Hello Readers and Friends. I have been working as a teacher in Colorado teaching 4th grade for 3 and 1/2 years. I have a lot of frustrations about the poor education system out here and have been doing a lot of journaling about it. I know that Julie Bateman feels it too as this is her 2nd year teaching in Colorado. Since we both came from the Edison, NJ experience, we can tell you Jersey folk that YOU HAVE IT GOOD. In the famous words of Nicole Cirillo, "Kelly, you don't know how good you have it." That phrase dances in my head constantly because she was right. I truly didn't know.
I plan to write a book about all of the things that upset me so much about the education system in general, but more specifically, in Colorado.
Here is a somewhat brief rundown...
- This is my 14th year teaching and I am making $47,800. Keep in mind that I started at Edison at $41,900. Colorado is 48th in state funding for education. I have made huge financial adjustments. The cost of living is quite similar to NJ minus the mountains.
- I used to complain and even dread the weekly Tuesday faculty meeting from 4-5, but now I would take it back in a heartbeat. Here in Colorado, we still have faculty meetings, but they happen every other week from 3:05-4. While students attended specials (art, music, gym, language) I used to have a "prep period" (according to Edison lingo). If we missed our prep because of a meeting, we would get paid for it. Now, my "prep" has become a "plan period." Out of the 5 days per week that this happens, TWO are taken up by planning meetings. Colorado LOVES to have teachers plan to plan but never actually have time to PREP anything. They don't even create or prepare anything during these meetings, they just sit and talk about all the things they are going to do. I am sure you can imagine how my head wants to explode as I SIT chatting about plans without making any steps toward execution.
- It is not uncommon for teachers to come to work on the weekends and DURING THEIR BREAKS. What the?! This proves my point that teachers are so overwhelmed, they have let their demanding job invade the boundaries of their personal lives. Where is the balance? We all need a balance.
- Since I started teaching in Colorado, I have never had a class size less than 30. THIRTY! Edison teachers, this one is for you---last year, I had 8 students on IEPs and one on a 504. NO co-teacher. The Learning Support Specialist popped in to accommodate the minutes 2-3 days per week and only during 1 or 2 subjects. Each day, as the only teacher on the grade level that had students with IEPs, I had the fun job of tracking their accommodations for EACH subject for EACH day of the week. I counted and that was 72 boxes I had to check DAILY. Also, I had 19 boys in my class. NINETEEN.
- Coaches...Did Edison Public Schools get on the Every Teacher Needs a Coach Bandwagon? I remember CRTs and thought it was a great position, but coaches require weekly meetings. For what? You guessed it, more planning.
- Overnight 5th-grade trip = 4 days...3 nights...NO compensation for teachers. I miss you, Camp Bernie.
- The CO teaching license expires every 5 years. By next Feb. I need to gain a certain amount of hours in specific classes (ELL) to renew it. And pay a fee of course. $$$$
- 4 Days of parent-teacher conferences 3 of them after teaching a FULL DAY of school. My current school just went down from 30-minute conferences to 20.
- Major budget cuts which will no doubt lead to cutting paraprofessional support and decreasing the hours for some full-time teachers.
- School day- Teachers: 7:40-3:30 Students: 7:55-2:43
Yes, there is positive too, but it is basically that I haven't written a lesson plan since I started teaching here. I fill in lesson titles or unit numbers or names of projects, in a plan book, WITH A PENCIL. Also, there is no testing pressure nor test prep. After you Edison employees pick your jaw up off the floor, please read on.
My intention for writing this post is because I have a student in my class whose family is going through a financial struggle. His mom was just diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. She is scheduled to receive 12 chemotherapy treatments while working 2 jobs. Dad isn't in the picture and Mom's boyfriend is helping out.
Now that I have explained my financial woes, you see why I am not in the position to help this family on my own. When I first read the information in the e-mail below, I wanted to help cover a bill or two. Then I realized that I have my own bills that are piled up. I am still paying off Puggle's vet charges and my own medical bills. (I miss Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield SO MUCH. I can't believe I used to complain about $10 copays! That was a dream.) However, I plan to donate $20 and my time and words of persuasion.
So, if you have a spare dollar to send via Venmo (@kelly-miragliotta-1 label it for the "Lopez family"), I will collect money until March 15th, 2020. Then, anything I get, I will turn over to the family or pay their bills via invoices. I would ask the school to do a fundraiser, St. Baldrick's style, but it is a title I school and many of the families are already struggling. Anything you could send would be greatly appreciated. Apparently, I have 523 Facebook friends, so if everyone sent a $1, that total would definitely help them.
Here is what the family could use help with (I copied and pasted from my work e-mail).
"Mom has given me her monthly costs to see if we can find a donor or person who might want to help with some of them. These are: Energy ($75 a month), Car insurance ($45 a/m), telephone ($100 a/m), rent ($1400 a/m). She can provide invoices if somebody would like to pay them directly online."
Thank you for reading this post. And Edison teachers, take a moment to appreciate how good you have it. Nicole was right. ;o)
Peace and Love,
Kelly
