Tomorrow I start conferences with my students' families. I have 26 kids, and my district provides us with 6 early release days to fit all of the appointments in. The students leave at 1:10, and my contracted work day ends at 4:10.

It never fails. Every year, I have parents requesting late conferences. 6:30? 7:00? Do I conference on Saturdays?

It makes me so mad! I know teachers are known for working beyond their salary (taking papers home to grade, going in on the weekends, purchasing instructional materials with their own money, etc) but it makes me very frustrated to have a parent ask me to volunteer my evening to accomodate their schedule.

Would this parent think of asking the family dentist or doctor to accomodate their schedule outside of office hours? I doubt it.

It makes me feel how undervalued and disrespected my profession actually is in our society.

The parents say the conference is very important to them, yet they're unwilling to take the time from work to demonstrate their committment to their child's success in school.

For the last 4 years while Binta has been in daycare, it would have cost me extra in late fees to accomodate these parents. I felt truly justified in telling them I did not have any conferences past 4:30. It's ridiculous for me to have to pay more so they can attend the conference for their child!

But this year, Binta will be watched by my mom (free grandma babysitting). It feels harder to tell the parents that I can't conference that late.

I feel like I either have to lie to make my case or I feel like I'm being taken advantage of.

You have put in your day at work and now should be free to go home and be with your daughter. You have to put her first. I have to go on a teacher confrence next week and yes it is a pain because I work usually untill 6:30 so for me that means I have to close my daycare for that day. but my parents understand they have been told from day one that my childrens well being has to come first. I do however have a simuliar problem where they will call me saying they are going to be late getting out of work and Do I have anywhere I have to go. Maybe I don't but its irrelivant. Its my time with my children and I shouldnt have to make excuses for wanting to be done when my work day is over and neither should you. Just tell them confrences are untill 4:30 period. I wouldn't dream of asking my childerns teachers to arrange their schedules to accomidate me. I am constantly amazed by the nerve of some people.

I hope you're able to find a happy compromise Captmatrix. Could you do one late date and give them appointments?

I saw on a news channel last year, one district was going to fine parents for not showing up. The parents were screaming "I'm busy" on camera.

quote:

Originally posted by Tessmit:
I hope you're able to find a happy compromise Captmatrix. Could you do one late date and give them appointments?

I saw on a news channel last year, one district was going to fine parents for not showing up. The parents were screaming "I'm busy" on camera.

Here is a compromise ...

Say Wednesday night schedule all those parents who can not show up during the day and then on Friday only take a half day.

You have too look at it from both sides. Some parents can not make it in, teir jobs won't allow them. You can not blame them for working the bst job they can to provide for their families, we all do it.

My point is that I understand it is fustrating but remember, you are the one that choose your profession knowing what it would be like. I mean it is only 2 or 3 times a year you have paarent - teacher conferences anyways.

Some parents blow all their personal dayson emergencies and can't take other days off, blaming the parents is not the answer. I personally never ad a problem going in during regular hours working mostly nights the past few years but I also understand that people have their own problems (yes, some people do go to the doctors and dentists at night, my doctor stays open late every Wednesday and closes early ever Friday. He learned to compromise with a situation. Of course gettine a Wednesday appointment would mean scheduling a month in advance, but you can get it.

And then it should be first come first serve for that Wednesday night!

Remember, the first person you should look at to blame and for a solution is yourself, because there is the most reliable person you know.

Well that is a touchy situation indeed...I know I have been in a position where I was paid hourly, so it wasn't always financially practical.
Plus at the time I didn't have a vehicle which mean I lost more hours just to get to any appts...

Most of the time my job was on the line because of all teh appts...my son has had monthly doctor appts for the past two years, in addition to his endocrinology specialist, his kidney specialist, the dentist, the eye doctor and now his pscyhologist that will be on a weekly basis, i simply couldn't fit any more appts in my work day...

Luckily now, I get wow, a 4 day a year sick leave, where I can keep those for either medicals or parent/teachers conferences...so I try to cram as much as i can on those days...

Then there was my breast cancer surgery and allthose appts in addition to dentists, eyes wow, appts never seem to cease..

So, I organized teleconferences with his teachers if they wanted to do it during my working hours, then they call me at work, we chat for 15 minutes and it's done...for me it was simply a "limit" to what I could handle in single parenting...my hours are from 8-5pm not including the overtime and there isn't any flexibility...

When i take time off, I have to put the hours back in, which often means not taking a lunch 99% I go without a lunch hour during those 9-10 hours...


I have often considered looking for work that would permit me to leave work at 3pm, so I can schedule any appts from 3-5 pm. but to no avail yet....


