Is it true that not all charter schools require their teachers to be certified? I know someone who could only teach at a charter school because she wasn't certified.
Is it true that not all charter schools require their teachers to be certified? I know someone who could only teach at a charter school because she wasn't certified.
Charter rules vary by state. Some charters are run as part of the public system and really have tiny differences. In some states it's a free for all.
in FL for example you do not have to be certified to teach in a private school. For the good private school, this is freeing as they can hire specialists with teaching experience but actual degrees in their content. For crappy private schools, it can be scary as to who they hire.
Post by kristinschmistin on Aug 8, 2014 5:29:58 GMT -5
That's such a sad little closet for those kindegarteners to be in. That can't meet fire code, can it? Isn't there supposed to be more than one way to exit in case of a fire?
Anyway, I hope they figure out another situation for the kids in the hall. Maybe they can move the resource room in there and give that room to them?
I am kind of laughing at the responses about no natural light. I've been in many elementary schools and many of them had lots of classrooms with no outside windows. The school I taught in only had 3 classrooms with windows. Are windows really that common in other people's experience?
Yes they are very common. It usually has to do with fire regulations. God forbid there is a fire (or these days, some fucker on a shooting bender) You need more than one way to evacuate a room. I think it is odd that you have been in numerous classes with no windows.
Come now, this is exactly like pages' suggestion that women simply not accept jobs with benefits not to their liking. There are many areas of the country where teachers look for jobs for YEARS, jumping through every hoop. Megachoo is in an area like this, I believe. It's not as simple as just not teaching at a charter school; she may not be able to find a job at a regular school where she'll be represented by a union.
I had to take a job 100 miles each way that paid state base for my first teaching job. Teaching jobs are ao scare where I am and in most parts is the country.
They are here too. I heard through the grapevine that two hundred people applied for my job when I quit. It was a shitty job too for lots of reasons. That just depresses the hell out of me.
I've taught in rooms with no windows. It was awfully. I had a tenth grade class in a room close to the size of the OP but it would be soooo much worse with little kids who really need to move poor kiddos
I am kind of laughing at the responses about no natural light. I've been in many elementary schools and many of them had lots of classrooms with no outside windows. The school I taught in only had 3 classrooms with windows. Are windows really that common in other people's experience?
When I compare it to the classroom my son was in last year...it's sad. They had a huge room with a two walls of windows, tons of room to play, 19 kids assigned to a teacher, a permanent aid, and a parent volunteer every day. It's really depressing to compare resources between school districts.
I wonder if it's supposed to be a temporary measure? One of my hs classrooms was in a trailer while they were adding on to the school. Not the same thing, I know, but this hallway bs would be a lot better if it's temporary.
Is it true that not all charter schools require their teachers to be certified? I know someone who could only teach at a charter school because she wasn't certified.
Nope. Every teacher was/is certified at the only charter I know. Both of the teachers DD had were certified in multiple areas. Her 1st grade teacher had a masters and was working on her PhD. She had multiple certifications specializing in early childhood interventions and education. She jokes she works as a teacher to pay to be a student.
Regarding windows - I teach at a high school and only maybe 30 percent of the rooms have windows. I am lucky enough to have them in my room but that's only because a fellow teacher left before last year and told me early on so I was able to appeal to admin first (I think I ran to the office, lol). I am not aware of any fire code enforcement that would require windows, as most high schools in my county are constructed the same way. Also, my school is "A" rated and considered one of the best public schools in the region. I am surprised that people think windows are standard.
Regardless, that room is just sad. As it could be breaking code, I would call to report it anonymously. I mean, if you have already had the parents visit, it would be pretty easy. It could be anyone of them calling it in, and admin would never know. I hope there will be follow up. I feel for these kids with no permanent teacher and that dreadful space. Eesh.
I am kind of laughing at the responses about no natural light. I've been in many elementary schools and many of them had lots of classrooms with no outside windows. The school I taught in only had 3 classrooms with windows. Are windows really that common in other people's experience?
When I compare it to the classroom my son was in last year...it's sad. They had a huge room with a two walls of windows, tons of room to play, 19 kids assigned to a teacher, a permanent aid, and a parent volunteer every day. It's really depressing to compare resources between school districts.
I wonder if it's supposed to be a temporary measure? One of my hs classrooms was in a trailer while they were adding on to the school. Not the same thing, I know, but this hallway bs would be a lot better if it's temporary.
I suspect they know She won't be returning and will split the class up once she quits. I think the decision to change the Mat Leave policy was intentional to get a teacher or two to quit then they just won't replace said teacher(s)
When I compare it to the classroom my son was in last year...it's sad. They had a huge room with a two walls of windows, tons of room to play, 19 kids assigned to a teacher, a permanent aid, and a parent volunteer every day. It's really depressing to compare resources between school districts.
