Election Day 2007

My poor, recuperating colleague missed staff development today. I am writing this post to keep him informed.


I decided to go to work today because I had three sets of test papers to mark and figured if I stayed home, they would not get done. Nothing says mark like listening to a Suit talk on and on. Also, it was a good day to catch up with a good friend. We don't teach in the same department and have no free periods together so we never see each other in school. At least we got to see each other in the morning and for lunch.


The day started with bagels and coffee. The bagels and cream cheese were good, but the coffee was cold (kind of like the feelings we get from the administration.) We then headed into the auditorium where we were subjected to Suit's stand up comic routine. He told the oldest, corniest, sexist jokes around. When he finished entertaining himself he got to the heart of the meeting--our report card. Our school got a B, which pretty much was the mark given to all the schools in my area. He was really proud of it. He stressed areas that we have to improve in and told us to lie (not in so many words) on the next survey so we will do better in certain categories. He is also going to work hard to get the kids and the parents to answer the surveys more favorably (or to lie for him.) Hearing how important they were in our rating makes me glad I filled it in (I did not lie and I will not lie next time.) We also got to see this year's shirt. So now I have another school shirt that I will not wear. All in all, the time passed quickly. I finished a set and a half of papers.

Session two was a meeting with AP. He began the session telling us that if a kid makes a careless mistake we should give partial credit. This, after he spent an hour in September telling us not to give partial credit, ripping apart a summer school teacher for giving an exam that was 70% partial credit. A teacher who never says a word questioned his change of heart. She wanted to know exactly what he wanted us to do. He double talked her for a few minutes and then, without giving an answer, changed the subject. Ten minutes later, someone asked for clarification on the partial credit dilemma and again he double talked and did not answer. We still don't know what he wants. As for me, I give partial credit, so I kept my mouth shut. I got to finish marking my second set of exams.

Session III continued in a different room. Half the group got to stand on a mat and figure out how to turn it over while the other half watched. I cleaned out my pocket book. We looked at the statistics of a teacher that was supposed to be anonymous but everyone in the room knew who the teacher was. He is the only one teaching that subject 12th period. Of course he was blamed for the poor passing rate and the poor attendance in that class. Someone actually tried to defend him, but that person was shot down. He doesn't care. He has standards and will stick to them. He's probably retiring this year so they can't touch him anyways.

Lunch was the highlight of the day. I hooked up again with my friend. After a quick stop in Rite Aid, we had some grandma's pizza at one of the best places around.

Back at the ranch, we then picked up our new school shirts and headed back to our meetings. The first meeting of the afternoon taught us how to use EGS (Electronic Grading System). This was boring and unnecessary for anyone who is computer literate and insufficient to teach anyone that needs to learn. At least I got to check my e-mail.

The last session was with AP again. He informed us that we better do something to make sure we are reaching all kids. He has a new son to take care of and he needs his job. Too bad he never thought about the two teaching fellows whose life he destroyed a few years ago by U rating them and taking away their licenses. They were not that bad. They had families too. He pointed out that you need a personality to teach and that you need a personality that people liked. Too bad he hasn't taken his own advice. He is one of the most disliked people in the building. The kids shake when they have to talk to him. Suit came into this meeting for a photo shoot and started berating us for not sitting in groups or using a horse shoe. I lost it. I jumped up, went to the board and showed him why the horse shoe does not work in math. Needless to say, he left quickly. The best part of this meeting was that I started marking my night class exams and made up answer key for a test they are having tomorrow. We did get a glimpse of the new Algebra regents. That one is going to be a fiasco (I need to devote an entire post to that). My chairman thinks the cutoff for passing will be in the 30's. After looking at it, I have to agree.

All in all, I am glad I went in today. I got a lot done. I got great stuff to write about. I'm keeping my colleague on his health sabbatical well informed. Can't wait for the Brooklyn Queens day staff development. Maybe we'll get lucky and have one regents week as well.