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| (L. to R.: A P.S. 130 kindergarten teacher; Chancellor Walcott; Principal Lily Woo; a student. Note: the teacher, with all due respect, appears to be over 22 years of age.) |
Thomas Forbes, a veteran NYCATR contributor, drew our attention to a recent article in Gotham Schools. It's about P.S. 130 in Manhattan, a very successful school that is struggling with a recent jump in class sizes due to budget cuts. Here is a quotation that should resonate with ATR teachers, most of whom have many years of teaching experience, but find themselves being replaced by novices:
One consolation, [said the Principal, Lily] Woo...is that experienced teachers are a better fit for oversize classes.
“For a highly effective teacher, yes, they would be even better with a smaller class. But for a less experienced or younger teacher, you could be one-on-one, and they still would not make an impact on the child,” she said. “Our teachers are very, very strong. They know that this is not something that we want, but it’s what we have to deal with whatever resources we have.”
I went for a voluntary interview yesterday at MS 161 in Manhattan. The very nice person interviewing me told me he usually likes hiring young teachers because they are more mailable and can stay late. I mentioned, they are also cheaper, and he smiled. He also told me he was a TFA graduate 10 years ago. After being told how much would be expected and how hard they work there I told him my only concern was, can I trust the principal. A report from a fellow ATR who spent a week in the school, looks like it would not be for me. What is happening to principals these days?
ReplyDeleteAlmost every school I have been in have very young teaching staffs. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between the teachers and the students.