ACRs/ATRs, Do Not Allow Yourselves to Be Borrowed

ACRs/ATRs-

There is a new insidious misuse of ATRs. It is something that has been called "borrowing." Remember the UFT's advisory, that we should take no assignment that is not centrally assigned from the DOE. Thus, an ACR/ATR's agreeing to being used in the borrowing fashion is putting oneself at risk with being AWOL in DOE central's eyes.

There are small schools in two separate buildings that had traditionally housed single high schools, that are occasionally pulling a stunt. If a principal of one school needs an ATR, he or she have their secretaries call up another small school on the same school campus. They ''borrow'' us like we are chattel, to be traded. I don't mean that they ''exchange'' or swap ATRs. They borrow an ATR for the day, and use them usually in the new "secondary schools" which are grades 6-12 combined. Amy Arundell says they are NOT allowed to borrow ATRs from other schools on the same campus. Arundell suggests that one should tell the local UFT rep from your current small school, and report it. ATRs should also stand up for themselves and REFUSE to be ''borrowed'' and tell the secretary or administrator who asks or tells you this that you ARE NOT DOING THAT.

It should also be pointed out that there are legalities if one gets hurt at a school that you were not assigned to, in writing.... You stay at the small school to which you were assigned.

An ATR's letter to Amy Arundell on representation

One ATR's email letter to Amy Arundell, of October 3. As of posting time, she has not responded substantively to his requests. This letter follows on a signed group letter on representation and displaced staff's concerns that was sent by certified mail to Arundell and Michael Mulgrew at the end of June. Neither Arundell nor Mulgrew had responded to that earlier letter.

Dear Amy,

I heard the darndest thing about you at the Manhattan ATR meeting.

Is it true that you said that ATRs don't need representatives because we had you?

That sounds like something LeRoy would say.

Answer this question, please: In theory, and specifically in unions, isn't more democracy better than less? To wit, if rubber roomers, surely the least of our brethren, were granted elected liaisons and monthlies with Mendel/LeRoy et al. at 52, how can the hundreds/thousands of good-standing ATRs (aka "displaced teachers")  be denied equal rights, that is, representation equal to that of suspended teachers of yesteryear? 

Please don't repeat LeRoy's tired, old rationales. Instead, be honest and direct, tell us why you, if you were an ATR like us, would really hate to elect a handful of peers, brothers and sisters who rotate schools like gerbils on a pinwheel, to fight for your rights and your future, at the very top?  

Until this term, you and LeRoy even refused to disclose who was on the joint UFT/DOE committee overseeing the ATR agreement.  Again, if you were an ATR, wouldn't you demand to know what goes on behind closed doors, if anything, when your career is on the table? The UFT's secrecy regarding ATR affairs is atrocious and must end.

Finally, the UFT forefeited its good faith with us when Howie tried to destroy my ATR contact list at last October's meeting in Brooklyn and lied about it later. LeRoy subsequently whitewashed the sleaze by calling Howie's conduct "a miscommunication." No explanation, no apology.

Summing up, I demand:

1  elected representatives with monthly meetings at 52

2  a full accounting of past joint committee meetings

3  minutes of all future meetings

4  UFT plans for ending ATR pool in future contract negotiations

5  a public admission and apology re Howie Schoor's loutish breach of solidarity from Howie himself.

I am sending this e-mail to other interested parties. Let a hundred flowers bloom in our direction.

Philip 

The ATR World According to Amy Arundell, Pt. I

MANHATTAN, UFT Headquarters, October 1 
   UFT special representative Amy Arundell's statements; and she routinely interrupted ATR members' questions:

Italics are quotes or paraphrases of Amy's statements.

On the prospects of having an ATR's page in New York Teacher:

Arundell: It's not going to happen.

Publicization of the meeting; Guidelines for rotation

[As a matter of interest, most of the people at the meeting only happened to get information about the meeting by word of mouth. Most ATRs have not learned of the meeting through a direct email from the UFT or from the chapter leader at their rotation assignment. The UFT is still producing a guidelines for the use of ACRs/ATRs that lacks DOE and UFT logos and letterheads.]

