Yesterday, there was a knock on the door during my period 4 AP class. I was shocked. No one ever comes out to the trailers. Upon opening the door I found my favorite (no sarcasm, she really is my favorite) F status person with five people. She told me they were teachers from Korea who wanted to see an AP calculus class. Principal Suit wanted to know if it was okay if they came in. Suit sent her because he knew I would never turn her away.
I was shocked. Suit never sends anyone to the trailers, let alone my class. I let them in, made them introduce themselves to the kids and told them they were in for a treat. This AP group is the "liveliest" AP group I have had in years.
The group walked to the back and I continued teaching. Actually, I was just going over some really difficult derivative problems requiring a calculator. The kids got into it and were really showing off. I hate anyone in my room and tried to ignore the visitors in the back. One of them whipped out a video camera and started filming everything in sight. I was too dumbstruck to say anything. The guy even video taped the class next door through the window.
When the class ended, I went to Ms. F Status and complained about the video taping. She agreed with me and promised to talk to Suit. I don't know what the outcome was. Later in the day, I was discussing this with the AP stat teacher and she was also upset about the recording. Of course my AP's only response was "You are always complaining." I do complain, but only when things like this happen.
My students and I don't want to end up on Korean U-Tube. I don't think it is even legal to tape kids without their parent's permission. I only wish I had thought to tell the guy to put the camera away. Hopefully Suit will not allow this again.
7 comments:
There is absolutely a Chancellor's Regulation about filming or photographing students without parental permission. Here's one link http://docs.nycenet.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-28/A-640.pdf but I think there's a better one. My students are much better at navigating the chancellor's regs than I am.
I would have gone crazy when they whipped out those cameras.
WHAT!!!!?????
IT IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO FILM STUDENTS WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS PERMISSION. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS. EVEN MY DUMB ASS PRINCIPAL KNEW TO GET RELEASES FROM PARENTS WHEN I PROPOSED TO FILM(IT NEVER HAPPENED) MY CLASS IN ONE OF HIS OBSERVATIONS.
APPEARENTLY THESE FOREIGNERS KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT AMERICAN WAYS AND LAWS AND YOUR PRICIPAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH THEM!
It is against the law and every September I hand out and collect release forms. Some parents say no.
I would have told them not to film.
And the fact that you did not have it in writing from Suit makes me think you should also report this to your union rep. Arrangements should have been made ahead of time rather than a suprise visit.
Having a self-contained class, I know which children cannot be photographed. Those parents would have been off the wall if I didn't say anything.
I realized when it was over I should have said something. Never having been put in this situation before, I didn't even think about it being illegal. Besides, I did not even notice the guy taping until at least 10 minutes had gone by.
I found the permission slip the kids parent's needed to sign and am giving it to principal tomorrow with a letter of protest.
Yes always cover your ASSests cause the no one else will!
An F-status tour guide should be advising those on the tour that they need permission to tape the natives. Where has this tour guide been? Didn't Ms. F-Status have this knowledge? Isn't knowing this a qualification for her job as tour guide? You were so right to get upset! By the way, Mr. AP always sounds like an asshole, which is worse than always complaining.
Hi you!
off-topic, but Liz Ditz has put up a post about the "proficiency illusion" over at ktm --- I've told her you've written a lot of good things about this.
If you feel like chiming in (or have time), that would be great.
If you do have time, I have a question I'm always mulling over: how can a parent determine whether his or her child has reached proficiency in algebra 1 or 2?
Do you have ideas?
Post a Comment