How can we be proud of this country? How can I ask my students to stand for a Pledge of Allegiance?
How can I go into work and face my students? I'm so ashamed to be part of this.
Maybe we Sanders supporters weren't as crazy as we were told. That's the brightest thought I can muster out of this. Maybe the AFT/ NEA super early endorsement wasn't such a great idea after all.
Canadian immigration site crashed last night. Too bad. I have family there.
Wednesday, November 09, 2016
We're the College Board and We're Here to Help
I'm sitting in a meeting led by some guy who works for College Board. As I look around me I see almost no one paying attention. One guy keeps asking questions but I can't hear them. The guy answers each and every one of the guy's questions, but I have no idea what they are and no idea what the answers mean. Sometimes the guy repeats the questions, all from one guy, but I still have no idea what he's talking about.
One and only one other person asks one question. The woman in front of me asks about the questions, a bunch of which are ambiguous. He suggests the students are jerks for not giving the answers that College Board wants. The guy starts talking about how teachers ask questions differently than standardized tests do, and implies that we need to teach students to answer ambiguous questions the way College Board thinks they should.
This leaves us sitting there wondering why he just showed us a bunch of questions that are such crap none of us would use them. He can blame the students, but the fact is that they are giving A, B, C, D questions. If they actually want to encourage thought or discussion, they would have to examine student thought rather than contending there is only one answer. So despite all his lip service to Common Core and other such nonsense, the all-knowing and all-seeing rep hasn't got time to plod through, you know, student ideas, the ones we lowly teachers are directed to elicit.
There's also then, the dichotomy between what he says and what he means. Really, it's not even that. It's between what he says and what else he says. Several times he alludes to how you may wish to teach this or that in your class. Later, he says it would hurt his soul to think you were doing test prep. Of course the thing is, if test prep is so soul-crushing, why would you make it your life's work to work for a test-prep company? I mean, that's just me.
I'd rather teach kids and sell them nothing but self-improvement via better use of English. Regardless, if I addressed kids the way this guy addressed us, with no regard whatsoever whether anyone were interested or even listening, I'd surely be rated ineffective. If I did it two years in a row, I'd be on the proverbial one-way train to Palookaville. Maybe thinking like that is why so many colleges are dropping the SAT requirement. Maybe they've discovered that teacher grades are a better predictor of college readiness than a single, poorly-written test that gets shot through some computer that knows the kid as well as Marvin the Martian would.
In fact, I think Marvin the Martian could do better PD than the one we sat through yesterday. We could just get a video of an old cartoon and show it to staff. I'm absolutely sure they'd be more receptive and responsive.
The only good thing is he asked whether it was time yet, without even thinking I uttered, "It's time," and he let us all go. I have no idea whether it was time or not, but I'm grateful for tedious speakers who have no idea when they're supposed to stop yet do so at the first suggestion. In fact a lot of people thanked me. I just wonder why everybody didn't say it in unison.
One and only one other person asks one question. The woman in front of me asks about the questions, a bunch of which are ambiguous. He suggests the students are jerks for not giving the answers that College Board wants. The guy starts talking about how teachers ask questions differently than standardized tests do, and implies that we need to teach students to answer ambiguous questions the way College Board thinks they should.
This leaves us sitting there wondering why he just showed us a bunch of questions that are such crap none of us would use them. He can blame the students, but the fact is that they are giving A, B, C, D questions. If they actually want to encourage thought or discussion, they would have to examine student thought rather than contending there is only one answer. So despite all his lip service to Common Core and other such nonsense, the all-knowing and all-seeing rep hasn't got time to plod through, you know, student ideas, the ones we lowly teachers are directed to elicit.
There's also then, the dichotomy between what he says and what he means. Really, it's not even that. It's between what he says and what else he says. Several times he alludes to how you may wish to teach this or that in your class. Later, he says it would hurt his soul to think you were doing test prep. Of course the thing is, if test prep is so soul-crushing, why would you make it your life's work to work for a test-prep company? I mean, that's just me.
I'd rather teach kids and sell them nothing but self-improvement via better use of English. Regardless, if I addressed kids the way this guy addressed us, with no regard whatsoever whether anyone were interested or even listening, I'd surely be rated ineffective. If I did it two years in a row, I'd be on the proverbial one-way train to Palookaville. Maybe thinking like that is why so many colleges are dropping the SAT requirement. Maybe they've discovered that teacher grades are a better predictor of college readiness than a single, poorly-written test that gets shot through some computer that knows the kid as well as Marvin the Martian would.
In fact, I think Marvin the Martian could do better PD than the one we sat through yesterday. We could just get a video of an old cartoon and show it to staff. I'm absolutely sure they'd be more receptive and responsive.
The only good thing is he asked whether it was time yet, without even thinking I uttered, "It's time," and he let us all go. I have no idea whether it was time or not, but I'm grateful for tedious speakers who have no idea when they're supposed to stop yet do so at the first suggestion. In fact a lot of people thanked me. I just wonder why everybody didn't say it in unison.
Tuesday, November 08, 2016
Psst...You Wanna Do PD?
Now a lot of people complain about PD. It starts too early. It ends too late. I knew that stuff already. I didn't know that stuff, I never wanted to know that stuff, and I don't want to know it now either. How come that person talked for the whole period? If I talked for the whole period my supervisor would rate me ineffective.
In our school, we noticed that the highly paid professional PD people sucked. They would come in with a PowerPoint and read it aloud to us. I hate when people do that. Why don't they just print it, hand it out, and go home? Or they could save a tree, email it to us, and we could go home? Why on earth would you do that, and asking audience members to read slides doesn't count as participation.
But some teachers would volunteer to give PD and they were great. We noticed, the principal noticed, and someone said, hey, why don't we offer people a little money to work out a PD? It seemed like a good idea. I liked it, the principal liked it, and there was a little money to play with. So we made up a little form for people to propose PD to our committee. Administration sent it out once, and last week I sent it out again.
Here's the thing, though. No one filled it out. Not one person in our staff of about 300 wants to give PD, not even for money. Now I could walk around and lecture people, but here's the thing--I don't want to do it either. I have no idea what I could give PD on. Maybe something regarding ESL. But, but, I still don't want to do it.
My grandfather was an electrician. Once, a light fixture went out in his home. My grandmother asked him to fix it, and he said he would. She asked him again, and he said he would again. This went on for some time, until he finally told her to call an electrician. When I think about doing PD, I think about my grandfather and how he didn't want to do electrical work when he was home.
I don't mind teaching. I like it, in fact. I don't mind helping kids learn English. It's one of the best things we can do here on Earth, for my money. I'm just not sure I want to tell teachers how to teach, or how I would even do that. I'm not sure what I can teach teachers. I mean, if I wanted to do that I'd probably be an administrator or something, making big bucks and doing Danielson observations. Yuck.
I could teach how to use PowerPoint, except I don't use PowerPoint. I do everything on Apple Keynote and convert it to PowerPoint when I'm finished. From years of looking for illustrations for this blog, writing these things comes easily to me. But PowerPoint is not my thing. I'm fortunate to have a kid in my morning class who's much smarter than I am, who figures out any and all things technical instantly. Without him I'd be lost. Maybe I could give a PD on how to find kids smarter than you to save your ass when you don't know what to do.
I don't know, actually. But for all the people who have and will complain to me that the adminstrators suck at PD, well, it's not gonna matter at all unless we're willing to step up. How do you deal with PD in your school? Are your colleagues jumping up and down for the chance to give PD? Are we uniquely uninterested? Was Chancellor Carmen Fariña mistaken in her notion that PD would save Western Civilization?
Inquiring minds want to know.
In our school, we noticed that the highly paid professional PD people sucked. They would come in with a PowerPoint and read it aloud to us. I hate when people do that. Why don't they just print it, hand it out, and go home? Or they could save a tree, email it to us, and we could go home? Why on earth would you do that, and asking audience members to read slides doesn't count as participation.
But some teachers would volunteer to give PD and they were great. We noticed, the principal noticed, and someone said, hey, why don't we offer people a little money to work out a PD? It seemed like a good idea. I liked it, the principal liked it, and there was a little money to play with. So we made up a little form for people to propose PD to our committee. Administration sent it out once, and last week I sent it out again.
Here's the thing, though. No one filled it out. Not one person in our staff of about 300 wants to give PD, not even for money. Now I could walk around and lecture people, but here's the thing--I don't want to do it either. I have no idea what I could give PD on. Maybe something regarding ESL. But, but, I still don't want to do it.
My grandfather was an electrician. Once, a light fixture went out in his home. My grandmother asked him to fix it, and he said he would. She asked him again, and he said he would again. This went on for some time, until he finally told her to call an electrician. When I think about doing PD, I think about my grandfather and how he didn't want to do electrical work when he was home.
I don't mind teaching. I like it, in fact. I don't mind helping kids learn English. It's one of the best things we can do here on Earth, for my money. I'm just not sure I want to tell teachers how to teach, or how I would even do that. I'm not sure what I can teach teachers. I mean, if I wanted to do that I'd probably be an administrator or something, making big bucks and doing Danielson observations. Yuck.
I could teach how to use PowerPoint, except I don't use PowerPoint. I do everything on Apple Keynote and convert it to PowerPoint when I'm finished. From years of looking for illustrations for this blog, writing these things comes easily to me. But PowerPoint is not my thing. I'm fortunate to have a kid in my morning class who's much smarter than I am, who figures out any and all things technical instantly. Without him I'd be lost. Maybe I could give a PD on how to find kids smarter than you to save your ass when you don't know what to do.
I don't know, actually. But for all the people who have and will complain to me that the adminstrators suck at PD, well, it's not gonna matter at all unless we're willing to step up. How do you deal with PD in your school? Are your colleagues jumping up and down for the chance to give PD? Are we uniquely uninterested? Was Chancellor Carmen Fariña mistaken in her notion that PD would save Western Civilization?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Monday, November 07, 2016
Boy Wonder Hangs Up a Sign
Boy Wonder has been on hiatus for just a bit and begs your pardon. He returns today in honor of a friend's retirement party.
ONLY MODIFICATIONS REGARDING BOOK DISTRIBUTION WILL BE DONE BY MR. WONDER.
The staff looked at the sign in amazement. What does it mean? Well it could be anything. Is that all he's gonna do? That would be a net positive. Does it mean he won't observe me the next time we have half a day and there are only eight students in my class? I mean, it would be great if he were busy modifying book distribution. What exactly is that anyway? Well, what's the difference? Better him than me.
Say, another mused. Does that mean he won't be calling me into meetings where I get heart palpitations? Every time I walk into one of those meetings I feel like I need to go to the emergency room. Usually I just go to the urgent care, but that's 50 bucks a pop now, and when they send me to the ER it's another 150. I really can't afford to keep seeing those guys more than once or twice a month anymore.
Could it be, a young teacher thought, that I don't have to come in at 5 AM and stay until 7 PM writing rubrics anymore? Half of my friends have quit and they'd only been here a year or two. I'd quit too if I weren't stuck with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. I'd rather work at Panera Bread, all things being equal.
Another teacher wondered, gee, if he sticks to those modifications, whatever the hell they are, maybe I won't have another heart attack in the hallway. Man, that sucked having that heart attack. I mean sure, it was nice being in the hospital for a few weeks, because of course that meant I didn't have to see the guy. And the doctors did make me recuperate at home for a while. But hey, when I came back it was the same old stuff, why were you absent? I was ABSENT because I had a frigging HEART ATTACK!
Yet another teacher walks by and says, out loud, "I wonder if my buddy Jim would still be alive if this policy had been in effect." What a way to go, he thinks. All alone and tortured over threats. "You'd better get a comp-time position that's at least four periods a day or I'm gonna have to rate you ineffective," Boy Wonder told him, How many people can find a position like that? What are the odds? Do they even exist?
One of the teachers comes back, and wonders if her friend, stuck in another school, so sick she probably can barely drag herself to work, would have been brought up on charges and facing dismissal if Boy Wonder had been modifying book distribution. Why the hell would anyone be so cruel as to do that to someone so close to retirement? But he'd done it once, he'd done it twice, and he'd do it again. What was the big deal about having teachers older than he was in his department? It wasn't like they were after his job.
Everyone loved the policy idea Boy Wonder wrote. But likely it was just another simple error in basic English usage, another borderline incomprehensible utterance from a person who some principal inexplicably saw fit to lead a department. Probably he'd be back observing and rating things that never happened, failing to see things that did happen, and running out for yet another three-hour fast food lunch by tomorrow.
Friday, November 04, 2016
Who to Blame for the Miserable Pattern Bargain?
In the Daily News there's been a series of union leaders speaking out on whether or not Bill de Blasio deserves re-election. My friends at ICE-UFT blog chimed in and said the mayor doesn't deserve unconditional support. I'd argue that no politician alive deserves unconditional support. I was a great fan of Bernie Sanders, but even he was relatively blind to education issues.
Now the last pattern was 10% over 7 years. James Eterno, who writes most of the ICE blog, told UFT President Michael Mulgrew that was the lowest pattern ever. Mulgrew, even in the best traditions of civilized discourse, called him a liar and turned off his microphone. Yet I cannot recall a worse pattern in our history, and I've been around over 30 years.
I'd argue that it's de Blasio's job to lowball us, and that it's Mulgrew's job to counter with something more reasonable. But here's the thing--the UFT had utterly missed out on the last round of bargaining, and had missed the two-year 8% deal Bloomberg had granted to NYPD, FDNY, and most other city unions. So rather than the miserable 10% over 7 years, Mulgrew could present a fair-to-middling 18% over 9 years. It sounded just mediocre if you ignored the pattern he was imposing on everyone else.
It was not Bill de Blasio, but rather Michael Mulgrew who sold this thing to us. There were various sales pitches. One was that retro pay is not a God-given right. That, of course, is the sort of argument we should have heard from management rather than our own leadership. Mulgrew's job, I'd say, would be to argue precisely the opposite. Another was that if we didn't take this deal, we'd have to get behind 151 other unions and wait. That was a particularly weak argument, given that we're waiting until 2020 to get paid anyway.
In fact, that argument is even weaker when you consider how low the pattern was that Mulgrew negotiated. I remember being angry with DC37 for accepting the double zero contract that UFT had rejected. In fact, it turned out that they'd cooked the books to get that thing to pass, and some of their leaders actually went to jail over it. This notwithstanding, that pattern was better than this one. So we may as well have gotten in back of the line, because it's hard to imagine anyone doing worse.
Mulgrew also told us the cupboard was bare, which it turned out not to be. That, also, ought to have been an argument from the city rather than from union leadership. In fact there seems to be a pattern of the cupboard being bare around negotiation time and then the mayor finds a billion dollars lying around the Gracie Mansion couch cushions. We merit not even a simple "oopzie" when that happens.
Of course this is an adversarial process. It certainly appears that we, the UFT, and we, organized labor lost this round. I'm surprised the NY Post, instead of criticizing de Blasio for being a socialist hippie weirdo, doesn't erect a statue declaring him to be the savior of public funds against us, the evil unions.
If you want to criticize de Blasio for something, try the tone of Tweed, unchanged utterly from that of Bloomberg. Try criticizing the fact that there are a whole lot of holdovers from Bloomberg's miserable, anti-teacher, anti-union administration. Criticize the choice of an old Bloomberg employee for chancellor.
But if you want to blame someone for the contract, it's not Bill de Blasio. In fact, it's not Michael Mulgrew either. That rests squarely on our shoulders. We voted for it, three to one. We chose to believe the threats. We chose to ignore the fact that the only time we rejected a contract, we managed to improve it, allowing teachers to reach maximum pay three years earlier, even though leadership said anyone who thought they could do better must be "smoking something."
