The following is from the money section of today's Newsday:
I, for one always attend graduation but I am so tired of people talking about teaching as a "calling" and that our job does not end in the classroom. Most teachers do take pleasure in watching their students achieve, but enough is enough. Yes, we are teachers but we have private lives as well. Not wanting to attend a school function after school hours does not make anyone less of a teacher or less devoted to their students.
This year, for the first time, the graduation at my school will be held a day after the last day of school. I am sure that I will attend as I cannot imagine not watching my seniors graduate, but I resent the fact that it is being held this day. I intend to go as a guest and will do no work assisting in the graduation unless there is some sort of compensation. The school could easily substitute a staff development day in exchange for attending graduation. (Oh no, how would we survive without all that data analysis training.) It is not fair to always ask teachers to give. We are considered professionals when something is needed from us, otherwise we are considered peons, worthy and deserving of nothing.
DEAR READERS: In the past week I received several letters responding to the column about the private-school teacher who wanted to be paid for being forced to attend a graduation on a Sunday. The school doesn't have to pay her because teachers are exempt from overtime. All of the letters took the teacher to task. Here is a sample:
DEAR CARRIE: I was disappointed to read that a teacher is more concerned about getting paid on graduation day than attending this exhilarating ceremony. The choice to become a teacher is a decision that obviously requires people to give of themselves. The nights I spend grading papers and creating lessons, going to workshops to improve and stay current with educational reform, and keeping up with the daily routine all go along with the job.
The choice to become a teacher is a decision that has an impact not only on the future of your students but also on your life. A teacher's desire to work with children is a calling and does not end in the classroom. Watching them grow and making a significant difference in this world is rewarding alone.
[That reader] should be proud to attend the graduation ceremony, because teachers are partners in their students' learning and a reason these students have this wonderful opportunity. Believe me, I truly believe that teachers are underpaid, but, as a teacher, I would take real pleasure in watching my students be part of the "pomp and circumstance."
I, for one always attend graduation but I am so tired of people talking about teaching as a "calling" and that our job does not end in the classroom. Most teachers do take pleasure in watching their students achieve, but enough is enough. Yes, we are teachers but we have private lives as well. Not wanting to attend a school function after school hours does not make anyone less of a teacher or less devoted to their students.
This year, for the first time, the graduation at my school will be held a day after the last day of school. I am sure that I will attend as I cannot imagine not watching my seniors graduate, but I resent the fact that it is being held this day. I intend to go as a guest and will do no work assisting in the graduation unless there is some sort of compensation. The school could easily substitute a staff development day in exchange for attending graduation. (Oh no, how would we survive without all that data analysis training.) It is not fair to always ask teachers to give. We are considered professionals when something is needed from us, otherwise we are considered peons, worthy and deserving of nothing.
7 comments:
We used to get either comp time, or per session pay, to attend awards night and the graduation ceremony. I chaperoned the senior dance as well for many years (I suppose the free dinner was the compensation for that) That ended a couple of years ago.
This year, I will chaperone the dance because I truly love this group of kids. I will attend graduation and awards night as well- but as you said, I will not lift a finger to help in the set up, and I will leave the second it's over.
I think if graduation is held outside of the contractual day, then attending is completely optional. I'm not a high school teacher I don't attend. If I had a connection with a group of graduating students, I'd probably go.
I agree. And for the record, I don't really consider myself a professional, but rather a working person. The "reforms" being instituted in the city are largely insulting, and the supposed benefits, like merit pay, are so insignificant they're not worth pursuing in any case.
Administrators (and often parents) seem to always think "If every teacher will just do a little extra, then no one will have to do a lot." And no one realizes how much extra the teachers really do. We attend all kinds of school events, tutor, contact parents, plan, grade, and maintain our rooms all outside our "40 hours a week."
I would probably go for the kids, but how can administration require a teacher to be anywhere not agreed to in the contract? And like you, I wouldn't be "on duty" either.
As an independent school teacher myself, one buys into the culture of the school, and, if that means attending a graduation ceremony as part of the contractural expectations, then, so be it.
BTW: Independent school contracts are more generically written than what my public school colleagues are accustomed to.
While I would go if my students were attending, I do not think any teacher should be required to do any activities outside our working hours.
I hated Curriculum Night for the same reason. We never used to get paid, but some principals gave teachers extra preps. Then it was cut down to one teacher per grade at per session rate until we finally went back to having it during school hours since we didn't get that big a turn-out.
Schoolgal
While it's great to be dedicated and all, I totally see the teacher's point (the one who wrote the letter.) I'm a college prof and I get sick and tired of being asked to do extra work - to come in on the weekends to do rah-rah school stuff (when I tend to spend my weekends on grading and working on research). Or all the new "assessment" crap - where we're expected to write tests that will "prove" if our students are learning or not. Or take part in CYA training activities for the administration (like "how to know when it's sexual harassment" seminars). Or fill out surveys about how the school is doing, how much research we are working on (hint: less than I was now that you're heaping this extra work on me)
Of course, we are expected to do all of the additional stuff on our "own" time, and we are not paid extra, nor do many of the things count in our annual "productivity report."
I hate time bandits.
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