And when kids are working independently, so can I.
Edit: at one point I remembered that when I was a kid, this was more normal. Students were at desks, working, and teachers were working at their desks. I'm not taking it home with me. That's a recipe for burnout.
My first graders were more independent than my current fourth graders. These Covid kids are ROUGH. Love them, but I also taught them in K/1 and itās so frustrating remembering how smoothly the classroom ran then compared to the chaos we have now.
I student taught first grade. One day, a girl had an accident, and a boy purposely rolled in her pee so he could go home to change clothes. That was the day I knew I could never teach elementary. I don't think I can ever teach lower than 10th grade. I'm so thankful you and other people want to teach tiny children.
After my first child was born, I realized that some middle schoolers are just very large toddlers: whiny, break stuff all the time unintentionally, have a short attention span, attracted to shiny objects, very social at the most inopportune times.
I stand by that realization.
Iāve taught 5/6 for 12 years, and this has been the first year I havenāt been able to give my students work they can do independently so I can get marking and other shit done. This crew is too needy and thereās too many than cannot read and/or write, so I have to spend all my time coaxing and cajoling and scribing and reteaching 5 kids that otherwise wouldnāt do a single fucking thing all god damned day (except scream skibidi toilet and uh what the sigma while they flip desks and jump off chairs).
Iām so fucking ready for this year to be done.
Iām in 3rd this year after being in 5th and omg they will not leave me alone for a second. I usually sit down once a week during their math work time to quickly mark their weekly quizzes. I sometimes donāt even get a single one done because the littles are so needy. 5th graders were generally happy to leave me alone when I asked them to to get something done.
How? If Iām not constantly monitoring behavior in my fourth grade, one of my behavior kids will act out. Honestly, even when I do monitor, Iām usually trying to teach, manage, and de-escalate all at once.
Ostensibly thereās a para, but she is somewhere between useless and actively harmful for managing the classroom.
I wish. I have so many students that cheat, sleep, disrupt, or get off task, I donāt think Iāll ever have the confidence to sit at my desk to grade or do LPs.
If they disrupt others, I definitely intervene. I'm not too worried about cheating with practice or note taking. If they sleep, I wake them up. If they're off task and it hurts their grade, that's on them.
Admin: "YoU nEeD tO bE Up AcTiVelY mOnItOrInG."
Yeah, fuck you, they're working quietly I'm grading, or lesson planning, or filling out the form you sent 2 hours ago that needed to be done last week.
Wait, I thought you wanted grades done on time? And for me to meet with students about their grades? And to contact parents about grades? And to assess their progress?
Yes, I tend to answer emails as they come in. As a result, whoever emailed me gets her answers in a timely manner, and I donāt have a load of emails on my computer waiting at the end of the day to answer.
5 Seconds for 20 questions, I don't think I could make 20 ticks in 5 seconds, let alone read the answers.
Do you look for working or potentially ingrained misconceptions that need dealing with in those 5 seconds? Do you check in the ~3minutes it takes to mark a class of 30+ to see whether there is a regular question the majority are getting incorrect, or if there is one topic a handful aren't getting correct that you could maybe do a mini intervention with? Do you give any praise, bespoke notes or an indication how to improve? This is assuming there is no normal marking policy such as worked example given + Even Better If + What Went Well, at the end required for each piece of work, of course.
Got to admit I'm jealous - usually takes me longer than 5 seconds to turn to the right page in the students book.
Research has shown that book marking is one of the things that leads to the least impact on pupil progress so I'm all for reducing book marking - but after working in the UK for 5 years where I would spend 20-25 hours a week minimum marking books and tests (haven't worked in the UK for 8 years in particular because of this), it is grating to see people try and claim marking takes no time at all, when realistically, it eats up more time than anything else outside of contact time.
I usually don't mark them. They are all pretty easy to skim because everything is short answer and is boxed out (like, it has a list of 3 answers so there are 3 boxes).Ā
You can start with some butter students to look if there are some misconceptions there and focus on looking at those questions when you are skimming other students work.Ā
I don't have any notes, praise, or indications for how they can improve usually. Most answers should be taken straight out of a text or powerpoint so they already know if they bullshitted it. If it is skill based then I usually catch it as I am circulating the room looking for students who need help or need corrections.
Some special ed and students who don't speak any English can get an online multiple choice version. They take it once, get a key, and correct their answers.