The fact is we made our bed, so we can't blame Bill de Blasio for failing to drop a mint on our pillow.
Now the last pattern was 10% over 7 years. James Eterno, who writes most of the ICE blog, told UFT President Michael Mulgrew that was the lowest pattern ever. Mulgrew, even in the best traditions of civilized discourse, called him a liar and turned off his microphone. Yet I cannot recall a worse pattern in our history, and I've been around over 30 years.
I'd argue that it's de Blasio's job to lowball us, and that it's Mulgrew's job to counter with something more reasonable. But here's the thing--the UFT had utterly missed out on the last round of bargaining, and had missed the two-year 8% deal Bloomberg had granted to NYPD, FDNY, and most other city unions. So rather than the miserable 10% over 7 years, Mulgrew could present a fair-to-middling 18% over 9 years. It sounded just mediocre if you ignored the pattern he was imposing on everyone else.
It was not Bill de Blasio, but rather Michael Mulgrew who sold this thing to us. There were various sales pitches. One was that retro pay is not a God-given right. That, of course, is the sort of argument we should have heard from management rather than our own leadership. Mulgrew's job, I'd say, would be to argue precisely the opposite. Another was that if we didn't take this deal, we'd have to get behind 151 other unions and wait. That was a particularly weak argument, given that we're waiting until 2020 to get paid anyway.
In fact, that argument is even weaker when you consider how low the pattern was that Mulgrew negotiated. I remember being angry with DC37 for accepting the double zero contract that UFT had rejected. In fact, it turned out that they'd cooked the books to get that thing to pass, and some of their leaders actually went to jail over it. This notwithstanding, that pattern was better than this one. So we may as well have gotten in back of the line, because it's hard to imagine anyone doing worse.
Mulgrew also told us the cupboard was bare, which it turned out not to be. That, also, ought to have been an argument from the city rather than from union leadership. In fact there seems to be a pattern of the cupboard being bare around negotiation time and then the mayor finds a billion dollars lying around the Gracie Mansion couch cushions. We merit not even a simple "oopzie" when that happens.
Of course this is an adversarial process. It certainly appears that we, the UFT, and we, organized labor lost this round. I'm surprised the NY Post, instead of criticizing de Blasio for being a socialist hippie weirdo, doesn't erect a statue declaring him to be the savior of public funds against us, the evil unions.
If you want to criticize de Blasio for something, try the tone of Tweed, unchanged utterly from that of Bloomberg. Try criticizing the fact that there are a whole lot of holdovers from Bloomberg's miserable, anti-teacher, anti-union administration. Criticize the choice of an old Bloomberg employee for chancellor.
But if you want to blame someone for the contract, it's not Bill de Blasio. In fact, it's not Michael Mulgrew either. That rests squarely on our shoulders. We voted for it, three to one. We chose to believe the threats. We chose to ignore the fact that the only time we rejected a contract, we managed to improve it, allowing teachers to reach maximum pay three years earlier, even though leadership said anyone who thought they could do better must be "smoking something."
The fact is we made our bed, so we can't blame Bill de Blasio for failing to drop a mint on our pillow.
Labels:
Bill de Blasio,
Carmen Fariña,
Michael Mulgrew,
part 154,
UFT Contract
Thursday, November 03, 2016
COPE Is Like Medical Insurance
I go to a lot of meetings. I go to them in my school all the time. I'm on committees. If anyone in my school is in trouble, so am I. And of course I go to regular school meetings. I am a real meeting guy, I guess, for better or worse, and I go to a lot of meetings outside my building too.
So anyway, last night I was at a meeting. The topic was COPE (the optional fund through which members can voluntarily contribute to UFT and NYSUT political action). A woman got up and started comparing COPE to medical insurance. Now I'm gonna let you in on a secret. I often hear things I've heard before, and I don't always pay close attention at meetings unless I'm taking notes. But my ears really perked up at that. She follows up by saying if you don’t pay into COPE you might not have medical insurance. I’m only slowly processing this line of thought when the woman opens her mouth again.
Now she says she knows how hard it is to get people to give money. She says boy, if I knew how to get money out of people I could've made a lot more than I did back when I was a teacher. Now she's got my full attention. I'm thinking gee, it's great that you no longer have to get by on some crappy teacher salary, like all the tens of thousands of teachers (among others) who pay to have you do whatever it is we pay you to do. Doubless it can really pay off to sign a loyalty oath and become a UFT employee. Gee, I wonder why you aren't good at getting people to give you money.
Then she goes on, talking about the people who only give 25 cents per paycheck. 25 cents was a lot back in 1980, she says, although I question whether she was even alive in 1980. (I was, and it doesn't sound like that much to me.) Now I'm wondering where she was in 2014, when she was certainly alive, and all of us lowly teachers were being told to wait until 2020 for money we earned in 2010. I thought that money had really decreased in value, particularly since I was not able to use the $40,000 NYC owed me to buy the car I got in 2014. But enough of my troubles. After all, I live on that measly teacher salary that the young woman had so handily surpassed.
It's ironic, because I'd been actually thinking about collecting for COPE. My friends tell me I shouldn't, you know, because Andy Pallotta uses it to buy tables at Cuomo fund raisers, because when Dick Iannuzzi curtailed such usage both UFT and NYSUT Unity rose up to toss him and his loyal friends out of office. Because COPE supported Serphin Maltese, who had a hand in breaking not one but two Catholic school unions. Because we supported Governor Pataki, who thanked us by vetoing improvements to the Taylor Law. Because we gave money to Flanagan, who sponsored a bill to remove LIFO from NYC teachers only. You know, stuff like that.
I give to COPE. I started when the UFT seemed to be holding tough on APPR. In fact, I invited someone from UFT to my school to speak to a meeting. He showed up an hour late and managed to sign up only me and one of our delegates. But he told us that Michael Mulgrew was very smart, and that we would get our raise and contract. Why? Because otherwise Bloomberg couldn't have his APPR.
When we got the APPR without the contract or the raise, many members approached me and asked me to bring the guy back. They wanted to shout him down. They wanted to beat him up. They made suggestions unfit for a family blog. Anyway, from that day on, I've given five bucks from each paycheck to COPE. Sometimes I question what it's used for, but I figure as a chapter leader, and as a blogger with the odd disparaging word here and there, I need to keep up my street cred. (Or something.)
Now, though, I'm thinking about the 2017 NY State Constitutional Convention, you know, the one where they can rewrite all the rules and stop paying our pensions and make us all eat cat food and stuff. I'm thinking maybe COPE may be a good way to fight that. I had been thinking about having a drive and asking for support from my members. Then this woman comes along and makes a quite unintentional statement about union values.
Anyway, the woman finishes her speech, and there we are. Five dollar COPE cards for everyone, someone declares, and they are passed out near and far. I go back to text a friend about what I've just seen. I am reprimanded for not filling out the card. I already give, I protest, but evidently it's some kind of activity to create enthusiasm and everyone is supposed to fill out the card whether they give or not. Screw that, I decide, and go back to texting.
The next topic on the agenda is repetitive paperwork. The people who just demanded I fill in a card for no reason whatsoever are lecturing me on how principals make people do redundant paperwork, and how it's totally and utterly unacceptable.
In fairness, there was also a very good speaker on special education who spoke and answered questions very well. You know where I would rather have been for the rest of the meeting? Home playing with my dog.
So anyway, last night I was at a meeting. The topic was COPE (the optional fund through which members can voluntarily contribute to UFT and NYSUT political action). A woman got up and started comparing COPE to medical insurance. Now I'm gonna let you in on a secret. I often hear things I've heard before, and I don't always pay close attention at meetings unless I'm taking notes. But my ears really perked up at that. She follows up by saying if you don’t pay into COPE you might not have medical insurance. I’m only slowly processing this line of thought when the woman opens her mouth again.
Now she says she knows how hard it is to get people to give money. She says boy, if I knew how to get money out of people I could've made a lot more than I did back when I was a teacher. Now she's got my full attention. I'm thinking gee, it's great that you no longer have to get by on some crappy teacher salary, like all the tens of thousands of teachers (among others) who pay to have you do whatever it is we pay you to do. Doubless it can really pay off to sign a loyalty oath and become a UFT employee. Gee, I wonder why you aren't good at getting people to give you money.
Then she goes on, talking about the people who only give 25 cents per paycheck. 25 cents was a lot back in 1980, she says, although I question whether she was even alive in 1980. (I was, and it doesn't sound like that much to me.) Now I'm wondering where she was in 2014, when she was certainly alive, and all of us lowly teachers were being told to wait until 2020 for money we earned in 2010. I thought that money had really decreased in value, particularly since I was not able to use the $40,000 NYC owed me to buy the car I got in 2014. But enough of my troubles. After all, I live on that measly teacher salary that the young woman had so handily surpassed.
It's ironic, because I'd been actually thinking about collecting for COPE. My friends tell me I shouldn't, you know, because Andy Pallotta uses it to buy tables at Cuomo fund raisers, because when Dick Iannuzzi curtailed such usage both UFT and NYSUT Unity rose up to toss him and his loyal friends out of office. Because COPE supported Serphin Maltese, who had a hand in breaking not one but two Catholic school unions. Because we supported Governor Pataki, who thanked us by vetoing improvements to the Taylor Law. Because we gave money to Flanagan, who sponsored a bill to remove LIFO from NYC teachers only. You know, stuff like that.
I give to COPE. I started when the UFT seemed to be holding tough on APPR. In fact, I invited someone from UFT to my school to speak to a meeting. He showed up an hour late and managed to sign up only me and one of our delegates. But he told us that Michael Mulgrew was very smart, and that we would get our raise and contract. Why? Because otherwise Bloomberg couldn't have his APPR.
When we got the APPR without the contract or the raise, many members approached me and asked me to bring the guy back. They wanted to shout him down. They wanted to beat him up. They made suggestions unfit for a family blog. Anyway, from that day on, I've given five bucks from each paycheck to COPE. Sometimes I question what it's used for, but I figure as a chapter leader, and as a blogger with the odd disparaging word here and there, I need to keep up my street cred. (Or something.)
Now, though, I'm thinking about the 2017 NY State Constitutional Convention, you know, the one where they can rewrite all the rules and stop paying our pensions and make us all eat cat food and stuff. I'm thinking maybe COPE may be a good way to fight that. I had been thinking about having a drive and asking for support from my members. Then this woman comes along and makes a quite unintentional statement about union values.
Anyway, the woman finishes her speech, and there we are. Five dollar COPE cards for everyone, someone declares, and they are passed out near and far. I go back to text a friend about what I've just seen. I am reprimanded for not filling out the card. I already give, I protest, but evidently it's some kind of activity to create enthusiasm and everyone is supposed to fill out the card whether they give or not. Screw that, I decide, and go back to texting.
The next topic on the agenda is repetitive paperwork. The people who just demanded I fill in a card for no reason whatsoever are lecturing me on how principals make people do redundant paperwork, and how it's totally and utterly unacceptable.
In fairness, there was also a very good speaker on special education who spoke and answered questions very well. You know where I would rather have been for the rest of the meeting? Home playing with my dog.
Labels:
Andrew Cuomo,
Andrew Pallotta,
COPE,
UFT,
UFT Unity loyalty oath
Wednesday, November 02, 2016
The Buffalo ESL Miracle
Last Saturday I spoke with Regents Commissioner Betty Rosa, who told me that the new revision of Part 154, which makes draconian cuts to English instruction for ELLs, was working very well in Buffalo. I've reached out to teachers I know in Buffalo, and they have not yet heard about what a success it is.
They tell me stories of teachers pushing into classes instead of teaching. They tell me that no one is happy, not the students or the teachers. In fact, they tell me that Betty Rosa visited one school and that a bunch of troublesome kids were shuttled all over the building to be kept away from the VIPs. Of course, Betty Rosa may have visited other schools. And Part 154 may indeed be working somewhere or other. But what I see is absolutely no evidence.
Dr. Rosa also told me that research supports this move, but failed to cite any. I've read a lot of research by Dr. Stephan Krashen, and it suggests to me something I've suspected and lived most of my life--that teaching kids to love language is what makes them successful. Dragging them to a new country and making them immediately do the same work as those who've lived here all their lives is counter-intuitive and counterproductive. It's like taking your baby, who hasn't yet learned to walk, to tango lessons.
Things like these might make someone feel good, or proud, or accomplished, but they cause a lot of needless suffering. In fact Dr. Rosa publicly and accurately criticizes other state officials for doing similar things. I saw her speak at George Washington Campus and she spoke of how those who wish to test newcomers ought to go to foreign countries and take tests in foreign languages. I've been saying that for decades and I couldn't agree more.
I have no idea why the chancellor or anyone would wish to hang on to a program that has no basis in logic, research, or practice. Nor have I got the remotest idea why it was instituted it in the first place. If anyone wishes to ignore the fact that these ideas have no basis in anything I've ever heard of, you can simply look at the other regulation--that ELLs cannot be in the same class with anyone more than one contiguous grade from them. For high schools, at least, that's a ridiculous and impossible mandate.
If my very large school, with 500 ELLs (10% of the entire Buffalo population), if we were to do that I'd have opened the school year with one class of 40 and one of 6. It's ridiculous. For small schools, it's absolutely impossible. That's probably a large reason they've done away with stand-alone English instruction as much as they possibly could. In Betty Rosa's new and improved vision, high school English instruction need only be given one period a day for one year. That's it.
The following year, based on the results of the NYSESLAT, a test originally designed to test language acquisition that no longer tests language acquisition (no, really), the kid could be in an English class reading Macbeth. And that's OK according to Part 154, because there will be an ESL teacher in the room with the English teacher explaining the vocabulary to the ESL students.
That makes sense, doesn't it? Well, not to me, and not to you.
But the geniuses in Albany have deemed it OK, and that's all that matters. It kind of makes me nostalgic for Merryl Tisch. I mean sure, she was a fanatical ideologue who didn't know jack squat about education. But she also never messed with ESL, because she didn't give a fiddler's fart about it.
Ironically, newcomers stood a much better chance of learning English under that regime.
They tell me stories of teachers pushing into classes instead of teaching. They tell me that no one is happy, not the students or the teachers. In fact, they tell me that Betty Rosa visited one school and that a bunch of troublesome kids were shuttled all over the building to be kept away from the VIPs. Of course, Betty Rosa may have visited other schools. And Part 154 may indeed be working somewhere or other. But what I see is absolutely no evidence.
Dr. Rosa also told me that research supports this move, but failed to cite any. I've read a lot of research by Dr. Stephan Krashen, and it suggests to me something I've suspected and lived most of my life--that teaching kids to love language is what makes them successful. Dragging them to a new country and making them immediately do the same work as those who've lived here all their lives is counter-intuitive and counterproductive. It's like taking your baby, who hasn't yet learned to walk, to tango lessons.
Things like these might make someone feel good, or proud, or accomplished, but they cause a lot of needless suffering. In fact Dr. Rosa publicly and accurately criticizes other state officials for doing similar things. I saw her speak at George Washington Campus and she spoke of how those who wish to test newcomers ought to go to foreign countries and take tests in foreign languages. I've been saying that for decades and I couldn't agree more.
I have no idea why the chancellor or anyone would wish to hang on to a program that has no basis in logic, research, or practice. Nor have I got the remotest idea why it was instituted it in the first place. If anyone wishes to ignore the fact that these ideas have no basis in anything I've ever heard of, you can simply look at the other regulation--that ELLs cannot be in the same class with anyone more than one contiguous grade from them. For high schools, at least, that's a ridiculous and impossible mandate.
