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I teach in Alabama and our district has said that any non-tenured teacher will be laid off at the end of this school year. Last year over 100 teachers were let go, as well as many support personnel. They have proposed a 1 cent sales tax increase in our county, but I don't think it will pass. Our class sizes have increased to 30 to 34 in middle school. The grass is not greener in Alabama.
Our district has pink slipped 90 teachers. Their last day is next Friday. I suspect my school will be laying off teachers as well but we won't get the advantage of advanced notice. We're all getting performance reviews over the next two weeks and we've never had them before. In industry, that would mean you're interviewing to keep your job .
Darn I wish I was one of those teachers the kids like right now. I'm thinking I'm on the chopping block. I was hoping something else would break before it came to that but I may be joining the teachers from the district my kids attend in the unemployment line. Oh well, BTDT and lived through it. If I have to I'll live through it again. Maybe we'll head for Alabama (my husband's company is headquartered there). Anyone know if Alabama takes Michigan certs?
Doesn't matter what the kids think. My kids always liked me and I think that made it easier for admin to justify their decisions.
I teach in Alabama and our district has said that any non-tenured teacher will be laid off at the end of this school year. Last year over 100 teachers were let go, as well as many support personnel. They have proposed a 1 cent sales tax increase in our county, but I don't think it will pass. Our class sizes have increased to 30 to 34 in middle school. The grass is not greener in Alabama.
Thanks. I don't think the grass is green anywhere. I'm thinking engineering is my best bet and then it will be out of state but, at least, as an engineer, I can make enough to warrant two households in different states.
Isn't socialism wonderful? No incentives to do a better job and no incentives for a school district and it's families to keep their school children's education at a higher level.
That has nothing to do with socialism, it is just stupid policy. You can have a socialized education system that allows choice, has incentives to do a better job etc. Just look across the ocean...
Doesn't matter what the kids think. My kids always liked me and I think that made it easier for admin to justify their decisions.
Not at our school. Anything that makes them want to stay (headcount) is sought after. The fact the kids don't like me and consider my classes hard are strikes against me. Unfortunately, because of facts, I also get more in the way of classroom disruptions which also counts against me.
We have two teachers who teach electives the kids love. They're always telling me, in a superior tone, how THEY don't have issues like I do with behavior. That's because the kids WANT to be in their class and they can use kicking them out of the class as leverage. Many of my students would love to be kicked out of my class.
Unpopular, but teachers who PRODUCE good results always managed to keep jobs where I taught. Sorry, IvoryTickler, you get the snide remarks from the electives instructors. You'd think staff could pull together and support one another.
Good luck in your job. How fortunate that you have options, maybe. I weathered a RIF back in the 1980s here in NC, but it was last-man-on-first-man-off primarily, unless you were teaching in what was deemed a 'critical area.' NC is still hiring, but only in such critical areas as math and science, and special education.
From where I am, it looks as if last year, districts began looking at budget shortfalls but managed to hold back on actually laying people off (people were RIFed and then asked back when the district figured out what their actual numbers were financially). This coming year, it seems as if they're going to have to lay a whole heck of a lot more people off and not be asking them back --the money's just not there. State and local budgets in a lot of places are hurting and have been for some time.
Anywhere where unions are active, it's always going to be last in-first out. And with the market the way it is and public perception being what it is, older teachers who would be considering retirement can't. That means some very good younger teachers with student loans are going to be out trying to get into the job market with everyone else who's already out there looking ...
I'm going to stop typing now because I am depressing myself!
Not at our school. Anything that makes them want to stay (headcount) is sought after. The fact the kids don't like me and consider my classes hard are strikes against me. Unfortunately, because of facts, I also get more in the way of classroom disruptions which also counts against me.
We have two teachers who teach electives the kids love. They're always telling me, in a superior tone, how THEY don't have issues like I do with behavior. That's because the kids WANT to be in their class and they can use kicking them out of the class as leverage. Many of my students would love to be kicked out of my class.
Honestly, it doesn't matter what the kids think. My students loved me and I got the ax last year. I still can't find a job. Schools can have pretty corrupt HR departments. If you don't look a certain way, get sick, or are one of those quiet teachers who work hard, they can fire you if you are not tenured and there is nothing you can do about it.
It also matters if your peers and the admin like you. There is one lady who for too long, was miserable and a gigantic complainer. At first, she was just outspoken. Which can be ok if you go about it the right way. And in the beginning she was. About the only people who didn't like her were the kiss-butts. However, she became so bitter and unattractive personality wise. I even got annoyd talking to her.
Well, she's lost out on some opportunities and now can't get ahead, and has only herself to blame. And she KNOWS this. She said she just should have kept her mouth shut a long time ago. Honestly, the time for her to set sail was in September, before she finished burning her bridges. By her not leaving and continuing to be miserable, she just messed herself up.
Well we just got word that we have to cut 5 million next year. We have also been told that there will be no raises, no step increases, etc for the next 2 years.
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Many of my students would love to be kicked out of my class.