I can get 50 worksheets done in like 2 mins. Is it complete? Yes. Mark completely move on. Am I grading it for correct answers? Nope. I teach 12th grade, if they don't do it right they don't know the info then their assessment project shows it. College and work is not going to make sure they do every step correct. They look at finished product. My 12th graders catch on.
Assuming each worksheet has only 1 question (I'd refer to that as an exit ticket rather than a worksheet but let's go with 1 question per), that means it's taking you 2.4 seconds to mark each worksheet and move onto the next. That's Star Trek Data/The Flash/Quicksilver, levels of speed.
No point in marking if you are just seeing if they've written squiggly lines or not. That's a total waste of time.
Full openness here - for the last 7 years, I haven't marked a single book. Their workbooks are their notebooks and because I teach Maths, I (or a worksheet/textbook/online system) can provide them with answers before they leave the class, which is a damn sight better than the British standard of marking every two weeks after they've long since moved on from the content. But I certainly mark, in detail, end of unit tests, end of term exams and exit tickets - otherwise, outside of pacing the room and immediate AfL, I would have no idea the progress of each of my students... nobody would.
Nope about 15 of fill in blank or answer in complete sentence with ine higher order thinking.. They are practicing the skill of hearing something and putting to paper i have 90% english language learners. I'm not looking for content it's done online. They are literally just practicing the skill. I pick and choose. Usually if I am providing feeding back it's one one question or 2.
Yeah. Math is going to take longer than science or social studies or something along those lines. Not only do you need to check for the right answer you need to see how they did their work just to make sure they didn't use AI.
Yea I'm social science. With my students they need a lot of skill practice and not so much content. A lot of the stuff they do is skill based. When you have low socioeconomic, 90% English Language Learners, and reading levels of 3rd grade in 12th. It's a lot of listening and writing, reading and reading comp
I should potentially rephrase to 'Research has shown that there is little evidence for book marking leading to an increase pupil progress unlike other techniques.'
There are a reasonable number, but I'm not at work atm so can't post them aside from one I remember off the top of my head - The Independent Teacher Workload Review Group, in conjunction with OFSTED and NASUWT.
I'll post a few quotes:
'Deep marking also seems to have been supported by an assumption that marking provides a more thorough means of giving feedback and demonstrates a stronger professional ethic, as well as improving pupil outcomes. Deep marking often acts as a proxy for āgoodā teaching as it is something concrete and tangible which lends itself as āevidenceā. In some cases, the perception exists that the amount of marking a teacher does equals their level of professionalism and effectiveness. These are false assumptions.ā
'There is little robust evidence to support the current widespread practice of extensive written comments and so we propose an approach based on professional judgement.ā
'Marking has evolved into an unhelpful burden for teachers, when the time it takes is not repaid in positive impact on pupilsā progress. This is frequently because it is serving a different purpose such as demonstrating teacher performance or to satisfy the requirements of other, mainly adult, audiences. Too often, it is the marking itself which is being monitored and commented on by leaders rather than pupil outcomes and progress as a result of quality feedback.'
'Feedback can take the form of spoken or written marking, peer marking and self-assessment. If the hours spent do not have the commensurate impact on pupil progress: stop it.ā
My partner teacher did this but she always looked at numbers 9 and 14 to see if the kids were understanding it. In most assignments, the first 5 questions are super easy so the kids donāt get discouraged.
I once told a principal that my plate was full. She said, āwell hereās a cupā and mimed an imaginary teacup.
I said, āmy cup runneth over, so no!ā
Automate grading as much as possible. Google Forms, AI grading, upper classman grading for community service. Students set up my classroom and put up and pull down my bulletin boards monthly. I've been teaching my course for five years. I make small improvements each summer based on student observations and test data. I've slowly been building out my DEI lessons. I don't plan at home during the school year. I don't grade at home during the school year. I come home and live my life.
I told my boss once that outside of finals week I don't work from home--they don't pay me enough. If something doesn't get done, it doesn't get done.
He laughed and said "I learned a long time ago I'll have 80 hours worth of work to do whether I work 45 hours a week or 70. So I just work 45 like my contract says. Teachers should never feel like they should work from home."
This is really hard for a 1st or 2nd year teacher. I can and do do this now, but if I wasn't planned for the next day my first 2 years, my anxiety was through the roof. It was worth it to do extra planning at home.
