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Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: FCPS ()
Date: May 13, 2012 07:19AM

Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs
May 12, 2012 -- 8:00 PM
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/education/2012/05/fairfax-teachers-more-satisfied-their-jobs/601211

Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain

Fairfax County teachers are happier about nearly every aspect of their working conditions than they were two years ago, amid their first raises in years and a campaign to decrease their workloads, according to survey of more than 10,500 teachers.

When asked if "teachers are relied upon to make decisions about educational issues," only 61 percent of Fairfax County Public Schools teachers agreed in 2010. On the same survey administered this January and February, 84 percent of teachers said their input mattered.

In 2010, 65 percent of teachers agreed that "Teachers have time available to collaborate with their colleagues"; that figure shot up to 79 percent.

Administrators also voiced rosier views than in 2010, with 95 percent agreeing that "In this district we take steps to solve problems," up from 78 percent.

Teachers and other school system employees received their first pay raises since 2008 this school year, as salaries were frozen because of the bleak economy. In January, The Washington Examiner obtained an internal teachers union survey wherein 76 percent of teachers said they agreed "very much" or "somewhat" that "teacher satisfaction is primarily dependent on salary."

"The salary increase does help a little bit, as people feel they're valued and appreciated," said Michael Hairston, who represents more than 6,000 teachers and support staffers as president of the Fairfax Education Association. "That has to have an impact on morale."

But even with improvements, some areas of the survey raised concerns to school officers and the system's teacher unions.

Less than half of principals agreed that central office administrators were allowing them to spend enough time on instruction, marking an increase of 34 points to 49 percent. And more than 40 percent of teachers said they didn't have enough out-of-classroom time to get all their work done.

Superintendent Jack Dale said in a June email obtained by The Examiner, "I will speak to all the principals about ensuring we do not create inappropriate work load/time demands on our teachers this next school year."

But union representatives said they don't believe Dale ever acted on his promise to intervene. A spokeswoman for the school system did not respond to requests for comment.

None of the school board members contacted by The Examiner returned phone calls seeking comment on this issue. The school board is scheduled to discuss the survey results on Monday.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: People think they know...... ()
Date: May 13, 2012 09:02AM

Make sure you as you read this you keep in mind I am not angry, nor can you know my emotions in this post.

I rarely read most posts because of their immature nature, especially when it come to teachers/teaching profession. And true, those who despise teachers or the teaching profession will continue to do so regardless.

I have been on the job long enough to remember what it was like before NCLB and after.

You cannot know or understand what teachers go through, especially teaching in HS. I am NOT complaining at all. I am only stating a fact:

Unless you are a teacher, there is no way you or anyone else can know everything that goes on in the schools and what is expected of us and our principals. I don’t care if your sister, brother, wife, Aunt, or whomever, is a teacher. Unless you, yourself, are a teacher, there is no possible way you could know what we go through in terms of expectations and pressure of test scores by Gatehouse, the work we do after school hours, meetings, etc, as well as the lack of respect for us by many of you who visit this board. While there are still many parents and people in general who thank us and appreciate what we are trying to do for their children and our youth in general, there is a perception by many that we are lazy, non-caring, and whiners.

Before anyone lambastes me, saying I am complaining and to leave if I don’t like it; that I get summers off, as well as winter and spring breaks, etc, etc, etc, know that I worked outside the profession for 10+ years. I didn’t start teaching until 1997 at the age of 33. I know EXACTLY how different the teaching profession is. For those teachers who DO complain on even a semi-regular basis, please know if you ever left teaching to work in another profession; one that has a 9 – 5 feel with two weeks vacation, three “sick days”, monotony, etc, I believe you would scurry right back to Gatehouse trying to get your job back. :-)

Now having stated the above, I wish every person would just pick a teacher out of the blue – I am talking about a teacher who honestly cares about the future, not one who thinks of it as just a “job” – and ask them what they feel about not only the profession, but about “today’s kids”, NCLB, Jack Dale, SOL’s, etc. Not by email, but in person.

Many of us are nervous when a parent asks for an appointment to speak with us. Maybe that is because many parents rarely look at their child as the reason they received a lower grade than expected or wanted, or were given detention for “x” reason, or suspended for stealing money from another student, etc. Maybe it is because we are not “stood up for” by administrators like we used to. But for those of us who are still lucky enough to have our administrators stick up for us at times, some parents take it even higher – to the cluster – looking for satisfaction.

All teachers should absolutely speak with parents whenever they ask, and most do. If I had one single thing to say to my colleagues regarding speaking with parents, it would be to be honest; even if we are in the wrong at times; being honest carries so much weight with parents. It is OK to be wrong, though there are those parents who say “SEE! I told you he/she…….” But those really are few and far between.

