An ATR initiates a substitute lesson where there is none, and a colleague retaliates. As often happens, a traveling teacher is placed out of license age range and is placed in awkward circumstances.
I had an incident a few weeks ago where one of our own colleagues (a teacher) at an elementary school became very upset with me, claiming that I do not know how to talk to her first grade class. (I have a high school license.) I was covering the class as a push-in tech teacher (the technology teacher had called in sick). No absentee lesson plans were available.
I began giving the children a piece of paper to create a small timeline and our own colleague (a teacher) cuts me off and says "No, I rather you read this little magazine with them." The children were uninterested and began tossing the magazine in the air. I said to the children in front of their teacher (who was still in the classroom even though I was covering her class) "It is not a good idea to throw those in the air, and it would not be nice if I have to tell your principal that you are playing around with these magazines." At that point this teacher (a colleague) flips out on me, yelling "That's not the way you talk to children. This is not high school!" I was taken aback, like really, in front of these little kids you are yelling at me? She then states you could have brought a book and read to them. I said "Do you want me to read to them? No problem, I will read to them." The teacher then says OUT LOUD in an angry tone, "NO! Just go. Just go, I got this. You can go!"
I left the room a bit shaken and it was 7th period. I went to the teachers lounge and saw the dean and told him the story of my incident and asked him what he thought about what had just happened. He said perhaps she was upset because I mentioned the principal. He also said I should not worry about it. My ATR supervisor came to the school I was assigned to this week and I was handed a letter requesting a meeting with the principal at the school where the incident took place. The letter stated "bring a union rep because this can lead to disciplinary action".
I attended that meeting with the principal, AP and my ATR supervisor were all there trying to make me out to be a trouble-maker. The union chapter leader from their school was present and she was supportive. Long story short, nothing was proven, even though they said I abandoned my post. Principal said he has 90 days to decide if I get a letter in my file. My disappointment is mostly with the teacher who is supposed to be a colleague, yet went out of her way to try to bring trouble to an ATR who is in survival mode already. Thanks for hearing me out. I'm displaced and discouraged and highly disappointed in our own colleagues. I expect it from administration, but from teachers????
Why are you assigned to an elementary school in the first place? This is clearly a violation of the contract and the ATR agreement!
ReplyDeleteI asked the DOE and my field supervisor the same question. Their answer was that since I was excess ed from a middle school they can send me to elementary schools. The whole system stinks I am only in my 10th year and trying to make it to June and hope to get an S rating and start applying for teaching jobs in the summer
DeleteSince when are we actually adhering to the provisions of the contract and the ATR agreement. All I see is a free for all and everyone knows it and no one really cares to do anything about it. The principals do whatever they feel like to doing and no one ever questions their actions, not the UFT, CSA, DOE, the networks no one. The entire organization is corrupt to the core.
ReplyDeleteThat teacher who gave the atr hell is a real piece of sh**. I only hope that shit blows up in that teachers face you terd you....In a system and time colleagues need to be supportive of each other not this ignorant self serving teacher who probably has no clue as to her livelihood and what is going on around him or her..This teacher just knows her silly little routine to and from work and read to silly little kids....
ReplyDeleteSo so very true.
DeleteI'm an elem. teacher and they behave terribly.
The kids are more respectful towards each other and myself.
Many seem to go out of the way to make you feel uncomfortable and inadequate.
i agree with the above post in that the elementary teacher is your typical elementary teacher which is basically a baby sitter - that is why she "scolded" the high school teacher about "talking" to the babies...However, as an educated person, she should know better and have some sort of understanding about her colleague who obviously is a high school teacher just doing what he was told to get through it -- shame on the elementary teacher and her future will be in jeopardy when she receives "need improvement" and then so long charlie now you can get a job at the hair salon doll
ReplyDeleteThese so called teachers are a disgrace treating the ATRs like they are imposing on their little classrooms.. I always say be careful you may be the next one who becomes an ATR and then lets see what you are made of......
ReplyDeleteYesterday I was asked to push in for extended day. I was told that the students were suppose to be doing guided reading. The teacher told me she was doing guided reading...yet the kids all had a different book. I asked are you doing guided reading or a strategy lesson. She insisted she was doing guided reading. I then said but if each child has a different book that isn't guided reading. She then turns around and says what are you going to do sit here and watch me or do a guided reading lesson. Hmmm and I'm the one that is in excess. Go Figure!!!! I attempted to work with the kids but they were not set up to do guided reading. They were all basically doing homework. I don't know when I became the undesirable teacher and the teacher that has no clue is the one that is the desirable teacher.
ReplyDeleteI have been an ATR since September and I could already write a book about the disrespect I've gotten from so-called "colleagues," principals, secretaries, students and building security in the high schools I've been sent to. The students actually say that they've been told we are worthless. I am a guidance counselor, and there have been times in a teachers' room where someone throws out a question, perhaps about graduation requirements, and I will state the answer, and they look at me like "Who the heck are you to answer -- how would YOU know." They don't take me seriously. The person would actually say, "Well, I'll ask so and so," like I wasn't even there. It is stunning. Principals expect me to cover classes and proctor exams when I am not supposed to according to the contract -- and as soon as I tell them that, I become a target. The last principal I told that to gave me busy work all week (clerical work also out of contract, but nothing I could get in trouble for so I did it), and then asked me to account for every minute of my week. As I told her, she typed it into her computer. She then said that she was going to put it into Galaxy. As far as I know, no one puts that kind of information into Galaxy? She was trying to mess with my head. When the week began I had mentioned to her that the building insisted on scanning ATR's and having them sign in everyday. She said "Think of how the kids feel." It was incredibly audacious for her to say. I am not belittling students BUT I am not to be compared with the students. I am to be compared with my colleagues and have the same privileges as they have. But this is how we are seen. As less than our colleagues.
ReplyDelete9:57
ReplyDeleteContact the UFT for the special sheet on proper assignments for guidance counselors in excess. Show the principals and secretaries the sheet. These principals are violating the contract.
Teachers can get the rules for teachers in excess from our Oct. 6, 2013 post.
I carry several copies with me to every school I go to. Security won't look at it when they demand I scan everyday, Union says I have to scan until they can fix it (weeks already), secretary says thank you and puts it aside. The last principal (the one who was putting what work I did on "Galaxy," refused to even look at it. It made her angry that I offered it to her. Rosemarie Thompson said they know the contract -- they just try to get away with whatever they can and don't like it when they are called on it.
Deleteto all those leadership academy bloomberg wannabees take note that the staffs at the doe schools are quietly gathering to create a force to deal with principals such as marcella sills in queens and the rest of the leadership academy bone head principals....take note that staffs will begin upheavels to remove principals...you garbage phoney leaders of crap
Delete