Monday, December 5, 2011

Smell a Rat Alert: ATRs to Be "Supervised"

I could just drip with satire but I'll leave that to others.

From: Atrassignment <Atrassignment@schools.nyc.gov>
Subject: Important Update on Supervision
To:
Date: Monday, December 5, 2011, 10:37 AM

Dear Teacher,

The Department of Education is piloting a new model for supervision of teachers in the Absent Teacher Reserve (ATR).  This pilot will be implemented for most ATRs assigned to community school districts in Brooklyn as well as the Brooklyn High School superintendency, District 73; you are receiving this email because you will likely be included in the pilot.  Under this initiative, you will be supervised by a licensed administrator, called a Field Supervisor, who will periodically observe your practice and provide you with feedback to support your professional development.  The Field Supervisors are aware that as an ATR you do not have a regular program and that you rotate school assignments and they will take this context into account in their work with you.

At some point in the next two months, you should expect your Field Supervisor to visit your assignment site to meet with you in person.  At this initial meeting, the Field Supervisor will work with you to develop a plan to support your professional growth and job search process.  The Field Supervisor will make an effort to contact you via your DOE email in advance of the initial meeting to give you a sense of when you can expect him or her; however, he or she may not always be able to provide advance notification.

Sincerely,

NYC Department of Education

 
Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
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Grassroots Education Movement
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Sent from my BlackBerry

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Besides hunt us down as the martinets do in a usual assignment, I cannot imagine trying to explain that my professional goals extend much further beyond trying to obtain a bathroom key.

My professional goal also consists of trying not to urinate on myself during my fourth straight class in a row.

Another professional goal is trying to find a parking spot.

Perhaps one of these so called field supervisors could do what the union is unwilling to do, obtain me a parking permit.

Also, I could request not to be told what time to come in the next day according to the whim of a secretary.

The field supervisors are going to be writing up the field slaves, ATR's. I guess not teaching physics as a gym teacher could be observed and written up.

Where is the wonderful union in all of this?

Bedouin Teacher

Anonymous said...

Probably the DOE meant "plotting," and "piloting" was merely a typo!

A few words of advice to the ATRs:

Before accepting an assignment in any school, phone ahead, and speak to the principal's secretary. Make it clear that you must receive a bathroom key within the first five minutes of your reporting to the school, because, if not, you will turn right around and leave. Then, email the principal and detail the sum and substance of the conversation.

If you see that you have received a schedule with four assignments in a row, but, if you know that you normally need to take a bathroom break after two or three assignments, so inform the principal. Let him/her know that you'll be taking a bathroom break after the second or third in a row. What's the worst that can happen? You'll get a file letter for being a little late to a class or an assignment?! Learn how to properly answer file letters!

Anonymous said...

Letters in the file have little meaning until they try to jack you up with a 3020a kangaroo court. The replies to the letters are meaningless. The corrupt arbitrators will find you guilty inorder to ensure that they will continue to get the princely sum of $1800 a day for three hours work.
The purpose of the field administrators is to pile up enough paper to initiate a case to take away our livelihood.
The union is part of this. Why would they need additional administrators when there is a surplus of them in each building we have the misfortune to be sent to each week.
It appears that the average buiLding adminstrator has no incentive to persicute an atr. The doe in its infinite wisdom has chosen to find individuals who can directly attack teachers who are atr subs.
This is again disparate treatment. Once again ,we can only expect inaction from those we pay to represent our interests.
Just another shining example of constructive discharge. In addition, more evidence of the uft colluding with the DOE.

Angry Nog