I wonder if it's supposed to be a temporary measure? One of my hs classrooms was in a trailer while they were adding on to the school. Not the same thing, I know, but this hallway bs would be a lot better if it's temporary.
I suspect they know She won't be returning and will split the class up once she quits. I think the decision to change the Mat Leave policy was intentional to get a teacher or two to quit then they just won't replace said teacher(s)
I get that but usually when you do stuff like this it's a temporary fix while you're building and adding on to the school.
My classroom for the first two years of teaching didn't even have proper walls, let alone windows! The school was still in the open concept from the 1970s, so most of my walls were dividers, book cases, and half walls. You could hear the noise from all the other classrooms. It was awful.
Those poor kids. Eleanor's "little" one big room preschool only had 12-15 kids at a time and it was 9 million times bigger than that. Her new preschool has actual classrooms by age and they are gigantic compared to that. I can't imagine how they could do that to kindergarten kids-what a nice start to their educational journey .
I went to public schools in my hometown and they were either super old stone building fortresses or horrible "modern" designs from the 60s. Windows in all of them.
However the public school system here now is crowded and they've had to build/open new elementary schools. I'm off to check out where Ellie will be going to K next year. (Please let there be windows)
I've taught for 10 years and I've seen some really, really shirty things happen to kids as a result of administrative decisions based on the bottom line and not what's actually good for kids,but I have never seen anything like that sad excuse for a room. I'm sorry you're dealing with this meganew.
My classroom for the first two years of teaching didn't even have proper walls, let alone windows! The school was still in the open concept from the 1970s, so most of my walls were dividers, book cases, and half walls. You could hear the noise from all the other classrooms. It was awful.
Same here, except I did it for seven excruciating years. Oh, and the year I was placed next to the health teacher? Good times. Me: there are three branches of government Her: this is called a dental dam. Open concept was bullshit for so many reasons.
9 years w/o a window and only one door, people. 9 years.
Anyway, meganew, HELL NO. NO. NO. NO. Re: the space, re: the materials, what a shitty situation all around.
Are you (or is someone on your behalf, anonymously, of course) calling today to report the space? As stated all over this thread, classrooms have a cap of the # of occupants--in my classroom it's posted on the wall!--so there's NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY that 25 kids are going to be allowed in that closet of a space.
I am sad that your admin has dicked you around and your kids are going to suffer b/c of it. I'm surprised that you left your materials--I would not have. I get that we're teachers, we do things we might not ordinarily do or like in order to do what's best for kids, but in this case, it comes down to your personal investment (which sounds substantial--I know that after 19 years of teaching, when I moved schools last summer, I had 10+ boxes, plus crates, portfolios, supplies, etc.--it adds up over the span of a career) and I foresee, as did at least one other PP, that you will not get your classroom items back.
I was following this, and completely horrified. And then someone explained that she's in a Philly charter school, and I was like "Oh. Well. That explains it."
I am so sorry for the state of these schools, and for all the kids and teachers involved. I sent my oldest off to kindergarten last year, and it was so emotionally fraught (unexpectedly, for me, because I thought I was excited to have him off to school). I can't imagine sending him off knowing that this room, and no confirmed teacher, was what awaited him.
This is in no way megachoo's fault. But the whole thing is making me realize, again, how privileged my kids are with the schools that are available to them.
meganew - did you or your H call the fire department? What did they say?
If she's teaching at an urban school, will the fire department even care? I hate how cynical that question sounds, but unfortunately Urban Ed is a different ball game. It's sad.
Having a general idea of where megachoo's school is, no, they probably won't care. That's why I think she should go to the media about it. Welcome to ohukadelphiak no one can read :/
Post by vanillacourage on Aug 8, 2014 9:09:25 GMT -5
Megachoo, have you thought about reporting this to the fire department? What about your union? I hear they don't stand for these things.
(EDIT- I am being sarcastic guys...)
Seriously though, count me among those salivating for an update. Unless you are off having your baby, in which case I guess we can wait a few more minutes.
Megachoo, have you thought about reporting this to the fire department? What about your union? I hear they don't stand for these things.
Seriously though, count me among those salivating for an update. Unless you are off having your baby, in which case I guess we can wait a few more minutes.
This is like when everyone kept telling laptop to go to HR!
If she's teaching at an urban school, will the fire department even care? I hate how cynical that question sounds, but unfortunately Urban Ed is a different ball game. It's sad.
Having a general idea of where megachoo's school is, no, they probably won't care. That's why I think she should go to the media about it. Welcome to ohukadelphiak no one can read :/
Post by curbsideprophet on Aug 8, 2014 9:23:33 GMT -5
For me, I think the only place that routinely had classrooms without windows was college lecture halls.
In middle school and high school the auditoriums did not have windows. That is about it. I remember the main classrooms with windows. Maybe I am just remembering it wrong.