If my very large school, with 500 ELLs (10% of the entire Buffalo population), if we were to do that I'd have opened the school year with one class of 40 and one of 6. It's ridiculous. For small schools, it's absolutely impossible. That's probably a large reason they've done away with stand-alone English instruction as much as they possibly could. In Betty Rosa's new and improved vision, high school English instruction need only be given one period a day for one year. That's it.
The following year, based on the results of the NYSESLAT, a test originally designed to test language acquisition that no longer tests language acquisition (no, really), the kid could be in an English class reading Macbeth. And that's OK according to Part 154, because there will be an ESL teacher in the room with the English teacher explaining the vocabulary to the ESL students.
That makes sense, doesn't it? Well, not to me, and not to you.
But the geniuses in Albany have deemed it OK, and that's all that matters. It kind of makes me nostalgic for Merryl Tisch. I mean sure, she was a fanatical ideologue who didn't know jack squat about education. But she also never messed with ESL, because she didn't give a fiddler's fart about it.
Ironically, newcomers stood a much better chance of learning English under that regime.
Tuesday, November 01, 2016
What a Difference Half a Day Makes
As UFT chapter leader, I get a period off, so I teach four classes rather than five. In fact, I teach two double-period classes, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. I am quite fortunate this year in that, after years of begging and pleading, I managed to get my kids into the TDF Stage Doors program. This means that on November 16th all my students will be seeing Wicked on Broadway at no charge.
It's pretty cool because the overwhelming majority of my students have never seen a Broadway show, or likely any live theater at all. But it's also a lot of work because my students know very little English, and very little American culture. So in fact, before they see Wicked we needed to make sure they saw The Wizard of Oz, and that they understood it. We've moved past that, and yesterday was the first day we started discussing the characters in Wicked.
Wicked is an interesting choice for my kids, because it's mostly about a woman who is, well, green. Kermit the Frog can sing It's Not Easy Being Green and it's cute. On the other hand, that's pretty much par for the course when you're a frog. Being a green person is really kind of tough. My morning class was all over it, and a discussion of Elphaba (the witch's name, created from the initials of L. Frank Baum) moved into a discussion about prejudice, discrimination, and even stereotypes. Someone hates each and every one of us, I told them, just because of who we are.
The kids were receptive. They discussed a bunch of questions I'd written, and my co-teacher pushed me to Danielson everything. They read the questions and discussed them in small groups before sharing them aloud. Even a painfully shy young woman who was reluctant to come on the trip with us smiled for the first time in my memory. My morning class was fully engaged and I'm sure if we'd been observed by someone not crazy we'd have come out highly effective.
So we were pretty encouraged to give the same lesson again in the PM. Sadly, we saw a lot of different attitudes. The kid who's always spacing out spaced out as usual. The boys who sit in the back and tend not to mix with anyone tended not to do so yesterday either. Some students didn't answer my questions because they weren't listening. A boy asked me what the question was, after I'd repeated it more than once, and got my stock answer:
Of course, that's just obnoxious. On the other hand, tuning out and asking for extra attention after having done so is not my favorite thing either. I wandered to the back and noticed that this boy, in fact, had written an answer to that question. It wasn't bad either.
Our afternoon class was not a disaster, but it was not great either. The morning class went perfectly. I wonder what the difference was. Is it the class size? The morning class has 26 while the evening class has 34. It's certainly easier to observe and keep tabs on the smaller class. Or is it the time? Our morning class meets at 8:46. The students have been through, at most, one class by that time.
Our PM class begins at about 12:30. By then, our students have sat through 6 classes. Are they pretty much washed out by then? Are they bored out of their minds? Are we further boring them out of their minds? I'd say up to eight students are not fully engaged in that class. I'm always walking around and lulling them out of their stupor one way or another. I give them the look, or if they're bent over sideways I bend over the same way and catch their sleepy eyes.
Sometimes I sneak over and try to get a photo of them sleeping. This is very tricky, because I'm actually am not aiming for the photo. I'm aiming to make them pick their heads up before I can get it. Usually, I don't get the photo and the students think they pulled one over on me. Alas, I actually have one photo of a sleeping student I took last week.
How can Danielson be fair when you can give the exact same lesson to two different classes and have two completely different results?
It's pretty cool because the overwhelming majority of my students have never seen a Broadway show, or likely any live theater at all. But it's also a lot of work because my students know very little English, and very little American culture. So in fact, before they see Wicked we needed to make sure they saw The Wizard of Oz, and that they understood it. We've moved past that, and yesterday was the first day we started discussing the characters in Wicked.
Wicked is an interesting choice for my kids, because it's mostly about a woman who is, well, green. Kermit the Frog can sing It's Not Easy Being Green and it's cute. On the other hand, that's pretty much par for the course when you're a frog. Being a green person is really kind of tough. My morning class was all over it, and a discussion of Elphaba (the witch's name, created from the initials of L. Frank Baum) moved into a discussion about prejudice, discrimination, and even stereotypes. Someone hates each and every one of us, I told them, just because of who we are.
The kids were receptive. They discussed a bunch of questions I'd written, and my co-teacher pushed me to Danielson everything. They read the questions and discussed them in small groups before sharing them aloud. Even a painfully shy young woman who was reluctant to come on the trip with us smiled for the first time in my memory. My morning class was fully engaged and I'm sure if we'd been observed by someone not crazy we'd have come out highly effective.
So we were pretty encouraged to give the same lesson again in the PM. Sadly, we saw a lot of different attitudes. The kid who's always spacing out spaced out as usual. The boys who sit in the back and tend not to mix with anyone tended not to do so yesterday either. Some students didn't answer my questions because they weren't listening. A boy asked me what the question was, after I'd repeated it more than once, and got my stock answer:
A question is an interrogative statement designed to elicit a response.
Of course, that's just obnoxious. On the other hand, tuning out and asking for extra attention after having done so is not my favorite thing either. I wandered to the back and noticed that this boy, in fact, had written an answer to that question. It wasn't bad either.
Our afternoon class was not a disaster, but it was not great either. The morning class went perfectly. I wonder what the difference was. Is it the class size? The morning class has 26 while the evening class has 34. It's certainly easier to observe and keep tabs on the smaller class. Or is it the time? Our morning class meets at 8:46. The students have been through, at most, one class by that time.
Our PM class begins at about 12:30. By then, our students have sat through 6 classes. Are they pretty much washed out by then? Are they bored out of their minds? Are we further boring them out of their minds? I'd say up to eight students are not fully engaged in that class. I'm always walking around and lulling them out of their stupor one way or another. I give them the look, or if they're bent over sideways I bend over the same way and catch their sleepy eyes.
Sometimes I sneak over and try to get a photo of them sleeping. This is very tricky, because I'm actually am not aiming for the photo. I'm aiming to make them pick their heads up before I can get it. Usually, I don't get the photo and the students think they pulled one over on me. Alas, I actually have one photo of a sleeping student I took last week.
How can Danielson be fair when you can give the exact same lesson to two different classes and have two completely different results?
Labels:
class size,
Danielson framework,
ESL,
tales told out of school
Monday, October 31, 2016
The Chancellor and Me at UFT
Last Saturday I got up early and took some trains to 52 Broadway, where they were having a pretty big ESL event. I got to speak to Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa, who told me that Part 154 was very successful in Buffalo, though she did not share why or how.
Alas, it isn't remotely successful here, in the largest district in the country with 150,000 ELLs. There are fewer than 5,000 in Buffalo. I don't know what secret sauce they've found but I hope they share it with us. There are 500 in my school alone, we have issues, and sending our kids to magical Buffalo just isn't a workable solution for us.
Dr. Rosa suggested we needed to deal with it locally, but the state regulation is the fundamental issue. The most recent revision of Part 154 has cut direct English instruction for NY State ELLs by a factor of 33-100%. Maybe that doesn't matter in Buffalo, but it seems to be a factor everywhere else I know anyone. I had hoped Rosa would attend our advocacy panel, where I spoke to it. Unfortunately she did not. I didn't say exactly what I wrote, but I wrote exactly what I wrote, and I'm sharing that with you here.
I've been teaching ESL (which the state now calls ENL), since 1984. A few years later I actually studied it and became licensed. Part 154 is the very worst thing I've ever seen done to it.
We know that the people who revised Part 154 had good intentions, and we certainly share the desire to see ELLs succeed academically. We are worried, however, that this particular plan will not accomplish that. That’s why the United Federation of Teachers takes the position that ELLs need more, rather than less, direct instruction in English.
It is certainly a good idea to give ELLs language support when they are taking academic classes. Political and scientific concepts are complex and often difficult even for native speakers. While Part 154 offers that support, it does so at the expense of not only direct English instruction, but also the academic instruction it appears to value. For example, in a 40-minute class, an American student may be expected to learn about a Civil War battle. In that same class, an ELL will be expected to learn not only about that battle, but also the vocabulary and language concepts inherent in the lesson. Furthermore, this comes at the expense of an English class the student would previously have been assigned.
I’d argue it would have been a better idea to give the ELL a double period in the academic subject without cutting direct language instruction. This is particularly relevant in high schools. Any cursory study of language acquisition will show that ability begins to decline precipitously around puberty, and that explains why young children seem to acquire it instantly while parents have a much rougher road.
As a high school teacher, I can tell you it can be challenging to get older students to pursue fluency. Sometimes I get students who’ve been dragged here almost kicking and screaming. All they want to do is go back home. Often I get students whose classroom culture entails sitting down with 50 other kids and listening to a teacher speak. I don’t know how effective that is in other subjects, but it’s impossible to learn language that way. It’s vitally important that they find a welcoming place in which they can feel comfortable speaking a new and strange language. They need to touch it, use it, love it, and it needs to become part of them. That’s what my class is all about. And once we get them to that place, they will much more readily embrace whatever else school has to offer.
There’s also what Part 154 does to ESL teachers. I know teachers in small schools who are expected to run around and do almost everything. Pop into this class, pop into that class, pop into all classes and make the ELLs keep up with the native speakers. Expectations are high, time is short, and every minute the ESL teacher helps the kids is a minute lost from the academic teacher, who continues to instruct the rest of the class.
I’m in the largest school in Queens and it’s difficult for us to keep up. We couple ESL instruction with English instruction. As of now, we’re getting a lot of walk-in students, and many ESL levels are full. We often can’t open ESL classes unless we can find an English teacher to coordinate. Our students would benefit from an ESL teacher and ESL instruction. Under part 154 have to hire English teachers as well, unless we find someone dual-certified. It’s very hard for us to serve our students properly. Smaller schools have worse problems.
My colleagues are very frustrated. One in particular, who observed me as a student, is contemplating other employment. He envisioned being an ESL teacher, but now he’s in English classes, supposedly supporting the ELLs in that class. One problem is ELLs have very distinct language needs from students born here. It’s not necessarily in the best interests of students to have them read To Kill a Mockingbird before they’ve mastered oral English.
We are trained as language teachers, and we teach language. I just read that NY State is considering reinstitution of language Regents exams. It’s very hard for me to understand why other languages merit direct instruction but English does not. I tell my students that my class is the most important one they take. I’m not sure, for example, what I’m supposed to do with my extensive studies of triangles from geometry, but I use what I teach students every day, almost every moment of my life. I’m using it right now.
Please support our efforts to really prepare our ELLs for not only tests, but also life. These are wonderful and fascinating children. It’s my joy and privilege to teach them. We ask that you help us help them.
Alas, it isn't remotely successful here, in the largest district in the country with 150,000 ELLs. There are fewer than 5,000 in Buffalo. I don't know what secret sauce they've found but I hope they share it with us. There are 500 in my school alone, we have issues, and sending our kids to magical Buffalo just isn't a workable solution for us.
Dr. Rosa suggested we needed to deal with it locally, but the state regulation is the fundamental issue. The most recent revision of Part 154 has cut direct English instruction for NY State ELLs by a factor of 33-100%. Maybe that doesn't matter in Buffalo, but it seems to be a factor everywhere else I know anyone. I had hoped Rosa would attend our advocacy panel, where I spoke to it. Unfortunately she did not. I didn't say exactly what I wrote, but I wrote exactly what I wrote, and I'm sharing that with you here.
I've been teaching ESL (which the state now calls ENL), since 1984. A few years later I actually studied it and became licensed. Part 154 is the very worst thing I've ever seen done to it.
We know that the people who revised Part 154 had good intentions, and we certainly share the desire to see ELLs succeed academically. We are worried, however, that this particular plan will not accomplish that. That’s why the United Federation of Teachers takes the position that ELLs need more, rather than less, direct instruction in English.
It is certainly a good idea to give ELLs language support when they are taking academic classes. Political and scientific concepts are complex and often difficult even for native speakers. While Part 154 offers that support, it does so at the expense of not only direct English instruction, but also the academic instruction it appears to value. For example, in a 40-minute class, an American student may be expected to learn about a Civil War battle. In that same class, an ELL will be expected to learn not only about that battle, but also the vocabulary and language concepts inherent in the lesson. Furthermore, this comes at the expense of an English class the student would previously have been assigned.
I’d argue it would have been a better idea to give the ELL a double period in the academic subject without cutting direct language instruction. This is particularly relevant in high schools. Any cursory study of language acquisition will show that ability begins to decline precipitously around puberty, and that explains why young children seem to acquire it instantly while parents have a much rougher road.
As a high school teacher, I can tell you it can be challenging to get older students to pursue fluency. Sometimes I get students who’ve been dragged here almost kicking and screaming. All they want to do is go back home. Often I get students whose classroom culture entails sitting down with 50 other kids and listening to a teacher speak. I don’t know how effective that is in other subjects, but it’s impossible to learn language that way. It’s vitally important that they find a welcoming place in which they can feel comfortable speaking a new and strange language. They need to touch it, use it, love it, and it needs to become part of them. That’s what my class is all about. And once we get them to that place, they will much more readily embrace whatever else school has to offer.
There’s also what Part 154 does to ESL teachers. I know teachers in small schools who are expected to run around and do almost everything. Pop into this class, pop into that class, pop into all classes and make the ELLs keep up with the native speakers. Expectations are high, time is short, and every minute the ESL teacher helps the kids is a minute lost from the academic teacher, who continues to instruct the rest of the class.
I’m in the largest school in Queens and it’s difficult for us to keep up. We couple ESL instruction with English instruction. As of now, we’re getting a lot of walk-in students, and many ESL levels are full. We often can’t open ESL classes unless we can find an English teacher to coordinate. Our students would benefit from an ESL teacher and ESL instruction. Under part 154 have to hire English teachers as well, unless we find someone dual-certified. It’s very hard for us to serve our students properly. Smaller schools have worse problems.
My colleagues are very frustrated. One in particular, who observed me as a student, is contemplating other employment. He envisioned being an ESL teacher, but now he’s in English classes, supposedly supporting the ELLs in that class. One problem is ELLs have very distinct language needs from students born here. It’s not necessarily in the best interests of students to have them read To Kill a Mockingbird before they’ve mastered oral English.
We are trained as language teachers, and we teach language. I just read that NY State is considering reinstitution of language Regents exams. It’s very hard for me to understand why other languages merit direct instruction but English does not. I tell my students that my class is the most important one they take. I’m not sure, for example, what I’m supposed to do with my extensive studies of triangles from geometry, but I use what I teach students every day, almost every moment of my life. I’m using it right now.
Please support our efforts to really prepare our ELLs for not only tests, but also life. These are wonderful and fascinating children. It’s my joy and privilege to teach them. We ask that you help us help them.
