CMS says it's making progress in filling teacher positions before the start of the school year Monday, but the district's head of human resources says she's been surprised by one area they've been struggling to fill.
Chief Human Resources Officer Terri Cockerham said Tuesday that they're still looking for teachers for 74.5 positions. I'm guessing by the number that at least one of them is a part-time position.
Thirty-two of the vacancies are in elementary schools, 14 in middle schools and 28.5 in high schools. Last week, CMS reported having 155 openings without candidates.
Cockerham said the district is particularly looking for teachers in math, science, and career and technical education. "And this year, amazingly, English has been one we've been searching for," she said.
She said the district has fewer vacancies without a recommendation than last year.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Where are all the English teachers?
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53 comments:
AND we will continue to dissuade REAL educators from coming to NC and CMS!!!!! The word is out. The writting is on the wall. NC Districts are going to have to fill the positions with para-professionals and other babysitters.
*writing
(-an English teacher in SC)
I would love to apply for a position as an English teacher - if only to teach this generation of students about proper cases of pronouns! I'm really sick of hearing youngsters on up to senior high and even recent college graduates using the word 'me' as the subject of a sentence!
Subjective case: Me and her are going to the movie. [No, no, no!]
Objective case: Mom gave my sister and I a free ticket.[No, no, no!]
Honestly, I wonder if they stopped teaching syntax, altogether in public schools. Punctuation and grammar rules are simply not followed. I know it all. I'm an old-school teacher, and you would DEFINITELY learn proper use of the English language in my class!
I'm sure that most middle schools have their Warriner's in back rooms still cased as new because it's generally a Reading Test to guess what will be tested. After the General Assembly tells the clowns at DPI what they ever decide, then the millions spent on Common Core texts, materials, etc. will just be another victim of this perpetually sad state of confusion.
Unfortunately our local colleges/universities have also cut their teaching degree programs due to lower enrollment, which may lead to a shortage and get this...higher salaries.
But more likely, they will higher low wage 2 yr instructors and put kids in front of a video screen.
CMS might want to hire someone with a real camera to provide an image of the new Executive Director of Communications provided to the Observer. A semi diffused, almost pixellated portrait from a phone with the CMS credit for this position? Geez.
As an 11 year employee, I will attempt to answer your question. Teachers do not want to teach in CMS because of mandatory retesting policies that say a child must be given the chance to make an 84 on all tests. The blame game which CMS loves to blame its teachers but not those who make the policies that create bad teachers. The lack of professionalism by CMS administrators. A graduation rate which is highly inflated due to promoting students with 30 - 50 absences and failing classes. Telling teachers that they have to give students 50 percent credit for merely making an attempt at turning in work. This is why CMS will continually lose teachers.
Hundreds of teaching positions that will be filled with non qualified long term subs.
Hundreds of teaching positions filled with lateral entry teachers that will not make the cut after 3 years.
Hundreds of teachers qualified, made the cut and still leave after 3 years because the profession is a MESS.
Hundreds of teaching positions filled with Teach for America recruits that will leave after 2 years and their student loans are forgiven.
"Best and Brightest" CMeS? Dont P%## down my back and tell me its raining. You have more problems that hiring a new PR person is going to fix. Just stop the smoke and tell the truth for a change.
to 11 year employee, CMS is not just losing good teachers, but middle class families as well. For most middle class families looking for a quality public education, CMS is no longer an option. Stories such as this don't help the cause for CMS and if true, neither do your comments. As I have stated before, I am not optimistic for the future of CMS as a whole, this school system is in trouble.
Where are the teachers period ?
Find out why 850 teachers have left within the past year ? I bet a dollar that there will be a mass exodus of veteran teachers after this year.
Anon 5:29am: I wouldn't be suprised if those veteran teachers who were screwed over by the State leave before the end of the year - as soon as another opportunity pops up.
@ 7:32pm
I bet a babysitter could take one of the elementary school jobs and do just fine..and I wouldnt rule one out for the other teaching jobs.
anon 7:44,
I did not realize what the state had done to the veteran teachers until one of them explained it to me.
