Drives me crazy.

Gerry Brooks

13 Jun 202301:22

Summary

TLDRIn a candid conversation, a school principal discusses the decision to not require teachers to work on certain days, despite them being officially designated as workdays. The principal justifies this by highlighting the extensive unpaid hours teachers already contribute during events like book fairs, parent-teacher conferences, and academic competitions, which occur outside regular school hours. The principal argues that if teachers can complete their tasks by Tuesday, they should not be mandated to come in on Wednesday and Thursday, emphasizing the value of their previous unpaid work and the importance of recognizing their dedication and hard work throughout the school year.

Takeaways

😠 Teachers work many extra unpaid hours outside contract time
😢 Central office mandated 2 work days when teachers had completed tasks
😡 Principal refuses to make teachers come in with no work to do
🤔 Principal argues teachers work many extra hours unpaid
👍 Principal allows early classroom closeout based on completing tasks
😇 Principal stands up for teacher needs against central office
🤨 Central office questions principal's decision
😠 Book fairs, conferences and events are unpaid work days
😠 Teachers work estimated 80-100 extra hours unpaid per year
❓ Central office could pay for extra time worked in future

Q & A

Why isn't the principal making teachers work on Wednesday and Thursday?
-The principal isn't making teachers work on Wednesday and Thursday if they can get everything done on Tuesday and have their rooms closed out, to avoid making them come in and do nothing.
What is normally required on Wednesday and Thursday according to the central office?
-According to the central office, Wednesday and Thursday are required workdays.
What are some of the additional duties teachers perform outside of regular school hours?
-Teachers perform additional duties such as attending book fair nights, parent-teacher conferences until 7 pm, grandparents' night, school plays, and academic competitions on Saturdays.
How does the principal justify giving teachers Wednesday and Thursday off?
-The principal justifies giving teachers time off by highlighting the extra hours they work throughout the year for events not compensated, suggesting these efforts balance out the required workdays.
What is the principal's stance on compensating teachers for extra work next year?
-The principal suggests that if teachers were compensated next year for their additional work, such as parent-teacher conferences and academic nights, then making Wednesday and Thursday required workdays would be reconsidered.
How many hours do teachers approximately work outside of school hours during the school year, according to the principal?
-According to the principal, teachers work approximately 80, 90, or maybe 100 hours outside of school hours during the school year.
What condition does the principal set for teachers to take Wednesday and Thursday off?
-Teachers can take Wednesday and Thursday off if they can complete all their work on Tuesday and have their classroom ready and signed off.
What is the principal's reaction to making Wednesday and Thursday a required workday?
-The principal expresses frustration towards the central office's decision to make Wednesday and Thursday required workdays, seeing it as unnecessary if teachers have already completed their duties.
What would change the principal's approach to the required workdays?
-The principal's approach to the required workdays would change if the teachers were compensated for their extra hours worked on events outside the regular school hours.
How does the principal conclude the conversation?
-The principal concludes the conversation by asserting their stance on the matter, wishing the person on the other end a good day, and expressing exasperation with the phrase 'good Lord'.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Flexibility for Teachers' Workdays

The script describes a conversation between a school official in Burnsville and the central office regarding the requirement for teachers to work on specific days. The official argues against making teachers come in on Wednesday and Thursday if they can complete their tasks by Tuesday. The rationale provided emphasizes the additional unpaid work teachers do throughout the year, including evening parent-teacher conferences, book fair nights, academic competitions, and other school-related activities that extend beyond regular school hours. The speaker points out that teachers work many additional hours, estimating 80 to 100 hours over the school year, and therefore should not be required to work on days when they have nothing to do. The official suggests that unless the teachers are compensated for their extra hours, they should be allowed to take the additional days off once their classrooms are in order.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Required Workday

A required workday refers to a day set by an organization, such as a school district, when employees are mandated to work. In the context of the video, the principal discusses how Wednesday and Thursday are designated as required workdays by the central office. However, the principal is willing to allow teachers to take these days off if they can complete their tasks by Tuesday, challenging the rigid application of this policy to acknowledge the extra hours teachers already contribute outside of standard workdays.

💡Flex Day

Flex day is mentioned as an alternative to the required workday, suggesting a more flexible approach to scheduling work hours. The principal implies that if Wednesday and Thursday were designated as flex days instead of required workdays, it would officially recognize and accommodate the extra time teachers put in outside of normal school hours, like evenings and weekends, for various school-related activities.

💡Book Fair Nights

Book Fair Nights are events held at schools to promote reading and literacy among students and their families. These events often require teachers to stay beyond their regular hours to organize and participate. The principal lists these nights as examples of additional commitments teachers fulfill, underscoring their dedication and the extensive time they invest in school activities beyond their contracted hours.

💡Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences are meetings between teachers and parents to discuss students' progress, challenges, and needs. The principal highlights that teachers stay until 7 o'clock for these conferences, often three times a year, to demonstrate the commitment of teachers to student success and family engagement, further justifying the argument against requiring work on the designated workdays.

💡Grandparents Night

Grandparents Night is an event designed to involve students' grandparents in the school community, showcasing the school's activities and students' progress. This event is another example of extra-curricular activities that demand teachers' time and effort beyond their regular hours, emphasizing their commitment to creating an inclusive and engaging school environment.

💡School Play

The school play involves students in performing arts, requiring significant preparation and rehearsal time, often under the guidance of teachers. The principal uses this as an example of additional responsibilities that teachers take on, including evening or weekend commitments, to support students' extracurricular interests and talents.

💡Academic Competition

Academic competitions, such as science fairs or math leagues, are events that encourage academic excellence and provide students with opportunities to showcase their skills. Mentioning that these competitions occur on Saturdays, the principal illustrates the non-compensated time teachers dedicate to supporting their students' academic growth and achievements outside the regular school timetable.

💡Flexibility

Flexibility in this context refers to the principal's approach to managing teachers' work schedules. By allowing teachers who finish their duties early to take off the required workdays, the principal demonstrates a flexible management style that acknowledges and rewards the extra hours teachers put into their jobs, contrasting with the more rigid expectations of the central office.

💡Teacher Commitment

Teacher commitment is a theme that runs through the principal's argument, showcasing the dedication teachers have to their students and the school community. By enumerating the various activities teachers participate in outside of their contractual obligations, the principal underscores the deep commitment teachers have to their profession, often going above and beyond what is formally required of them.

💡Compensation

Compensation is discussed in the context of the principal's suggestion that teachers should be paid for the additional hours they work during events like parent-teacher conferences and academic nights. The principal challenges the central office's policy by arguing for fair compensation or acknowledgment of the extra work teachers do, emphasizing the value of their contributions beyond the classroom.

Highlights

Inquiry about not making teachers work on a specific Wednesday and Thursday.

Clarification that it's not required if teachers finish their work by Tuesday.

Reference to additional workdays outside regular hours, like book fair nights and parent-teacher conferences.

Highlight of the extra hours teachers work beyond their contractual obligations.

Argument against making teachers work additional days without compensation.

Suggestion to pay teachers for extra hours worked in the next year.

Decision allowing teachers to take time off if they finish early.

Emphasis on the value of teachers' time and workload.

Critique of the decision to make certain days required without flexibility.

Mention of teachers' commitment to school events outside of regular hours.

Discussion on the importance of recognizing teachers' extra efforts.

Proposal for compensating teachers for additional workdays.

Explanation of the rationale behind allowing early leave for teachers.

The conversation ends with a wish for a good day, signaling the end of the discussion.