This ATR has asked to have his name changed so henceforth he will be known as Rod Gilbert. His ATR supervisor has not asked for his name to be changed because he is unaware of this blog post. His name is James Quail, a educational consultant and a support specialist and former Superintendent for District 14.
This is another story on how administrators abuse their power and the perilous state that ATR's are in day in and day out.
In November of 2013 Mr Quail popped in to visit Rod Gilbert at the school he was assigned to that week. Mr Quail introduced himself to Mr Gilbert to introduce himself, to talk about the future and that he is there to be a guide and mentor. Oh one more thing. Mr Quail informed Mr Gilbert that he was to consider their meeting a pre-observation.
Mr Gilbert was notified by email that his first observation was to be December (We did not get the date) at 1 PM. To wit, Mr Gilbert arranged with the AP of that school to set him up with a 1st grade class. The AP did and Mr Gilbert had taken time that week to get to know the students.
Mr Quail showed up at 10:50 AM, Mr Gilbert's and the class' lunch. Mr Quail wanted to do the observation immediately. Mr Gilbert had to do his observation with a different 1st grade class.
He went in cold. He didn't know the students at all. His lesson was on doubles and he had know idea if the students had any previous knowledge on doubles. Mr Quail was unhappy.
Among the things Mr Quail found wrong was that the students were only giving 1, or, half word answers. That Mr Gilbert did not engage student thinking, that the book he used was too small, and more strangely, that Mr Gilbert did not know the progress of the individual students.
Mr Gilbert received a U for his observation
Mr Quail email Mr Gilbert on January 10 at 8:33 PM to inform him and his principal that he would be stopping by at the current school on January 16 in the afternoon and to clear time for their meeting. The principal gladly gave Mr Gilbert two periods, from 11:49 to 1:21 for his meeting.
As Mr Gilbert was entering the school at 7:55 AM that morning he sees Mr Quail arriving at the school. Mr Gilbert signed in and met with Mr Quail. The principal had to clear his schedule for the meeting. The principal and the AP were not happy.
When Mr Gilbert brought up the inconsistencies of Mr Quails timing, Mr Quail responded, "I can do whatever I want."
Mr Gilbert had not dealings for two months with Mr Quail until March 5. That day Mr Gilbert escorted his 1st grade class to lunch and then had to take a little girl with Type 1 Diabetes to the nurse to have her blood sugar checked. Mr Quail already in the building for another matter saw Mr Gilbert. He demanded that Mr Gilbert stop and talk to him right then and there. Mr Gilbert explained that the little girl's blood sugar was paramount and he would need to wait. Mr Quail would have none of that.
Mr Quail not only followed Mr Gilbert to the nurse's office but into it as well, possibly violating the little girl's privacy.
Mr Quail a few weeks later collected several lesson plans from Mr Gilbert with the implicit reason to ask Mr Gilbert what he learned from being around so many different classes.
Mr Gilbert had his last observation with a Pre-K class. The lesson was on money and how to propely use it. Mr Quail found the same problems as he did in his earlier observation but this time complained that Mr Gilbert did not use a seating chart that he never had and never had this class before. Mr Quail also lamented the lack of quality and the book, "Alexander Who Used to be Rich," was unacceptable in introducing and teaching the responsibilities of money, sharing, and saving to 4 year old students. Again, Mr Quail whined that the book was too small even though the students were sitting no further than 3 feet from Mr Gilbert. The observation was rated U.
One interesting thing. Actually, two. One, in the last lesson Mr Quail asked the para assigned to the pre-K class to leave. Except for lunch, paras must always be with the class the service.
Secondly, The Crack Team came across this blog post by Chaz. Read the 9th comment down by Anonymous at 8:12 AM. Mr Quail seems to have a fan. But why wait to read it, let's post it here.
Don't forget ATR supervisor Quale in the Bronx. He told a 30 year veteran teacher it's time to retire. He then called her a fat slob, who doesn't know how to dress. This was in the teachers cafe in front of my friend who is also an ATR (he's under another supervisor, who rated him S). The lady started crying and my friend went over and told him to his face that' he's a piece of shit and you shouldn't treat people like garbage. He got up, started screaming and demanded my friends name. My friend made up a name. He let the lady know he would be her witness, but she has put her papers in to retire.This is what ATR's are up against. This is why more than ever and more than anyone ATR's need strong due process rights and fairer, and more realistic, methods of being observed. The Quails of the DOE must be stopped.