Friday, October 28, 2016
Those Wacky Plagiarists and Their Zany Antics
I've caught students plagiarizing on various occasions. I may have an unfair advantage, as I teach English Language Learners and actually read what they write. In advanced classes, that can be a lot. If I'm unlucky enough to be prepping them for the English Regents exam, it could be just about every minute we're together.
The reason for that is that a lot of my students have tutors, family members, boyfriends, girlfriends, and who knows who else to help them write. Sometimes the tutors think it's a good idea to do the homework for my students. But they either do it perfectly or make mistakes that are different from those my students make. I have to give them credit if they've matched my students' styles perfectly. That's not easy to do. In any case, I do virtually all writing in class because I'm tired of dealing with preposterous denials.
But ever since I started teaching, I've been surprised at the things kids could get away with. Once, when I was teaching a class of beginning ESL students, a girl showed me a report she'd written on Thomas Edison. It was clearly copied from a text. The comment the teacher had written was, "needs more pictures." You could view that as charitable, but more charitable still would be not wasting the student's time on tasks for which she was clearly not ready.
One of my students, on one of the first days she was in my class, brought me a bunch of extra credit reports, even though I hadn't asked for them. They were all about the delights of reading Shakespeare, and were all clearly written by some hack writer who needed to introduce a book about Shakespeare. "What's your favorite Shakespeare play?" I asked her. She looked at me as thought I'd just fallen from the sky. I asked her to please stop bringing me extra credit reports.
Once, in the early days of the new English Regents, I was in a room with a bunch of people grading. This, of course, was before Merryl Tisch, in her infinite wisdom, determined we were all too crooked to grade students in our school. By that yardstick, every single grade except those on the Regents exam is invalid, but I digress. I found an issue, and brought it to an AP.
The AP angrily asked, "Well, who besides you would've noticed it?" Everyone, I'd hope, because in fact I'd identified two identical papers, right up to the spelling errors. It went to another AP, who decided that particular essay would get a zero, but the student would still pass. I told that AP it would really be a shame if the state found out about that. Of course I wouldn't call, but a lot of people knew about it and gee, wouldn't that be inconvenient? The AP decided to invalidate the papers, both copied from a handout some teacher had given.
I also once found an A paper one of my ELLs had written which I immediately recognized she did not write. When I pulled her out of a classroom to tell her, she asked, "You're not going to tell Ms. X.. are you?" I said no, I wouldn't, but I just wanted her to know it could be done. I told her I would've given her a zero, and that if I could recognize it, others could too. I didn't feel like ratting her out. I figure if she'd gotten away with it, well, she'd gotten away with it.
I know a lot of kids copy my homework, and unless it's a writing assignment, I won't catch a lot of it. But I also know that I give maybe ten minutes worth of homework a night, and any kid who needs to copy it is almost certainly going to fail any test I give. I try to tell them it's better to do the homework, but I'm not always successful. I wonder if kids who really can do the homework copy it. Are students so lazy that they'd copy homework even if they could easily do it themselves?
If you know the best way to deal with plagiarism, please let me know. I'm curious.
The reason for that is that a lot of my students have tutors, family members, boyfriends, girlfriends, and who knows who else to help them write. Sometimes the tutors think it's a good idea to do the homework for my students. But they either do it perfectly or make mistakes that are different from those my students make. I have to give them credit if they've matched my students' styles perfectly. That's not easy to do. In any case, I do virtually all writing in class because I'm tired of dealing with preposterous denials.
But ever since I started teaching, I've been surprised at the things kids could get away with. Once, when I was teaching a class of beginning ESL students, a girl showed me a report she'd written on Thomas Edison. It was clearly copied from a text. The comment the teacher had written was, "needs more pictures." You could view that as charitable, but more charitable still would be not wasting the student's time on tasks for which she was clearly not ready.
One of my students, on one of the first days she was in my class, brought me a bunch of extra credit reports, even though I hadn't asked for them. They were all about the delights of reading Shakespeare, and were all clearly written by some hack writer who needed to introduce a book about Shakespeare. "What's your favorite Shakespeare play?" I asked her. She looked at me as thought I'd just fallen from the sky. I asked her to please stop bringing me extra credit reports.
Once, in the early days of the new English Regents, I was in a room with a bunch of people grading. This, of course, was before Merryl Tisch, in her infinite wisdom, determined we were all too crooked to grade students in our school. By that yardstick, every single grade except those on the Regents exam is invalid, but I digress. I found an issue, and brought it to an AP.
The AP angrily asked, "Well, who besides you would've noticed it?" Everyone, I'd hope, because in fact I'd identified two identical papers, right up to the spelling errors. It went to another AP, who decided that particular essay would get a zero, but the student would still pass. I told that AP it would really be a shame if the state found out about that. Of course I wouldn't call, but a lot of people knew about it and gee, wouldn't that be inconvenient? The AP decided to invalidate the papers, both copied from a handout some teacher had given.
I also once found an A paper one of my ELLs had written which I immediately recognized she did not write. When I pulled her out of a classroom to tell her, she asked, "You're not going to tell Ms. X.. are you?" I said no, I wouldn't, but I just wanted her to know it could be done. I told her I would've given her a zero, and that if I could recognize it, others could too. I didn't feel like ratting her out. I figure if she'd gotten away with it, well, she'd gotten away with it.
I know a lot of kids copy my homework, and unless it's a writing assignment, I won't catch a lot of it. But I also know that I give maybe ten minutes worth of homework a night, and any kid who needs to copy it is almost certainly going to fail any test I give. I try to tell them it's better to do the homework, but I'm not always successful. I wonder if kids who really can do the homework copy it. Are students so lazy that they'd copy homework even if they could easily do it themselves?
If you know the best way to deal with plagiarism, please let me know. I'm curious.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
How Are the Children?
Dr. Joe Rella, the visionary and progressive superintendent of Comsewogue Schools, often asks that question when he speaks. He says it comes from some African tribe or tribes. Whenever they travel, that's the first question they ask. When you're talking education, that's a pretty important question.
When I talk to educators high above my lowly station, they never ask me that. In fact, they never ask me anything remotely resembling that. Instead I'll get a question like this one:
Can you see the difference between that question and the one in the title? I'm sure you can, but since you aren't here I'll provide an answer. One question looks at the children. The other does not. In fact, the other is almost certainly focused on some test or other. How can we raise those test scores? We only had 78% pass last year, and we need to get 82% or the sun may fall out of the sky. Here's another question you're likely to hear from VIPs above your lowly station:
That's an interesting question. I hear it and I think: "Motivate the staff to do what, exactly? Raise test scores? Jump up and down? Start a war with a banana republic somewhere? Who knows? It could be anything.
But when I sit at meetings with non-teachers who make decisions, I never get answers to questions like those, and I never get the questions I think I should hear. The closest they get is maybe:
I'm trying to think of the last time I asked kids what they wanted, and they replied, "To be college and career ready." The most I recall that is never. Sometimes a student says she wants to be a doctor, or a lawyer. Sometimes kids tell me they want to go home, to countries far away. Sometimes they're sad about things happening at home. Sometimes they just need you to listen.
So you might find yourself at a meeting with a Very Important Person, and you might be wondering when relevant questions will come up. How are teachers and counselors helping kids navigate the choppy waters of life in 2016? Are they happy? Do all these programs and benchmarks improve their lives?
In fact you may actually have a pretty cool thing happening in your classes this year. You might think you'd get to talk about it when the moment arises. Maybe it's something extra, something the kids you serve would never experience if you hadn't been persistent and lucky enough to get them into such a program. The questioner may or may not have cared. It doesn't really matter. It will certainly never come up.
And then there are those other questions. Are the students homeless? Do they live in poverty? Do they wake at 4 AM to help relatives deliver newspapers? If they don't make it to school by the time free breakfast ends do they miss a meal? What's the difference? That's not part of the data you're supposed to utilize to inform instruction.
There are questions that have already been determined, and there are answers. There is good, there is bad. You listen to them tell you about the incredible benefits of Common Core. They point at what they need to know. So you'll just answer the questions and not bring up any of your own.
In these reformy times, it's just not trendy to bother with how children feel or what they think. David Coleman, architect of Common Core, says no one gives a crap anyway. Just get enough of them college and career ready, walking down that prescribed path, and someone gets that all-important promotion, or pat on the back, or whatever the hell it is that motivates the Very Important People who run our system.
Everyone else just needs to get with the program.
When I talk to educators high above my lowly station, they never ask me that. In fact, they never ask me anything remotely resembling that. Instead I'll get a question like this one:
How do you utilize data to inform instruction?
Can you see the difference between that question and the one in the title? I'm sure you can, but since you aren't here I'll provide an answer. One question looks at the children. The other does not. In fact, the other is almost certainly focused on some test or other. How can we raise those test scores? We only had 78% pass last year, and we need to get 82% or the sun may fall out of the sky. Here's another question you're likely to hear from VIPs above your lowly station:
How do you utilize PD to motivate the staff?
That's an interesting question. I hear it and I think: "Motivate the staff to do what, exactly? Raise test scores? Jump up and down? Start a war with a banana republic somewhere? Who knows? It could be anything.
But when I sit at meetings with non-teachers who make decisions, I never get answers to questions like those, and I never get the questions I think I should hear. The closest they get is maybe:
What are you doing to make the students college and career ready?
I'm trying to think of the last time I asked kids what they wanted, and they replied, "To be college and career ready." The most I recall that is never. Sometimes a student says she wants to be a doctor, or a lawyer. Sometimes kids tell me they want to go home, to countries far away. Sometimes they're sad about things happening at home. Sometimes they just need you to listen.
So you might find yourself at a meeting with a Very Important Person, and you might be wondering when relevant questions will come up. How are teachers and counselors helping kids navigate the choppy waters of life in 2016? Are they happy? Do all these programs and benchmarks improve their lives?
In fact you may actually have a pretty cool thing happening in your classes this year. You might think you'd get to talk about it when the moment arises. Maybe it's something extra, something the kids you serve would never experience if you hadn't been persistent and lucky enough to get them into such a program. The questioner may or may not have cared. It doesn't really matter. It will certainly never come up.
And then there are those other questions. Are the students homeless? Do they live in poverty? Do they wake at 4 AM to help relatives deliver newspapers? If they don't make it to school by the time free breakfast ends do they miss a meal? What's the difference? That's not part of the data you're supposed to utilize to inform instruction.
There are questions that have already been determined, and there are answers. There is good, there is bad. You listen to them tell you about the incredible benefits of Common Core. They point at what they need to know. So you'll just answer the questions and not bring up any of your own.
In these reformy times, it's just not trendy to bother with how children feel or what they think. David Coleman, architect of Common Core, says no one gives a crap anyway. Just get enough of them college and career ready, walking down that prescribed path, and someone gets that all-important promotion, or pat on the back, or whatever the hell it is that motivates the Very Important People who run our system.
Everyone else just needs to get with the program.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
The Aim Game
Lots of administrators love to see the aim on the board. I learned this very early. When I first started teaching, I had never heard of an aim. When teachers taught me, they had an aim, I guess, but didn't write it on the board. In NYC, the aim is about the closest thing to a religious doctrine I can think of. My first supervisor told me the aim must be in the form of a statement. My second said it must be in the form of a question. Or maybe vice-versa. I don't really remember.
Most supervisors now say it must be a question. Evidently, if you don't place one on the board you can't possibly know what you are doing. The thing is, though, that if you don't actually know what you are doing, the relative quality of your aim won't mitigate that at all. And if you do, for my money, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether you write it or not. I don't believe students are so simple minded they can't comprehend what's going on unless you reduce it to a statement, question, or even an emoji. Still, if supervisors want them so bad, who am I to start a fight over that?
I favor simple questions. If I'm teaching present progressive, or something that forces my students to use it, I'll write, "What are you doing?" Some colleagues won't. They'll write things like, "How can we describe what's happening right now?" And then there's literature. If I were teaching Jurassic Park, and I have once or twice, I might write, "What's the best thing to do when a dinosaur is chasing you?" The answer, of course, is run like hell, which is what the characters spent that chapter doing.
My colleagues will write, "How do we show a deep understanding of literature via use of literary elements?" These are things that the geniuses who write the NY State Regents exams deem crucial when discussing literature. You have to talk about theme, setting, character, and a few other things or you can't possibly understand or appreciate what you read. It's very important, you see, that we reduce things like literature into five or ten defined areas and describe it like that.
I see things like, "How can we explore the deeper meaning in this limerick?" and I don't even want to read the thing. What do I care if the young man from Nantucket was driven by his environment to perform whatever unnatural tale unfolded? Would it have been more poignant if he had done it in Brooklyn?
Then there's that other thing, the instructional objective, which my first supervisor insisted I place on a lesson plan. I didn't understand the difference between an IO and an aim for years, and I was lucky because I haven't had a supervisor since who cared whether or not I wrote one. And anyway, the UFT Contract specifies that lesson plans are for teachers, and the layout is at the teacher's discretion. (I had great fun pointing that out to a pompous bureaucrat who visited my school and said schools would close if lesson plans didn't contain Common Core Standards. Teachers came up to me for days and thanked me for being there.)
I didn't really figure out what the instructional objective was until I observed a class in which a new teacher wrote on the board, "Students will be able to explain the meaning of this piece of literature via utilization of literary elements." That's what it is, I thought to myself, as I advised the young teacher that what she had written was not, in fact, an aim, and that the principal would not be offering her a raise and promotion if she continued to write such things on the board.
If you have to write an aim, I think, it ought to be some kind of hook. It ought not to contain language that suggests what we are going to do is tedious crap. To me, even when I am compelled to teach tedious crap (like how to pass the English Regents Exam), I try to find some way to personalize things. Now it isn't easy when you're doing test prep, which is precisely why I hate doing test prep.
What I do now is teach kids how to speak and love English. It's one of my favorite things, and I hope to make it one of their favorite things too. I can tell them that they will use what I teach pretty much every day of their lives. They can use it if they go to college, they can use it if they go to work, and they can use it if they're hungry and want a hamburger. In fact, a student once wrote a composition for me about the difficulties he encountered trying to order a hamburger in a restaurant. It was pretty funny, to him too, as he'd finally acquired enough language to easily procure as many burgers as his money could buy.
For the life of me, I don't understand why anyone wants to make opening questions complicated. I think I'm in the minority here, though, so if I'm missing something feel free to let me know why.
Most supervisors now say it must be a question. Evidently, if you don't place one on the board you can't possibly know what you are doing. The thing is, though, that if you don't actually know what you are doing, the relative quality of your aim won't mitigate that at all. And if you do, for my money, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether you write it or not. I don't believe students are so simple minded they can't comprehend what's going on unless you reduce it to a statement, question, or even an emoji. Still, if supervisors want them so bad, who am I to start a fight over that?
I favor simple questions. If I'm teaching present progressive, or something that forces my students to use it, I'll write, "What are you doing?" Some colleagues won't. They'll write things like, "How can we describe what's happening right now?" And then there's literature. If I were teaching Jurassic Park, and I have once or twice, I might write, "What's the best thing to do when a dinosaur is chasing you?" The answer, of course, is run like hell, which is what the characters spent that chapter doing.
My colleagues will write, "How do we show a deep understanding of literature via use of literary elements?" These are things that the geniuses who write the NY State Regents exams deem crucial when discussing literature. You have to talk about theme, setting, character, and a few other things or you can't possibly understand or appreciate what you read. It's very important, you see, that we reduce things like literature into five or ten defined areas and describe it like that.
I see things like, "How can we explore the deeper meaning in this limerick?" and I don't even want to read the thing. What do I care if the young man from Nantucket was driven by his environment to perform whatever unnatural tale unfolded? Would it have been more poignant if he had done it in Brooklyn?