Sorry – got lost for a minute. :-)

Anyway, go to your local HS, MS, ES school and ask for an appointment to speak with a teacher, any teacher, and ask them a series of questions you want answered. Not situational questions where someone is trying to vie one teacher’s style versus another’s, but questions about their thoughts, their feelings, and their vision about the profession. And don’t limit yourself to the core subjects. Include those who teach Art, Photography, PE, Psychology, Consumer Science, and/or and foreign language teachers, etc.

I’d be interested to read/hear what you find.

I would bet many would never mention money at all. I cannot think of any teacher I have ever spoken with mention money as their motive for teaching, though I know there are some I’m sure.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there!

I read a quote once that pertained to Father’s Day, but it could absolutely be said on this day:

"Anyone can become a Mother, but it takes someone very special to be a 'Mom'."

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: survey shmurvey ()
Date: May 13, 2012 09:41AM

Who devises the survey? Who administers the survey? Can we see a copy of the survey? Who publicizes the results of the survey? Who do these people work for? (oops, couldn't be Jack Dale, could it?)

Finally, many people do not believe that surveys that are sent back over their personal email accounts are "anonymous".

Just a few problems with surveys.

I like the posts where people mention actually talking to a living, breathing teacher. Why can't we talk to each other anymore? What's with the surveys?

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: Schoolhouse Rock ()
Date: May 13, 2012 09:51AM

Conjunction Junction from School House Rock


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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: Falcon 81 ()
Date: May 13, 2012 10:57AM

I want this guy teaching my kids.


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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: 12 months ()
Date: May 13, 2012 11:50AM

anyone who has the whole summer off with pay should really keep quiet

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: R. Lee Ermey ()
Date: May 13, 2012 11:55AM

Falcon 81 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I want this guy teaching my kids.
>
>
That video WAS AWESOME!

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: not paid for the summer ()
Date: May 13, 2012 02:27PM

@12 months: Apparently you are new to these threads. Teachers do not have the entire summer off with pay. The contract is for 10 months. They get paid for 10 months. There are no paychecks in the summer. They used to hold back money each month so that they could issue checks in the summer, but that is coming to an end due to budgetary concerns.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: overpaid and still complain ()
Date: May 13, 2012 03:28PM

not paid for the summer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @12 months: Apparently you are new to these
> threads. Teachers do not have the entire summer
> off with pay. The contract is for 10 months.
> They get paid for 10 months. There are no
> paychecks in the summer. They used to hold back
> money each month so that they could issue checks
> in the summer, but that is coming to an end due to
> budgetary concerns.


Sorry but no, whenever you hear teachers bitch about their salary they compare it to jobs that require you to be there 12 months a year not 9. Hardly fair but teachers do it and get away with it. Show me another job that you can stay home when it is too cold or it snows. Try that in the private sector, Sorry boss it looks like snow, not coming in today.

Doubtful that teachers will receive a pay check for only nine months. It costs nothing to pay all 12 months instead of 9 since they are direct deposited.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: overpaid & stilll complain ()
Date: May 13, 2012 04:40PM

overpaid and still complain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry but no, whenever you hear teachers bitch
> about their salary they compare it to jobs that
> require you to be there 12 months a year not 9.
> Hardly fair but teachers do it and get away with
> it. Show me another job that you can stay home
> when it is too cold or it snows. Try that in the
> private sector, Sorry boss it looks like snow, not
> coming in today.
>
> Doubtful that teachers will receive a pay check
> for only nine months. It costs nothing to pay all
> 12 months instead of 9 since they are direct
> deposited.



Hey you. Dumb-ass, yeah you! You are a fucking idiot who doesn't know his/her ass from a hole in the ground.

While yes we do in fact have direct, just as does most every business establishment outside of some restaurants, small businesses, etc, teachers DO NOT get paid 12 months; they get paid 10 months.

And Fuck-Munch, you are wrong again with “…require you to be there 12 months a year not 9.” Teacher have off the last 10 days in June, all of July, and go back the last week in August, which equates to roughly (8) weeks off and NOT (3) months as you so incorrectly posted.

FCPS will no longer put a portion of a teacher’s paycheck in a Summer Fund at the end of next year. Teachers have to go through their own bank.

You sir are a complete and utter DUNCE. Look that one up Shit-for-brains.

Oh, and least I forget, many people work our of their home; free-lance writers, newspaper columnists, journalists, small businesses that do desk top publishing, accounting, etc.

Probably the largest segment of those who stay at home to work are those who do private contracting for the Federal Gov’t.

I can’t believe you are that God Damn dumb. But your post clearly illustrates that you are.

And one more thing; what teachers have ever complained to you about the money they make? That’s what I figured; not a single one.

