Solutions that don’t break the bank, reinvent the wheel or marginalize our teachers are within our grasp. We could have rigorous classes, safe and disciplined schools and treat teachers like professionals, and we could do so tomorrow if we wanted.
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Duval County Public School teachers want to get something off your chest?
Have a ridiculous amount of kids in your class and nothing
for them to do? Still waiting for books or had massive schedule changes two
weeks in? Well Khristopher Brooks of the Times Union wants to hear
from you.
I am a teacher at one of these high schools. I have been in Duval for 8 years at the same school under 3 principals, and I have never seen class sizes this big. My classes are fine at an average of 23-24 students; however, the average ELA teacher has over 30 kids in this core, high-needs area. Don't even get me started on the Reading classes, which have over 40 on average. Vitti said 25 per core class. That was his promise. I challenge him to come to these classrooms and teach 30-40 struggling readers. Have fun...
We are now 3 weeks in and First Coast High School is still doing major schedule changes. My 10th grade daughter is ready to withdraw and go to virtual school. She said if she is going to be "self taught" anyway, why not do it in the comfort of her own home? This year is ridiculous. It is sad because she has always been a high achiever in honors and AP classes, but she is at a point where she is feeling so discouraged. We have students who really care about learning as much as possible, but the system is not helping them to do so. She is also afraid that because her schedule is changing (for a second time) so far into the grading period, it is going to be really tough to catch up in her new classes. I haven't even mentioned that we keep having to shop for new supplies because each teacher has different requirements for their class. My pockets are really feeling it. I don't understand why this was not figured out over the summer. There can't be THAT many newly registered students. Her art class had 100 students in it at one point. They had to sit in the auditorium because there is not enough room in the classroom. We have a HUGE need for more elective teachers.
Well, when you add an extra period to the day, you will need more teachers. Trust me, the schools knew; however, those at the District are the issue. The schools understood this and let Vitti know about the situation. I think he believed that we would not have that many students show up, because yes, by the end of the year, some do leave. One must prepare for all students who do show up though. The schools are not the issue; the principals and everyone else knew this would happen and warned those in charge downtown about these huge class sizes. The problem is that the public is not complaining, as most truly do not know what to do. The Times Union should make this an enormous issue, because the truth is, you cannot teach 50 kids in a class effectively. The paper, however, believes every word from those downtown. Vitti is fantastic at publicizing himself; people believe him and even I want to believe him. Go to the schools, ask the students, talk to teachers, and then, go write to your council member.
My son's schedule has been switched again for the 5th time in 6 weeks. My wife who is also a teacher emailed the principal and thankfully, my son has been switched back. Principal's response." I am sorry, but as you know we are under a mandate to level classes and unfortunately his schedule is a bit more flexible than many. " This is ridiculous adding too much stress to my son.
I have not heard one positive thing come out of a single teacher, administrator or principals mouth this year since the ousting or of Ed Pratt Dannals and the installation of Dr Vitti. What a royal screwing Dr Vitti and the previous and current school board members have put on #1 the students # 2 the parents # 3 the teachers #4 the administrators and # 5 the tax payers and businesses of Duval County. And while Dr Vitti sits up high in his domain surrounded by the Miami Mafia, he remains clueless, out of touch and I believe could care less about the havoc he and his henchman have laid on the district. Teacher moral is at an all time low. While Dr Vitti uses the catch phrase "STRATEGIC PLANNING" in almost every speech he gives.... many teachers sat in gyms and auditoriums for months to watch hundreds of students while Dr Vitti was trying to figure out how to reduce class sizes WITHOUT hiring teachers.....HEY HARVARD GRAD ....didn't you have a head count when you were hired? Dr Vitti......Teachers are spending more time overseeing testing which has tripled not reduced as promised. Administrators have been stripped from schools leaving teachers to fend for themselves where security, which has been reduced by more than half, and Deans should be in place to provide for a safe environment for teachers and students. I have heard of many assaults on teachers this year at the high school level with nothing and I mean nothing being done to discipline the students because to tell you the truth I think the administrators are afraid to speak up because they have begged for help and been told none is coming. They have been told there is no money in the budget while Dr Vitti brags of having $67,000,000 in reserve for a rainy day. HEY IT IS STORMING OUTSIDE SEND HELP.......... I have talked to many high level people in the district that are afraid to speak up since the firing of Jill Johnson and the removal of a teacher at a town meeting by security for asking some of these same questions to Dr Vitti directly......... my vote get rid of the current board right away, vote in a new board in a special election and beg beg beg beg Ed Pratt Dannals to come back for an interim period while a new board hires some one with experience in the classroom, experience in dealing with people, instead of ruling by fear of losing their job for speaking up or by intimidation. We have sat in the back of the bus for decades....why do you want to put us right back there and turn us into third class citizens????? Dr Vitti I vote for paying out your contract.....getting rid of you and starting all over again.... hey Duval County lets cut our losses and try again to put a leader in place that will be an advocate for the teachers, the students, and the taxpayers of Duval County who deserve better than what we are getting from our current board and the KING PIN OF THE MIAMI MAFFIA DR VITTI.