Then there's that other thing, the instructional objective, which my first supervisor insisted I place on a lesson plan. I didn't understand the difference between an IO and an aim for years, and I was lucky because I haven't had a supervisor since who cared whether or not I wrote one. And anyway, the UFT Contract specifies that lesson plans are for teachers, and the layout is at the teacher's discretion. (I had great fun pointing that out to a pompous bureaucrat who visited my school and said schools would close if lesson plans didn't contain Common Core Standards. Teachers came up to me for days and thanked me for being there.)
I didn't really figure out what the instructional objective was until I observed a class in which a new teacher wrote on the board, "Students will be able to explain the meaning of this piece of literature via utilization of literary elements." That's what it is, I thought to myself, as I advised the young teacher that what she had written was not, in fact, an aim, and that the principal would not be offering her a raise and promotion if she continued to write such things on the board.
If you have to write an aim, I think, it ought to be some kind of hook. It ought not to contain language that suggests what we are going to do is tedious crap. To me, even when I am compelled to teach tedious crap (like how to pass the English Regents Exam), I try to find some way to personalize things. Now it isn't easy when you're doing test prep, which is precisely why I hate doing test prep.
What I do now is teach kids how to speak and love English. It's one of my favorite things, and I hope to make it one of their favorite things too. I can tell them that they will use what I teach pretty much every day of their lives. They can use it if they go to college, they can use it if they go to work, and they can use it if they're hungry and want a hamburger. In fact, a student once wrote a composition for me about the difficulties he encountered trying to order a hamburger in a restaurant. It was pretty funny, to him too, as he'd finally acquired enough language to easily procure as many burgers as his money could buy.
For the life of me, I don't understand why anyone wants to make opening questions complicated. I think I'm in the minority here, though, so if I'm missing something feel free to let me know why.
Monday, October 24, 2016
UFT Executive Board October 24, 2016
Secretary Schoor welcomes us.
Approval of Minutes—accepted, seconded
President’s Report
Mulgrew is not here 6:04
Staff Director’s Report—not here either
Questions
David Garcia Rosen—MORE—Last week we brought up a very important resolution about the mass incarceration of people of color in the USA. I think the only valid point against it was that many people in this room had not seen the movie yet. I am hopeful that many more people in this room have seen the movie. We heard some moving speeches against the resolution that were draped in language that implied we share a common understanding that this union must take action. I would like to hear an update about what our leaders, who I’d hoped would be seated on the dais but are not yet, propose we do to address the continued enslavement of people of color by the United States of America.
Secretary—will refer to proper people when they arrive. Resolution was tabled. Asks Leroy Barr, who has just arrived. Garcia Rosen repeats.
Leroy Barr—Says no one spoke against it, it was tabled. Says there were other questions, conversation needs to be had, we will have it and come up with a plan. Says concepts and film are part of it. Says he leaves it to future conversations.
DGH—What happened here this week?
Sec—You’ve gotten as much of an update as you’re going to get tonight. You will get an update.
6:10 Mulgrew arrives—Says we’ve already passed resolutions, worked in coalitions, says we pushed AFT to make stronger resolution nationally. Says it’s coalition building and work that we do. After presidential race will become one of the biggest topic, candidates talk about it in very different ways. We questioned Sanders and Clinton and Malloy about this with AFT Exec. Board.
Hoping for positive outcome in pres. race. Thanks phone banks. Doesn’t want people taking for granted. PA is very important. Thanks to bus volunteers. PA had better response than FL. We are pushing FL and NC. We always believed we could win with ground game. We have it in place, Trump does not.
Curriculum survey—1000 schools responded. We are doing well in general performance, but everyone needs support, PD aligned to curriculum. Teachers shouldn’t do curriculum maps or scope and sequence. Leaders do that. Our system doing as well as rest of state, but we need this for next step. Thanks CLs, DRs. We specifically put this and paperwork in last contract. Paperwork complaints have good results. Praises parent conferences. 6:15 Mulgrew leaves.

Leroy Barr
Pushes teacher union day. Mentions middle school luncheon. Says we will give away coats and winter wear, asks we share items. November 19th. Next DA November 9th, EB November 14th.
Questions continues:
Marcus McArthur—MORE—Asks about civil rights and how union organizes around it. Heard there was coalition building and money to support different candidates. Last week Seattle TU work Black Lives Matter shirts. Interested in hearing if there’s any public demonstrations of support that we will be making. What about Civll and Human rights task force? Do we still have one and can we bring it back?
Sec—No such plans now. What do you mean task force?
MM—Asking about the task force he believed was formed in 2007.
Sec. says we will check on that.
MM—if we aren’t planning to do anything…
Sec—Don’t say that—This union takes second place to no one…
MM—If we aren’t doing anything visible is there a reason why?
Leroy Barr—we do have a social justice committee. AFT formed a civil and human rights task force, had a recommendation and a resolution. We are part of the AFT. I will copy it for you. We spoke to the issue. There is no protest at this point like wearing BLM shirt. Doesn’t mean we don’t take a position. Doesn’t mean we haven’t got partners on civill and human rights. We do take positions, voted on and approved by AFT, and we are currently engaged in many such issues.
Howard Sandell—wants to remind people there are more than just teachers represented. Nurses could not wear protest shirts. Respects your request, but there are 70-80K more people who can’t take this action.
Kuljit Ahluwalia—New Action—Will there be a conference and workshop for ATRs, and if not, why not?
Amy Arundell—Informational meetings we normally held were held off due to negotiations with DOE. We have have informational meetings for November.
Mike Schirtzer—MORE—Art and Design HS—abusive principal—seems directed to go after staff, micromanagement, paperwork, emails on weekends, goes after CLs. DRs response is very good. Other schools hearing about it become demoralized and fearful. What is our public response?
Sec—Will bring up to DOE. Give us your info
Duane Clark—Been in this school over a year. Principal turnover high. Communication issues between CL and principal. We are pros, and CL has to be pro too. Superintendent doesn’t recognize principal is problem. We have a consistent group, an action plan. I need clarity.
Mike S.—R and F hears about it, rumors are flying, and there is no public response, Should be one. We need to show how we react.
DC—Principals in need of improvement program. Problems with passive members.
Sterling Roberson—Happy about continued work. Routine visits are happening, conversations are happening. When we talk about scope and size of what’s happening in other schools we need to find how to share these things in real time. Appreciate idea of issues coming forth, wants communication in real Time
Alice O’Neil—Met with HS Supe for that school for paperwork complaint. Members didn’t wish to upload anything on their system. Only 1/3 of chapter met with me. CL needs to fill out complaint, was filled out perfectly. Problem is no one in chapter had addressed it with new principal. Chapter first has to see remedy. Asking that school participates in committees. Complaint needs to be in writing. 100 members at that school, incredible group, more work to be done,
MS—When members see principals go after CL, creates culture of fear.
DC—CL has to have his act together as well. Are cases where CLs are targeted. For them we need to go in. if they need support we
Arthur Goldstein—MORE—In the Daily News last week there was a piece stating that only 17% of city schools were fully air-conditioned. CTU just negotiated a contract that promised full AC for 2017-2018. We are asked to engage all students. I tried doing that in a third floor room with southern exposure during the sweltering month of September, and I’m 100% certain I could’ve done a better job had there been AC. I’m sure the students would’ve benefited as well.
Two years ago Chancellor Fariña said it was a beautiful day and opened the schools during a blizzard. She said Macy’s was open. I thought about that a lot as I spent four hours driving 23 miles to my home. Using that Macy’s yardstick, every Macy’s I’ve ever entered in the summertime had AC. So I hope we can count on the Chancellor’s support.
I propose we start a conversation with Tweed, those folks who put children first, always, and ask them, now that we’ve finally gotten rid of the last coal furnace, to bring our schools into 2016. Let’s show Tweed that we, the UFT, not Families for Excellent Schools, not Students First NY, are the people who spend every day with the city’s children, and that we, in fact, are the ones who act in their best interests, always.
Sec Will bring up with health and safety committee
Jonathan Halabi—New Action--What are results of our survey about schools with high turnover?
Sec—will report next meeting.
Ashraya Gupta—MORE—Science teacher. Wants to ask about chemical supply closets. Is nightmarish fire hazard. We have ATR lab specialist, who helped us, but when we asked for hazardous materials to be picked up, we came to a standstill. She can’t do anything until we fix this. How can we move forward?
Sec—Send it to me or Ellie Engler.
Ellie Engler—Someone will be there in two days
Helen Rezan—DRs said having survey in June was helpful but not complete. We want to count further.
EE—We’re doing last minute churn data. High rate in all schools.
Report from Districts
none
Legislative Report
Paul Egan—Great weekend. Had three buses to PA, thanks people, election is in two weeks, polls moving right way. State Senate and Assembly races important. Nassau County Exec. arrested. Could be opportunities.
Special Order of Business
Functional Executive Board Nominations
Mike Schirtzer--MORE—nominates Norm Scott, taught 27 years, was CL, involved in public ed. and this union. Built coalitions, worked with secretaries, paras, parents, continues to work with robotics, at Rockaway Theatre with teachers, coined term ed. deform movement. Norm helped lead this movement that charters did not have best interests of our students at heart. Stood against testing, with opt-out movement. Goes to AFT on own dime, goes to UFT DA, many ask him for help. Knows we are democratic union, welcomes dissent, and Norm offers it from time to time.
Anne Goldman—Nancy Barth Miller, worked with for 20 years, original organizer of nurses, unlike many she chose which union she wanted to be part of. She led successful organizing effort. Went to Supreme Court, kept momentum over 3 year litigation. For last 20 year has participated in negotiation. Participated at city, state and national level. Worked on accreditation for hospitals, helped other locals to understand how to use power of union. Is articulate, brought forth momentum and message of union. Participated in and led strikes. Part of UFT initiative, made us stronger and more efficient.
Sec—Next EB between 5 and 6 there will be a secret ballot. After 6 we will count.
Resolution in Support of the Association of PA State College and University Faculties
Strike was settled--no need for resolution.
Adjourned.
Vicious Cycle of Teacher Recruitment
When I started teaching, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, NYC would hire anyone. I'm sure of this, because they hired me. I hadn't ever taught in my life, and I hadn't even taken an education course. But I had a college degree, I majored in English, and I passed a basic writing test over at Court Street. That was good enough for them to give me a job and pay me something like 14K per annum.
Years later, I watched Rudy Giuliani explain on TV that he didn't want to give teachers a raise because a lot of them "stink." He didn't cite any stats or figures, but in his mind, such as it was, that was good enough. Then we had Michael Bloomberg, who degraded us on a regular basis and sought to make us at will employees. After that, of course, came the new evaluation system. I can't think of a single working teacher (excepting the shills at E4E) who supports it.
Every day teachers wonder if there's gonna be a drive-by. Will the Boy Wonder come in with his little iPad and make up things that never happened? Will he tell you face to face the lesson was wonderful and then trash you in the actual evaluation? Worse, will he walk in while you're having a bad day? Will he make it a point to observe you on a half day when only eight students are present? This is what teachers walk around thinking about. I go on Facebook and read teachers say they will pay for the education of their children unless they pursue careers in education.
So, fewer people want to go into teaching. There appears to be a shortage in NY State. Perhaps we ought not to continue draconian "gotcha" plans to rate teachers, you conclude. Maybe Cuomo is coming to his senses. Well, you conclude wrong. Sure, there is some sort of temporary moratorium on rating teachers by VAM junk science. But it only applies to certain 3-8 teachers. We high school teachers are rated by the same nonsense we've suffered through for years.
Here's what NY Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia has decided--she'll let teachers from out of state teach our children without meeting certification requirements. OK, now I'm not saying that meeting the requirements makes anyone a good teacher. Still, it's hard to see how failing to meet them makes anyone a good teacher either. It's certainly unfair that those of us who live here and know the area are held to a higher bar than those who don't.
But what's the inevitable outcome of a policy like this? Well, for one, it may keep them from having to raise compensation to attract people. That's bad for those of us who have to work for a living, and despite the inane chatter about putting "students first," it doesn't benefit our kids to have lower-paying jobs either.
Another issue, though, is probably further opportunity to blame teachers for education failures. What if teachers from Utah are ill equipped to deal with kids from New York? Inevitably, this will lead to tinhorn politicians to keep up the chants about how public school teachers suck, how union sucks, and how taxes suck and therefore teachers shouldn't be paid. Then, instead of making the field more competitive, they can lower standards even further and hire people even less equipped to do the job.
Then the op-eds can cry for more charters, more TFA, and more McTeachers who get thrown in the trash after a single use. It's ridiculous.
We need a reasonable standard for teachers, reasonable working conditions for teachers, and reasonable compensation for teachers. If the reformies don't wish to be reasonable, this shell game will go on forever. That's no way to place children first, and in fact it's no way to treat them at all.
Years later, I watched Rudy Giuliani explain on TV that he didn't want to give teachers a raise because a lot of them "stink." He didn't cite any stats or figures, but in his mind, such as it was, that was good enough. Then we had Michael Bloomberg, who degraded us on a regular basis and sought to make us at will employees. After that, of course, came the new evaluation system. I can't think of a single working teacher (excepting the shills at E4E) who supports it.
Every day teachers wonder if there's gonna be a drive-by. Will the Boy Wonder come in with his little iPad and make up things that never happened? Will he tell you face to face the lesson was wonderful and then trash you in the actual evaluation? Worse, will he walk in while you're having a bad day? Will he make it a point to observe you on a half day when only eight students are present? This is what teachers walk around thinking about. I go on Facebook and read teachers say they will pay for the education of their children unless they pursue careers in education.
So, fewer people want to go into teaching. There appears to be a shortage in NY State. Perhaps we ought not to continue draconian "gotcha" plans to rate teachers, you conclude. Maybe Cuomo is coming to his senses. Well, you conclude wrong. Sure, there is some sort of temporary moratorium on rating teachers by VAM junk science. But it only applies to certain 3-8 teachers. We high school teachers are rated by the same nonsense we've suffered through for years.
Here's what NY Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia has decided--she'll let teachers from out of state teach our children without meeting certification requirements. OK, now I'm not saying that meeting the requirements makes anyone a good teacher. Still, it's hard to see how failing to meet them makes anyone a good teacher either. It's certainly unfair that those of us who live here and know the area are held to a higher bar than those who don't.
But what's the inevitable outcome of a policy like this? Well, for one, it may keep them from having to raise compensation to attract people. That's bad for those of us who have to work for a living, and despite the inane chatter about putting "students first," it doesn't benefit our kids to have lower-paying jobs either.
Another issue, though, is probably further opportunity to blame teachers for education failures. What if teachers from Utah are ill equipped to deal with kids from New York? Inevitably, this will lead to tinhorn politicians to keep up the chants about how public school teachers suck, how union sucks, and how taxes suck and therefore teachers shouldn't be paid. Then, instead of making the field more competitive, they can lower standards even further and hire people even less equipped to do the job.
Then the op-eds can cry for more charters, more TFA, and more McTeachers who get thrown in the trash after a single use. It's ridiculous.
We need a reasonable standard for teachers, reasonable working conditions for teachers, and reasonable compensation for teachers. If the reformies don't wish to be reasonable, this shell game will go on forever. That's no way to place children first, and in fact it's no way to treat them at all.
Friday, October 21, 2016
DA Takeaway October 2016
Mulgrew said, "Welcome to the nuthouse," by way of introduction. I'm not sure just how funny I find that. It's a tough job to represent people, but it's also a serious one. He could be right, but on the other hand maybe the craziest thing to do is go out and teach children. There's just tremendous pressure from all directions, and the folks who govern seem intent on making it worse.