North Carolina took away the longevity pay first and then applied the raise, thus new teachers received a 7% raise while the veterans barely broke even. I was pleased this state finally did something to help our teachers until I learned what the state had done to veteran teachers, really sad.
Teachers will be obsolete soon enough, as students are "taught" by completing a series of computer modules. CMS will need to hire room monitors instead of teachers.
Anon 11:02,
CMS promotes Kindergarten Teachers to administration, (Assistant Principals and then Principals) without EOG grade level (1-5) teaching experience.
A babysitter in an elementary school class wouldn't surprise me either.
As a CMS administrator I have to "babysit" the teachers more than the students.
Anon 4:06 sums it up:
As a CMS administrator I have to "babysit" the teachers more than the students.
Thus, the continual flow of willing and able families out of CMS....
1st Year Truck Driver
$50,000 salary + bounus
-No college degree and no burden of repaying all that debt
-Better full benefits package
-Matching 401K retirement package
30 Year Teacher with Masters (CMS)
$50,000 salary max (no promotion)
-College debt burden that still some are paying off
-70/30 healthcare without any other funded benefits.
-No matching 401K retirement. Teachers pay 6% of every paycheck into the pension system
"Best and Brightest" ?
Yeah right. JC Smith did away with the education program because of lack of interest. The writing is on the wall MOrrison.
A country of 20% well-educated, 50% marginally educated and 30% badly-educated (if at all) has a bleak future.
Heath Morrison please be brave enough to stand up and tell the people of Mecklenburg County how that graduation rate is so high! Inflated statistics, pressure on first year and young teachers to pass students who can barely pass a basic math test or even write a letter. Shame on you for using the word "RIGOR" and then directly contradict it with dreadfully low standards!!!
Anon 4:06:
What you say is actually true, a lot of my colleagues need massive babysitting. Why don't you explain why? Could it be because you and your fellow administrators are told to stop suspending students, or would it be because teachers are discouraged from writing students up for absolutely outrageous behavior? I myself have spent a very long time cleaning up the mess that administrators have made at my school over the years with new programs that accomplish nothing.
Retired CMS teacher, would not return to teach English for any amount of money.
The BofE, Super, Zone Super, Assistant Zone Super, the assistant to the assistant Zone Super and every other administrator that makes $100,000 plus would fit into the "marginally educated" category.
Common sense is not so common anymore. The only thing common is the folks making over 100 GRAND that really do not have a direct day to day impact on the individual student.
for years I have thought that CMS does a poor job of teaching English grammar, starting with no spelling tests in elementary school. They have done away with cursive and do very little actual writing and grammar work in class. I think the nuns did it the right way for me.
Personalized Learning
As you know, we will be setting out on an exciting journey as a Personalized Learning Model School for CMS this year. Our Personalized Learning Design Team (10 Teachers and me) attended a week long Personalized Learning Institute in July. We learned a lot and were able to use the time to collaborate over our plan of implementation. Over the next few weeks our teacher teams will be meeting with Design Team members to gain understanding and begin planning the instruction. Our Personalized Learning Design Team came away from the training excited about the possibilities and have been anxious to get information and resources out to their teams. We look forward to sharing much more with you through “Town Hall Style” Mtgs., videos, and twitter chats, some of which will occur before school even starts.
Still anxiously awaiting information on exactly what "Personalized Learning" is for my child, beyond the marketing links the school provided on the vendor's website.
School Redesign
As we are moving toward a truly Personalized Learning Environment for our students, the structures and physical features of our building need to look different as well. Several projects are already underway and others will begin at the start of school. Please understand that our school will look and feel different. I firmly believe that these differences will inspire your children and leave them desiring to be here every day. We will be asking our parents and community to partner with us on this redesign. As parents, you are going to be asked by the PTA, your classroom teacher, and myself to be a partner in specific classroom oriented redesign. This is going to be exciting work that your child will reap the benefit of each and every day. In return for your support on this effort, returning Hawk Ridge parents will notice a difference in fees that have been requested in the past. We will be providing much more information in the next two weeks on the plan of action, but I am asking up front for you to be ready to answer the call for your child and his/her classroom.