Representation:

Member: No one knows how long we will remain unappointed. Until everyone is appointed, we need our own chapter and a representative on the committee that is deciding our fate. [Arundell and her new aide, Mike Sill, an ATR, are the two UFT representatives on the four member DOE-UFT committee on ATRs.]
Arundell: There is no need for ATRs to have their own chapter leaders, because they already have representation. [This is as far as some at the UFT claim she spoke.  ATRs recall differently, that she said to an ATR's point that we have no representation, No you don't! I am your representative!]

Positions:

Arundell: All the excessed teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, are appointed, and have all the rights that every other member has.

[Arundell spoke at length on her view that displaced staff have the same rights as other staff. She did not accept the term, “unassigned,” as applying to the displaced teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, librarians, secretaries without permanent school assignments. A number of members described Arundell's position as hair-splitting, and said that the displaced teachers who she says are appointed remain in rotation with no continuing assignment at a particular school.]

[Member asked where is our file when the school has closed down?]

Arundell: Your file remains at the physical building of where the school was where you were last working [i.e., where regularly assigned].

Funding, schools, getting placed permanently:

[Members pointed to the issue of Fair School Funding, a 2007 DOE school funding change which gives schools set budgets based on numbers of students and types of students, and how it creates incentives for principals to hire newer, cheaper staff]

Arundell [Interrupting the member, who hadn't finished her question]: The union has never supported Fair School Funding. The union is on the record as being against Fair School Funding.

Member: You'll hold the next mayor to eliminating Fair School Funding?

Arundell: No

On working assignments and conditions for displaced teachers (and guidance counselors . . . ) in rotation:

Arundell: You need to be pro-active, assertive; you need to be an advocate for your rights on the job.

Guidance counselors: I suggest that you think of things you can reasonably do at a school, such as, “here are 5 things I can offer you for the week.”

[Members recited assignments that violate the DOE-UFT guidelines.]

Arundell: Guidance counselors should not be alone in the classroom; guidance counselors should not cover in the SAVE room.

Parking:

Displaced staff can apply for parking pool like anyone else there.

Wifi access:
Member asked about wifi access in schools.
Arundell: Ordering things on Amazon, that you should not do at school. But, if it's for gathering material to prepare for a lesson, that's acceptable.

Injuries:

The meeting wound down with Arundell's initial hedge of a response to a question on line of duty injuries (LODIs), with excuse that it was 6:00. Yet, no horde was packing up or racing to the door.

The following revision of guidelines for displaced, rotating staff was given by UFT staff at the door. As the 2012 version, it lacks a NYCDOE or UFT logo. It is attached to a list of district representatives for Manhattan schools and their emails. It does not provide school chapter leaders' names.

Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens Official ACR/ATR meetings of the UFT

Unless you already got the notice from a chapter leader, the UFT is holding official meetings at borough offices for the displaced teachers and other UFT members this week:

The time for all of the following official UFT meetings for displaced teachers is 4:00 pm:

10/7:      Bronx B.O., 2500 Halsey St., Bronx  Ph:  (718) 379-6200

10/8:      Brooklyn B.O., 335 Adams St., 25^th floor, Brooklyn
              Ph:  (718) 852-4900

10/10:    Queens B.O.,  97-77 Queens Blvd., Rego Park  Ph:  (718) 275-4400 

The UFT states: Please register.

ACRs/ATRs -10/3/13 Brooklyn meeting

ACRs/ATRs are holding a meeting in Brooklyn
Thursday, October 3, 5:00 pm
Open to all displaced DOE staff being United Federation of Teachers, UFT members, (guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, Absent Counselor Reserve, ACRs, teachers, librarians, Absent Teacher Reserve, ATRs), regardless of borough, regardless of whether in rotation or in "provisional" assignments.

Park Plaza Diner, 220 Cadman Plaza West, one block north of Clark Street (near Clark St 2,3), block or two south of High St A,C)
This meeting is separate from the managed ones that are held at the UFT borough offices.

