My colleague on a health sabbatical missed an exciting faculty meeting today. I'll just have to right about it to keep him posted.
My huge school is on a 12 period day and because of the different time schedules of so many teachers, Suit is forced to hold conferences multiple periods. Some teachers luck out and get to go to a conference during a lunch or a prep so they don't have to stay extra. I'm not that lucky. I'm stuck staying the extra period at the end of the day. Of course, listening to Suit and then going to teach is no bargain either. He would not stop talking during the period four meeting and refused to let teachers leave at the end of the period. The teacher who comes into the room after me was really late to class. She has a difficult class and is always after them to be on time. Coming late herself set a bad example. When she finally arrived, she was really upset. The kids gave her a hard time about being late too. She told him "Principal Suit was holding a meeting and he would not let us leave." The same thing happened at a meeting I was at a few years ago. The only difference was that I got up five minutes before the end of the meeting and walked out. When Suit complained I told him "I have a class in the trailer. I'm not going to be late." He didn't like my answer but he knows that I am made of Teflon and he can do nothing to me. Others are not in that position and must take his abuse.
The meeting I went to began with a lecture about using the new call sub station and EGS (electronic grading system). We were told that computers would be available in the school but we would be much better off working at home in our pajamas. I vote for not working in school in my pajamas. We then listened to the AP of security. This guy looks just like Terence of South Park (big mouth, nothing intelligent ever coming out of it). He was telling us how effective the school was going to be in dealing with lateness. He plans on having his C-6 hall patrol people doing sweeps. Too bad my colleague isn't in school this semester. If he had a hall patrol, I know how much he would love the sweeps. I don't think anyone in the room thought this plan would work. But Terence sure had a good time standing in front and talking. Next to speak was Suit himself. First he talked about our Quality Review and patted himself and the staff on the back. The stupid teachers actually applauded. He talked about differentiated instruction. He wants us to talk to every student individually. He wants us to speak to special education teachers and ELL teachers to find books that are easier for some students to use. All this with 5 classes and a C-6 assignment. I think the guy is on drugs. He then talked about the biggest problem in our school--Black males not getting advanced and honor diplomas. He's finally woken up. I've said for years that this group is not being cared for. I've said for years that this group faces major discrimination. No one listened. Now that the school is faced with the group bringing down the stats, he wants to address the problem. He said a bunch of racist stuff, stuff he claimed was based on facts. After teaching six classes and a C-6 assignment, I didn't have the energy to challenge him. I just watched the clock and made sure to leave when the period was up. I did take a cell phone call in the middle of the meeting. I hope it got on him nerves. As people were leaving he mentioned our next PD would be in January. I definitely feel a severe headache coming on.
6 comments:
I thought the Terrence and Philip show was one of the cutest features of South Park. So are Principal Suit and AP Security playing the revival?
What clever little administrators they are!! And so in touch with the needs of the students!! Notice how young black males were ignored and marginalized until now! That proves that no one was listening to teachers or REAL educators for years and years. It took this evil regime's obsession with data to wake up administrators who smell more cash if young black men were more successful academically. Where were Terrence and Philip prior to their cash bonuses?
He's getting a full period out of you when he's only due 40 minutes?
Should I dig up the Chancellor's Reg, or is it besides the point?
not worth the fight for five minutes, but thanks. I could leave it anonymously in his mail box.
Racist stuff is always based on fact, if you ask the racists.
When I read your postings I swear we are working in the same building! Oh ,I forgot you are in The Plaza Suite, the trailer. How is the heat going? I am in the same boat. I am supposed to hunt down non- existent low level high interest books for our ELL's . TALK about trying to find a needle in a hay stack. I reminded my suit ( hate to call her that because her suits look like bad slip covers. In fact my Salvation army outfits look better than hers)that I personally leveled all books . Those teachers that have a small collection are unwilling to share. They hold onto them like they are a life raft. really can't blame the ones that use them. The turn over in my school is so huge that many of the books seem to disappear into thin air.Then we have the teachers who have many , many books for show purposes. They don't take the time to read them! They look good on the shelve collecting dust. It's a mad, mad world in the DOE!!
Here it is in "Know your rights" but I need to find the Reg or Circular that backs it up. Look under Length of Day.
http://www.uft.org/member/rights/your_rights/knowyourrights/index5.html
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