My oldest daughter is a kindergarten teacher.
This is her 8th year of teaching. All 8 years at the same school. She loves her school, her administration and her co-workers. She loves teaching and is one of those teachers who was meant to be a teacher: kind, caring, patient, creative....I could go on and on. But you know what I mean.
This school year the State of Georgia has decided to cut teacher pay by 2% AND to "furlough" teachers for 4 days. The four days to be between now and the end of the year. Those furlough days are without pay.
School started Monday.
There are 27 children in my daughter's class....as there are in the other 2 kindergarten classes in her school. The "limit" is 23.
Of those 27 children, five are only 4 years old.
Thank GOD my daughter has a WONDERFUL paraprofessional (aka "teacher's aide) who works side by side with her everyday. I don't know that one person could handle all those children alone.
Another kindergarten class will be added, but not until after labor day. So these children (and teachers) will have to make the best of it, get into some sort of routine and then have all that disrupted. All because of poor planning and budget cuts.
I want to help....have offered to go everyday and help babysit...because...let's face it: at this point and with that many kids there's a lot of babysitting to be done.
My daughter has turned down my offer for now.
Her words: "Mom, there wouldn't be any place for you to sit."
Sigh. And here in PA, they have a teacher's union that is so stupid and myopic that they strike at the drop of a hat and hold communities hostage to their demands which makes the communities hate them....
ReplyDeleteWhy is there no middle ground in anything anymore? And, I will say a prayer tonight for your daughter and all those who see teaching as their avocation and not hust a job. God bless her and keep her.
I wish I had an answer Pissy, I really do.
I always wanted to be a teacher but don't think I could survive on the paycheck. We should pay less to celebrities and sports players and give more to the people who really deserve it.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I really loved the Blue Bloods series.
I hate that! I hate that! I hate that! Teachers should be paid like CEOs!
ReplyDeleteI loved my youngest's kindergarten teacher last year. The parents got together and volunteered to help with "sections" - reading, math, etc. It monstrously helped. All of them are great readers!
Volunteer! You'd be excellent. (and then some)
hehe then offer to help one of the other K classes!!!
ReplyDeleteThe government schols puts more emphasis on the management than they do the teachers. Sad really, the kids lose even with excellent teachers like your daughter surely is.
I know these stats WAY too well as my "oldest wife" is a kinder teacher. One year she went all year one student over the 22 limit. I haven't heard of states furloughing teachers or cutting pay. She needs to come to Texas and teach. No unions, better pay ... and on and on. And I'm for changing the age restrictions on kinder from "5 on or before Sept. 1st" to "5 on or before May 31st."
ReplyDeletetake a chair...or a stool or a big pillow..
ReplyDeleteShe must love her job! Glad to hear they are at least adding another class. (But doesn't that sort of defeat the budget cuts?)
ReplyDeleteI'm a para in kindergarten but previously worked mostly in 5th grade and 2 years in 2nd. Kindergarten is by far the hardest. Those little ones come in so cute but knowing basically nothing. It takes what seems like months to learn the routine and wintertime is the worst with boots, mittens,coats. We have 2 kindergarten teachers and 4 classes (we have 1/2 K) and I work in all of them on a rotating basis. This year our numbers are down and we have 13-14 cuties in each class. I don't know how your daughter does it with so many students. It's hard work and emotionally draining. I've never heard of having teachers take unpaid days off. So they pay a sub instead? How much money can that really save? I wish your daughter well and hope she takes you up on your generous offer. Babysitting indeed she can use you! Plus I don't spend much time sitting down, always on my feet going from one student to another. When we have parents come in and help it's always nice to hear that they don't know how we do it, it's hard work.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Pissy,
ReplyDeleteI sure hope that your governor and the state legislature are taking four day furloughs also, if not they should be.
You know I feel her pain. I dealt with a class of 33 6th graders last year. It was a joy. Not.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem to matter what the teachers in the trenches have to say, politicians and "know it alls" will make the decisions and continue to lose teachers in the process.
I went in to work this morning at 8am. I got home a short time ago. The entire effort was unpaid. I did it to help my building administrators and my students. There will be no thank you for the central administrators. Mark my words on that.
I'm considering leaving a profession I love because of the atrocious mess it's become.
Don't listen to your daughter. Come in armed with a smile and some sort of caffeine. Take the toughest kid and make him or her your personal project. That one on one attention will be priceless to the kid, the other students, and your daughter.
I for one can't be happier that school has started back.
ReplyDeleteHave you given Gene Chizik a pep talk yet, or do I need to ?
First of all, I think anyone who can teach must be a wonderful person because I could never, ever do it. EVER.
ReplyDeleteIn the state of KY, we spend $35,000 a year to house a prisoner but only $25,000 to educate our children. Which is the best bet in the long run???
You are such a good mommy to offer to help. Will you adopt me????
I was a teacher here in St. Louis for 5 years. But left it for the private sector. Because I was the only male teaching 9th and 10 grade English, I got stuck with all the "bad" kids. It took its toll. My average sized class was 30.
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoyed teaching, but it wore me down. Glad to see your daughter is tougher than me!
That is just too large a class, especially in kindergarten! It's just so unfair to the kids. My mom was a 4th grade teacher for 33 years, so I know how tough it is for our teachers, and I have all the respect in the world for them!!
ReplyDeleteOh, and you're a great mom for offering to go in and help!!
I am a high school teacher and I have to say we are definitely underpaid haha :) JK well kind of. I admire your daughter I could never do Kindergarten I have HS. However, I do coach Middle School tennis and currently have 35 kids and no help whatsoever! Thankfully practice is only an hour
ReplyDelete