OT: Teacher's meeting July 19th

[DawnM]

Ok, so I am changing districts this year and I took a job for next fall.

I get this letter in the mail telling me that there is a MANDITORY meeting for ALL teachers in my program (new and returning teachers) on July 19th!

WHAT???? No warning and it is in the dead middle of the summer/vacation time.

Has anyone heard of such a thing?

Dawn

 

[tchrrx]

Sounds familiar....

If you have a vacation or something already planned during that time, I would just go in & talk to administration. Not a lot you can do about it if you already had a trip planned & had no idea that they held summer meetings.

My DH bought tickets for the PGA golf tournament on my Orientation day. Parents are required to come too. So...technically he should be with DD while I am in my classroom. Instead, Gma is stepping into the parents role so that I can be in my room & DH can still go to the tourney. Not sure who he's taking now, but what can you do .

Hope it all works out for you!

 

[Tikicampers]

Teacher contracts can be pretty vauge depending on where you are. They can pretty much ask you to come whenever they want.

 

[daisyduck123]

Wow. That stinks!
That would never happen in my county....our break is exactly what that means..."Our Break". Mine started on June 20 & I have to return on Aug. 20.

 

[Jen414]

When I was hired in the current district I am in 8 years ago, new teacher orientation was held the week before school and I already had vacation plans in Colorado. I just told them that I would be unable to make it and would be happy to come in any other time to fill out paperwork, meet with my mentor teacher, etc. at any other time. They were ok with that. Good luck.

 

[DawnM]

I just spoke with another teacher in the district and she said this is normal.

I am SO ready to go back to a district with a strong union!

Dawn

 

[dougsmom98]

Unless this is for new employee orientation, in our district if they make something mandatory, they have to pay you per diem to ***e in. The mdidle of July is a cruddy time to make people ***e in.

 

[SnowWhite12]

Always happens in our district! The teachers end up working aobut 5-7 days over the summer. But if you already have a trip planned, they will let you make it up at a later day (at least part of it).

 

[me again]

Always happens in our district! The teachers end up working aobut 5-7 days over the summer. But if you already have a trip planned, they will let you make it up at a later day (at least part of it).

Oh, dear! You actually end up working 5-7 days during the summer? What about all the summer vacation time you do have, not to mention Christmas, Spring break, etc. Do you realize how little vacation the rest of the working world actually gets? My dh had to work 20 years before getting 3 weeks paid vacation, and then they wouldn't let him take it all at once, had to take several mini-vacations. Doesn't sound like you're overworked to me!

 

[reginaastralis]

Oh, dear! You actually end up working 5-7 days during the summer? What about all the summer vacation time you do have, not to mention Christmas, Spring break, etc. Do you realize how little vacation the rest of the working world actually gets? My dh had to work 20 years before getting 3 weeks paid vacation, and then they wouldn't let him take it all at once, had to take several mini-vacations. Doesn't sound like you're overworked to me!

Ok, I don't want to be a pain, but you obviously have no idea what it's like to be a teacher.

I can't speak for all, but do you know how many of these people are bringing home papers to grade, books to do lessons on, or take time to go shopping for their supplies in their off time. Ask you husband how often he puts in his full shift at his job, and then brings home 2-4 hours worth of stuff. Not to mention, but teachers, who are intrusted with the future of our children, get paid SQUAT.

Also, we need to give our teachers a break. We don't want them fried and binding children to their chairs with duct tape, do we? Yes, we actually had a teacher down here do this.

Seriously, get a life and stop being a troll. I agree with the OP that I would be pretty miffed if I had to put in hours during my VACATION. I should also mention that my moms a teacher, and during this off-time, she's been selling all of her old books on ebay, checking out the different teacher stores for materials for this year, going to yardsales on Saturdays to buy new books for her class, oh, and taking more classes to become an even better teacher.

 

[DawnM]

The issue isn't needing to work extra, it is throwing out a random date and expecting you to just be free.

Sounds like your DH should have been a teacher!

Dawn

Oh, dear! You actually end up working 5-7 days during the summer? What about all the summer vacation time you do have, not to mention Christmas, Spring break, etc. Do you realize how little vacation the rest of the working world actually gets? My dh had to work 20 years before getting 3 weeks paid vacation, and then they wouldn't let him take it all at once, had to take several mini-vacations. Doesn't sound like you're overworked to me!

