My balls are being busted by the scheduler because there was an ambiguity in the schedule. Instead of trying to work together to clear up the matter I was brought in with my chapter leader. But what to do with an administrator that fails to heed to the unambiguous need of a child when brought to that administrator's attention? A need that really hit home for me. 

From the age of about 4 1/2 to about 8 I was in private speech therapy. I was told that when I was about 2 3/4 I stopped speaking when my brother was born and didn't start up again until about 4 1/2. But I remember my mom driving me to the speech therapists office once a week from Flushing into Manhattan and then from Westchester into Manhattan. 

I had a whole bunch of issues. I recall that from 1st grade to 3rd grade I was always put in the lowest reading group at the beginning of the year. I would assume it would be because of my "marble mouth" and after a few weeks put in the top reading group. This even after the speech therapist told my mom I would not ever be a good reader. 

But I am fine now. Mostly. I have trouble with back to back words with similar sounds if I go to fast and I still have the lisp. It's much less noticeable now. What really decreased the lisp was more the braces than the speech therapy. But the lisp could be an advantage. In college I met this girl and she said, "Oh, you lisp, that's so cute!" 

And that is why I am empathetic to Joe Biden. Years ago I was told by a friend who was a speech therapist that she could tell I had speech therapy. I asked why and she said that she noticed that when I have trouble pronouncing a word I revert back to what I was taught as a child.

Enough about me. This student, (henceforth known as Boba Fett) who was new to me in February I noticed that Boba had an articulation issue. It was obvious. In my non-professional opinion it was something quite correctable as was my son's back when he was in 1st grade.  

Was it hindering Boba's learning? Boba is on grade level for reading. Could it in the future? You never know. Can being teased and ridiculed count as effecting learning? Can poor self esteem count as effecting learning? Yes, to all the questions. 

In my scheduling meeting with The Scheduler I brought this up. I saw The Scheduler write the information that was given and told me that this would be shared with the appropriate staff member and it'll be looked into. To the best of my knowledge, it hasn't. 

Boba Fett's language at home is Spanish. I do not know if an articulation issue in English transfers into another language and vice versa. 

But look at The Scheduler's priorities. I am shat upon for an unambiguous schedule why is concern about a child in which there is no ambiguity ignored by The Scheduler? Take responsibility. Be proactive. At the very least if Boba Fett did not meet the guidelines for in school speech therapy, one can be rather certain that Boba Fett's parents could have been referred to any number of well qualified outside agencies.

A manager at McDonald's is held to a higher standard than The Scheduler.

 I should've put an update on my blog post of February 11 concerning the dressing down I received from God's Favorite Teacher as well as her mental meltdown on Google Meets. But, with the events of what has transpired the last several weeks and my introducing of The Scheduler in yesterday's post, I think the time is right for that update.

As I mentioned yesterday, I received an email the evening of February 21 from The Scheduler instructing me to cover a 4th teacher who was to be out for bereavement beginning Feb 22. The day we got back from Mid Winter Break.

My spidey sense tingled. I knew something was up. And I was proved correct at a Meets meeting with The Scheduler that morning of the Feb 22. I was told that once the teacher came back from bereavement I would stay with the class and give the teacher "support and to assist in test prep."

Back then I knew there weren't going to be any tests, or at least not testing as we know it. But support? The class I was transferred to has nine students! The class I was being forced out of has over twenty five! Who needed the support? The extra body? There are three teachers (then), and a one to one para. Two of us are general ed. and God's Favorite Teacher is special ed. and the para is there for language. We split the class in three. Easy peasy. That is until God's Favorite Teacher decided that she couldn't handle seven students. God's Favorite Teacher wanted me out. And she wanted the para.

So in the meeting I asked The Scheduler (Sounds like a villain from Batman. "Schedule me this Caped Crusader!) why I was being moved and she kept on returning to the party line that the class needed support. 

I tried a different approach. "But don't the students that I have been working with for several months and have established a good relationship with me deserve continuity?" The same party line was regurgitated. 

I tried yet another approach. "How is it beneficial for students to go from a small group to a much larger group?" Again, the party line.

I tried one more approach. "How does this benefit the student (with the para) being moved to a lesser ability group from the top level group?" Again, the party line.

What lesson do we learn from this? That when we hear "students first, always" and other inane crap like that it's bullshit. It means nothing. It's empty words. 

It also shows that the way to get ahead, the way to get what you want is to shove yourself as far as possible up the rectum of an administrator. Too many live there and die there. How do they look themselves in the mirror?