So how about offering teleconferences during the day for those unable to make it?

quote:

Originally posted by captmatrix:

It makes me so mad! I know teachers are known for working beyond their salary (taking papers home to grade, going in on the weekends, purchasing instructional materials with their own money, etc) but it makes me very frustrated to have a parent ask me to volunteer my evening to accomodate their schedule.

Isn't this the case with most professions? I think we all have to work beyond our "salary" at one point or another and in essence it's what separates the 'good' from the 'great'. I guess I'm having a hard time understanding why this is such a big commitment for you.

A totally differnt aproach to this.

For one I commend you as a teacher in our school system. One of the things I also do is substitute teach.

let me interject here:For those that have a BS degree it cost a little for the FBI background check but you can supliment your income by substituing at your child school.

Now I Sub only at my childrens schools and love it, it bring me many ideas on managemnt of my home but it allows me to see many types of managment types and I fully impliment what instructions are left for me to do, so to see if it can work for me or not.

So with that said, I have heard and seen many different approaches to this same situation, the one i think would work best for both parents exspcially if both were single parents are... and this is just food for thought and I have to be fair I personally have never implmented them...

1.) Use one day a month during planning period.
2.) One friday a month have movie day and set up times then.
3.) Before school starts and after fac meetings. When a parent is dropping off a child.
4.)Have a pot luck where all these parents bring something and you can have your child there and eat and the parents and you can have sometime to chat and you get a free meal, with your child. And depending on the grade [if old enough] you school kids can watch and play with your child while you chat with their parent.

again just some different approaches, ive seen teacher do to to fill this situation with parents.

I myself as a sub, will bring lunch for the teacher or help grade as she and I discuss my kids and there needs. Then again, I usually get word about stuff and grades as we dump into each other or they will call when I sub for them during their usual planning period, since I dont have that stuff you year round teachers need to do during planning. But this way works for me.

I hope this get some creative juices flowing, and helps a little.

Peace
Robin

Oh and PS.

I would not be able to be a full time teacher with out having a second job. Why? let put it this way, I would be 300 below poverty level and would have to ask for food stamps and other finicial assistance. Really, after all is said and done, a teachers salary is nothing more than base minumum wage.If a teacher works over the time that the hourly pay goes below 6 an hour.

So I have all the respect in the world for teachers, and more so if you are a single parent.

But the perks are and only are getting out of work earlier,
and if that is taken away - do to parents asking for that time [6:30? 7:00] a teacher would be losing monies to work. -$1.50 an hour, plus more if you are paying someone to watch your kids [an added neg per hour]

Robin, thanks so much for your thoughts on this thread. I must have missed it back when you posted, and you gave some great suggestions. Love the potluck idea!

The support, recognition and respect that you communicated through your message really helps - just as much as your clever suggestions!

aw, shucks, your welcome

How did it turn out?
What did you find worked for you?

Come on spill the beans!

The school years over...

Here in Canada, it's common practise to have parent/teacher meetings, twice in a week from 2-7pm, twice a year. One is usually parent/teacher and the other is student-led.

Robin, I have to comment about your teacher's wages comment. My gawd, how much do they get paid in the US? Here, it's not the greatest pay but I'd hardly compare it to minimum wage. How sad.

captmatrix, it's hard not to feel guilty but there are a lot of teachers that I know that don't stay past 5:00 during a conference. I had several IEP meetings to attend and the team involved weren't even able to attend past 4:00pm. I had to book time off work to attend. Point is, try not to feel bad about your decisions. You have a family to take care of and a personal life to attend to. I don't think it's even necessary to explain to them why you can't attend the late evenings .. and weekends?!! That's just pushing it.

Three years ago, when I obtained my Cert. it was 23,000 a year starting. At the time of writing it was at 28,ooo starting, and yes most professional cert needs a masters degree.

Go figure.

P.s most classes have an average of 24 students in a class.
I sub-ed for a class that had 36.

They just made cuts here in my area, but I hear they raised salary again, but the teaching staff is lessened , and the remaining teachers will have to pick up the over load.

Im aware of 1 teacher, a 30 year vet, is now required to teach at two schools, this is going to leave even less time for prep and duties out side of being with the students, like grading papers, setting dating, finding resources, meetings, workshops etc.

Most class resources like extra paper, pencils, that kids might forget, or lost, that stuff you see up on their walls are paid for by the teacher in the class

In the US, for teacher's salary, it depends on the location of your job. This past year was my first year teaching and in Yuma, AZ I made a total of about $33,000. I get a $2000 stipend for teaching in a Professional Development School and the district pays for our classes right now to become SEI (kind of like ESL) endorsed AND we get paid since it's off our contractual time. Also, our health insurance in AZ is paid for by the state.

Now, the trick is, being able to live off this salary with a baby on the way when I still have some debt...