God help you Idiot-Boy.

Sincerely,

A MS Teacher

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: get a grip ()
Date: May 13, 2012 04:52PM

One more thing---the teachers do not ask for snow days. If the kids aren't there, what's the point in having the teachers and all other school personnel drive to work and get stuck on the roads and burn more fuel. ?? This only happens a couple of days on average per year (this year only once) and by the way the public reacts, you would think we were letting teachers out of work every other day. Amazing.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: salary ()
Date: May 13, 2012 05:03PM

overpaid and still complain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry but no, whenever you hear teachers bitch
> about their salary they compare it to jobs that
> require you to be there 12 months a year not 9.
> Hardly fair but teachers do it and get away with
> it. Show me another job that you can stay home
> when it is too cold or it snows. Try that in the
> private sector, Sorry boss it looks like snow, not
> coming in today.
>
> Doubtful that teachers will receive a pay check
> for only nine months. It costs nothing to pay all
> 12 months instead of 9 since they are direct
> deposited.

I rarely hear a teacher complain about salary. It seems to me that it's usually a response defending the salary they do get. People like you then confuse their responses with complaints. There's a difference.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: overpaid and still complain ()
Date: May 13, 2012 06:15PM

get a grip Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One more thing---the teachers do not ask for snow
> days. If the kids aren't there, what's the point
> in having the teachers and all other school
> personnel drive to work and get stuck on the roads
> and burn more fuel. ?? This only happens a
> couple of days on average per year (this year only
> once) and by the way the public reacts, you would
> think we were letting teachers out of work every
> other day. Amazing.

You would starve in the private sector. Luckily the government has overpaid babysitters such as yourself to slap in a DVD and tell the kids to watch it.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: and again ()
Date: May 13, 2012 06:26PM

"FCPS will no longer put a portion of a teacher’s paycheck in a Summer Fund at the end of next year. Teachers have to go through their own bank"

That is tough since most teachers are too stupid to know how to budget properly.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: cornwallis ()
Date: May 13, 2012 06:33PM

most trolls are dumb enough to spend their time trolling.
but who will troll the trolls??

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: tgbwc ()
Date: May 13, 2012 08:03PM

and again Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "FCPS will no longer put a portion of a
> teacher’s paycheck in a Summer Fund at the end
> of next year. Teachers have to go through their
> own bank"
>
> That is tough since most teachers are too stupid
> to know how to budget properly.

I'm a teacher and while I of course don't agree with your "too stupid...to budget properly comment", I do agree that the end of the witholding by FCPS for summer checks should not be a big deal. I would much rather set aside my own $ and at least be able to earn the interest myself.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: scammers ()
Date: May 13, 2012 08:21PM

get a grip Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One more thing---the teachers do not ask for snow
> days. If the kids aren't there, what's the point
> in having the teachers and all other school
> personnel drive to work and get stuck on the roads
> and burn more fuel. ?? This only happens a
> couple of days on average per year (this year only
> once) and by the way the public reacts, you would
> think we were letting teachers out of work every
> other day. Amazing.


The year we were out of school for weeks due to a blizzard, the teachers at my school were already bitching the day they came back that the schools better not go past the projected ending date. This year they started in about ending school early because the snow days were not used. They always want something both ways as long as it means less days working. Oh and those last period of the day planning periods at high school , they get done at the mall, Costco or the dentists office.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: seriously we have to be practical ()
Date: May 13, 2012 10:18PM

You can bet that parents would have been the first to bitch if there had been weeks of making up school after the "Snowmageddon" episode. People plan vacations, family reunions, camps, etc. based on when they reasonably think that school will end. If the system tried to make up weeks of school and went into July (which is what would have to happen), lots of other schedules would get screwed up---like summer school and graduation schedule (sorry Patriot Center---we need to reschedule, sorry there will be no band because half the kids left early for vacation, oh, sorry guest speaker, etc. etc.). The amount of money that would have to be spent dealing with this would be ridiculous. The number of students who would leave early anyway would make the whole thing a joke and a waste of everyone's time.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: the bird ()
Date: May 13, 2012 10:36PM

seriously we have to be practical Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can bet that parents would have been the first
> to bitch if there had been weeks of making up
> school after the "Snowmageddon" episode. People
> plan vacations, family reunions, camps, etc. based
> on when they reasonably think that school will
> end. If the system tried to make up weeks of
> school and went into July (which is what would
> have to happen), lots of other schedules would get
> screwed up---like summer school and graduation
> schedule (sorry Patriot Center---we need to
> reschedule, sorry there will be no band because
> half the kids left early for vacation, oh, sorry
> guest speaker, etc. etc.). The amount of money
> that would have to be spent dealing with this
> would be ridiculous. The number of students who
> would leave early anyway would make the whole
> thing a joke and a waste of everyone's time.