??
$$$$$$$
12:01
It's mouse traps.
Standard operating procedure with educrats. Been going on for decades.
They get together and try to figure out how to build the biggest, baddest mouse trap to end all mouse traps.
The problem is, they never catch any mice.
Then they'll go back in a couple of years, get out pen and paper and start over again making the next, biggest, baddest mouse trap. They'll just come up with some other catchy acronym to name it.
Wiley,
I agree with you 100%, but must add that the "they" you mention includes outside consultants / vendors whose quotas and their associated commissions require selling CMS the new and latest educational idea/product they're tasked with selling.
But, just as you say, every couple/few years they roll out something new.
"Personalized Learning" is being rolled out in a school where great teachers are leaving because they're tired of things changing so dramatically year in and year out.
ANON 12:01
That is quite a large paragraph that told you NOTHING. Did the new PR director spin that one for you or did the principal just copy and paste the corporate BS that came his way.
From what I saw the new $100,000 + PR director must have had a background in radio.
Dunn
Why dont you find out if the teacher rally at TWC was mandated by the schools administrators to attend. Do you think this has an impact on how many teachers were in the seats ?
School Redesign
As we are moving toward a truly Personalized Learning Environment for our students, the structures and physical features of our building need to look different as well. Several projects are already underway and others will begin at the start of school. Please understand that our school will look and feel different. I firmly believe that these differences will inspire your children and leave them desiring to be here every day. We will be asking our parents and community to partner with us on this redesign. As parents, you are going to be asked by the PTA, your classroom teacher, and myself to be a partner in specific classroom oriented redesign. This is going to be exciting work that your child will reap the benefit of each and every day. In return for your support on this effort, returning Hawk Ridge parents will notice a difference in fees that have been requested in the past. We will be providing much more information in the next two weeks on the plan of action, but I am asking up front for you to be ready to answer the call for your child and his/her classroom.
you will notice a difference in the fees that have been requested in the past
Are you kidding me??? Since when are there fees associated with attending a public elementary school???
8:47
What are the fees and who actually pays them since 55% of students in CMS don't pay for anything foe being ED designated?
Wiley,
That is a great question. And it is one that I hope Andrew can look into, because my husband and I, who are new to this South Charlotte elementary school, were shocked to find out about any fees at a public elementary school.
And given that there are apparently fees associated with this school, will CMS allow families to transfer to another nearby elementary school if we disagree with these fees?
Very curious to know!!
As a school counselor I know that the school mentioned has a very good reputation within CMS, but the old adage "If it ain't broke don't fix it" comes to mind here.
Parents have still not been told what Individualized Learning is at my school. Is it a bunch of students sitting around on I-pads? Is it cool looking classrooms with Ikea-style furniture? Will it be an unstructured learning environment for my daughter? Do I want her to have "fun" all day? How will this help her as she transitions back to a "industrialized" setting the rest of her school career. I'm not a fan of the free, monetessori approach. No thanks CMS.
As another person wrote previously, can my husband and I move her to a different neighborhood school if we find this approach distracting and less structured than we desire.
11:36...
Monday, Feb. 17, 2014
...Among the proposals to raise more money are ads on CMS property, buses and the district web site; leasing additional school sites for cell-phone towers and increasing fees for community groups to use schools. The survey also asks if families would be willing to pay an annual fee of $30 to $50 to lease a CMS computer that could be used in class and at home.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/17/4701875/cms-polls-public-on-ads-fees-as.html
Plus, if your child plays a sport, it's $50.00 per sport in middle school and $100.00 per sport in high school.
Again, if you're designated ED, you play for free.
As a parent at Hawk Ridge-there have always been fees that other schools do not "charge" for. Fees for school agendas, magazines and PTA membership have been combined for years. Agendas have been held hostage until all have paid-so in the past they aren't received until October.