Boy, do I feel like a schmuck. I tried to thread a needle. It didn't work. The UFT, the union to whom I give $120 of my hard earned money to dropped the ball. And I am about to get screwed for it. 

Now to clear things up, this isn't a blog post against anyone at 52 Broadway or a chapter leader. Let's just say it has more of a local flavor. 

This synchronous vs asynchronous learning is awash in ambiguity. No one really knows it seems what the guidelines are or aren't. We should expect the administrators to be clueless but not the UFT.

Our story begins on February 22 right after this incident (And boy do I have something more to say!!). A teacher was to be out a week, and I was to cover her 4th grade class. OK, no problem. Up to that time I was teaching with two other teachers. We had 27 students or so and we split them up and we went straight from 8:50-Noon. The students had lunch, and we were asynchronous for the rest of the day. Work would be put up on Google Classroom, and we would be available through Dojo, text, email, GC, etc... In fact at a meeting, the principal had no problem with the schedule. 

So on the Feb 22 when my first day with this class I adhered what I knew. I did 179 minutes. I assumed the rest of my day was asynchronous. No, I was told. In the afternoon I was told that I must be sitting in front of the computer with Meets on and to wait for students to come by if they needed help. After 30 minutes of staring at my face and with my thumb up my ass, I decided to give up and plan for the next day.

NO! I was told, and I met with said person to hash out a schedule. I was told that my asynchronous time was to be concurrent whilst on screen whilst the students are doing their independent work on screen. Not only that, after teaching synchronously for 190 minutes that I must meet afterwards in small groups with students. But, I thought, there are only 9 students in the class. Isn't that already a small group?

At this point I decided to contact the local higher up the food chain UFT. I was told that yes, admins can make you do small groups during your asynchronous time. "Wait!" I said. I have already taught 190 minutes. For 4th grade in February it is recommended that synchronous time should be between 150-210 minutes. Aren't I already doing that I ask? No, I am told by the local higher up the food chain UFT. That is recommended only for students. But if it is only recommended for students would not a teachers screen time be equal to the same screen time as the students? Here is the document I get  referred to all the freaking time. Said document appears contradictory to what I was being told. 

While we are at it, I had been under the assumption that remote teachers can set their schedule in consultation with admins. I was told I was incorrect (Someone care to clarify?). But, about 15 minutes ago I came across this.

Working remotely necessitates using time differently from a traditional period by period school day. 

In consultation with school administration, school staff must use professional discretion to determine how to work remotely.

My scheduler foisted my schedule upon me. My schedule gave me periods. One, two, three, and so on. What gives?

So off I go to my local upper echelon UFT. Yes, I am told, asynchronous means working live with small groups. I go to my CL. Nothing against CL, but the CL was getting bad information.

I go way up the food chain. I'm told something completely different. In fact the opposite. That asynchronous means you don't have to be on screen that you just be available. Oh, and that the UFT has been successful in complaints regarding this. 

A light bulb moment!! I go back to the local upper echelon UFT. "Let's file an operational complaint!" I was told to go back to my CL. But the tone I got was less than enthusiastic. I put it off.

But in the meantime, the teacher I was covering came back. She had a routine and I guess a schedule and I followed her lead. She did the reading and the math and I covered the writing. But, we had different schedules. I assumed, because my scheduler never said the schedule was for the remainder of the year that the original was null and void. I must work with my co-teachers schedule.

It made sense. The scheduler had me working in small groups from Noon-1:30, however the students had lunch at Noon. That wouldn't work.

So back to the UFT.

I even went as far as having an exec board member ask Mulgrew to clarify synchronous and asynchronous at the March 22 exec board meeting. No dice. Got a twelve word answer.

Finally Saturday night I got the answer I was looking for. But it was too late. Had a meeting with the scheduler and my CL today (I will get into more details about this another time). If the UFT wish to be proactive this could have been taken care of in February or early March.

Or it could have been taken care of if I was one of the callers picked by Rashard during a DA or town hall. I don't have that kind of juice.

I always say I would rather have a dysfunctional union than no union, and I still stand by that. I still stand by paying dues. But the UFT is still acts in a reactive manor instead of grabbing the bull by the balls and not letting go. I am sure I am not the only teacher looking for clarification about synch and asynch. 

The  UFT works for the rank and file not the other way around. We are the customer. Treat as if we are important. It's amazingly simple.