Contact: saferatr@gmail.com -- RSVP preferred
(ATR Chapter Committee)



The time for all of the following official UFT meetings for displaced teachers is 4:00 pm:
10/1:     
Manhattan Borough Office, 52 Broadway, 19^th floor, NYC
              Ph:  (212) 598-6800
10/2:      Staten Island B.O., 4456 Amboy Rd., 2^nd floor, S.I.
              Ph:  (718) 605-1400
10/7:      Bronx B.O., 2500 Halsey St., Bronx  Ph:  (718) 379-6200
10/8:      Brooklyn B.O., 335 Adams St., 25^th floor, Brooklyn
              Ph:  (718) 852-4900

10/10:    Queens B.O.,  97-77 Queens Blvd., Rego Park  Ph:  (718) 275-4400
The UFT states: Please register.

ACRs/ATRs -9/26/13 Manhattan meeting, 9/29 Queens meeting

ACRs/ATRs are holding meetings in Manhattan, Queens
open to all excessed DOE staff being United Federation of Teachers, UFT members, (guidance counselors, social workers Absent Counselor Reserve, ACRs, teachers, librarians, Absent Teacher Reserve, ATRs), regardless of borough.

*Thursday September 26, 5:00

Skylight Diner, 34 West 34th Street and 9th Avenue, Manhattan

*Sunday September 29, 5:00

Pita Hot One, 75-43 Main Street, Queens, from highways take Union Turnpike exits, follow Main St north. Transit: Q 46 bus from Union Tpk, or Main St buses 20 or 44 from Flushing or Jamaica

Contact: saferatr@gmail.com -- RSVP preferred
(ATR Chapter Committee)

An ATR reports on a Danielson Frameworks training

So, I went to the Danielson Framework for Teaching August 2013 Training Session

The session was seven hours long, and yes, they provided both breakfast and lunch.

We even received per session for attending. I was glad that I went and got paid for my time. So, now, I will impart what I learned, in the hope that you understand that this will apply to teachers in the 2013-14 School year.

So, let me start from the beginning. While I thought the training was useful, it would have been more beneficial to all NYC teachers in attendance, if the presenters were from NYC and knew our teachers, schools, students, parents and the way things are done in NYC --in particular, the climate of mistrust sewn into our daily lives by our outgoing mayor.

These are the materials that were handed out for us to refer to during the workshop:

A. Danielson 2013 Rubric: Adapted to he NY DOE Framework for Teaching Components

B. The Four Domains of Teaching Responsibility

C. Enhancing Professional Practice: An Introduction to the Framework for Teaching put out by the Danielson Group

D. An 8 ½ x 11 inch handout titled,

"Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument", 2013 Edition. It sets out the "Integration of the CCSS and Framework components"--

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation..has six subsections

Domain 2: The Classroom Environment..has five subsections

Domain 3: Instruction..has five subsections

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities..has six subsections

So, the Domains and their subsections are, in a nutshell, the rubric that we, teachers, will be

graded on.

Don't ask me how many points go with each domain because that information was not part of the presentation. So, if you are wondering how much each domain and subsection is worth and how it adds up, I suggest you speak with Amy Arundell, for ATRs, Principals of your respective schools, and if all else fails, the NYC DOE or UFT point-person responsible for this information.

So, we worked on a variety of activities to help us understand each domain and what we need to do to make sure it is included in our lessons.

In your lesson you must make sure that you are inclusive--the needs of Special Ed, ELLs, ESLs, low level learners, learners on grade level and the above average students learning styles MUST be included, that you have complete command of your content area and what you teach in your classroom, that you make sure to understand the culture of your students, that you make sure that your students are learning in the form of rigorous instructions, you have high expectations, that you help each student develop the skills to become leaders in the classroom, where they take the helm and move the lesson forward, that there is respect and rapport in the classroom, so your classroom will not have behavioral problems...make sure that all students are on task by giving clear directions, and creating an environment for them to maximize their learning.

Students having ACCESS, there MUST be Equity, so that all learners' needs are addressed.

Practice, Practice, Practice. Be open to challenges, and reflect, reflect, reflect, and tweak your lesson.

This is a fluid process for our craft. It goes without saying that we must strive to become better educators for now, the future and beyond!

We've been doing this for years. There is no question regarding your or my competence as a teacher. But, I gather from this New Teacher Evaluation System that principals can give or not give points in each domain depending on their understanding of Danielson v. your understanding of Danielson v. the NYC DOE's, and the UFT's understanding of Danielson.

I don't mean to be negative really. It's just amazing that this new system can be interpreted by you, me, the principal of AP, the UFT, and the DOE.

