Comments on: Teaching Fellows fear they will lose their jobs

By: Des

Des — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:51:15 +0000

As a 2009 fellow, I can assure many of the people on this site that not only am I qualified but I am inspired to help inner city youth. At a fellow meeting a few weeks back, I looked around and wondered just how many fellows could really communicate to the inner city youth as I can given my experience with at-risk youth and someone who came from innercities. I think new teachers often become the “scapegoat” for everyone’s problems instead of realizing that it is the failing economy which is promoting such chaos. Having stated this, I wonder why LAUSD is coming to NY to recruit teachers while Bloomberg is forcing budget cuts. If I had not already spent thousands of dollars to relocate to NYC to join the Fellows program, I would have returned back to L.A. and teach. I sure hope that I will find a position next year and not be left in the cold because it would be really sad for me to have relocated to NYC and not be given what I am promised.

By: Vas

Vas — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:33:08 +0000

To Ken Hirsh:
That would be funny if the schools weren’t ridiculously overcrowded. With all the extra teachers we have, we should create new schools. One of my friends has a class of 42 kids! Yes, it is illegal, but it is taking time to sort it out. After all is said and done, she will still have over 30 kids per class. Most teachers have well over 25 kids – and that’s tough to manage when many of them have not learned to behave.

By: Patrick J. Sullivan

Patrick J. Sullivan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:31:08 +0000

People outside the system, especially the mayor’s wealthy friends who won’t send their kids to public school, like to blame teachers, unions and their contracts for all the ills of the public schools. But a close look at the Teaching Fellows plight each December tells quite the opposite story. These idealistic people are heavily recruited, relocate here to teach, are told they will revolutionize education and then are discarded in December. Two years ago I saw a note from one of them saying she had simply gotten an email at 7 pm on a Friday late in December saying she was fired. They didn’t even have the decency to do it face to face. We cannot improve the schools unless we first create an environment where teachers and students want to be and feel they can succeed.

By: Chevonne

Chevonne — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:37:10 +0000

How do we join the group protesting? I am a 2008 fellow and I am currently still on ATR. My situation may be a little different as I am 8 months pregnant. The lack of support is appalling, I have been told “good luck”. It’s difficult to look on the bright side when I know I will be left with no insurance for my child to be. We will be kicked out December 5 and I’m due at the end of the month. Still I feel bad for those who relocated, atleast I’m from New York.

By: rob also

rob also — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:47:27 +0000

Rob, as far a qualifications go, I have a masters degree in mathematics, I have taught three years at the college level and I have curriculum developing experience. I am qualified.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:49:51 +0000

If there are NYTF without jobs from the previous program why are they promoting the 2009/2010 program so aggressively? Are the teachers not adequately qualified?

I think that there should be one national program that allows all people interested in being a fellow apply at one particular site. The applicants would select the state or states that they are interested in and then the states could select the applicants that feel are qualified for the positions that they need filled. There should only be two nationals exams that are accepted by all states. I think that it is ridiculous that states such as California, New York, Arizona and etc. have there own particular state exam! They all are more or less the same. If the the No Child Left Behind Act is national than the initial exams should be as well.

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:26:13 +0000

The UFT did negotiate a no-layoff clause in the 2005 Contract … does it apply to the hired but unplaced Teaching Fellows?

The Contract clause would protect teachers from the upcoming $185 million Bloomberg cuts unless there are city-wide layoffs … of course the November 18th State legislative meeting could result in additional DOE cuts …
Sunday on Ch 7 Klein talked about Central absorbing cuts BUT added decisions shoud be made by Principals … who only have staff to cut …

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:36:03 +0000

I find the UFT frustrating – but it was the DoE and the NYCTF who created this mess, who brought teachers to New York without a good idea of the number of jobs available. In fact, it was the DoE that created the illogical accounting system that intentionally leaves active teachers without positions.

The resolution the UFT passed this week did well to explicitly address protecting Teaching Fellow ATRs.

I would like the UFT to speak louder, advocate more strongly. But blame? No.

That belongs to New York City, its Dept of Education, and its barely-independent NYC Teaching Fellows.

By: Charli K.

Charli K. — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:32:20 +0000

I think that budgets are much tighter this year, and as a result the UFT needs to come up with a solution immediately for the individuals who do not look like they will be hired. It would be nice however to have a full time para in my class, possibly they can extend the budgets of schools so that they can hire one more teacher?

By: Ken Hirsh

Ken Hirsh — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:43:05 +0000

Maybe we need to hire more students to soak up this tragic oversupply of teachers?

By: Heidi Hayes Jacobs

Heidi Hayes Jacobs — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:41:30 +0000

We are facing a staggering teaching shortage across the United States. Not only does the Teaching Fellows program encourage an alternative route into the classroom, but it fundamentally ensures that the fellows will be working on masters degree programs with supervisoin and support. In many ways, this program has forced all component of teacher preparation to rethink approaches. Teaching Fellows are getting better prep than those who went through traditional paths. There are no guarantees to make a great lifelong teacher, but to have the possibility for many of these candidates to commit and to engage in the classroom with support points to a greater likelihood.

By: Pogue

Pogue — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:05:31 +0000

How many TFA’ers are in the system? For a population that will only commit to two years of teaching service, me thinks it’s obvious how cuts should start.