An ATR teacher known as Every ATR has some interesting thoughts about the DOE's new plan for evaluating him and his colleagues in Brooklyn.
 |
| A substitute teacher dodges paper airplanes. |
I am a HS ESL teacher. So far none of my ATR assignments have used me in my content area. I am troubled by the DOE's position that ATRs who are not covering classes in their content area will be judged on their classroom management. skills. When students in high school see a substitute (and that's what we are to the school's administration and to the students) the students see party time. Students won't sit still for a lesson. If absentee work is left students may or may not bother to do it. The UFT's advice to "teach what we know" just doesn't fly with high school students. These students, teenagers, will complain that what the sub tries to teach is not what the class is supposed to be.
I understand from Amy Arundel, that the UFT has sent to the DOE a protocol for how principals should be utilizing ATRs. It seems to me that until a protocol is in place for how ATRs are to be used, no one should be observing any ATR, particularly if they are being used out of their license area. By the way, aren't observations only supposed to be done when a teacher is actually teaching a class in his or her content area?
By the way, as I've moved from high school to high school in Brooklyn, I've noticed that these new mini-schools have pretty much the same level of student as the school I was phased out of--low academics and high behavior problems. The only difference I can see is that these mini-schools have far fewer students and far, far more technological resources. I've also noticed that they are following administrative and pedagogical models that seem strange and useless. Exactly what is "ADVISORY" ???
- Keep the faith.
Photo credit:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRItiEX3T_0zmNr6mdeYMUcbD5gA11SHpbyRdl-DNzISiPc4cpl_QyOXX65HUrEqH5s4FrLGFGqRYeFW77D3ADK_MK7QutG9Yzh_FGc-wRhJ3GLMasAfDFDUDUNUQXTCEEMZk44c-C20/s400/substitute+teacher.jpg
The sub party goes for all grades. Student behavior is a result of admins management skills with their staff and how they handle subs. We know the inconsistencies that presents....some are professionals and expect their students to work and most don't give a rat's ass....sink or swim or take medication. I wonder if anyone really believes the DoE is going to "observe" us in the usual manner. I think it's lip service to the UFT that they are accountable if ever it comes up in contract negotiations or add-ons to the ATR agreements. We know spin when we see it.....just look at the press release last week on 4th and 8th grade scores from the DoE and what the NY Daily News had to say....Google it
ReplyDeleteAdvisory is like a homeroom but is supposed to focus on building skills that are not taught in regular classroom, like creativity or social skills
ReplyDeleteI am being used this week as a bathroom monitor. And how would they observe me in that assignment since it is an AIDE's job!
ReplyDeleteAdvisory is a joke and is used in different ways in different schools. They should just call it what it is. We should prepare ourselves for massive U ratings in June and if you know the appeal process for U-rating, we will have to go to court.
ReplyDeleteI also noticed the stories about the national test scores and how the DOE did a complete spin on the issue. How do they get away with it?
this is what I do on a daily basis - take attendance and give out the work - that is it - do I care if they do it or not? NO. Am I going to get into a fight with students that I don't know? NO . Am I going to teach classes not in my subject area? No. The goal is to get in and get out in one piece - me and the kids. I think we should observe the idiotic DOE morons doing open heart surgery in Afghanistan - because that is what we face every day - what a joke!
ReplyDeleteI agree 100 percent with the previous post. Am I really going to get into a fight w/ kids I do not know and when things get ugly, I get blamed. uh, no. do you think principals want to deal w/ kids complaining about an ATR? not really.
ReplyDeleteMy field supervisor came in and when a kid said 'are you a real teacher or a sub?' I looked at him and said,'do you see what we are up against?' he left his business card and then left the room.
That business card needs to be used as kitty litter
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous (12/15 at 12:42 PM): No self-respecting cat would poop on such a small card (and all cats are self-respecting). The card could be used in a hummingbird cage.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been observed at any of the schools where I've been anA TR.I did teach in my license area once-for one and a half weeks. Unfortunately, the school had a budget deficit so they didn't appear to be doing any hiring.
ReplyDelete