WHAT I SAID MONDAY NIGHT AT THE PEP MEETING IN MY ALLOTTED 2 MINUTES...
Comparing like-to-like is nothing new – George W. Bush made his reputation as the “education governor” while Governor of Texas by doing this exact thing. And we all know how long ago that was…We at TAGNYC question the validity of Regents scores when tests are scored by teachers ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL INPUT. I personally observed the principal of my school sitting in on Regents scoring last June. To be truly valid Regents would have to be scored outside the school. Oh, and my school received a “B”.

There is zero transparency regarding special education and ELL students. I spend much of my time dealing with persistent disruptive behaviors with no real support of any kind – just the usual “talk but no walk” - which has left the more motivated students demoralized, disenchanted and at this point in the term, completely disgusted. I cannot blame them. I come prepared to teach and I fight to maintain order – fighting apathy, disrespect, hostility, verbal and physical abuse. Real, constructive, and effective discipline consequences are non-existent. Yet my school got a “B”. The review team never spoke to ME, and I was THE sole, the only Dean last year.

We also question the concept of students being assessed on relative progress rather than true and critical command of subject material. This is not the same as teaching to the test. Real teaching has gone the way of the dodo bird. And by the way I am also an art teacher teaching music. My principal decided he did not have to give art this term even though we have students who need the art credit. And I do actually teach music. Good thing I have an early musical background. Our students are taught how and have bought into a culture of “playing the game” from the very first day of kindergarten to the day of their much-vaunted 70% rate of graduation.

What Can We Learn From Striking Teachers in Israel?

The keynote speech was delivered by Secondary School Teachers Organization chairman Ran Erez, who issued a clarion call on behalf of the country's educational system.

"All these people who support the struggle are in favor of education," Erez said.

"With every social struggle in Israel, be it single-parent mothers, bread rallies, or others, people struggle alone and nobody succeeds," he continued. "We are together. We are struggling together for the welfare of the state!"

"Education is closing gaps, education is fighting violence, and staying away from alcoholism and all the bad things that are happening to the state," Erez declared. "That is our struggle. It's a shame that the government doesn't understand that. We are not against them, we are for them, and we want to tell them: The land is shaking. This volcano is erupting."

see norm's notes

REMEMBER?
perhaps not especially if you are a newer teacher or haven't heard about (or lived through) what we once took for granted was our Union...and as we hold a vigil on November 26th at Tweed for our slowly-and-torturously-being-phased-out "profession" perhaps we need to ask: WHO do we hold accountable for it's destruction???

read about a rubber room teacher's brand-new lawsuit v. the DOE

JUST DON'T IMAGINE THEY MEAN YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR JOB FOR "LIFE"


ah yes, it's just another sick joke from the "Department" of Education (READ: no longer a "Board", as in (elected) school boards, not public any more, taxpayers need not get involved, especially parents and UNION MEMBERS - don't ask questions, just lie back and let the corporate raiders who have raped our country and the rest of the world do their dirty work in "your" "public" schools...etc....)

to get the fuller story