Right ON , I am a high school teacher at North Side High School where I have been for many years. So far this year I have been cussed out, spit on and shoved around by a student, with the principal and administrators doing nothing to the students. The students know that we are out numbered and understaffed. The students know they are in charge and the principal and staff are powerless to do a darn thing. And forget it if the student is an ESC student. We are writing hundreds of IEP's that are not worth the paper they are written because there is not enough staff to provide the accommodations that we are required by law to provide. Heaven help us if the parents ever get smart enough to know what kind of barrel we could be bent over if the truth was ever know. I continue to be shocked that the Fish Wrap called the Florida Times Union has not done some sort of story on the travisty we call the Duval County public school system. And I totally agree when Ed Pratt Dannals was the superintendent we never had these kind of issues. This is the most out of touch school board we have ever had. Where is our union to help us. I swear it makes me think that Vitti is paying off the Times Union to only print what he tells them. Where's Ed ????? Some body send out a rescue message in a bottle If not Ed.... Where's Madea ??? S he could straighten out the board and these kids . Madea for Superintendent
I am a teacher at the high school level here in Duval county. I have survived 5 different superintendents during my career and I agree completely, Vitti has the school board and the public fooled on everything from the amount testing our students are dealing with to stripping the schools of administration to deal with discipline. The district cannot understand why 50% of new teachers quit within the first five years. If Vitti had gone to Yale instead of Harvard maybe he could help us figure out and answer. WRONG, common sense is not taught in college we are either born with it or not. I hate what our board has done to our school and only. The kids are out of control and only getting worse. There is no discipline from our principle down to our dean of discipline, go figure. I feel sorry for teachers trying to make a career out of teaching under these conditions. If you believe in the power of prayer, pray for the good Lord to bestow common sense on our board and superintendent .
I am a teacher at one of these high schools. I have been in Duval for 8 years at the same school under 3 principals, and I have never seen class sizes this big. My classes are fine at an average of 23-24 students; however, the average ELA teacher has over 30 kids in this core, high-needs area. Don't even get me started on the Reading classes, which have over 40 on average. Vitti said 25 per core class. That was his promise. I challenge him to come to these classrooms and teach 30-40 struggling readers. Have fun...
ReplyDeleteWe are now 3 weeks in and First Coast High School is still doing major schedule changes. My 10th grade daughter is ready to withdraw and go to virtual school. She said if she is going to be "self taught" anyway, why not do it in the comfort of her own home? This year is ridiculous. It is sad because she has always been a high achiever in honors and AP classes, but she is at a point where she is feeling so discouraged. We have students who really care about learning as much as possible, but the system is not helping them to do so. She is also afraid that because her schedule is changing (for a second time) so far into the grading period, it is going to be really tough to catch up in her new classes. I haven't even mentioned that we keep having to shop for new supplies because each teacher has different requirements for their class. My pockets are really feeling it. I don't understand why this was not figured out over the summer. There can't be THAT many newly registered students. Her art class had 100 students in it at one point. They had to sit in the auditorium because there is not enough room in the classroom. We have a HUGE need for more elective teachers.
ReplyDeleteWell, when you add an extra period to the day, you will need more teachers. Trust me, the schools knew; however, those at the District are the issue. The schools understood this and let Vitti know about the situation. I think he believed that we would not have that many students show up, because yes, by the end of the year, some do leave. One must prepare for all students who do show up though. The schools are not the issue; the principals and everyone else knew this would happen and warned those in charge downtown about these huge class sizes. The problem is that the public is not complaining, as most truly do not know what to do. The Times Union should make this an enormous issue, because the truth is, you cannot teach 50 kids in a class effectively. The paper, however, believes every word from those downtown. Vitti is fantastic at publicizing himself; people believe him and even I want to believe him. Go to the schools, ask the students, talk to teachers, and then, go write to your council member.
