tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post115595336374976114..comments2024-03-14T13:50:26.981-04:00Comments on Chaz's School Daze: Reflections of Summer SchoolChazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-1156958532413137932006-08-30T13:22:00.000-04:002006-08-30T13:22:00.000-04:00I taught summer school once - I had gotten hired i...I taught summer school once - I had gotten hired in October of '01 as a per diem (a replacement for a 9/11 widow) and didn't get permanently placed on the payroll as a PPT until November 1st (I had to quit first before they would agree to make me a permanent teacher, even though that had been the deal I made w/ the AP BEFORE I took the job in Ocotober.) <BR/><BR/>Anyway, because I was only on the permanent payroll for 8 months, I lost 20% of my summer paycheck. This was two contracts ago and I think I was making about $33,500 (I was up a differential from the starting salary, which was $31,900.) I was attending Hunter College part time and teaching SAT workshops on weekends, so I was really busy, but I still needed to work summer school in order to make ends meet that first summer.<BR/><BR/>You can imagine my shock when I found out that I wouldn't receive my first paycheck from the summer work until August 20th, after summer school was officially over. I shouldn't have been surprised, of course. My pay as a per diem once got held up over the summer because the district ran out of money and had to wait to pay me until their September budget came through. And then wheh I switched from a per diem to a PPT in '01, my pay got held up another 6 weeks until I "transitioned" onto the payroll. Still, to work all summer because I needed money and then to not get the money was not fun.<BR/><BR/>What a miserable experience that summer was. Between the thankless job (though it was in MLK, so at least it was air conditioned), the delay in pay and my pro-rated salary, I remember thinking "This is what I'm going to graduate school for?"<BR/><BR/>Luckily the last two contract increases, my completion of my masters + 30, and the extra work I get tutoring has allowed me to never have to work summer school again. I don't envy people working summer school in un-air conditioned buildings w/ class sizes of 48!!!<BR/><BR/>Chaz, you captured the summer school experience perfectly and brought it all back home to me. Great post!Reality-Based Educatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05575623297528939722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-1156126017066078852006-08-20T22:06:00.000-04:002006-08-20T22:06:00.000-04:00The story here remains like all stories in the lan...The story here remains like all stories in the land of public school education in NYC: as long as everyone goes along with the program, nothing much will change.<BR/><BR/>If teachers truly had what it takes for force change on the system, they would retire and quit in mass numbers. If a huge percentage kissed off the DOE, major accomodations would reward those who remained in the system. <BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, teachers have alternatives to teaching summer school in public schools. There are many teaching settings that pay better. <BR/><BR/>Tutors earn more than $38 an hour -- for teaching ONE kid. <BR/><BR/>The successorsno_slappzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04207475509053402475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-1156125103650504342006-08-20T21:51:00.000-04:002006-08-20T21:51:00.000-04:00NYC Ed and 17 more already said it.Can you make up...NYC Ed and 17 more already said it.<BR/><BR/>Can you make up the money somewhere else? <BR/><BR/>I have seen the deterioration in Summer School from the first year I worked it, 79, to the stories I hear now. The DoE clearly has little interest in the kids in the seats nor the teachers in the classrooms. <BR/><BR/>What a working environment.jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04908814256266075475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-1156088158591946772006-08-20T11:35:00.000-04:002006-08-20T11:35:00.000-04:00Chaz- I did summer school for 6 years before I was...Chaz- I did summer school for 6 years before I was able to give it up, so I understand all too well needing the money. Having had the absolute joy of not working the past 2 summers, I can say with authority that I would rather eat ramen noodles for 9 weeks than ever teach in the summber again. More power to you- now get some rest!17 (really 15) more yearshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05136846071554141284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-1156019283334197752006-08-19T16:28:00.000-04:002006-08-19T16:28:00.000-04:00Congratulations on your success helping these kids...Congratulations on your success helping these kids. I can only imagine how much the Chancellor appreciates it. Perhaps one day, if his limo is running slow, he'll offer you a hearty handclasp.<BR/><BR/>Having taught summer school, I agree with every word you wrote. This is my first summer off in maybe 20 years. My advice to you is save money before next summer, and don't wait as long as I did.NYC Educatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12188066345722781723noreply@blogger.com