 

[daisyduck123]

Oh, dear! You actually end up working 5-7 days during the summer? What about all the summer vacation time you do have, not to mention Christmas, Spring break, etc. Do you realize how little vacation the rest of the working world actually gets? My dh had to work 20 years before getting 3 weeks paid vacation, and then they wouldn't let him take it all at once, had to take several mini-vacations. Doesn't sound like you're overworked to me!

You obviously have no idea about the workloads teachers carry.
You should not post on a thread you know nothing/little about.

And don't even begin to talk about holiday breaks.
I'm a teacher & the only week long break I get throughout the entire school year is at Christmas. (no week long Easter, winter, Presidents' week or anything like that).

And none of our vacations (including summer) are "paid vacations".
We only get paid for the 190 days we do work during the year.
Many, many people in other jobs (maybe even your DH's?) get paid vacations & holidays.

 

[Jen414]

Oh, dear! You actually end up working 5-7 days during the summer? What about all the summer vacation time you do have, not to mention Christmas, Spring break, etc. Do you realize how little vacation the rest of the working world actually gets? My dh had to work 20 years before getting 3 weeks paid vacation, and then they wouldn't let him take it all at once, had to take several mini-vacations. Doesn't sound like you're overworked to me!

Wow!!!! Can you say bitter!!!!!! This is the profession the OP chose as well as many other people here who responded. Clearly, you're not a teacher, so why are you even on this thread. If you wanted the summer "off" and I use "off" very loosely because many, if not all, teachers spend part of their "vacation" doing mandatory professional development, meeting with colleagues, getting their classroom ready, etc., then you and/or your husband should have chosen this profession. Then you too could have the summer "off". Teachers belong to a union and have a contract for a reason. My contract says I must work 185 days. Does that mean I don't work for one extra day anywhere during the year--no, but I don't have to if I don't want to. Of course, if I didn't, I'm not sure how I'd ever get any correcting done or get my room ready for my new kids. I don't think the OP ever said anything about being overworked. I think she was just looking for advice about what to do about a new teacher day that was going to be held on a day when she would be on an already planned vacation.

 

[me again]

Ok, I don't want to be a pain, but you obviously have no idea what it's like to be a teacher.

I can't speak for all, but do you know how many of these people are bringing home papers to grade, books to do lessons on, or take time to go shopping for their supplies in their off time. Ask you husband how often he puts in his full shift at his job, and then brings home 2-4 hours worth of stuff. Not to mention, but teachers, who are intrusted with the future of our children, get paid SQUAT.

Also, we need to give our teachers a break. We don't want them fried and binding children to their chairs with duct tape, do we? Yes, we actually had a teacher down here do this.

Seriously, get a life and stop being a troll. I agree with the OP that I would be pretty miffed if I had to put in hours during my VACATION. I should also mention that my moms a teacher, and during this off-time, she's been selling all of her old books on ebay, checking out the different teacher stores for materials for this year, going to yardsales on Saturdays to buy new books for her class, oh, and taking more classes to become an even better teacher.

Just for your information, teachers aren't the only ones who bring home work. My husband doesn't work "shifts" his job is a managerial one and he often either works from home or brings work home. Insofar as interrupting with vacations, I can't remember the last vacation he wasn't either called from work with a problem that couldn't wait or had to check in with ongoing projects. I remember just boarding the monorail at Epcot when his cell rang, some problem from work, he had to go back to the hotel and work on it from there via his pc.

My point is that teachers aren't the only ones who work hard. No, having never worked as a teacher I don't know first-hand what its like to be one, but you have never worked in a fast-paced, high-tech job (at least doesn't sound like it) and can't appreciate what its like to work 60-80 hour works weeks, be up all hours of the night, get phone calls during your vacations (which are much shorter than any teacher's vacation), then be expected to sympathsize with someone who gets almost 3 months off during the summer (paid!) and has to come in for a one-day meeting! Teachers aren't the only ones who get burned out and need a vacation, seems at least 1/4 their work year is vacation, anyways!

