Ed Notes Extended

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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

So Much For Retention


A Voice at Chancellor's New Clothes took a brief break from her vacation from blogging to send along this comment on her "New York City Teaching Fellows-Biting the Hand that Feeds Them" post.
I was a [NYC Teaching] Fellow, until today. I feel like the Fellows [program] did not support me at all when I was having a lot of trouble at my school. From lack of everything, textbooks, to a mentor to union issues (we didn't have one), to an administrator that did nothing but attack, to a bogus investigation she called for against me. I made it through all of that in my first 3 months. Today is the second day after break, and I walked out of the school handed in my keys and left. I've wanted to be a teacher my whole life. I never want to do it again.
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousWednesday, January 7, 2009 at 10:25:00 AM EST

    The UFT website is touting a victory in the struggle for parental involvement on leadership teams. Bet this is another end run around mayoral control with the apologists now claiming some level of parental involvement. The UFT-DOE-SED all in concert to allow the mayor on going control. Another slight of hand by the power brokers.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousWednesday, January 7, 2009 at 6:28:00 PM EST

    This doesn't seem to be a problem with the Fellows; rather a problem with this teacher's union.

    Lack of "everything" + lack of a school mentor + no textbooks (like any of do?) + unknown charges from his/her principal = A UNION PROBLEM.


    Randi?

    ReplyDelete
  3. dmacWednesday, January 7, 2009 at 7:54:00 PM EST

    I'm sorry but I have to agree. The Fellowship just gets you in the door. They really have nothing to do with you - aside from funding your Masters -- and they don't claim to-- once you've got a job.

    I keep finding myself in the position of defending the Fellows even though it's not perfect. But, then again, what is?

    The Fellows didn't even extend my time for looking for a job when I landed in the emergency room and on crutches for the duration of my training. But I'm ever grateful. I love being an ESL teacher and wouldn't have done it otherwise.

    ReplyDelete
  4. dmacWednesday, January 7, 2009 at 7:55:00 PM EST

    Sorry - to clarify - I agree with the anonymous comment that said the problems seem to be more a responsibility of the union and school and not the NYCTF

    ReplyDelete

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