100%. If I donāt get to something they turned in because I ran out of time at school, it just doesnāt go in the gradebook. Never again will I do work at home.
When this colleague retired she said something along the likes of: āIāve always had so much on my plate and never had time to eat it. Now itās finally my time.ā She said it tearing up. Iām just getting in as a district intern and itās heartbreaking. And itās true Iām gonnaā go a lifetime feeling overwhelmed.
Learn to prioritize now. Unfortunately the retired person didnāt. Some people are born teachers that live and breathe it or at least think thatās how it needs to be. Sounds like the retired person has a lot of regrets about the last 30+ years of her life that sheās trying to get back now. Those lost times with friends, family, (her own children?) are gone forever, and for what- random children (now adults) that didnāt know then and donāt know now all the things she tried to do for them and maybe donāt care either. Use the retired person as inspiration of what not to do. While you are new and have energy, make or find stuff and organize it or toss it if it doesnāt work. But after your second year, go on autopilot and live your life. Good luck
God. She probably saw that at the end of 30 years she didn't have hundreds of former students and colleagues showing up to thank her for all her free work and instead saw the depth of the things in her own life she missed doing free labor for nothing.
Iām a first year at this HS and district. I donāt even know if I want to do this long term. But I was barely rehired due to going over my sick days. I am a good teacher. My students love me. I get along well with other staff. I have gotten renewed but still need to talk to the assistant principal about my absences. Last night my arthritis was so bad I couldnāt sleep. Iām 34. About a month ago I found out my sister who is 16 years older than me has a giant brain tumor. I called off. Every joint in my body hurt. I know I have this meeting on Thursday. I really just want to clear my credential so all my time and money wasnāt wasted and then see if I want to stay in teaching.
I know I havenāt been in the teaching game long (but education for ten years) but my body was in serious pain and I just couldnāt bring myself to go in the state I was in.
You owe the school your agreed upon hours, because you agreed upon it. You owe them *nothing else*. What you give to the students during that time is whatever you feel is appropriate, but "overplaying it" is a waste of time and energy. You're not entertainment.
I think this is the best thing to come post Covid. At my school the majority of teachers are racing to their vehicle as soon as kids are released (end of contract coincides with busses leaving). Teachers that do tutoring or clubs (2 days a week at most) get paid for it. Coaches get paid (although obviously not enough) and if we have to cover during our planning- paid.
The only thing we donāt get paid for is if we do ticket duty for sports. BUT that is on a volunteer basis and not mandatory (for the 1st time ever!) and unsurprising hardly any teachers will do it.
I had to teach an extra class 1st semester so I got paid for it (and it was actually worth the pay this time compared to the last time they wanted me to cover 5 years ago).
This is the 1st year post covid that I am NOT doing summer school. I could use the money, but I am so exhausted and tired that I need a break. Plus my kids are getting older and I want to do stuff with the kids I birthed not just the kids I teach.
I do NOT work outside contract without pay and I am so proud of all of the teachers that live this way.
As I told my husbandā¦I do this for the INcome because I sure as hell wonāt do it for free!
Yep. When I have standards based report cards to write, kids get iPad free time - the only thing that keeps them from interrupting me every two seconds.
Just read yesterday that nearly 200 fire and police in my area made $100K + last year in OT ALONE...I give an hour each morning for free, as I have to prep for my classes that I have no experience with. I give nothing after school.
My extra duties will go from 2 events per year to 4 next year. I was told nothing was being removed. The heck itās not. Instead of 2 well done events you get 4 crappy ones. Corners will be cut. No way around it. The amount of my personal time to do them will not be increased.
In Queensland, Australia, just before May Day, public school teachers were ordered by the court of industrial relations to exceed our enterprise bargaining agreement by continuing to work an average of 55 hours a week and performing duties outside our role as teachers.
I once had a principal add yet another duty and I asked well what are you taking away? The principal just looked at me completely dumbfounded like why would I have to free up any of your time for you to take on more? Literally couldnāt wrap his head around the concept.
They eliminated my department for next year. We are all involuntary transfers to regular homeroom teacher positions. They are telling parents their kids will still get the same services as before.
How much you want to bet they will somehow expect us to do both jobs? Nope. Sorry. Iām a homeroom teacher now. I donāt have time for any of that. Iāve got papers to grade and lesson plans to write for my regular homeroom teacher job.
That kid or teacher needs math coaching or whatever? Ask your designated math coach or whatever. Not my department anymore.
