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Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Wicomico County Budget
"In light of the current budget discussions I wonder how many residents are aware of the fact that high school teachers in Wicomico County teach a maximum of 5 periods per day. Some designated department heads teach only three periods per day. If teachers taught 6 or heaven forbid 7 periods per day class sizes could be smaller or more students could be accommodated."
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15 comments:
I am a retired teacher from Wicomico County.
I taught 5 periods per day. I then had a study hall each day for students whose schedules required one. I graded papers during this time. I then had one planning period, during which I answered emails and Xeroxed papers for the next day. I worked from the time I arrived in the building at 7 a.m., until I left at about 3:45, except for lunch, whic was about 20 minutes long. I usually carried an hour's work home each night.
I believe that my schedule is pretty typical of a veteran teacher now. New teachers work much longer hours than veterans.
Joe
I believe there are only 7 periods in a day in Wicomico County Schools. Therefore if you take into account the 1 period for lunch and one period for planning, then they teach 5 periods. I don't see what the issue is. By saying they should teach all seven periods are you saying they should not get a lunch break??? Just curious....
The genius that wrote this post either has no idea what is involved in teaching or has a personal agenda that's absurd.
$10,000.00 per child huh, how many illegal kids go to Wic-o-mic-o schools. Anchor babies my a$$.
One of those periods is campus patrol or try to catch the felons who aren't in class, won't give their right names, won't move along when asked. You're right about department chairs, though. End those positions and let supervisors do what they are paid to do. Except for writing observations of other teachers, department chairs do everything else so supervisors paid much more than teachers can do less.
Two public relations people at the Board, a coordinator paid full time to do the teacher of the year banquet, and you worry about how many periods a teacher has responsibilities. Save tens of thousands and get rid of these people.
and when is the teacher supposed to plan their activities for the upcoming day(s)? when are they supposed to read/grad assignments? when are they supposed to eat & use the restroom? geeze!
If the original poster had actually stopped and thought about what they were saying, they may have realized it was a non-issue.
Stupid is a social infection and we are fresh out of antibiotics!
Let's add in all the before and after school activities the teachers organize and oversee. Think things like the Bennett Rock n Roll Revival happens by instant magic?
In my 20 years living in Wicomico, I've only known 3 or 4 teachers who were "clunkers." The rest were very good to magnificent. Most put in 50 - 60 hours a week.
Stop beating up the teachers. If you have to complain about something, find constructive ways to change the system that makes it hard for teachers to teach.
You couldn't pay me enough to teach, especially these days. I sure do appreciate them though.
I have been teaching in Wicomico County for 18 years and I have never seen a teacher on "campus patrol"
Teachers are always taking the heat for what is really the fault of the BOE. Cut that building in half and some of the salaries with it. We do not need that many people doing little to nothing for top dollar.
4:12
Either you work in an elementary school, or you hide in your classroom all day. The first is excusable, as this is not done in most elementary schools since there is no need.
However, if you're not an elementary teacher, you're either lying or blind.
7:03 - I hope you are not a teacher with the comment you made to 4:12, as you are uninformed.
Maybe your school has a "campus patrol," but not all secondary schools do. Mardela is one that I definitely know does not have campus patrol.
I have been in a few other secondary schools and have not passed a teacher patrolling the halls between classes. So, I doubt Mardela is the only secondary school that doesn't have a campus patrol.
I have seen teachers stand in hall areas near their classrooms during class changing, and most are assigned an area before and after school - in a 5-15 minute window. But none were assigned to walk the hallways for a whole period.
I agree with cutting those administrative jobs that are not needed before cutting teachers who serve students. There is a perfect example in a fromer Principal of Prince Street School who had an emotional breakdown when she couldn't handle the job constraints, and they MADE a job for her at the board. Now when I say breakdown, I'm talking a crying fit in front of the entire staff! Her name is Karen Leimann (sp on last name?) and I think that all she does is the Teacher of the Year banquet and some new teacher stuff. She is making in excess of 100K, and the really interesting thing is she walks around with her snoot in the air, driving her fancy car, like she has earned a promotion for the nobel prize or something. Truth to be told, she is about as shaky as they come from an emotional stance, and can't utter a complete sentence in a professional atmosphere without a quaking voice, and checking with a superior to see if what she is saying is correct. Now, I'm sorry that she cracked up as Prince Street is a really rough place to work - my kids used to go there before I pulled them out because the kids that go there are all ghetto and about a rough as any inner city school, but you have to be kidding me about keeping her on the payroll! SInce that time, just about every administrator that has gone through there couldn't handel it except for one, but why keep her around? Force her out, and all of the others that are collecting high priced checks - as a parent, I'm paying taxes for people who don't do anything with my kids! NO WAY!
11:37 - I agree - start by firing all those overfunded BOE postions and then work backwards to get rid of all of those teachers who spend more time 'planning' than working. I get paid for an 8 hour day, with an unpaid lunch and NO PLANNING TIME and manage to get my job done. It's time the teachers quit whining and be glad they have jobs.
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