Count me out of buying furniture! Did they ask those at the LIFT schools for even so much as a pencil? NOPE
Once again it is the middle class, upper middle class that gets left with picking up the tab for everyone. I bet a middle class kid who wants to play 10th grade football, mowed his butt of this summer to pay the $100 athletic fee. If this is going to be the case, I want more transparency and more policing over this whole ED program, who is in charge of this program and why is so much weighted on it? What were these kids older than 11 doing all summer long, where they could not collect enough side jobs to make $100 to pay their athletic fee? They could wash windows, mow grass, clean neighbors cars, walk pets, watch pets, sweep porches, clean gutters. But I bet they are all returning with brand new Jordan's for school. This kind of agenda for the "poor" is driving me nuts.
2:49
Contact your local US Congressional representatives.
They are over the economically disadvantaged based on a number of factors: The Census, USDA and whatever the criteria is at the time of stated poverty levels or percent of poverty.
This work is exciting and fun for all involved. I look forward to our parent community’s partnership as we move forward into soliciting help from local corporate sponsors who are eyeing us to jump in and help us take the learning experience for our students over the top given our new instructional model!
I look forward to our parent community's partnership.....help from local corporate sponsors
Hmmmm sounds like lots of people are going to be asked to pay for this new, wizz bang teaching approach.
What happened to the old tried and true approach?
There are no desks, so there are no places for my child to sit. Yes, most of our teachers have moved out the old industrialized version of the individual student desk (about 700 to date!) Most teachers have reclaimed tables from around the building and will be able to utilize them for collaborative work. Some teachers have specialized tables on their Adopt-A-Class (PTA) wish list.
No comment necessary -- simply unbelievable!!
In a nutshell, I can guarantee that your children are going to want to come to school every day in our new environment....
I failed to realize that the other 140,000 children in CMS' other 163 schools didn't want to go to school....
Will you ever write about how crowded the suburban schools are? Or will that continue to be ignored?
I am so excited for CMS to test this new fangled approach to learning on our children. Yet, why is it being done in a neighborhood school where parents had no input, no choice in the matter, and don't even yet know what this is all about?????
Shabbat,
The Montessori style learning in very structured and orderly. The Montessori schools in CMS have some of the highest test scores in the district. It is a very successful style of learning. Many people who are unfamiliar with it tend to assume it is unstructured. You may be interested to do a google search and learn more about it before making comments!
Why does the black student at West Meck receive three times as much money spent on them within a classroom of 15 as opposed to the black student at Ardrey Kell within a classroom of 40 ?
This is without all the LIFT money being thrown in as well.How is this equitable to that black student at AK ?
Andrew, do you have any information on whether 3rd grade growth will count towards schools ratings? We've been told it may just be 4th and 5th for elementary schools. 3rd graders take a beginning of grade test to serve as a baseline for growth...shouldn't that count?
For those asking about the rally...yes attendance was mandatory at my school. And honestly, it was pretty insulting. I teach so that my female students don't end up shaking their rears in skimpy outfits...so it was pretty ironic to sit there and watch pro dancers.
anon 3:54,
I agree with you, we should be teaching ownership and personal responsibility. Simply throwing money at a problem does not equate to solving an issue. If CMS truly wishes to solve the education woes of poor black schools on the west side, focus on the community in which those schools serve. Get children and their families excited about education, this approach does not require millions.
I would also suggest a policy change with regards to welfare, attaching some type of community service would be a good start. Enabling is a terrible thing!
wow-your personalized learning story was a huge disappointment. Trying talking to parents at these schools who have NO clue as what to expect tomorrow. Sad
I seen one yesterday.
Fear not, dear Parents. America's once great public school system will soon be privitized so it can be saved . . . by and for profit-making corporations. You, dear Parent, will soon reclaim the freedom to drive your little darling to school, since there will be no school buses. And you'll revel in the freedom to pay tolls along the way on privitized roads. What? Your child forgot the lunch you so lovingly packed? No problem. There's plenty of choice in the school's privitized cafeteria where your precious offspring will never be forced to study a food pyramid or eat fruits and vegetables because that would impinge on every Parent's freedom. Enjoy!
Andrew, have you asked CMS how many of their teachers are leaving due to the longer elementary school day and late bell? The numbers have gone up every year since CMS implemented those changes. Why don't they address this?
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