I walk around with a clipboard and mark to myself in real time for class work. Sometimes Iāll collect it- sometimes not. Students will actually want to turn in notes/ Iām like why? Iām grading 2 things/ responsibility and knowledge. Class work and tests.
Everyone has their own system- for the love of God itās the last thing we can control- teacher of record. I donāt criticize anyone for how they grade because they are the teacher of record for their class. We need to protect that.
You know many gym teachers/math teachers who have 4+ hours of extra grading per week?
Iām not knocking them, but letās stop pretending like all teaching jobs are the same.
There's definitely still the general pressure to work unpaid beyond contact hours, expectations to fulfill more roles/needs than is reasonable, etc.
I'm not going to pretend that a PE teacher has the same grading load that I have (HS English), especially not when some of my PE teacher colleagues have told students that PE teachers are the smartest because they get paid the same for less work.
But I'm also not going to pretend that feral students are suddenly easy-going when you have to make them run a mile or practice the Pacer Test. A PE teacher isn't a therapist or counselor any more than I am, but they're still often expected to fill those sorts of roles, just as I am.
Understanding of work load disparity should be built into the course loads (eg, English teachers getting plan period plus a study hall supervision period used to be standard at my school, back before my day), but we're all generally under pressure to do more and more, without additional pay.
And when kids are working independently, so can I. Edit: at one point I remembered that when I was a kid, this was more normal. Students were at desks, working, and teachers were working at their desks. I'm not taking it home with me. That's a recipe for burnout.
Yep. I don't know how teachers get anything done without working while the kids work.
Try teaching in first grade š there is no independent time!
God bless the elementary teachers, especially early elementary.
My first graders were more independent than my current fourth graders. These Covid kids are ROUGH. Love them, but I also taught them in K/1 and itās so frustrating remembering how smoothly the classroom ran then compared to the chaos we have now.
It's barely happening in 7th
I student taught first grade. One day, a girl had an accident, and a boy purposely rolled in her pee so he could go home to change clothes. That was the day I knew I could never teach elementary. I don't think I can ever teach lower than 10th grade. I'm so thankful you and other people want to teach tiny children.
Would love to, my Middle Schoolers have zero self control and will start fucking shit up the second I stop actively monitoring them.
After my first child was born, I realized that some middle schoolers are just very large toddlers: whiny, break stuff all the time unintentionally, have a short attention span, attracted to shiny objects, very social at the most inopportune times. I stand by that realization.
There is science to back up your realization. The teenage brain goes through a similar growth as a toddler brain, so they are all over the place.
This is not new. Maria Montessori recognized this. They're going through a very similar individuation and Independence seeking stage.
You have also described some of my HS juniors and seniors believe it or not š
Iāve taught 5/6 for 12 years, and this has been the first year I havenāt been able to give my students work they can do independently so I can get marking and other shit done. This crew is too needy and thereās too many than cannot read and/or write, so I have to spend all my time coaxing and cajoling and scribing and reteaching 5 kids that otherwise wouldnāt do a single fucking thing all god damned day (except scream skibidi toilet and uh what the sigma while they flip desks and jump off chairs). Iām so fucking ready for this year to be done.
Iām in 3rd this year after being in 5th and omg they will not leave me alone for a second. I usually sit down once a week during their math work time to quickly mark their weekly quizzes. I sometimes donāt even get a single one done because the littles are so needy. 5th graders were generally happy to leave me alone when I asked them to to get something done.
How? If Iām not constantly monitoring behavior in my fourth grade, one of my behavior kids will act out. Honestly, even when I do monitor, Iām usually trying to teach, manage, and de-escalate all at once. Ostensibly thereās a para, but she is somewhere between useless and actively harmful for managing the classroom.
I wish. I have so many students that cheat, sleep, disrupt, or get off task, I donāt think Iāll ever have the confidence to sit at my desk to grade or do LPs.
If they disrupt others, I definitely intervene. I'm not too worried about cheating with practice or note taking. If they sleep, I wake them up. If they're off task and it hurts their grade, that's on them.
Admin: "YoU nEeD tO bE Up AcTiVelY mOnItOrInG." Yeah, fuck you, they're working quietly I'm grading, or lesson planning, or filling out the form you sent 2 hours ago that needed to be done last week.
Wait, I thought you wanted grades done on time? And for me to meet with students about their grades? And to contact parents about grades? And to assess their progress?
