Thursday, March 22, 2018

Another View in the UFT - Holding UFT/Unity Caucus leadership’s feet to the fire - March 2018

The 5th edition of Another View, a newsletter handed out at the UFT delegate assemblies and posted her on Ed Notes and on listserves. Editors: Mike Schirtzer, Arthur Goldstein, James Eterno, Norm Scott

Articles by MORE members Prudence Hill, Arthur Goldstein, Eric Mears, Alexandra Alves, and myself.

If you'd like a pdf to share email me offlist.
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What do you do with a “principal in need of improvement?” 

These days many NYC principals come from the Bloomberg-era collection of “Leadership” academies designed to make people with little teaching experience and no pedagogical background into principals of public schools.

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West Virginia, Oklahoma Strike Lessons – Right to Work does not have to be a Death Sentence

By Norm Scott, MORE, Education Notes blog

On the Saturday evening of March 10, 2018, about 300 people showed up at the meeting hall of the NY State Nurses Association (NYSNA) on West 33rd St to hear a presentation by three West Virginia teachers who played key roles in the recent victorious strike. Starting with the idea of a sickout, termed “the blue flu”, in a few counties, the movement turned into a full-fledged wildcat strike in every single county in the state that led to the closing of every school in the state. A right to work state. A state where strikes by public employees are illegal.

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Arthur Goldstein: Mar. 12 Exec. Board Takeaway March 12th--The Good, the Bad, and the Worse – Excerpt

ATRs are given an opportunity to vote in UFT elections for a chapter leader who will almost certainly not be their chapter leader come September. It hardly seems worth it. Why should I be worried about a leader who won't be my leader? This distinction, alas, appears to escape leadership, who didn't even wish to discuss it. My understanding is that they contend the ATR to be a temporary aberration. The fact that they enabled it via the 2005 contract, as well as the fact that it's endured for twelve years appears not to register.
More at: http://nyceducator.com/2018/03/exec-board-takeawaymarch-12th-good-bad.html plus Unity Caucus guts Class Size Resolution

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The shocking sample comments of the Danielson rubric: Focus on the “Professional Responsibilities” section
By Erik Mears, MORE – Presented to UFT Exec Bd, March 12, 2018

One can infer from these comments that teachers who are unwilling to do free labor or commit treachery against their colleagues may be rated Developing or worse. Teachers' opinions may also be used as reasons for low ratings under Danielson. Here are four egregious examples of sample comments:

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Is Danielson Making You Sick?
Reprinted from MORE-UFT site–
by Alexandra Alves, Chapter Leader, PS 2M
https://morecaucusnyc.org/2018/03/13/is-danielson-making-you-sick/#more-5985

Are you frustrated with your loss of professionalism, pedagogic agency, and constant demoralization?

Do you dread the Danielson based drive-by observation and the inevitable feedback session and rating, which happens not only once or twice, but several times a year, even though you have consistently received effective and highly effective ratings throughout your career?




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