I agree. So how about no work no pay. School ends as scheduled but you dont get paid for sitting home when it snows. How do you like those apples?

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: Tax Payer ()
Date: May 14, 2012 03:17PM

OK, so "the contract says they get paid for only ten of the twelve months in the year, and don't get paid for the two months when they aren't working" blah blah blah...

Does not change the fact that once you get a few years seniority in your are getting SIX FIGURES for those ten months...


Don't get me wrong, I want first class schools and don't mind paying for them. And FCPS is amongst the best in the country.

But, considering what we pay for it, it damn well better be.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: Teacher ()
Date: May 14, 2012 04:34PM

30 years with a PhD equates to just over 93 thousand. Where is the six figures??? I would also like to point out that most of the teachers I know (including myself, who has been teaching for over 10 years and has a spouse with a full-time government job) has to moonlight to make ends meet just to live in the community they teach in.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: overpaid ()
Date: May 14, 2012 04:52PM

salary Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I rarely hear a teacher complain about salary. "

Who are you Helen Keller? They never stop complaining. Every year we hear their threats that they are so valuable they will go to the private sector but few actually do. They know in the private sector results count and just having been there a long time doesnt mean your job is 100% secure.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: Six? ()
Date: May 14, 2012 05:06PM

Tax Payer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OK, so "the contract says they get paid for only
> ten of the twelve months in the year, and don't
> get paid for the two months when they aren't
> working" blah blah blah...
>
> Does not change the fact that once you get a few
> years seniority in your are getting SIX FIGURES
> for those ten months...
>
>
> Don't get me wrong, I want first class schools and
> don't mind paying for them. And FCPS is amongst
> the best in the country.
>
> But, considering what we pay for it, it damn well
> better be.

Seriously? What scale are you seeing? A few years senority? The earlier post is right. The scale maxes out under six figures. A teacher with 20 years and a Masters degree is in the mid $70k range. Not bad, but far from six figures.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: pay for professionals ()
Date: May 14, 2012 06:23PM

I believe that a person in their mid 40's with a Masters degree and 20 years of experience in a profession should get $75K for ten months of work. That sounds about right. At age 42, it would be nice to be able to make a house payment and maybe even have a child. Considering that this person will never make 6 figures, this seems fair. What is there to complain about? If you don't give a person some income security, the person will look for another career. You will never attract good people to teaching (and it's already difficult to attract them). Think. It's really hard already to get math and science teachers. Many coming out of college have loans to pay off. How's that gonna work? Only those from rich families can become teachers?

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: tgbwc ()
Date: May 14, 2012 06:55PM

pay for professionals Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe that a person in their mid 40's with a
> Masters degree and 20 years of experience in a
> profession should get $75K for ten months of work.
> That sounds about right. At age 42, it would be
> nice to be able to make a house payment and maybe
> even have a child. Considering that this person
> will never make 6 figures, this seems fair. What
> is there to complain about? If you don't give a
> person some income security, the person will look
> for another career. You will never attract good
> people to teaching (and it's already difficult to
> attract them). Think. It's really hard already
> to get math and science teachers. Many coming out
> of college have loans to pay off. How's that
> gonna work? Only those from rich families can
> become teachers?

A very level headed response.
+1

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: former teacher ()
Date: May 14, 2012 07:12PM

Any job where you can't be fired based on performance is pathetic. An easy 10-5% of teachers should not be allowed to continue. But they can't be fired, so they continue to be shitty, negatively effect students, make other teachers work harder, and give the public a reason to rail on theachers in general.

REAL WORLD:
Boss to employee: you suck, get better
Boss to employee: look, I've told you that you suck, this is how I want you to get better
Boss to employee: OK, you've got to this date to get better in this way.
Boss to employee: Final warning. Get better by this date.
Boss to employee: You're fired.

TEACHING WORLD:
Principal to teacher: We're going to send you to a workshop
Principal to teacher: We're going to move you to another team
Principal to teacher: We're going to change your classload
Principal to teacher: You're promoted

Pathetic.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: Fatter? ()
Date: May 15, 2012 04:58PM

"Fatter paychecks" is a phrase that is used quite generously in this instance. If Dr. Dale's proposed budget is approved for '12-'13, FCPS employees will have received a 1% COLA over the past 5 years.

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Re: Fairfax teachers more satisfied with their jobs; Fatter paychecks help, but workload issues remain
Posted by: Fatter? ()
Date: May 15, 2012 05:00PM

http://oakton.patch.com/articles/board-consider-vrs-compensation-options-for-budget

Superintendent Jack Dale proposes eliminating compensation adjustments in favor of meeting five-year state requirement within the next year

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