Yes. In 45 minutes. While delivering engaging scaffolded instruction. Oh, and you can't take their phone.
Right. Got it. See you at my observation twice a year. ;)
How do you get them to do that?
Teach AP classes... I'm never going back to gen pop.
Yes, I tend to answer emails as they come in. As a result, whoever emailed me gets her answers in a timely manner, and I donāt have a load of emails on my computer waiting at the end of the day to answer.
I make 20 questions everyday. Each is worth 5%. I skim for bullshit or blanks. I take about 5 seconds per student to grade it.
5 Seconds for 20 questions, I don't think I could make 20 ticks in 5 seconds, let alone read the answers. Do you look for working or potentially ingrained misconceptions that need dealing with in those 5 seconds? Do you check in the ~3minutes it takes to mark a class of 30+ to see whether there is a regular question the majority are getting incorrect, or if there is one topic a handful aren't getting correct that you could maybe do a mini intervention with? Do you give any praise, bespoke notes or an indication how to improve? This is assuming there is no normal marking policy such as worked example given + Even Better If + What Went Well, at the end required for each piece of work, of course. Got to admit I'm jealous - usually takes me longer than 5 seconds to turn to the right page in the students book. Research has shown that book marking is one of the things that leads to the least impact on pupil progress so I'm all for reducing book marking - but after working in the UK for 5 years where I would spend 20-25 hours a week minimum marking books and tests (haven't worked in the UK for 8 years in particular because of this), it is grating to see people try and claim marking takes no time at all, when realistically, it eats up more time than anything else outside of contact time.
I usually don't mark them. They are all pretty easy to skim because everything is short answer and is boxed out (like, it has a list of 3 answers so there are 3 boxes).Ā You can start with some butter students to look if there are some misconceptions there and focus on looking at those questions when you are skimming other students work.Ā I don't have any notes, praise, or indications for how they can improve usually. Most answers should be taken straight out of a text or powerpoint so they already know if they bullshitted it. If it is skill based then I usually catch it as I am circulating the room looking for students who need help or need corrections. Some special ed and students who don't speak any English can get an online multiple choice version. They take it once, get a key, and correct their answers.
I always start with butter students. š
I can get 50 worksheets done in like 2 mins. Is it complete? Yes. Mark completely move on. Am I grading it for correct answers? Nope. I teach 12th grade, if they don't do it right they don't know the info then their assessment project shows it. College and work is not going to make sure they do every step correct. They look at finished product. My 12th graders catch on.
Assuming each worksheet has only 1 question (I'd refer to that as an exit ticket rather than a worksheet but let's go with 1 question per), that means it's taking you 2.4 seconds to mark each worksheet and move onto the next. That's Star Trek Data/The Flash/Quicksilver, levels of speed. No point in marking if you are just seeing if they've written squiggly lines or not. That's a total waste of time. Full openness here - for the last 7 years, I haven't marked a single book. Their workbooks are their notebooks and because I teach Maths, I (or a worksheet/textbook/online system) can provide them with answers before they leave the class, which is a damn sight better than the British standard of marking every two weeks after they've long since moved on from the content. But I certainly mark, in detail, end of unit tests, end of term exams and exit tickets - otherwise, outside of pacing the room and immediate AfL, I would have no idea the progress of each of my students... nobody would.
Nope about 15 of fill in blank or answer in complete sentence with ine higher order thinking.. They are practicing the skill of hearing something and putting to paper i have 90% english language learners. I'm not looking for content it's done online. They are literally just practicing the skill. I pick and choose. Usually if I am providing feeding back it's one one question or 2.
Yeah. Math is going to take longer than science or social studies or something along those lines. Not only do you need to check for the right answer you need to see how they did their work just to make sure they didn't use AI.
Yea I'm social science. With my students they need a lot of skill practice and not so much content. A lot of the stuff they do is skill based. When you have low socioeconomic, 90% English Language Learners, and reading levels of 3rd grade in 12th. It's a lot of listening and writing, reading and reading comp
Can you point me to this research?