ReplyDeleteMy son's schedule has been switched again for the 5th time in 6 weeks. My wife who is also a teacher emailed the principal and thankfully, my son has been switched back. Principal's response." I am sorry, but as you know we are under a mandate to level classes and unfortunately his schedule is a bit more flexible than many. " This is ridiculous adding too much stress to my son.
ReplyDeleteI have not heard one positive thing come out of a single teacher, administrator or principals mouth this year since the ousting or of Ed Pratt Dannals and the installation of Dr Vitti. What a royal screwing Dr Vitti and the previous and current school board members have put on #1 the students # 2 the parents # 3 the teachers #4 the administrators and # 5 the tax payers and businesses of Duval County. And while Dr Vitti sits up high in his domain surrounded by the Miami Mafia, he remains clueless, out of touch and I believe could care less about the havoc he and his henchman have laid on the district. Teacher moral is at an all time low. While Dr Vitti uses the catch phrase "STRATEGIC PLANNING" in almost every speech he gives.... many teachers sat in gyms and auditoriums for months to watch hundreds of students while Dr Vitti was trying to figure out how to reduce class sizes WITHOUT hiring teachers.....HEY HARVARD GRAD ....didn't you have a head count when you were hired? Dr Vitti......Teachers are spending more time overseeing testing which has tripled not reduced as promised. Administrators have been stripped from schools leaving teachers to fend for themselves where security, which has been reduced by more than half, and Deans should be in place to provide for a safe environment for teachers and students. I have heard of many assaults on teachers this year at the high school level with nothing and I mean nothing being done to discipline the students because to tell you the truth I think the administrators are afraid to speak up because they have begged for help and been told none is coming. They have been told there is no money in the budget while Dr Vitti brags of having $67,000,000 in reserve for a rainy day. HEY IT IS STORMING OUTSIDE SEND HELP.......... I have talked to many high level people in the district that are afraid to speak up since the firing of Jill Johnson and the removal of a teacher at a town meeting by security for asking some of these same questions to Dr Vitti directly......... my vote get rid of the current board right away, vote in a new board in a special election and beg beg beg beg Ed Pratt Dannals to come back for an interim period while a new board hires some one with experience in the classroom, experience in dealing with people, instead of ruling by fear of losing their job for speaking up or by intimidation. We have sat in the back of the bus for decades....why do you want to put us right back there and turn us into third class citizens????? Dr Vitti I vote for paying out your contract.....getting rid of you and starting all over again.... hey Duval County lets cut our losses and try again to put a leader in place that will be an advocate for the teachers, the students, and the taxpayers of Duval County who deserve better than what we are getting from our current board and the KING PIN OF THE MIAMI MAFFIA DR VITTI.
ReplyDeleteRight ON , I am a high school teacher at North Side High School where I have been for many years. So far this year I have been cussed out, spit on and shoved around by a student, with the principal and administrators doing nothing to the students. The students know that we are out numbered and understaffed. The students know they are in charge and the principal and staff are powerless to do a darn thing. And forget it if the student is an ESC student. We are writing hundreds of IEP's that are not worth the paper they are written because there is not enough staff to provide the accommodations that we are required by law to provide. Heaven help us if the parents ever get smart enough to know what kind of barrel we could be bent over if the truth was ever know. I continue to be shocked that the Fish Wrap called the Florida Times Union has not done some sort of story on the travisty we call the Duval County public school system. And I totally agree when Ed Pratt Dannals was the superintendent we never had these kind of issues. This is the most out of touch school board we have ever had. Where is our union to help us. I swear it makes me think that Vitti is paying off the Times Union to only print what he tells them. Where's Ed ????? Some body send out a rescue message in a bottle If not Ed.... Where's Madea ??? S he could straighten out the board and these kids . Madea for Superintendent
ReplyDeleteI am a teacher at the high school level here in Duval county. I have survived 5 different superintendents during my career and I agree completely, Vitti has the school board and the public fooled on everything from the amount testing our students are dealing with to stripping the schools of administration to deal with discipline. The district cannot understand why 50% of new teachers quit within the first five years. If Vitti had gone to Yale instead of Harvard maybe he could help us figure out and answer. WRONG, common sense is not taught in college we are either born with it or not. I hate what our board has done to our school and only. The kids are out of control and only getting worse. There is no discipline from our principle down to our dean of discipline, go figure. I feel sorry for teachers trying to make a career out of teaching under these conditions. If you believe in the power of prayer, pray for the good Lord to bestow common sense on our board and superintendent .
ReplyDelete