What's it like teaching in the NYC Public Schools System ?

Question

I'm doing some research for an essay I have to write. I was just wondering. What's it like teaching in the NYC Public Schools System ? What are the pros ? The Cons ? Is it difficult ?

Answer 1

Yes very difficult. Depending on what state your in. Kids in the public school system don't don't really care about their education and if they do they sure have bad way of showing it. Your going to have to deal with a lot of disrespectful kids that will talk back to you and try to put you on the spot and there are days your just going to want to choke the h**l out of one of them.

Answer 2

It's difficult. However, the difficulty depends on what you are doing and where you are doing it. Now teaching a high achieving 2nd grade general ed class on the Upper East Side would definitely not be as challeging as, say, working with a self contained special ed class in an elementary school in the South Bronx (which is what I'm doing).

I've been in the system for a little while. I've taught at two different schools in the Bronx (all special ed) and all challeges for different reasons. I'll outline the pros first and then I'll share some cons.

PROS:

-Teaching is rewarding in itself. It always feels good when you see a child learn a new skill and make a lot of progress in his/her academics. (But that's across the board)

-Good benefits for teachers in NYC and an arguably competitive starting salary. A starting teacher with only a Bachelor's degree makes about 45,000 a year which is more than most places, however, barely enough to make it in New York and live well. But you can still make it. Also, I don't pay for health insurance.  The retirement system and TDA -tax deferred annuity- is highly regarded. There are several vacation days in a year (two months off during summer, all major holidays, some Jewish holidays, a week off each in December, February, and April).

-opportunities to earn extra money through per session (I've earned extra for doing coverages when I taught in middle school, also for tutoring small groups of students in my school) You get paid extra $40 an hour just to do this when the opportunities are available.

-strong union which is good because most likely you'll have to deal with a psychotic administrator at some point in your career.

CONS:

- State testing culture is evident. Students spend much of the year prepping for high stakes state exams. For example, testing starts in November for 5th graders and culminates in March. You are not really able to teach outside of test taking skills at the end of the school year. Most teachers are in a frenzy to prepare students to do well on these exams because most will be held over unless they perform at Level 2 or higher (Levels range from 1-4). Special ed is somewhat held to this (depends on what's in the IEP).

- Crazy, unreasonable administrators who threaten and make teaching difficult (I have been through this in 2 schools personally and I know teachers in other schools who have had similar experiences)

- Little to no support for first year teachers- thus, a high turnover rate

- Children who are undisciplined and out of control (no consequences from the school for serious misbehaviors and of course, a teacher's hands are tied to discipline. The only way I've survived is by having a mean, stern approach and having an intimidating look- if I didn't, I would have been eaten alive in there)

-Children with crazy issues in their home lives (probably the case in other urban education systems). Of course, this probably doesn't affect the families in other parts of NY like it does where I work. Children go through so much that you often bring thoughts of it home with you. Can make you depressed thinking about some of it if you don't have a balance.

- Low parental involvement (that's why children can come to school and be rude to adults and not do classwork or homework)

-No accountability

-NCLB and Mayor Bloomberg are detriments to public education in NY- do I even need to say more???????

Yes, it is difficult. I have plenty of stories but you should get my drift. Many teachers are alcoholics here. And it's easy to understand why.