Mulgrew, as I recall, boasted of having a part in writing the original APPR law. I cannot stress how much stress that caused teachers citywide. So when he paints a win/ win face on the matrix thing, that's hard to take too. If you're rated well on school observation, you're OK. If you're rated well on junk science, be it tests or growth, you're OK. Mulgrew has not yet demonstrated to me, or anyone who hasn't signed a loyalty oath, that this growth thing is valid in any respect. People I respect have told me this has been studied even less than test-based junk science and that there's no reason to believe it works.
Of course what Mulgrew did not say is that if you're rated poorly on both axes you're screwed. That is the case now, of course. But two things have not changed:
1. Junk science is kind of a crapshoot. Depending on what school you're in, which kids you get, and how they feel or act any given day, who knows what will happen?
2. A lot of administrators, even in relatively good schools, are out of their frigging minds. They fail to see things that happen, see things that don't, and are largely governed by the voices in their heads.
A lot of teachers feel like moving targets, flying around and hoping not to be randomly shot. This is not the best atmosphere from which to educate children. The immense pressure on teachers helps no one. And the direction we're moving, to wit, experimenting with new unproven methods and hoping for the best, is not likely to help children, teachers, or anyone not gainfully employed in making up new rubrics, materials, or continued justification for a highly compensated seat over at Tweed.
Mulgrew talked a lot of trash about Reformy John King, and Lord knows he merited each and every word. He was horrific in New York, is just as bad in DC, and he's a fanatical ideologue. Logic has no place in his mindset, and that's less than ideal in a prominent educator. Nonetheless, it's hard for me to forget that Mulgrew thought giving him the final say on teacher evaluation would be a fabulous idea. Like many teachers, I did not share that enthusiasm.
Mulgrew thanked us for the progress we made on social media. I continue to be amazed by a leader who advocates for social media, asks that we get on Twitter and use hashtags for this and that, and yet does not use it himself. He also made a remark about how we should see his email. I, for one, wondered aloud whether he saw his email, and the chapter leader next to me said he never answers it. I wasn't surprised because he never answers mine either.
A resolution came out on blue paper with the Unity logo on back. I recall last year that some Unity folk complained when a MORE logo appeared on a resolution. Evidently, it's not against the rules. Nonetheless, in a hall full of people with trips, jobs, and potential trips and jobs, anything with the Unity logo is something they absolutely positively have to vote for.
Now this motion was for an additional year of mentoring. I'd probably have voted for it if I had time to read it, but some guy stuck it in my hands and then it was voted on. The Unity logo was enough for a whole lot of people in the crowd. They didn't need to read it, and it was a good thing because they didn't have time either.
Things were quite different at the Executive Board on Monday when an passionate David Garcia Rosen got up and spoke eloquently about the importance of the Netflix documentary 13th. People hadn't seen it, they said, so how could they vote on it? I actually thought that was a good point until two days later when I was asked to vote on a one-page resolution I didn't have time to read (and I'm a pretty fast reader). If that's not a double standard, I don't know what is.
By the way, if you haven't seen 13th, I highly recommend it. It's both excellent and disturbing. Hopefully some of those folks at Executive Board will find time to see it and come to their senses. Regardless, you will never forget it.
Mulgrew, as I recall, boasted of having a part in writing the original APPR law. I cannot stress how much stress that caused teachers citywide. So when he paints a win/ win face on the matrix thing, that's hard to take too. If you're rated well on school observation, you're OK. If you're rated well on junk science, be it tests or growth, you're OK. Mulgrew has not yet demonstrated to me, or anyone who hasn't signed a loyalty oath, that this growth thing is valid in any respect. People I respect have told me this has been studied even less than test-based junk science and that there's no reason to believe it works.
Of course what Mulgrew did not say is that if you're rated poorly on both axes you're screwed. That is the case now, of course. But two things have not changed:
1. Junk science is kind of a crapshoot. Depending on what school you're in, which kids you get, and how they feel or act any given day, who knows what will happen?
2. A lot of administrators, even in relatively good schools, are out of their frigging minds. They fail to see things that happen, see things that don't, and are largely governed by the voices in their heads.
A lot of teachers feel like moving targets, flying around and hoping not to be randomly shot. This is not the best atmosphere from which to educate children. The immense pressure on teachers helps no one. And the direction we're moving, to wit, experimenting with new unproven methods and hoping for the best, is not likely to help children, teachers, or anyone not gainfully employed in making up new rubrics, materials, or continued justification for a highly compensated seat over at Tweed.
Mulgrew talked a lot of trash about Reformy John King, and Lord knows he merited each and every word. He was horrific in New York, is just as bad in DC, and he's a fanatical ideologue. Logic has no place in his mindset, and that's less than ideal in a prominent educator. Nonetheless, it's hard for me to forget that Mulgrew thought giving him the final say on teacher evaluation would be a fabulous idea. Like many teachers, I did not share that enthusiasm.
Mulgrew thanked us for the progress we made on social media. I continue to be amazed by a leader who advocates for social media, asks that we get on Twitter and use hashtags for this and that, and yet does not use it himself. He also made a remark about how we should see his email. I, for one, wondered aloud whether he saw his email, and the chapter leader next to me said he never answers it. I wasn't surprised because he never answers mine either.
A resolution came out on blue paper with the Unity logo on back. I recall last year that some Unity folk complained when a MORE logo appeared on a resolution. Evidently, it's not against the rules. Nonetheless, in a hall full of people with trips, jobs, and potential trips and jobs, anything with the Unity logo is something they absolutely positively have to vote for.
Now this motion was for an additional year of mentoring. I'd probably have voted for it if I had time to read it, but some guy stuck it in my hands and then it was voted on. The Unity logo was enough for a whole lot of people in the crowd. They didn't need to read it, and it was a good thing because they didn't have time either.
Things were quite different at the Executive Board on Monday when an passionate David Garcia Rosen got up and spoke eloquently about the importance of the Netflix documentary 13th. People hadn't seen it, they said, so how could they vote on it? I actually thought that was a good point until two days later when I was asked to vote on a one-page resolution I didn't have time to read (and I'm a pretty fast reader). If that's not a double standard, I don't know what is.
By the way, if you haven't seen 13th, I highly recommend it. It's both excellent and disturbing. Hopefully some of those folks at Executive Board will find time to see it and come to their senses. Regardless, you will never forget it.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
UFT Delegate Assembly October19, 2016
Mulgrew welcomes us. 4:30
Recognizes new CLs and Delegates “Welcome to the nut house.”
President’s Report
National—Presidential election
Mulgrew digresses, goes back to delegates, talking about Robert’s Rules and voting rules. “Out of order does not mean I’m a mean person.” Says we take positions, make endorsements based on best interests of profession and unionized workers. Says this one was easy because one person wants to get rid of us, convert Title One to voucher program.
Has been in Nevada, FL, working with retirees. Says it is ugly in battleground states. Says you feel it more there, people yell at each other based on what paraphernalia they wear. Says we have many volunteers. Hillary will win NYS, never in doubt. We’ve done a lot of work in Nevada, PA, improving. FL toss up.
Says on November 9th country will be divided. Praises volunteers for Hillary. NYSUT sending buses to Cleveland and NH. We are going into many different states and phone banking across the country. Praises those who do social media volunteering. Says much better than last time.
Says we won gerrymandering case in FL. Congressional seats in Nevada we are working on. Says all candidates say they love teachers.
NAACP in news, was attacked when years ago joined us in anti-charter lawsuit. Just passed resolution calling for moratorium on new charters—under pressure from small number of very powerful individuals. Resolution passed. UFT’s Anthony Harmon went in capacity as local NAACP president, and pushed it. Construction workers supported us, as there’s a lot of non-union work.
Charters targeting NY State, among others, to lift cap or double numbers. Says that’s why we ran TV spot. Other big state is MA, where there is a ballot referendum. NY will push via legislature. For NAACP and BLM to oppose is not good for charter lobby. MA 12 points down right now and we have to win here too.
Eva Moskowitz had party in park rather than walking over bridge. They had a small targeted TV drive.
State
Standards review started at state level. Did anyone read the whole thing? No? We have a committee looking at it. ELL committee very strong, could use more special ed. Mulgrew says we don’t want to tweak standards but rather have new ones. We want separate standards for ESL and special ed. teachers. They did nothing. So Mulgrew unhappy, wants more teacher input. Says commissioner called him upset, said they didn’t have time for ELL standards.
Federal law called ESSA wants states to do comments and application process. Date moved from March to July. Appears many people on both sides angry with John King. Feel he went way too far and became prescriptive. Mulgrew makes fun of that, as he’s done it before. Waits on changes in Washington to redo process. Feds may not force states to use test scores for teacher evaluation.
NYC has lived longer with this than anyone. Bloomberg closed schools, created system to close more. Says we want to use growth rather than proficiency, as students often come in below grade level. Says teachers should be credited for actual growth rather than proficiency, because we’ve done that before.
Chicago and Buffalo have reached tentative contract agreements. Contracts should be taken in context of whether municipality has money. In Chi, pension plan underfunded since government doesn’t pay, like NJ. Christie never mentions it’s because his state hasn’t paid in 18 years. Our state has constitutional provisions to ensure payment but Buffalo schools have shrunk. When system is broke unions have to deal. Says UFT stopped city from going under in 70s.
City
Mulgrew thanks Mindy Rosier for walking to Albany on behalf of CFE, gives her pink roses.
Watching school funding, want APPR moratorium.
Says you will hear about constitutional convention, which will threaten pensions. Says there is always a curve ball somewhere every year. Says Governor has been in NYC schools to celebrate great teachers. Mulgrew tells story about Cuomo losing the attention of elementary students.
ELL conference completely booked and oversubscribed. Room for 700-1200 coming. Says we got tired of waiting for DOE. Thanks Evelyn de Jesus.
We are equal or greater than state in terms of student performance. They don’t have as many children of need as we do. Big challenge is number of ELLs and number of languages. Mulgrew says we can’t make them literate in native tongue before we bring them in, we don’t know their ed. background or literacy level. Says we are trying to deal with challenge.
Thanks Servia Silva DR from district 4, for organizing UFT breast cancer march.
CTLE—professional hours. No answer or guidance from DOE. We know to register in birth month. If you miss it, you aren’t penalized and may still register. Mulgrew frustrated with DOE and NYSED. They say they don’t have the capacity and still have to figure out. UFT teacher center is certified vendor in this program. DOE is not. Teacher center can give certificate. Only thing he knows at this moment. Waiting for further clarification.
Teacher eval. APPR—If it’s done correctly, it’s a good thing. Delegates do not see that happening. No agreement as of yet. Told DOE we will not agree unless we have multiple measures of non-standardized tests, but rather authentic student learning.
No final number on last year’s evaluation. Bloomberg 1800-2000, 697 (?) last two years. Says we are holding their feet to fire with 13% clause. If we don’t agree by end of year, NYC will lose 540 million from state. Mulgrew says we are close to agreement. Failure to agree with Bloomberg cost city 260 million. We are close, but we’ve been close before. You will hear about it from me. We need correct info because principals imagine weird scenarios.
Says we have to debunk myths about matrix. People say it must be 50%. Mulgrew says if student learning is good, principal says you are bad, you are OK. If principals says good and students learning is bad, you are good. Enemies ask how that can be and we say we want a fair system.
We’ve gotten better at measuring growth, but we haven’t got that perfected. Says this is, therefore. fair system. Papers will call it rigged, but it’s fair. Says in other states, they have no teachers. You could travel there and get a job. Some districts don’t even have subs, and recruit parents. This is what happens when you get rid of the teachers.
Curriculum and paperwork—1000 schools answered. To move to next level, every teacher must have curriculum, which we haven’t had since scope and sequence books, decades ago. Says we should use one for museum exhibit. We want real curriculum. 350 of 1000 have curriculum problems. Must contain scope and sequence, a curriculum map. 70 have big problems.
Number one issue with members is paperwork. It’s in contract and not being implemented. You may file a complaint online. About making member workplace better. Once complaint is filed, it remains open until resolved. Chapter leader and principal have to resolve issue. CL must attempt to resolve it. If not resolved, it goes to district paperwork committee. Principals always say CLs didn’t speak to them, but resolve when complaints go to district or central. Calls it big win for CLs.
YUBEE—classroom supplies will give any teacher 25% off. Important teachers use money. Says it’s embarrassing how much money was spent there. We don’t normally push vendors.
Ends 5:17
Staff Director’s Report
Leroy Barr—celebrating those CLs and delegates with 100% attendance. Speaks of parent conferences in each borough. Teacher Union Day November 6th. Commemorates first strike of UFT November 7th.
Thanksgiving winter clothing drive, want new items for children. Nov. 9th next DA.
Mulgrew—day after election? Hope we’re rejoicing.
Questions—15 minutes, says Mulgrew
Dan Lupkin, CL—In 2014 we passed resolution to boycott Staples, but UFT spent 170K at Staples.
Mulgrew—Says he got out of any contracts he could with small penalty, but has asked ADCOM and will get back next month.
CL—Gets phone calls and mail from insurance salesman who claims to have ties with DOE and UFT, and that he must allow them to meetings. Are they UFT?
Mulgrew—No. Say no.
CL—In many schools, children have problems and paras are being taken to sit with problem kids in cafeteria. If it’s not in IEP they don’t have to, but it’s safety issue. How do we deal”
Mulgrew—DOE and UFT sent out language, should not happen. If child has on IEP that they must be covered, para must still get lunch. Paras are not lunchroom monitors.
CL—Many schools no longer have SAVE rooms or deans. Please help. What advice can we give members?
Mulgrew—Make it official atsafety meeting, send to Jeff Povilitis. We have regulation not being followed. Who wants to suspend small child? Parent of child hit with a chair. SAVE room is something we need to push. Not just room but program to deal with children in crisis.
CL—Sometimes functionals don’t feel like part of our chapter. How do we fix?
Mulgrew—Talk to them. I taught problem kids in basement. Only other people there were functionals. Put them on consultation committee. Have a union meeting just for functionals. Important piece and we need to do better job.
Marjorie Stamberg—We know that Trump is racist pig. We know that Hillary is beholden to Wall St. and that they are responsible for starvation wages in Haiti. Is there a way that we can have discussion and debate on a workers’ party in US?
Mulgrew—We have diverse political views which I love. You should see the emails I get. I appreciate the respect we have for diverse views. In here we go from ultra left to ultra right. If someone wants to bring a resolution we form a workers’ party it’s up to this delegation, not me.
CL—Now that schools have gone digital, what do members do about excessive email during school hours and weekends? How does that mesh with paperwork?
Mulgrew—electronic is paperwork.
CL—Up until this year I had good relationship with my principal but this year he seems psychotic. Doesn’t want to collaborate. Report cards due Tuesday while MP ends Friday. How can we get her back on track?
Mulgrew—If you had good relationship in past, use consultation committee first. If there was a 180, something has changed. Talk to DR and we will follow up.
Jim Myer—update on maternity leave? For resolutions, instead of paper, could we post or email it so people can read it, instead of wasting paper?
Mulgrew—I want everything electronic. We have to move there. Maternity leave—issue is when you’re out, sub costs less than you do. City wants plan that follows pattern bargaining. We are doing better on cost. They’d previously wanted to make money on it. They are now calling it “child acquisition program.” UFT doesn’t like word. They are at better place with cost, but don’t yet have mechanism. City has been better recently.
Motions—5:38—Ten minutes, says Mulgrew
Marjorie Stamberg—motion for this month, needs 2/3 vote to get on agenda.
