Re: A+ money pains
Posted by: Flteacher on 10/15/09
That is too bad you are disgusted. I did not state that non-
teachers do not deserve any part of the bonus- I wrote that
there should be a difference in the bonus.
I believe all are an integral part of a child's education;
however, without the teacher planning, teaching, and evaluating
there will be no learning gains for the student. A student will
not make learning gains by having clean counters. Do clean
counters help? Absolutely...I'm cleaning most of them now that
our custodians have been cut but the learning gains are due to
my work outside and inside of the classroom that generates the
bonus. I just finished graduate school, plan and grade for hours-
all outside of school hours. If the para at your school would
like all the extra work plus an equal amount of the bonus, she
needs to go back to school. We all get a paycheck for the time
we are at school. The bonus, I feel, is for doing extra-
increasing personal education, grading, data inputting,
planning, researching, cleaning, calling parents, dealing with
administration, conferences, and the list goes on. I can only
speak for my school when I write this- the custodians,
assistants, cafeteria workers walk out of school right on time,
every day, and empty handed. Your school sounds a lot different.
I really appreciate our workers but they do get paid for what
they do.
I think things maybe a lot different this next year when A+
money will be based on many more things than this year. Next
year it will be based on cafeteria food, cleanliness, etc. and
then it really will be a team effort. Until then, I am the one
that raised my FCAT reading scores by 15 points and I believe it
deserves just a dollar more.
On 10/15/09, broward teacher wrote:
> On 10/13/09, FLteacher wrote:
>> This might be more of a rant but does anyone else feel
>> resentful that they have to split evenly the A+ money with
>> the rest of the staff? I find it unbelievable that my
>> principal feels what teachers do is equal to the person
>> making rolls in my school. I definately feel the cafeteria
>> workers, custodians, support staff, etc. do a great job and
>> should get some of the bonus...but equal? It's just
>> insulting. Please don't say contact the union or this
>> should go to a vote- we've already tried and she becomes
>> vindictive if it is brought up. I know, I should be
>> thankful I have a job. I am. I just can't believe all the
>> nights and weekends I have given up to grading and planning
>> and my educational level is not a factor in giving me the
>> courtesy of just a dollar more than a cafeteria worker. Do
>> you think that worker is spending weekend time looking up
>> recipes to improve the cafeteria performance? I hope so.
>
> I couldn't disagree more. What's insulting to the point of
> disgusting to me is that the job of the teacher is considered
> more important to a child's education than the jobs done by
> paraprofessionals, interpreters, custodians, or cafeteria
> workers--or that they are considered more important by
> society. If you wanted me to clean a toilet or slave over a
> hot stove, you'd have to start around 7 figures. Instead, we
> have a backwards view of what is of value in our society,
> where being pretty and reading a teleprompter is worth
> millions; but the dirtiest, most undesirable tasks make the
> least amount of money.
>
> After taxes and health insurance for her family,one of the
> paras at my school, who has been there for over 20 years
> brings home $200 every two weeks. To say that she should get
> a smaller piece of a free pie than I do would make me very
> ashamed, and makes me wonder about teachers whose students
> come from parents whose jobs are considered menial.
>
> Try teaching for just a month with no one coming to clean up
> vomit,empty trash, restrain an out of control kid, or feed
> the children, and then you'll have an idea of how vital they
> are to children's academic success
