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Arizona Teachers Chatboard

Teaching in Phoenix

by Important and Hopeful

May 25, 2012

I've read many posts that talk about how bad education in Az is. Teachers are underpaid, treated poorly, provided with little or no resources and valued even less. My experience teaching here has been no different. But I remain an educator and believe all children deserve a great education.

I refuse to give up on them and hope there are places out there where I truly can make a difference. So once again, I am leaving my district on a quest to find a place that deserves a talented and dedicated educator. Unfortunately, there are a lot of wolves in sheep clothing out there. I thought I fit at the last school that I worked at. I was terribly wrong. I would like to come up with some questions and some warning signs that would help me weed out the bad and horrible places. Interview Questions- What about this school would make me want to work here? About how many teachers leave each year?

Warning Signs- No teachers on interview committee (could mean no teacher input, dish...See More

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Ken What is going on is all the power is given to the higher ups and nothing to the teachers. Teachers are not trusted anymore and treated like children. I think the only warning light that you should examine is asking how high the teacher turnover is. Most schools in Arizona have very high teacher turnover. I would say the main problem in my experienc...See MoreWhat is going on is all the power is given to the higher ups and nothing to the teachers. Teachers are not trusted anymore and treated like children. I think the only warning light that you should examine is asking how high the teacher turnover is. Most schools in Arizona have very high teacher turnover. I would say the main problem in my experience has been poorly behaved students in the classroom and parents who are either not involved or absent. The teachers are hesitant to ask for support because it makes them look like they can't handle the kids. I have had many students who had such severe behavior issues that they should be in a special class. Sadly, you are looked at as being part of the problem and not the student. Education is bad in this state. There is little support and teachers are not held with esteem in society anymore. We are overpaid, have too many benefits, have paid summers off and get a free lunch. Nothing further could be true. There is also a mountain of paperwork involved that some states have paperwork reductions laws. Teaching is a job for the strong willed!!! You are virtually on your own with little or no representation in the event of issues.

On 5/25/12, Important and Hopeful wrote: > I've read many posts that talk about how bad education in > Az is. Teachers are underpaid, treated poorly, provided > with little or no resources and valued even less. My > experience teaching here has been no different. But I > remain an educator and believe all children deserve a great > education. > > I refuse to give up on them and hope there are places out > there where I truly can make a difference. So once again, I > am leaving my district on a quest to find a place that > deserves a talented and dedicated educator. Unfortunately, > there are a lot of wolves in sheep clothing out there. I > thought I fit at the last school that I worked at. I was > terribly wrong. I would like to come up with some questions > and some warning signs that would help me weed out the bad > and horrible places. Interview Questions- What about this > school would make me want to work here? About how many > teachers leave each year? > > Warning Signs- No teachers on interview committee (could > mean no teacher input, dishonest principals) > > Please respond with helpful suggestions, questions or humor > only. ;) I've been put down enough by my admin.

Jun 9, 2012

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Karol I wish I could be positive.

I agree with an eartlier post on how teachers are treated.

Unfortunately, Arizona is one of the worst states for teachers.

Come into a school system with a great attitude and insight, and be struck down by new administrators who are don't really know what they are doing.

The job is ...See More

Jun 9, 2012

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Alice It's too bad that you can't talk to the team that you are about to join if a school hires you. Their input or attitude would be a deciding factor for me. I would be hesitant to go with a school that has a low grade or is not doing well. You could be asked to do more work or pressure could be put on you if students are not performing. Teachers do no...See MoreIt's too bad that you can't talk to the team that you are about to join if a school hires you. Their input or attitude would be a deciding factor for me. I would be hesitant to go with a school that has a low grade or is not doing well. You could be asked to do more work or pressure could be put on you if students are not performing. Teachers do not need more pressure but need support which is usually not there. If the principal tells you that the school is below a C grade then I would be really hesitant to consider employment. You may discover that some of you team members are just hanging on until the economy recovers and that could maybe bring you down. It would be nice if you could be around other teachers who share your passion and direction. Wish you the best. The fact that you are reflecting on what school you want to work at makes me think highly of you. Don't settle for a job or something less in life as that is not valuing you!!

On 5/25/12, Important and Hopeful wrote: > I've read many posts that talk about how bad education in > Az is. Teachers are underpaid, treated poorly, provided > with little or no resources and valued even less. My > experience teaching here has been no different. But I > remain an educator and believe all children deserve a great > education. > > I refuse to give up on them and hope there are places out > there where I truly can make a difference. So once again, I > am leaving my district on a quest to find a place that > deserves a talented and dedicated educator. Unfortunately, > there are a lot of wolves in sheep clothing out there. I > thought I fit at the last school that I worked at. I was > terribly wrong. I would like to come up with some questions > and some warning signs that would help me weed out the bad > and horrible places. Interview Questions- What about this > school would make me want to work here? About how many > teachers leave each year? > > Warning Signs- No teachers on interview committee (could > mean no teacher input, dishonest principals) > > Please respond with helpful suggestions, questions or humor > only. ;) I've been put down enough by my admin.