Point of order—Has it been presented in writing to delegates?
Mulgrew—If three lines or less, you may say. If more, must be copied.
MS—three sentences.
Mulgrew—She will read and I will call for vote.
MS—UFT should not support either candidate of capitalism. Trump racist, Hillary beholden. We need a workers’ party. Seconded.
Voted down.
Mulgrew—Good Marjorie. Twice you got to say those things. That’s nice.
Delegate—motion for this month, for new teacher induction committees. passes out. Motion backed by Unity Caucus lit pushing Hillary. Asks for additional year of mentoring. I don’t have time to read it, but motion carries.
Resolutions
Janella Hinds—Career and tech ed. Cumbersome and convoluted to approve. Wants to improve process.
Speaker says do it because of BOCES.
Passes
Rich Mantel—Talks about arts resolution. We must expose our students to as much of the arts as possible. DOE focuses on test prep, reading and math, Want arts in every school.
Passes unanimously.
VP Goldman—Salutes and recognizes founders of first strike. Showed courage and laid foundation for collective bargaining in NYC. We must know it began with their courage and commitment, moving forward with illegal strike, unheard of. Asks that we salute them. Much applause.
Dave Pecoraro—calls question.
Speaker against motion—Delegate—speaks to previous speaker—We do need to be able to call a strike as a union. Speaks against—says first strike…
Mulgrew—If you aren’t speaking against, question has been called. Now you say you’re not speaking against it.
Speaker—against proposition that first strike is cause for unqualified celebration, Major issue was involuntary transfer. Our strikes not righteous undertaking. Harlem suffered from understaffed and underprepared teachers. This union protected teachers who did not want to serve in Harlem and Bed Stuy. UFT was against it. We need to be better prepared to deal with criticisms from charters who say we’ve deserted people. We need to talk history. Thank you.
Resolution passes.
Mulgrew—Not new to have factual errors in some people’s discussion. That’s all I’ll say about that.
Anthony Harmon—Favor of resolution calling of NAACP moratorium on charters. We have strong partnership with NAACP, I am president of Harlem branch. Was at meeting where vote took place, overwhelmingly passed in July. Ratified by board, which took strong stand. Was much discussion and pressure. NAACP does not take anti-charter position. They want to do what’s fair and equitable for all children. Was pressure from hedge-funders, but they took that stand. Op-ed pieces asked corporate funders to pull support. We should go on record and support nationwide moratorium. Asks we endorse.
Dave Pecoraro—calls question.
Speaker against—delegate—Gentleman clear he is against mismanagement. In essence, charters should be better. We need good public education, charters are private.
Motion carries.
Mulgrew—We are adjourned—Wait, there is a raffle.
Recognizes new CLs and Delegates “Welcome to the nut house.”
President’s Report
National—Presidential election
Mulgrew digresses, goes back to delegates, talking about Robert’s Rules and voting rules. “Out of order does not mean I’m a mean person.” Says we take positions, make endorsements based on best interests of profession and unionized workers. Says this one was easy because one person wants to get rid of us, convert Title One to voucher program.
Has been in Nevada, FL, working with retirees. Says it is ugly in battleground states. Says you feel it more there, people yell at each other based on what paraphernalia they wear. Says we have many volunteers. Hillary will win NYS, never in doubt. We’ve done a lot of work in Nevada, PA, improving. FL toss up.
Says on November 9th country will be divided. Praises volunteers for Hillary. NYSUT sending buses to Cleveland and NH. We are going into many different states and phone banking across the country. Praises those who do social media volunteering. Says much better than last time.
Says we won gerrymandering case in FL. Congressional seats in Nevada we are working on. Says all candidates say they love teachers.
NAACP in news, was attacked when years ago joined us in anti-charter lawsuit. Just passed resolution calling for moratorium on new charters—under pressure from small number of very powerful individuals. Resolution passed. UFT’s Anthony Harmon went in capacity as local NAACP president, and pushed it. Construction workers supported us, as there’s a lot of non-union work.
Charters targeting NY State, among others, to lift cap or double numbers. Says that’s why we ran TV spot. Other big state is MA, where there is a ballot referendum. NY will push via legislature. For NAACP and BLM to oppose is not good for charter lobby. MA 12 points down right now and we have to win here too.
Eva Moskowitz had party in park rather than walking over bridge. They had a small targeted TV drive.
State
Standards review started at state level. Did anyone read the whole thing? No? We have a committee looking at it. ELL committee very strong, could use more special ed. Mulgrew says we don’t want to tweak standards but rather have new ones. We want separate standards for ESL and special ed. teachers. They did nothing. So Mulgrew unhappy, wants more teacher input. Says commissioner called him upset, said they didn’t have time for ELL standards.
Federal law called ESSA wants states to do comments and application process. Date moved from March to July. Appears many people on both sides angry with John King. Feel he went way too far and became prescriptive. Mulgrew makes fun of that, as he’s done it before. Waits on changes in Washington to redo process. Feds may not force states to use test scores for teacher evaluation.
NYC has lived longer with this than anyone. Bloomberg closed schools, created system to close more. Says we want to use growth rather than proficiency, as students often come in below grade level. Says teachers should be credited for actual growth rather than proficiency, because we’ve done that before.
Chicago and Buffalo have reached tentative contract agreements. Contracts should be taken in context of whether municipality has money. In Chi, pension plan underfunded since government doesn’t pay, like NJ. Christie never mentions it’s because his state hasn’t paid in 18 years. Our state has constitutional provisions to ensure payment but Buffalo schools have shrunk. When system is broke unions have to deal. Says UFT stopped city from going under in 70s.
City
Mulgrew thanks Mindy Rosier for walking to Albany on behalf of CFE, gives her pink roses.
Watching school funding, want APPR moratorium.
Says you will hear about constitutional convention, which will threaten pensions. Says there is always a curve ball somewhere every year. Says Governor has been in NYC schools to celebrate great teachers. Mulgrew tells story about Cuomo losing the attention of elementary students.
ELL conference completely booked and oversubscribed. Room for 700-1200 coming. Says we got tired of waiting for DOE. Thanks Evelyn de Jesus.
We are equal or greater than state in terms of student performance. They don’t have as many children of need as we do. Big challenge is number of ELLs and number of languages. Mulgrew says we can’t make them literate in native tongue before we bring them in, we don’t know their ed. background or literacy level. Says we are trying to deal with challenge.
Thanks Servia Silva DR from district 4, for organizing UFT breast cancer march.
CTLE—professional hours. No answer or guidance from DOE. We know to register in birth month. If you miss it, you aren’t penalized and may still register. Mulgrew frustrated with DOE and NYSED. They say they don’t have the capacity and still have to figure out. UFT teacher center is certified vendor in this program. DOE is not. Teacher center can give certificate. Only thing he knows at this moment. Waiting for further clarification.
Teacher eval. APPR—If it’s done correctly, it’s a good thing. Delegates do not see that happening. No agreement as of yet. Told DOE we will not agree unless we have multiple measures of non-standardized tests, but rather authentic student learning.
No final number on last year’s evaluation. Bloomberg 1800-2000, 697 (?) last two years. Says we are holding their feet to fire with 13% clause. If we don’t agree by end of year, NYC will lose 540 million from state. Mulgrew says we are close to agreement. Failure to agree with Bloomberg cost city 260 million. We are close, but we’ve been close before. You will hear about it from me. We need correct info because principals imagine weird scenarios.
Says we have to debunk myths about matrix. People say it must be 50%. Mulgrew says if student learning is good, principal says you are bad, you are OK. If principals says good and students learning is bad, you are good. Enemies ask how that can be and we say we want a fair system.
We’ve gotten better at measuring growth, but we haven’t got that perfected. Says this is, therefore. fair system. Papers will call it rigged, but it’s fair. Says in other states, they have no teachers. You could travel there and get a job. Some districts don’t even have subs, and recruit parents. This is what happens when you get rid of the teachers.
Curriculum and paperwork—1000 schools answered. To move to next level, every teacher must have curriculum, which we haven’t had since scope and sequence books, decades ago. Says we should use one for museum exhibit. We want real curriculum. 350 of 1000 have curriculum problems. Must contain scope and sequence, a curriculum map. 70 have big problems.
Number one issue with members is paperwork. It’s in contract and not being implemented. You may file a complaint online. About making member workplace better. Once complaint is filed, it remains open until resolved. Chapter leader and principal have to resolve issue. CL must attempt to resolve it. If not resolved, it goes to district paperwork committee. Principals always say CLs didn’t speak to them, but resolve when complaints go to district or central. Calls it big win for CLs.
YUBEE—classroom supplies will give any teacher 25% off. Important teachers use money. Says it’s embarrassing how much money was spent there. We don’t normally push vendors.
Ends 5:17
Staff Director’s Report
Leroy Barr—celebrating those CLs and delegates with 100% attendance. Speaks of parent conferences in each borough. Teacher Union Day November 6th. Commemorates first strike of UFT November 7th.
Thanksgiving winter clothing drive, want new items for children. Nov. 9th next DA.
Mulgrew—day after election? Hope we’re rejoicing.
Questions—15 minutes, says Mulgrew
Dan Lupkin, CL—In 2014 we passed resolution to boycott Staples, but UFT spent 170K at Staples.
Mulgrew—Says he got out of any contracts he could with small penalty, but has asked ADCOM and will get back next month.
CL—Gets phone calls and mail from insurance salesman who claims to have ties with DOE and UFT, and that he must allow them to meetings. Are they UFT?
Mulgrew—No. Say no.
CL—In many schools, children have problems and paras are being taken to sit with problem kids in cafeteria. If it’s not in IEP they don’t have to, but it’s safety issue. How do we deal”
Mulgrew—DOE and UFT sent out language, should not happen. If child has on IEP that they must be covered, para must still get lunch. Paras are not lunchroom monitors.
CL—Many schools no longer have SAVE rooms or deans. Please help. What advice can we give members?
Mulgrew—Make it official atsafety meeting, send to Jeff Povilitis. We have regulation not being followed. Who wants to suspend small child? Parent of child hit with a chair. SAVE room is something we need to push. Not just room but program to deal with children in crisis.
CL—Sometimes functionals don’t feel like part of our chapter. How do we fix?
Mulgrew—Talk to them. I taught problem kids in basement. Only other people there were functionals. Put them on consultation committee. Have a union meeting just for functionals. Important piece and we need to do better job.
Marjorie Stamberg—We know that Trump is racist pig. We know that Hillary is beholden to Wall St. and that they are responsible for starvation wages in Haiti. Is there a way that we can have discussion and debate on a workers’ party in US?
Mulgrew—We have diverse political views which I love. You should see the emails I get. I appreciate the respect we have for diverse views. In here we go from ultra left to ultra right. If someone wants to bring a resolution we form a workers’ party it’s up to this delegation, not me.
CL—Now that schools have gone digital, what do members do about excessive email during school hours and weekends? How does that mesh with paperwork?
Mulgrew—electronic is paperwork.
CL—Up until this year I had good relationship with my principal but this year he seems psychotic. Doesn’t want to collaborate. Report cards due Tuesday while MP ends Friday. How can we get her back on track?
Mulgrew—If you had good relationship in past, use consultation committee first. If there was a 180, something has changed. Talk to DR and we will follow up.
Jim Myer—update on maternity leave? For resolutions, instead of paper, could we post or email it so people can read it, instead of wasting paper?
Mulgrew—I want everything electronic. We have to move there. Maternity leave—issue is when you’re out, sub costs less than you do. City wants plan that follows pattern bargaining. We are doing better on cost. They’d previously wanted to make money on it. They are now calling it “child acquisition program.” UFT doesn’t like word. They are at better place with cost, but don’t yet have mechanism. City has been better recently.
Motions—5:38—Ten minutes, says Mulgrew
Marjorie Stamberg—motion for this month, needs 2/3 vote to get on agenda.
Point of order—Has it been presented in writing to delegates?
Mulgrew—If three lines or less, you may say. If more, must be copied.
MS—three sentences.
Mulgrew—She will read and I will call for vote.
MS—UFT should not support either candidate of capitalism. Trump racist, Hillary beholden. We need a workers’ party. Seconded.
Voted down.
Mulgrew—Good Marjorie. Twice you got to say those things. That’s nice.
Delegate—motion for this month, for new teacher induction committees. passes out. Motion backed by Unity Caucus lit pushing Hillary. Asks for additional year of mentoring. I don’t have time to read it, but motion carries.
Resolutions
Janella Hinds—Career and tech ed. Cumbersome and convoluted to approve. Wants to improve process.
Speaker says do it because of BOCES.
Passes
Rich Mantel—Talks about arts resolution. We must expose our students to as much of the arts as possible. DOE focuses on test prep, reading and math, Want arts in every school.
Passes unanimously.
VP Goldman—Salutes and recognizes founders of first strike. Showed courage and laid foundation for collective bargaining in NYC. We must know it began with their courage and commitment, moving forward with illegal strike, unheard of. Asks that we salute them. Much applause.
Dave Pecoraro—calls question.
Speaker against motion—Delegate—speaks to previous speaker—We do need to be able to call a strike as a union. Speaks against—says first strike…
Mulgrew—If you aren’t speaking against, question has been called. Now you say you’re not speaking against it.
Speaker—against proposition that first strike is cause for unqualified celebration, Major issue was involuntary transfer. Our strikes not righteous undertaking. Harlem suffered from understaffed and underprepared teachers. This union protected teachers who did not want to serve in Harlem and Bed Stuy. UFT was against it. We need to be better prepared to deal with criticisms from charters who say we’ve deserted people. We need to talk history. Thank you.
Resolution passes.
Mulgrew—Not new to have factual errors in some people’s discussion. That’s all I’ll say about that.
Anthony Harmon—Favor of resolution calling of NAACP moratorium on charters. We have strong partnership with NAACP, I am president of Harlem branch. Was at meeting where vote took place, overwhelmingly passed in July. Ratified by board, which took strong stand. Was much discussion and pressure. NAACP does not take anti-charter position. They want to do what’s fair and equitable for all children. Was pressure from hedge-funders, but they took that stand. Op-ed pieces asked corporate funders to pull support. We should go on record and support nationwide moratorium. Asks we endorse.
Dave Pecoraro—calls question.
Speaker against—delegate—Gentleman clear he is against mismanagement. In essence, charters should be better. We need good public education, charters are private.
Motion carries.
Mulgrew—We are adjourned—Wait, there is a raffle.
I Hate Subbing
Some of my colleagues love it. After all, it's a chance to make 27 bucks, or whatever it is, for minimal effort. Who really expects you to teach Chinese or physics or whatever? Not anyone reasonable. The teacher is absent, and someone has to go in there and make sure the students don't throw one another out of windows. But honestly, in schools built in the last fifty years or so, there isn't even enough space for a human to get out of the windows.
But twice a year I owe a freebie, and I have to go out and cover some class. I did one yesterday, in fact, and the students were lovely. I got the assignment the period before, while I was teaching. I had no time to go to the department office and find out whether or not there was work for the kids. I told them to work or speak quietly and we would all be happy. Then they worked and spoke quietly and we were all happy. It was very nice.
But you never know. Sometimes you walk into a classroom and the kids start testing you. Let me see if I can get away with this. Maybe I can do that. Let's see what this teacher will do. Now this teacher, if he's subbing, will call the dean and have you removed. I mean, I'm probably never going to see this kid again. Why should I strain myself trying to negotiate? You're out. Bye bye.
