Comments on: Arbitrary and Capricious; Or, Some More Contract Demands

By: yomister

yomister — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:19:24 +0000

SETSS, not SETTS

Special Education Teacher Support Services

That said, I’d say about a quarter of the IEPs I review often have the former abbreviation used consistently throughout.

I know, so minor a worry.

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:51:57 +0000

Marvelous comments from both Karen and Linda!!
I love the reality show idea and also the switching places. CBS has a show where the CEO actually has to go to work in his or her organization. I would love to set up Klein’s register and prep schedule. He will NOT be allowed to outsource his lesson planning. And if the kids act up, we will get the same backup we do which is basically saying he’s on his own. But most of all I want to see him in the halls “bathrooming” his kids–now there’s a verb for ya. And there’s a least 2 cases of vomiting a year right in the classroom and the custodian telling you he can’t get to it at the moment. So you teach in the hallway for 2 hours. I want to see Klein put up with, “he took my pencil!!!” or “he touched me” or “stop looking at me!!” It will put Jersey Shore at the bottom of the ratings!!!!!

By: Jose Vilson

Jose Vilson — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:09:23 +0000

My standards are simple: funny and clear. Honestly, Linda, it’s hilarious. I’ve been reading these comments all weekend and they’ve kept me entertained for that long. That’s why I said “a comedy on errors.” From what I’ve read, the whole thing started off from the errors made by the guy who misspelled “whine.”

Laughter ensues.

By: Linda Silverman

Linda Silverman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:43:03 +0000

I like the idea of a reality show. Maybe Klein and Bloomberg could change places with with a real life teacher for a week. I’m sure there are many of us who would be willing to see the job they could do. Perhaps we could even learn something from them.
I am sorry Jose that our writing is not up to your standards.

By: Short Notes: We Facin’ The Storm, Homie, We Ridin’ It Out — The Jose Vilson

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:30:18 +0000

[...] GothamSchools article is pretty well written, but the comment section is a comedy on errors. Check it for yourself. [...]

By: Arthur Goldstein

Arthur Goldstein — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:18:03 +0000

Me too! You are undoubtedly a creative genius.

By: Karen Sherwood

Karen Sherwood — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:24:52 +0000

Tsk, tsk, tsk. All of you under-worked, overpaid teachers with your pie-in-sky (or pie-in-the teachers’ room) ideas for ATM’s, vodka, and limousine service; it’s time to get serious, so here is an idea that will be relatively inexpensive (and maybe even make money) and provide hours of entertainment: a new reality show called “Move Over, Tweed”. In order to enhance and solidify the ties between the DOE and all the new charter school organizations, let’s have them actually share space–Tweed’s space. Each week a new organization will move into Tweed, and the entire nation will get to watch Klein’s team deal first-hand, with issues such as overcrowding, security, and the shortage of necessities such as telephones, paper, and computers. It will be educational to see how they deal with inconveniences such as the loss of conference rooms (“underutilized space”) or the new split-schedules (DOE 5:00 am to 1:pm) , and it will be downright inspiring to watch them share chairs, desks, and student recruitment lists with the new occupants. Of course, the newest organizations will get first preference of space and materials, but some members of the older teams will have the opportunity to jump ship (switch teams) and maybe even bring their chairs and desks with them. I’m still working out the details, but it will be a combination of Survivor, Big Brother, The Apprentice , and Musical Chairs. Eventually, we’ll bring in outside experts (perhaps hockey referees now that the Olympics are over) who will pick the winning organization–winner take all! Think of the marketing possibilities, and the best part is that all profits from the show and the future DVD sales will go to…to…to…Hmmm. I’d say that it would go toward providing vital services for all NYC students, but with the grand poobahs so busy jockeying for space and power, that might mean placing student learning in the hands of their teachers. What a concept! In short, “Move Over, Tweed” could turn out to be professional development at its finest , and I would happily give at least 1% of the proposed raise in order to see it come to pass.

By: Arthur Goldstein

Arthur Goldstein — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:25:09 +0000

Schoolgal,

Your spirit of compromise is admirable. Regrettably, I doubt Tweed shares it.

EFM,

I’ve often wondered that as well. One of my pet peeves is that they’re made to take the English Regents, a test which, for them, is utterly inappropriate. A great deal of their time is wasted in training them to pass, which could be spent more productively giving them the instruction they really need.

Chaz,

That is clearly their goal. I’m often struck that working people ask, “Why do teachers have tenure and health benefits?” The better question is, “Why don’t I have tenure and health benefits?”

By: chaz

chaz — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:39:52 +0000

If only the DOE can get rid of the “just cause” standard that requires real evidence to terminate the teacher.

