This is just one example, but here is an email from an administrator. email
This email is offering a professional development opportunity that takes place in the summer. It is a 5 day, 9-5 workshop.
There is no compensation for this whole week of extra work, but how nice of them to offer to at least cover the registration fee (sarcasm).
So I have 2 choices
- Attend a week long seminar, unpaid (actually more than unpaid considering I would need to find childcare), and learn new skills to better my instruction and improve student learning.
Or
- Do not attend and not learn valuable teaching techniques that would impact my students.
So the public school system wants me to be a better teacher but wants me to do it on my own time.
The school system does offer a few days of paid professional development throughout the year, but only to meet the required minimum the state requires. Any bonus development is at your own cost of time and money.
Things like this go on all them time. Another example that happened to me this week is that I realized I need new speakers for my school computer so that I can show the kids videos, or listen to songs. The speakers I have now were purchased out of my own pocket, and are just cheap speakers from Walmart. I decided to ask the tech guy to see if maybe the district would give me some, and he literally laughed when I inquired.
I can can afford new speakers, but why should I have to?
I honestly think many of us have been brainwashed into believing this kind of treatment is normal. I am trying to break these beliefs, but I’m not going to lie, it’s hard. I feel guilt, anxiety, and fear that my actions will harm students. It’s some weird version of Stockholm syndrome where they’ve conditioned teachers to believe that we are the problem, and if we just work harder, put in more time, and just care more then our students will achieve success.
I know this is a bit of a rant, so I apologize. I just thought this is a place where someone might see my side. Thank you