Sometimes an AP, to be helpful, will come by and say, "Hey, is it OK if I send that kid back?" It must be a great burden to have one extra kid sitting in that outer office. I say, "No, I sent the kid out, and I want the kid out." That's worked well enough for me. Of course, I'm sure there are some who just send the kid back, or who ask and don't really care what you answer. That's irresponsible and disrespectful to teachers, but that's life in the big city.
In my regular classes, it takes an awful lot for me to eject someone. After all, that's an admission that I can't maintain control. That means the kid wins most of the time. I'm not willing to concede control to a kid just because he's more obnoxious than I am. Besides, I don't know anyone more obnoxious than I am, and if I ever meet that person, I will just grow more obnoxious so as to better cope.
I really feel for ATR teachers, who have to go out and do this day after day, week after week, month after month. I'm hopeful that the new incentive will pull people out of this, even though I read things suggesting otherwise, and with good reason. It's tough for me to sub a single class, because the thing that makes my classes interesting are the kids, and the relationships we develop. Without that, I'd have lost interest in this job a long time ago.
What's the secret to successful subbing? Anyone know? It could perhaps be the thirst for money. You know, it you make 27 bucks a day, that's almost 5K a year. You could buy a used car with that, and it's likely as not you wouldn't have to push it to work every day. Or maybe you love kids so much that you don't care whether or not you know them, or whether or not you have time enough to know them at all.
I've been teaching longer than most people I know, and I haven't got an answer. Mine is to dread the inevitable freebie, and hope for the best when it crosses my path. I was lucky yesterday. But who knows what's gonna happen next time?
But twice a year I owe a freebie, and I have to go out and cover some class. I did one yesterday, in fact, and the students were lovely. I got the assignment the period before, while I was teaching. I had no time to go to the department office and find out whether or not there was work for the kids. I told them to work or speak quietly and we would all be happy. Then they worked and spoke quietly and we were all happy. It was very nice.
But you never know. Sometimes you walk into a classroom and the kids start testing you. Let me see if I can get away with this. Maybe I can do that. Let's see what this teacher will do. Now this teacher, if he's subbing, will call the dean and have you removed. I mean, I'm probably never going to see this kid again. Why should I strain myself trying to negotiate? You're out. Bye bye.
Sometimes an AP, to be helpful, will come by and say, "Hey, is it OK if I send that kid back?" It must be a great burden to have one extra kid sitting in that outer office. I say, "No, I sent the kid out, and I want the kid out." That's worked well enough for me. Of course, I'm sure there are some who just send the kid back, or who ask and don't really care what you answer. That's irresponsible and disrespectful to teachers, but that's life in the big city.
In my regular classes, it takes an awful lot for me to eject someone. After all, that's an admission that I can't maintain control. That means the kid wins most of the time. I'm not willing to concede control to a kid just because he's more obnoxious than I am. Besides, I don't know anyone more obnoxious than I am, and if I ever meet that person, I will just grow more obnoxious so as to better cope.
I really feel for ATR teachers, who have to go out and do this day after day, week after week, month after month. I'm hopeful that the new incentive will pull people out of this, even though I read things suggesting otherwise, and with good reason. It's tough for me to sub a single class, because the thing that makes my classes interesting are the kids, and the relationships we develop. Without that, I'd have lost interest in this job a long time ago.
What's the secret to successful subbing? Anyone know? It could perhaps be the thirst for money. You know, it you make 27 bucks a day, that's almost 5K a year. You could buy a used car with that, and it's likely as not you wouldn't have to push it to work every day. Or maybe you love kids so much that you don't care whether or not you know them, or whether or not you have time enough to know them at all.
I've been teaching longer than most people I know, and I haven't got an answer. Mine is to dread the inevitable freebie, and hope for the best when it crosses my path. I was lucky yesterday. But who knows what's gonna happen next time?
Monday, October 17, 2016
UFT Executive Board Minutes October 17, 2016

Secretary Schoor calls meeting to order 6 PM
Open Mike
Mavis Yan—CL PS 156—Lost a twenty year member, teacher center person who unexpectedly passed. Teaching family is family. UFT was very supportive. MAP services provided guidance. Appreciates DR and borough rep. Thanks MAP.
Stella Thrapcimis—PS 79 Queens. Loves teaching music and seeing what kids can do. Problem is suddenly being rated poorly by new admin. Says arts are not understood. Says admin doesn’t understand performing. Says brain highly stimulated when children play music. How can we get clueless admin who don’t know difference between reading English and reading music? How can we give PD to admin so they understand what music means? Danielson doesn’t fit music instruction. Asks for action. Asks for support and help.
Various Minutes approved
Secretary addresses ATRs. Reports says 1304, 150 less than last year. 115 ATRs took buyout last year. Looking to reduce number of ATRs. Speaks of new DOE program to get ATRs on Galaxy
Kuljit Ahluwalia—New Action—Does incentive apply to social workers, guidance couselors? AA—No.
Overcrowding—
Amy Arundell—DOE has given an incentive for permanent hiring. This year, person costs school nothing, next DOE pays 50%, third year 25. Thus far about 20 teachers placed.
President’s Report
Mulgrew is not present.
Staff Director’s report
Leroy Barr--Manhattan conference successful. UFT gave aways 40,000 books in other event. Sunday was making strides walk. Thanks everyone who contributed. Following DA, delegates and CLs with 100% attendance will receive certificates and there will be an even.
10/ 29 there will be an ELL conference. Registration is closed.
Next EB next week.
Secretary mentions CTU contract resolution. Buffalo has also resolved contract. We don’t know what’s in it yet.
Arthur Goldstein MORE—I remember when Senator Flanigan proposed a bill to removed seniority rights for NYC teachers only. While we managed to beat that back, I was just a little upset about that. I don’t remember NY Republicans strongly supporting us at any time. In fact. Maybe there are Republican Senators who support us, and perhaps we should support them too, Did we give 119K in COPE funds to the Republican State Senate Election campaign, and if so, why did we do it?
Paul Egan—Can’t speak to that exact number but NYSUT does all state contributions. Endorses based on variety of things. Outside NYC there are lots of GOP. To get anything passed, many GOP Senators represent other members. Gives us access and chance of getting things passed. Keeps door open for contributions.
Secretary says 35% of NYSUT and UFT are registered Republicans. We are not one party endorsee.
Mike Schirtzer MORE—In light of statement by NAACP calling for moratorium on charters, will we revisit our policy
Secretary, We will talk about it and debate it
Marcus McArthur MORE—As someone who’s twice gone through tenure process, and for members, we want to know how many probationers got tenure by district, how many denied, discontinued, and how are we making process fair equitable transparent?
Sec—64% granted last year, higher than under Bloomberg. We hope it continues to go up. We will support our members in this process. Please reach out to us, first to DR, because they deal with this. We have tenure workshops. Good intro to UFT.
Jonathan Halabi New Action—Over year and a half, we met about problems of discontinuance. Was the reduction in number of discontinuance last year, and where do discontinued teachers go? Who do they call.
Sec—Asks Amy Arundell—Doesn’t have data but a lot of anecdotal evidence about people who returned after discontinuance. Says principals fail to follow procedure and wait too long. We are in better position than under Bloomberg.
Sec—Asks about breast cancer walk
Servia Silva—Thanks coordinators in five boroughs, Thanks Deborah Penny, Rona Freiser and speaks of t-shirts. Were hiccups but everything worked out in the end.
Sec—vacancy on board for functional chapter. Next Monday we will be taking nominations. Must be functional chapter member.
Report from districts
Mary Vaccaro District 26 rep—hundreds of homeless families moved in, we need shoes, collected 1,000 pairs. Are sending them out. Did this in two weeks.
Dwayne Clark—Manhattan conference, great day for borough and parents. Developed by parents, worked 6 months. Rudy Crew outstanding.
Joe Usatch—Speaks of Thanksgiving, supplying new garments for children. Middle school team thanks everyone who brought in garments, wants new ones for DA. Thanks for support.
Legislative report
Paul Egan—bus went to Philly last weekend, going this weekend to support Hillary. One bus from SI, two from Manhattan, may be more. If you sign, please show up. At other end, they prepare for us. Please don’t make them waste resources. If you can’t make it, tell us.
Phone banks up, running on all boroughs, you can sign up virtually.
Presidential election moving in right direction, by polls. State polls suggest Clinton up, but 24 short. Places like Florida, Ohio, can bring her close. Looks uphill by that point, though Trump would need to win all. Things can move quickly. Week is long time in politics, so we must keep on.
Vote COPE—Our COPE dollars spent on more than endorsing candidates. We lobby on issues, tenure being one of them. Constitutional Convention key for us, could be a disaster if it passes. If people want to keep pensions, they don’t want the convention. We could be like NJ, where legislature could change pensions. We need COPE contributions to support this. More important than particular candidates or party. Not single party issue because so many affected. We may be increasing our contribution, but since September we’ve had 942 new people. NY Post has attacked our pension and will continue to. Many people will buy it and we need to fight it.
Sec—There was a Single Shepard program that place guidancee counselors and social workers. AFT will have something on Haiti.
Anne Goldman—VP Non-DOE—Motivates resolution that celebrates collective bargaining and 1960 UFT Strike. Took courage, and leadership for teachers to step forward against the law. Going on strike is frightening, doing it in defiance of law is moment in history. Shows great sacrifice. We must acknowledge and recognize that. We must recognize and celebrate that courage. Here we sit with collective bargaining. We must honor, embrace and support it. Expresses gratitude to founders present now.
Passed
Leroy Barr—Rises to motivate resolution. that every school classroom have curriculum, and that arts are included. We must reach them any way we can so that they develop, explore, and grow up engaged. We will decrease dropout rate. Arts ed. vital.
After last resolved
Arthur Goldstein MORE--asks to amend resolution, adding the following:
Resolved, that the UFT will seek partnerships with parents and community groups to promote and publicize our stance on increasing arts education, and be it further
Resolved, that the UFT will negotiate with the NYCDOE to substantially increase the time for arts education for all NYC students, and be it further,
Resolved, that the UFT strongly encourage high schools to increase the number of arts electives for our students
We routinely offer students the absolute minimum. in fact in high schools, we offer music appreciation in classes of 50, which is ludicrous. Art and music can change and improve the lives of students. We are teachers, we are artists in a way, and we need to support actually improving the lives of our kids. We are more than test administrators. We are role models and it behooves us to seduce kids into loving the arts.
Leroy Barr—Asks to strike second resolved. Additions are great, important we expand to high schools. Agrees we are artists, on stage, performing. We try to be entertaining and informative. Second resolved, though, has to do with negotiating a contract. There, we discuss demands. EB should not speak of negotiating. Asks we strike second resolved.
Greer Hanson Velazquez—Thrilled to hear this. Arts important. Have worked with DOE on blueprints for arts. Thanks for resolution.
Passes as amended, without second resolved.
Reso passes.
Resolution in support of NAACP’s call for a Charter School Moratorium.
Anthony Harmon rises to speak in support. Is president of NYC NAACP branch. Attended national board meeting. Voted on this and 47 others. NAACP took a stand on what they feel is just, right, in best interest of ALL children. Some people took this as opposition to charters, but is rather against fraud, lack of oversight, tossing kids back to public schools. Also wants convo on public schoolchildren. NAACP taken many hits for this on social media. Op-eds say NAACP on wrong side. NAACP has 107 year history of standing up and speaking out. Disappointed WSJ asked corporations withdraw support. We have to support NAACP and call for moratorium. Black Live Matter and others support this move. Asks we endorse.
Jonathan Halabi New Action—Rises in support. Very important step and moment. Important for UFT. Thinks there is much further discussion. Objects to until charters change ways. Should revisit and dig deeper into what’s going on with privately managed schools. Difference between public and charters. We’ve moved far but not far enough. Urges support.
Camille Eaddy—District 16 rep—saw charter expansion decimate her district. 9 and counting there, more being voted upon, and everyone is fighting for children. Aren’t enough to go around. New people in neighborhood don’t want charters. Asks for transparency, equity, asks for support.
Sec—commends Anthony Harmon for his work.
David Garcia Rosen MORE—proposes the union use its financial and political capital to fight against mass incarceration as reflected in the Netflix documentary 13th. —David comes from family of holocaust survivors, wonders how horrific things are allowed to happen, why didn’t we stop slavery, Jim Crow. What are we doing to stop mass incarceration of people of color. How can we help. Netflix doc shines bright light on connection between slavery and incarceration. People of color have been locked up for everything ever since. Led to us locking up 25% of prisoners, with 5% of population. 1 of 3 black males today may be in prison. Profound effects on our students. 1 of 5 children have parent in prison, with dire effects on children. We cannot stand idly by. I will push UFT to fight for civil rights of students and families.
I know many times resolutions are tabled, and voting is blocked. Please vote your conscience. If there’s any problem with this, it’s that it doesn’t do enough. Recalls how Schindler regretted not doing enough. We cannot be board that didn’t do enough
Mindy Karten Bornemann—daughter and granddaughter of holocaust survivor. Words of people not speaking up are meaningful. I understand, but without seeing the movie, without understanding results about Netflix, thinks it’s muddled. Thinks there’s a lot of passion, but so many different things here, it’s not clear what he wants. Urges we vote against. We need to see doc first.
Anthony Harmon—Glad someone brought this and opened up conversation. Very real issue. Moves to table pending more info.
Sec—motion to table non-debatable, please finish.
AH—wants more info, hasn’t seen film. NAACP would like to make sure we’re accurate and that we are on board. Appreciates convo
Lamar Hughes—point of information—allocation of money—how much thought about who would be developing curriculum. Problem is who will be involved if we contribute 50K. Should be middle school and high school. Must make sure info presented in right way. Who will be involved creating curriculum?
Mike Schirtzer MORE—This is for UFT to run. We don’t want it in hands of DOE. We want teachers to make this. We’ve seen Engage NY. As Americans, teachers, trade unionists, I disagree it’s muddled. It’s a step in addressing mass incarceration. Saying UFT will hold screenings and develop curriculum. UFT has long history of advocating for civil rights. We need to be front and center. These are parents of our children, sons and daughters of people being locked up for ridiculous things, based on race.
Sec—Asks things limited to one minute.
Greg Lundahl—says film is powerful, are other powerful films. is this one-time Netflix permission? Would it be better to open up other media to classroom? How does this work with DOE?
David Garcia Rosen—Amazon Prime, for example, unlocked.
Carmen Alvarez—favor of tabling. How do we support staff to help our young people? This resolution doesn’t address that. Many other boots on the ground support we must give our staff, from pre-K to HS. Table so that what we do is comprehensive. Wants quick action. We must be thorough, effecient.
Stuart Kaplan—wants to table. Believes important to use visuals and documentaries, but belongs in resolution of its own. Says it’s talking about more than one topic. Says he can record it and show it to his students. Says we should unblock others.
Leroy Barr—First thought is he appreciates spirit in which it was brought forward. Suggests we table and bring back more clear and concise. Not a new issue. Did not just come up with film. This is not about theory, but life. When I look at my son I have to give him instructions. Not everyone does. We need to talk about this. People who are descendants of it understand it. When I take off my suit no one knows who I am. Father was cop and I was still frisked. They’d apologize for the way it happened.
Can talk about many writers who’ve spoken about this. We can go back very far as to root causes. Wants full discussion. Not our history but America’s. I will sit down with anyone who wants to talk about this. We want it to reflect what people go through today. Has nothing to do with caucus.
David Garcia Rosen MORE—confused what we disagree about. Equal access to HS sports resolution had a similar reaction. Netflix is like a library, and we wouldn’t block that. I don’t want to table things and have us do nothing. When that res was tabled, nothing happened. Doesn’t want tabling to mean die.
Move to table—passed
Sec—meetings will take place, meeting adjourned.
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