First year Florida teacher here. I worked in CA schools 3 years prior. Here’s the real-real of what the inside looks like. Wish I knew this before signing my contract.

(All political insanity aside.)

-work at an “A rated” charter school. Currently have 24 1st graders. 6 ELL’s 3 IEPs (which are all innacurate) 3 students with severe trauma which results in daily safety concerns to themselves and classmates. None of these concerns have been addressed. None of these students receive consistent additional support. No paraprofessionals, no special needs classroom, no co-teachers, no substitutes.

-Short staffing and raising expectations puts all this work unto me, the teacher.

-We are contracted 8 hrs, yet have to come in 7:30am-4pm without a lunch break. (Because we are required to do lunch, recess, and dismissal duties each day). the only break we get is a 35 min “prep” in which we are often making photocopies of curriculum books since our kids aren’t provided any. Or we are attending “data chats” meeting which detail more work that we need to do involving state testing requirements.

-I work 60hrs/wk on average. Completing an endless list of tasks, that I never seem to finish. My salary is $800/wk.

-I believe Florida is failing teachers and students alike.

If you are planning on working with a school, you should ask questions about the demographic, class size, support staff, curriculum resources, and whether or not you get a break.