By: EFM

EFM — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:35:08 +0000

I’ve always wondered why ELL’s are not allowed an extra year, or six months at the very least, to be focused exclusively on learning English, before they are placed in other courses.

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:31:40 +0000

Oops: That should read “de-certification” and “Tabasco” sauce.

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:25:34 +0000

Don’t have anything against ELL kids–just the fact that they have to get tested before they are ready and that the mayor discriminates them from his “small schools”. The same way I don’t have a problem with my resource kids–except for the fact when they do score a level 3, that grade is usually inflated. I know which kids are ready for de-certificatrion and which are not.
I also know which kids should be placed in a special ed class because SETTS is not the right program for them. But parents get the last word on that.

If we are going to be judged by how the charters and small high schools are doing, let them have service the kids they do not service now.

But you know there will always be givebacks in any contract, so I will forgo the vodka since I have enough at home to bring to school and keep the limo. The school can supply the celery sticks , tomato juice and tabasco sauce. One more thing–when we get a snotty, over-the-top, disgruntled parent who keeps telling me Little Johnny does all his homework, and I keep answering, “I believe you, but he must bring it to school otherwise I have no choice but to give him a zero,” they get to sent Little Johnny to a charter school too.

By: Arthur Goldstein

Arthur Goldstein — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:57:29 +0000

I couldn’t agree more!

By: I noticed that...

I noticed that... — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:04:38 +0000

Arthur,

Thank you for the advice. BTW, the ELLs are amazing, wonderful students. I love to teach to them; I enjoy listening to their experience; It’s a pleasure sharingmy experience with them. Most importantly I am so proud seeing them grow as citizens of the U.S. I teach the Pursuit of Happiness and Freedom!

By: Arthur Goldstein

Arthur Goldstein — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:55:00 +0000

I’m glad to hear someone stick up for my ESL kids. I’d hate to think of them in the thrall of some fawning pompous name-calling money-grubbing school-closing self-serving overpaid overconnected Blackberry-addicted charter demagogue who ultimately wished to leave them in a world full of at-will employment.

By: Linda Silverman

Linda Silverman — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:42:11 +0000

I’m not trading vodka for limo service. I want them both. And, I want champagne to sip while I am beign chauffered around. I also want my snow days. I want it all!

I don’t mind the difficult kids but I would like resources to deal with them–no more than 6 in a class, a para and the back up of the administration when they step out of line. I don’t want to be held accountable for their success or failure if I am doing my job correctly. I’ll stick with Arthur about the ELL kids–most of them are great and they belong where they are. I want more than $100 bonus. I want $10,000 for every year of service. I want it all!

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:28:08 +0000

Sorry but I still stand by my proposal to send the discipline problems. Special Ed and level 1 and 2′s to the Charters or the mayor’s small schools. If we give the ELL’s more time to acquire the language, then they can stay. Otherwise, enjoy working at your new charter!! In fact, I see romantic sparks flying between you and Eva just like Cybil and Bruce on Moonlighting or that other couple on Remington Steel.

By: Arthur Goldstein

Arthur Goldstein — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:15:49 +0000

I don’t see why you have to compromise, Schoolgal. Let’s demand it all. I don’t like the idea of sending the ELLs to charters because I teach them, and I wouldn’t want to go to a charter to do so. The whole being fired for telling my colleagues what UFT teachers earn, or for trying to enforce an IEP does not hold much appeal for me.

How about if we change the idiotic standard on which we assess ELLs, and acknowledge that not knowing English may indeed cause a person to take longer to graduate? How about setting reasonable standards for special ed. and alternate assessment kids as well, rather than vilifying those of us who want to help them?

I’d support a contract like that, and since charters are magic, my very reasonable proposals need not apply to them.

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:06:30 +0000

I would have given up the vodka for limo service to and from school each day (Sorry Linda, I would rather have the snow day given all the other holidays we lost from previous contracts). Extra sleep time and not rushing in the mornings would be so appreciated. And of course fresh coffee and breakfast should be waiting.

I don’t trust cash in the barrel since there are always a few “principal favs” in every school that get those “extra” preps and best kids. They would either get their own barrel or their prep schedule would be timed to start when they fill those barrels. I like the ATM idea, but would want a reputable bank to supply it rather than the DoE cause we all know that won’t work.

Every teacher that retires should get a $1000 bonus check instead of a kick out the door.

Instead of merit pay, only Level 3 and 4 students in every classroom with no discipline problems. We can send all the others including ELL, Special Ed, etc. to the Charters so they can work their magic.

By: Linda Silverman

Linda Silverman — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:48:35 +0000

The false bottom goes with the false promises of improved conditions for teachers and students, and the false statistics about graduation rates. I think you might have hit on a concept Bloomberg will go for. Goldstein, you are a genius.