I am a terrorist.

[Sherry Darling]

After sleeping on this, I want to appologize to you and Sherry if I was suggesting that you, as teachers, are "terrorists" or any deragatory term. The teachers I have worked with did not identify with their union to the extent you have described.

My frustration is that the percentage of education money making its way to the classroom is far too small. I would rather see money spent on administration (both for the government and the union) shifted to the classrooms.

WORD! And thanks!

sd

 

[Dreadsox]

Dread, I could write you a book here, but its midterm week for me and there just isn't time. Bring it up again later, and I can go into more detail. Briefly, it's a myth that teachers "have the summer off" and work 40 hours a week. Most teachers work at their second job (which we should not even have to have), do inservices or take classes during the summer. You should know that, as a teacher. Sure, it can be done in 40 hours if you leave at 3 and do nothing but xeroxes, but if you want a dynamic, engaging classroom, just not possible. That's how the system creates mediocrity.

Martha, again, bingo.

Back to the books,
sd

We will have to disagree then. During the school year you are a salaried employee and you should be doing what it takes to make your class dynamic. There is a difference between being slaried and paid by the hour at a 40 hour a week job.

Please name ONE other profession where you have 180-185 working days a year. And MAKE a living. I am sorry, but I am not living like a king, but I am living pretty dang well. And try having two people with NO income over the course of two months. We are also able to pay $1,400 a month between paying my daughter's private kindergarten and my son's daycare. Good grief, we are planning to by a summer home in New Hampshire when we are done with paying for these things.

Teachers are teaching 70 less working days a year. I am sorry, no teacher I know is working those all of those other 70 days nor are they taking courses on all of the other 70 days. MOST teachers are NOT doing these things the entire summer.



[Q]Sure, it can be done in 40 hours if you leave at 3 and do nothing but xeroxes, but if you want a dynamic, engaging classroom, just not possible. [/Q]

And this is incorrect! The longer I have been teaching the more I see this as a myth. The more tricks you learn, the better you become at the profession, the less time you need to prepare the dynamic and egaging classroom. Your statement was true for my first few years in the classroom and has been true for me this year because I switched grades. Also typically here in MA the kids are in the classroom 34 hours a week. That is not 40 Hours with students, leaving 6 hours to accomplish correcting and prep time...not counting the built in prep time during the school day to prepare for lessons.

Obviously you and I disagree and I really do not think based on what I see my opinion is going to change.

Clearly, I must not know what I am talking about with 20 years in the business between my wife and I.

 

[Dreadsox]

My frustration is that the percentage of education money making its way to the classroom is far too small. I would rather see money spent on administration (both for the government and the union) shifted to the classrooms.

And NCLB is making it worse.....

The amount of paperwork involved in NCLB has caused an additional secretarty to be hired in my building.

While laying off teachers, new administrative positions have been created ie the director of special education now has a assistant special education director...ect....

And in my opinion, administration has become less efficient because they are so busy taking care of this paper trail, they are spending less time out around in the building.

Peace