm not familiar with the situation enough to speak fully on it, as in what they were told when they were hired and all that, but if my boss suddenly came to me and said I expect you to do 20% more with 50% less in resources, all for the same incentive(pay etc..), I'd be re-evaluating my job choices.
>>Are you sincere? We'll see.
Of course I am, and thank you for your answer.
Having viewed some of the links you provided, I see where your union negotiated no more than 300 minutes a day which this move doesn't violate. Next year HS teachers will be teaching 6 class periods.
I can almost predict how this will go. Like any changes in an organization, most will adjust but some won't. Those who won't will either drop-out or they'll complain enough that adminstrators will start documenting the evidence to get them dismissed. Of the teachers who are being let go because of this change (702 teachers were notified their jobs are being cut in August because of course and schedule changes), some will find other jobs (either teaching or otherwise), some will hold out because their spouse makes enough to cover the bills or some other reason, but regardless they'll be approached about taking the place of those who leave after the 07-08 school year, and enough of them will jump on the opportunity. Then there's a pool of new teachers just out of school and itching to get their feet wet.
I'll keep up with the issue and your opinion of what's going on. Thank you for the information you have provided.
Hope all is well with you today. :)
I am tired of HS teachers being labeled "lazy" for speaking up about this issue. Look at is this way for next year:
HS teachers will have 50 m planning during the student day + 24 extra m in the day beyond the students’ day = 74 m without students.
Elem. Ed. will have 30 m planning during the students’ day + 90 extra m in the day beyond the students’ day = 120 m without students.
Teachers will have a 30 m lunch and 15 m duty accounted for in the below, along with some equivalent of homeroom.
Elem. Ed counts the time walking their students place to place as “instructional”.
We ALL work more than an 8 hour day to meet the need of our students. Teaching is an extremely difficult job. Elem. Ed. has time before and after classes to "plan". They are teaching with "blocks" and less passing time and number of times classes change. They also count the time when they walk their classes place to place as “instructional”, and part of that 300 minutes. We have different types of things we have to do and prepare for in our day. Please do not try to “divide and conquer’ us!
Most of us have not spelled things out this way. Our work days are VERY different as to how we spend our time and the needs of our students are VERY different. Look at these side by side comparisons. One group does not work more than another. The media needs to understand this. The news reports from Tuesday’s protest and board meeting have left the message that high school teachers did not want to work as much as the other levels. This is the way things work for next year:
HS / Elem. Ed. / Definition (if needed):
Ind. Classes/ two blocks + another /how periods are scheduled
150 students / 18 students /parents to call, understanding needs, etc.*
6 classes / 5 classes
150 grades /90 grades /to evaluate, score, enter on Edline, etc.
7.3 student hrs / 6.2 student hrs/ the "school day" for students
50 m planning / 30 m planning /time during the “student” day to plan
high level material / low level material
long assignments / short assignments
passing time Not considered instructional/ passing time considered instructional
Next year (8 h day for teachers)- time BEYOND THE STUDENTS’ Day:
HS 24 m / Elem. Ed 90 m /(8h minus the student day)
Elem. Ed. counts the time walking their class place to place as “instructional” minutes. Why cannot HS count the time we are at the door, “instructing” our students during passing as they leave and enter our rooms. What we are doing during those 6 minutes IS INSTRUCTING!
* many HS courses are a semester in length, which doubles the student contact.
\"This is not good for students,\\\" said Freedom High world history and archaeology teacher Shannon Peck, as she carried homemade sign full of glitter.
Peck, 27, insists the schedule change will cost her precious planning time, which she says she uses to do much more than simply assemble her history lessons.
\\\"I\\\'m not going to be able to give as much quality time to parents on phone calls because I don\\\'t have the time; I\\\'m not going to be able to have afternoon tutoring sessions with my students like I do now,\\\" she said. \\\"It\\\'s more than just standing up in front of students.\\\"
She was able to fit in some time to protest, why not a little extra classtime? She even had time to make a homemade sign full of glitter.
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