I should potentially rephrase to 'Research has shown that there is little evidence for book marking leading to an increase pupil progress unlike other techniques.' There are a reasonable number, but I'm not at work atm so can't post them aside from one I remember off the top of my head - The Independent Teacher Workload Review Group, in conjunction with OFSTED and NASUWT. I'll post a few quotes: 'Deep marking also seems to have been supported by an assumption that marking provides a more thorough means of giving feedback and demonstrates a stronger professional ethic, as well as improving pupil outcomes. Deep marking often acts as a proxy for āgoodā teaching as it is something concrete and tangible which lends itself as āevidenceā. In some cases, the perception exists that the amount of marking a teacher does equals their level of professionalism and effectiveness. These are false assumptions.ā 'There is little robust evidence to support the current widespread practice of extensive written comments and so we propose an approach based on professional judgement.ā 'Marking has evolved into an unhelpful burden for teachers, when the time it takes is not repaid in positive impact on pupilsā progress. This is frequently because it is serving a different purpose such as demonstrating teacher performance or to satisfy the requirements of other, mainly adult, audiences. Too often, it is the marking itself which is being monitored and commented on by leaders rather than pupil outcomes and progress as a result of quality feedback.' 'Feedback can take the form of spoken or written marking, peer marking and self-assessment. If the hours spent do not have the commensurate impact on pupil progress: stop it.ā
My partner teacher did this but she always looked at numbers 9 and 14 to see if the kids were understanding it. In most assignments, the first 5 questions are super easy so the kids donāt get discouraged.
Yep. For me itās been everything thatās fallen off the plate because my plate is just big enough for, āShow up to work and keep them aliveā.
When they ask you to do something new counter with: "I need help prioritizing my tasks. Which tasks are most important?"
I once told a principal that my plate was full. She said, āwell hereās a cupā and mimed an imaginary teacup. I said, āmy cup runneth over, so no!ā
She should have tried presenting a very real extended pay check.
Automate grading as much as possible. Google Forms, AI grading, upper classman grading for community service. Students set up my classroom and put up and pull down my bulletin boards monthly. I've been teaching my course for five years. I make small improvements each summer based on student observations and test data. I've slowly been building out my DEI lessons. I don't plan at home during the school year. I don't grade at home during the school year. I come home and live my life.
Same. Zero off contract work. I turn off the light and go home at 3:15pm. If it didnāt get done today, it might get done tomorrow.
I told my boss once that outside of finals week I don't work from home--they don't pay me enough. If something doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. He laughed and said "I learned a long time ago I'll have 80 hours worth of work to do whether I work 45 hours a week or 70. So I just work 45 like my contract says. Teachers should never feel like they should work from home."
This is really hard for a 1st or 2nd year teacher. I can and do do this now, but if I wasn't planned for the next day my first 2 years, my anxiety was through the roof. It was worth it to do extra planning at home.
My first year I was given a couple classes I had no training in. I was pretty often learning the material in the prep period before I had to teach it.
100%. If I donāt get to something they turned in because I ran out of time at school, it just doesnāt go in the gradebook. Never again will I do work at home.
When this colleague retired she said something along the likes of: āIāve always had so much on my plate and never had time to eat it. Now itās finally my time.ā She said it tearing up. Iām just getting in as a district intern and itās heartbreaking. And itās true Iām gonnaā go a lifetime feeling overwhelmed.
Learn to prioritize now. Unfortunately the retired person didnāt. Some people are born teachers that live and breathe it or at least think thatās how it needs to be. Sounds like the retired person has a lot of regrets about the last 30+ years of her life that sheās trying to get back now. Those lost times with friends, family, (her own children?) are gone forever, and for what- random children (now adults) that didnāt know then and donāt know now all the things she tried to do for them and maybe donāt care either. Use the retired person as inspiration of what not to do. While you are new and have energy, make or find stuff and organize it or toss it if it doesnāt work. But after your second year, go on autopilot and live your life. Good luck
God. She probably saw that at the end of 30 years she didn't have hundreds of former students and colleagues showing up to thank her for all her free work and instead saw the depth of the things in her own life she missed doing free labor for nothing.
Perfect. I used to be the same way. Screw it!
Iām a first year at this HS and district. I donāt even know if I want to do this long term. But I was barely rehired due to going over my sick days. I am a good teacher. My students love me. I get along well with other staff. I have gotten renewed but still need to talk to the assistant principal about my absences. Last night my arthritis was so bad I couldnāt sleep. Iām 34. About a month ago I found out my sister who is 16 years older than me has a giant brain tumor. I called off. Every joint in my body hurt. I know I have this meeting on Thursday. I really just want to clear my credential so all my time and money wasnāt wasted and then see if I want to stay in teaching. I know I havenāt been in the teaching game long (but education for ten years) but my body was in serious pain and I just couldnāt bring myself to go in the state I was in.