Jun 13, 2012

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Trailrider On 6/09/12, Karol wrote: > > I wish I could be positive. > > I agree with an eartlier post on how teachers are treated. > > Unfortunately, Arizona is one of the worst states for teachers. > > Come into a school system with a great attitude and insight, > and be struck down by new administrators who are don't really > k...See MoreOn 6/09/12, Karol wrote: > > I wish I could be positive. > > I agree with an eartlier post on how teachers are treated. > > Unfortunately, Arizona is one of the worst states for teachers. > > Come into a school system with a great attitude and insight, > and be struck down by new administrators who are don't really > know what they are doing. > > The job is simply overwhelming and the support is not there. > > Most of the old-timers know the schools you need to stay away > from. > Read the older posts and you can clearly see where to look for > a job and where to run and far away. > > Someday, the tide will turn towards educators again. > > A Republican governor does not help and extra monies for > education are simply not in the agenda. > > To answer your question about what to look for when looking > for a job: > > Red flags include: high teacher turnover, high student counts > in the classroom, new principals who have mentors to help even > them. > > Ask how committes there are and if you will be required to be > on one. > > Also ask about duty as some schools require double duty and > police the instructors daily to make sure they are standing > and watching. > > Teachers are required to wear so many hats with budget > constraints. Ask for extra pencils or paper and you will be > looked at with scorn. > > Sorry to be so negative, things are so much better in most > other states. Arizona is bottom of the barrel and those are > the people you will find many times in higher positions. > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 5/25/12, Important and Hopeful wrote: >> I've read many posts that talk about how bad education in >> Az is. Teachers are underpaid, treated poorly, provided >> with little or no resources and valued even less. My >> experience teaching here has been no different. But I >> remain an educator and believe all children deserve a great >> education. >> >> I refuse to give up on them and hope there are places out >> there where I truly can make a difference. So once again, I >> am leaving my district on a quest to find a place that >> deserves a talented and dedicated educator. Unfortunately, >> there are a lot of wolves in sheep clothing out there. I >> thought I fit at the last school that I worked at. I was >> terribly wrong. I would like to come up with some questions >> and some warning signs that would help me weed out the bad >> and horrible places. Interview Questions- What about this >> school would make me want to work here? About how many >> teachers leave each year? >> >> Warning Signs- No teachers on interview committee (could >> mean no teacher input, dishonest principals) >> >> Please respond with helpful suggestions, questions or humor >> only. ;) I've been put down enough by my admin.

Dec 27, 2016

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Jasped All of AZ was bad for teachers and students alike. I was a sped teacher at a few different schools and was really horrified by the conditions of the schools. The teachers were great but admin was really awful and the hours and pay could not keep a roof over your head. The public schools were two years behind the rest of the country and to compensat...See MoreAll of AZ was bad for teachers and students alike. I was a sped teacher at a few different schools and was really horrified by the conditions of the schools. The teachers were great but admin was really awful and the hours and pay could not keep a roof over your head. The public schools were two years behind the rest of the country and to compensate some of the charter schools put such burdens on the students and teachers to work harder and harder to close the gap -- there was little time for anything else. One charter school run by a former hedge fund manager did so many crooked things to line his pockets that teachers and students alike suffered. I was asked by one principal to help a student change answers on AIMS testing and another administrator warned me not to call DCF or else. Did not follow the rules and was therefore not considered a team player. This was a school where the founder wrote a book about the joy at work. The joy was supposed to compensate for the low pay. ESL students and poor students alike were at a huge disadvantage in the state. While the head of education at the time supposedly advocated for those students, a private blog he had revealed his true attitude. I frankly was glad to get out of that state of horrors and very relieved I did not drink the kool-aide.

n 12/27/16, Trailrider wrote: > On 6/09/12, Karol wrote: >> >> I wish I could be positive. >> >> I agree with an eartlier post on how teachers are treated. >> >> Unfortunately, Arizona is one of the worst states for > teachers. >> >> Come into a school system with a great attitude and insight, >> and be struck down by new administrators who are don't > really >> know what they are doing. >> >> The job is simply overwhelming and the support is not there. >> >> Most of the old-timers know the schools you need to stay > away >> from. >> Read the older posts and you can clearly see where to look > for >> a job and where to run and far away. >> >> Someday, the tide will turn towards educators again. >> >> A Republican governor does not help and extra monies for >> education are simply not in the agenda. >> >> To answer your question about what to look for when looking >> for a job: >> >> Red flags include: high teacher turnover, high student > counts >> in the classroom, new principals who have mentors to help > even >> them. >> >> Ask how committes there are and if you will be required to > be >> on one. >> >> Also ask about duty as some schools require double duty and >> police the instructors daily to make sure they are standing >> and watching. >> >> Teachers are required to wear so many hats with budget >> constraints. Ask for extra pencils or paper and you will be >> looked at with scorn. >> >> Sorry to be so negative, things are so much better in most >> other states. Arizona is bottom of the barrel and those are >> the people you will find many times in higher positions. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On 5/25/12, Important and Hopeful wrote: >>> I've read many posts that talk about how bad education in >>> Az is. Teachers are underpaid, treated poorly, provided >>> with little or no resources and valued even less. My >>> experience teaching here has been no different. But I >>> remain an educator and believe all children deserve a great >>> education. >>> >>> I refuse to give up on them and hope there are places out >>> there where I truly can make a difference. So once again, I >>> am leaving my district on a quest to find a place that >>> deserves a talented and dedicated educator. Unfortunately, >>> there are a lot of wolves in sheep clothing out there. I >>> thought I fit at the last school that I worked at. I was >>> terribly wrong. I would like to come up with some questions >>> and some warning signs that would help me weed out the bad >>> and horrible places. Interview Questions- What about this >>> school would make me want to work here? About how many >>> teachers leave each year? >>> >>> Warning Signs- No teachers on interview committee (could >>> mean no teacher input, dishonest principals) >>> >>> Please respond with helpful suggestions, questions or humor >>> only. ;) I've been put down enough by my admin.

Jan 10, 2017

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