Since being an ATR I have been trying to put my best face on and do what I have to do with a smile. I go into every school and every day wanting to do the very best that I can. But at times it can be difficult.

At times it seems like I am living in some type of time warp. That feeling was prevalent when I returned last December from my suspension realizing that I had been out of the classroom, and a school, for 2 1/2 years. It was like I was returning from the dead or had been in some type of extended cryogenic stasis.

Things were so new. I been besides the fact that the teachers I have been seeing were suddenly a lot younger. Or maybe I had just gotten older. But there were more Smart Boards, more tablets, that transparency thingy that shows stuff on the Smart Board. It was whole new world.

Gratefully, I have, or it is starting to look like I had?, (OK, I am going to get grief for the question mark and the comma. I am sorry!) a background in educational technology so I was able to pick up on the technological aspect rather quickly. But one bugs me.

It's the lack of availability of relevant professional development.

Yeah, Mondays are nice. But most of the PD's I have been blessed with being in attendance don't, in my opinion, lead to practices of best teaching. Mostly these PD's deal with data, motivational readings, etc.. I, and I am sure many ATR's, want something we can really sink our teeth into.

Why can't ATR's when we are assigned to a school get time with all the consultants that come in to do training with the staff? Why can't ATR's be made aware of the latest methods, insights into reading, writing, math?

There are schools that I have been at that have had a week of Teachers College consultants come in to spend an inordinate amount of time with staff. Are ATR's invited? I haven't been.

Where are the workshops for Go Math that would help me familiarize myself with this curriculum?

Wouldn't having more knowledge of the latest curriculum of the moment better serve ATR's to assist us in getting permanent positions?

What about being sent off-site to PD? It's a no go.

Yes, I understand that there implementation difficulties involved, but.

Why then can't the the DOE make available off-site to ATR's by borough after school, on Monday's (Hey we are stating late anyway)? Yeah, they might have to pay training rate or per session, but hell, back when I was a staff developer we had this! We had after school staff development in which teachers showed and were interested in learning something new.

At the very least, our union, our UFT, the people we fork over $100 a month to should make the PD the teachers in the schools are having, what the teachers in our districts are learning available to all ATR's. Or does this count, because there ain't much there. Same lack of quality here.

ATr's can't and shouldn't be treated as an afterthought when it comes to best practices of teaching. We are invited to the dinner, but we don't get the entire meal. Just a taste.

Francesco Portelos' blog post on how to give yourself a raise was quite thought provoking. In fact it gave The Crack Team quite a bit to think about. The Crack Team wanted to investigate  other methods to give oneself a raise without anyone, especially the DOE, ever knowing about it?

The Crack Team has spent the day locked away with top scientist from across the nation today debating and discussing the best methods to give teachers of New York City a well deserved pay raise without anyone really knowing. At about 6:30 PM EDT on March 13, 2014 a light bulb appeared above the heads of The Crack Team and the scientists. Getting a raise for teachers can be done through time travel. But how?

There are several options The Crack Team discussed for time travel.

The Crack Team thought of the whip around the sun method used in Star Trek, but it is impractical due to needing a star ship, the need for dilithium crystals, and a Vulcan to make the proper calculations. But it seems impractical. Or a rift in the space time continuum can be used. But again, there is that need for a star ship. Or that planet with the "Guardian of Forever?" But how do we get to that planet? And if we do, how can we be certain that we jump through at the right time?

One can develop a WABAC machine, but one would need to find Mr Peabody and he suddenly has grown a huge head from his new found found role as a Hollywood leading man, has blown off Sherman and hanging out at Hef's.

That left The Crack Team with the Flux Capacitor. The instructions to build one are all over the internet, but The Crack Team has decided instead to save time and spend a few bucks and buy one. Now to power it.

Do we go with the plutonium or a lightning strike? Since purchasing and owning plutonium is illegal and might incur the wrath of SCI, we decided to go with a lighting strike.

What will our time delivery system be? The cost of a De Lorean is prohibitive for The Crack Team are just teachers and the De Lorean is a little out of their price range. Bob suggested we go with a 1977 Chevy Caprice Classic which is a solid automobile and has a bit of style.

To get up to 88 miles per hour we will use the Cross Westchester Expressway during a lighting storm starting at Exit 10 in Rye Brook and by the time The Crack Team gets to the Tappan Zee Bridge the Caprice will be hit by lighting and it will be 1927.

The Crack Team chose that year for that is the year that Uncle Mike Bloomberg's parents met in high school and kissed for the for the first time at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance.

The plan is to keep them from kissing at the dance. If they never kiss, they never fall in love. If they never fall in love, they never marry. If they never marry, Uncle Mike never exists. And if Uncle Mike never exists, Uncle Mike never becomes mayor. And if Uncle Mike never becomes mayor, we get a contract in 2009 with pay raises. And if we get a contract in 2009, we probably get a contract in 2012 with even more raises!!

It can work. It can be done. But, wait. Could it be that someone will take this seriously and sick the Timecop on The Crack Team?

Just one more thing. Let's call it a disclaimer.

This is not real! If anyone thinks time anything written on these pages is actually a plan you must be dumber than a brain damaged monkey!