 

[me again]

Wow!!!! Can you say bitter!!!!!! This is the profession the OP chose as well as many other people here who responded. Clearly, you're not a teacher, so why are you even on this thread. If you wanted the summer "off" and I use "off" very loosely because many, if not all, teachers spend part of their "vacation" doing mandatory professional development, meeting with colleagues, getting their classroom ready, etc., then you and/or your husband should have chosen this profession. Then you too could have the summer "off". Teachers belong to a union and have a contract for a reason. My contract says I must work 185 days. Does that mean I don't work for one extra day anywhere during the year--no, but I don't have to if I don't want to. Of course, if I didn't, I'm not sure how I'd ever get any correcting done or get my room ready for my new kids. I don't think the OP ever said anything about being overworked. I think she was just looking for advice about what to do about a new teacher day that was going to be held on a day when she would be on an already planned vacation.

Even with all you do during the summer, teachers still get way more vacation time than other professionals. My dh had to work many years before getting 3 weeks vacation, and he can't even take that in a block. Really, teachers don't work any harder than other working professionals.

 

[frtchr]

expected to sympathsize with someone who gets almost 3 months off during the summer (paid!)

Wow. I was a teacher for 10 years, and I never got paid for my "3 months off" in the summer. Looks like I wasn't teaching in the right district.

 

[Tikicampers]

If any of you teachers are getting three months off in the summer and getting paid for it, please tell me where you teach so I can come teach there too.
To me again, why you are posting here is a mystery to me. You clearly have no idea about what you are talking about. During a teacher shortage here they allowed people from other professions to get a temporary certificate to teach. Many of them didn't make it through one school year, and even more quit after one year. I know nothing about IT jobs, which is why you will not find me posting on threads about them.

 

[Pinnie]

expected to sympathsize with someone who gets almost 3 months off during the summer (paid!)

Wow. I was a teacher for 10 years, and I never got paid for my "3 months off" in the summer. Looks like I wasn't teaching in the right district.

I'm in the wrong district, too!

I have been teaching for over 30 years and I have NEVER got paid for my summer "OFF". This summer I am attending a couple of conferences on Prevention of Early Learning Failure. The fees, hotel, etc. are on my dime. I am not complaining, this is the profession I have chosen and know that what the rules are to keep my certification in my state.

My Dh works for an auto company. He gets 5 weeks of PAID vacation, in addition to a paid week off at Christmas, MLK day, Good Friday/Easter Monday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Election Day, Thanksgiving and the day after and a floating day. ALL these holidays are paid and if the fall on a weekend, he gets paid for either Friday or Monday. In addition he gets 40 hours of "sick time" a year. When he has to attend seminars for his job, the company pays all expenses including travel. When he needs materials to complete his job, the company pays for it.

Again, I made the choice to teach. I am not complaining about my responsiblities. I just wish those that haven't a clue would educate themselves before they engage their mouths.

pinnie

 

[me again]

no, you don't get a paycheck during the summer months, but your annual salary, which you all complain about, is based on a ten-month work year, not 12 months, like the rest of the work world.

Here's a link to an article that might just make you appreciate what you've got--


http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobseeker/tools/ept/careerArticlesPost.html?post=129

Oh, btw, I have done substitute teaching, I'm constantly amazed at the glib way teachers view their jobs. They call in for reasons the rest of us would be expected to work around, like their kids has a dental appointment (we schedule ours before/after work). Last school year my dd had a teacher who seemed to think she was some sort of part-time worker (maybe she tought she was the sub?) She took so much time off it was a wonder they kept her. It was a running joke with dd, was your teacher there today? This teacher seemed to always have a crisis on Fridays and Mondays, the days before/after breaks, holidays, etc. Try getting away with that in any other profession!

Oh, yes, I realize most teachers are hard-working, dedicated professionals who value their work, but its about the only profession I know of where you can call in sick and get a sub at a moment's notice (no such thing as a substitute engineer!). Also, they do get much more time off than any other profession. Do they work hard? Of course! So does the rest of the work force! We can't just call in when we feel like it or take vacations without being tied to the job via cell phone, pc, etc.
all jobs are tough, or they wouldn't pay you to be there!

 

[TJ's Mom]

Me too - just curious... Do you work? You keep mentioning dh's work but not anything about your work.

My old school "encouraged" teachers to take a 3-week class that ran from 8 to 3. This was without pay. My corporate friends do not have to take classes on their time off. They do it during their workday.