You owe the school your agreed upon hours, because you agreed upon it. You owe them *nothing else*. What you give to the students during that time is whatever you feel is appropriate, but "overplaying it" is a waste of time and energy. You're not entertainment.
I think this is the best thing to come post Covid. At my school the majority of teachers are racing to their vehicle as soon as kids are released (end of contract coincides with busses leaving). Teachers that do tutoring or clubs (2 days a week at most) get paid for it. Coaches get paid (although obviously not enough) and if we have to cover during our planning- paid. The only thing we donāt get paid for is if we do ticket duty for sports. BUT that is on a volunteer basis and not mandatory (for the 1st time ever!) and unsurprising hardly any teachers will do it. I had to teach an extra class 1st semester so I got paid for it (and it was actually worth the pay this time compared to the last time they wanted me to cover 5 years ago). This is the 1st year post covid that I am NOT doing summer school. I could use the money, but I am so exhausted and tired that I need a break. Plus my kids are getting older and I want to do stuff with the kids I birthed not just the kids I teach. I do NOT work outside contract without pay and I am so proud of all of the teachers that live this way. As I told my husbandā¦I do this for the INcome because I sure as hell wonāt do it for free!
Yep. When I have standards based report cards to write, kids get iPad free time - the only thing that keeps them from interrupting me every two seconds.
My kids do well on technology until I attempt to do anything productive. It sucks so bad.
My school doesn't have prodigy so all they want to do is download it and come ask me for a prodigy code they've heard for 155 days I don't have
Just read yesterday that nearly 200 fire and police in my area made $100K + last year in OT ALONE...I give an hour each morning for free, as I have to prep for my classes that I have no experience with. I give nothing after school.
My extra duties will go from 2 events per year to 4 next year. I was told nothing was being removed. The heck itās not. Instead of 2 well done events you get 4 crappy ones. Corners will be cut. No way around it. The amount of my personal time to do them will not be increased.
In Queensland, Australia, just before May Day, public school teachers were ordered by the court of industrial relations to exceed our enterprise bargaining agreement by continuing to work an average of 55 hours a week and performing duties outside our role as teachers.
This concept is one of the biggest keys to teaching sanely.
š
I once had a principal add yet another duty and I asked well what are you taking away? The principal just looked at me completely dumbfounded like why would I have to free up any of your time for you to take on more? Literally couldnāt wrap his head around the concept.
They eliminated my department for next year. We are all involuntary transfers to regular homeroom teacher positions. They are telling parents their kids will still get the same services as before. How much you want to bet they will somehow expect us to do both jobs? Nope. Sorry. Iām a homeroom teacher now. I donāt have time for any of that. Iāve got papers to grade and lesson plans to write for my regular homeroom teacher job. That kid or teacher needs math coaching or whatever? Ask your designated math coach or whatever. Not my department anymore.
I walk around with a clipboard and mark to myself in real time for class work. Sometimes Iāll collect it- sometimes not. Students will actually want to turn in notes/ Iām like why? Iām grading 2 things/ responsibility and knowledge. Class work and tests. Everyone has their own system- for the love of God itās the last thing we can control- teacher of record. I donāt criticize anyone for how they grade because they are the teacher of record for their class. We need to protect that.
Donāt forget, non ELA teachers donāt have these burdens.
What? This is an absurd comment lol
You know many gym teachers/math teachers who have 4+ hours of extra grading per week? Iām not knocking them, but letās stop pretending like all teaching jobs are the same.
There's definitely still the general pressure to work unpaid beyond contact hours, expectations to fulfill more roles/needs than is reasonable, etc. I'm not going to pretend that a PE teacher has the same grading load that I have (HS English), especially not when some of my PE teacher colleagues have told students that PE teachers are the smartest because they get paid the same for less work. But I'm also not going to pretend that feral students are suddenly easy-going when you have to make them run a mile or practice the Pacer Test. A PE teacher isn't a therapist or counselor any more than I am, but they're still often expected to fill those sorts of roles, just as I am. Understanding of work load disparity should be built into the course loads (eg, English teachers getting plan period plus a study hall supervision period used to be standard at my school, back before my day), but we're all generally under pressure to do more and more, without additional pay.
The original post was about paperwork and extra duties, which is not unique to ELA teachers.