While everything in the workshop seemed daunting and the presenters made it seem as if you could grasp it, I left thinking, OMG, this grading system could really crush new teachers and more experienced teachers alike.

Then, it begs the question, what if the principal doesn't like me, how will my evaluation pan out?

Good question. What if the principal or AP have a different view of your teaching style? What if one thinks you are an excellent educator and the other does not? What if the principal is having a bad day, or is interested in firing the whole staff and bringing on "fresher, newer faces"?

There are so many scenarios, so many "What ifs", that it boggles the mind. Truly.

I wanted to tell you about some questions that I had had posed to the "New York Rep", the

woman in the room who supposedly understood how Danielson was being interpreted in NYC.

My first question to her was "How does Danielson incorporate the issues of poverty, hunger, violence, abused kids, kids who are homeless, gangs and a kid or a group of kids in your class having a bad moment, day, week etc? How can a teacher be evaluated, if all of these issues are presented to her during class today, tomorrow, every day of the week?

So, the teacher has a well thought out lesson with all the bells and whistles of having interesting content, the kids are all on board, there is plenty of rigor, the kids are on task, group working is going well, culture and language, and special abilities and disabilities are incorporated, and technology is being used and etc. Then, a kid is sleeping, because he or she is moving from shelter to shelter and gets no sleep. Another kid's family has no money for food. Another kid is being abused by a family member. The scenarios are endless.

Based on the above. How can a teacher be evaluated using the Danielson Framework?

Her response was that there have been some teachers who have received HE ( Highly Effective) ratings. The number is obvious. After all, there are only 26 videos of NYC teachers in practice who have received a rating of Ineffective, Developing, Effective and the elusive HE.

This did not address our issues. We are on the front lines and have to learn to address every student's needs, not knowing who is coming through our doors and what baggage is attached to them.

ATRs will be evaluated on the Old Teacher Evaluation System of "Satisfactory" and "Unsatisfactory". However, ATRs must have and deliver a Common Core State Standards

lesson on the day they are evaluated. This assumes that for those of us who have not been in our own school, or classroom, or given professional development, and practice to use what we have learned, are at a huge disadvantage.

Also, knowing that our lives are so different than a regular classroom teacher, that this is a

travesty really. We don't have our own set of students who know us. We don't have an

administration that knows, and in many cases does not respect us for whatever their

preconceived notions about ATRs is...The students treat us poorly in many cases, and the

administrations treat us poorly, in many cases they think that we are servants, no teaching

professionals.

And what about the professional development? In most of my traveling schools, I have been told that because the principal's budget has been targeting to their staff for P.D., that I cannot attend. In the cases where I did attend, it was a PD specific to that school I was not in, so that I couldn't use it in my pedagogy.

This whole system seems so unfair and arbitrary. The language is codified so that is can lead to so many interpretations depended on what role you play--DOE administrator, UFT office-holder or teacher.

It saddens me as a long term professional to see how this broad brush will be applied to everyone of us with no regard to the real issues of our kids and the condition that they are in when they come to our schools this fall.

Unless we as professionals stand up to these arbitrary measures to evaluate us, we will never move our kids to being college and career ready. I don't care who you are! No one is a miracle worker. If we fail to understand the ramifications of this we leave ourselves and our profession in the balance.

The ultimate losers will be our kids who we love and treasure. Those wonderful, and sometimes not so wonderful kids who will walk through our doors this fall and for the near future will not get their needs met because of the microscope that we are being put under and the data driven classes that we are being forced to teach.

This is my take on my experience at the Danielson Workshop held on August 13, 2013.

I hope that we can learn to lean on each other for support during this coming year. I hope that we can work together for the betterment of our craft and for our students. We're in this together and we need to know that we care enough about one another to make a positive change in the lives of our students. We do it everyday, let's keep it going.

If you need to reach me or talk to me, or would like to get a copy of the literature, you can text me or call me on my cell. Or, if you don't have this information, you can e-mail me at:

clareTeacher123@gmail.com. Be sure to leave your name and contact information and any and all questions. I will be sure to respond to you either with information that I am knowledgeable about or will give your the name, number and e-mail address to people that can help you out immediately.

Have a Great Rest of the Summer. May you have a wonderful 2013-14 School Year.