Fine

When my former AP had a problem with something, we would meet, he would babble, I would say fine but he kept going and going. He knew I thought he was full of crap but fine was the only word I ever used.  He wanted an argument and I refused to give him one.

I know he was never happy at the end of a meeting.  I, on the other hand left feeling fine.  Scott Adams knows plenty of bosses like him to be able to put this in a cartoon.

Royal Commandment

The AP had a simple demand.  Everyone had to pass.  Even one failure meant the teacher was no good and not doing her job properly.  The teachers did the best they could to do his bidding.  They did not want to be subjected to his verbal abuse and they certainly did not want to risk their jobs.  In order to fulfill this commandment the teachers pretty much gave up teaching and focused on test prep.  They taught their students how to work backwards from multiple choice and to use guess and check instead of thinking through the problem.  This method worked rather well since it is possible to pass a regents by only getting some multiple choice questions correct.

The AP was happy with the group of teachers who followed his order.  He rewarded those teachers with praise and good programs.  He had parties for them.  Those teachers basked in his praise, never once realizing how much they were hurting the students they passed along.

Now those students are in college where they actually have to produce to pass.  They don't possess any basic algebraic skills, can't solve an equation or even add and multiply signed numbers.  They don't know how to study.  They want second, third, and fifth chances.  They are angry because getting by with no work is no longer an option.  They don't understand how life is so different now than it was when they were in high school.

The AP is not concerned with these students.  He did his job.  He got them out of his school and had great statistics too.  Their future was not his concern as he would not be judged by whatever happened to them next.

Letter To The Department



Dear Teachers,

I want to thank you all for your hard work.  Many of you are getting close to 100% passing on regents exams and this is good.  Yes, we all know I remove failing and difficult students from the classes of teachers I like, but that is besides the point.  And, I know some kids are hard core failures that no one has ever been able to reach, but if I put them in your class I expect you to be able to teach them.  I don't care what you have to do to succeed, but succeed you must.  And  you teachers on maximum salary better start earning it and get your statistics up.  If you don't, I will be happy to use the Danielson Framework to get rid of you.  (Some of you might have already heard that an AP told her department how easy it will be to get rid of you with the new evaluation system.)

Some of you think you are good teachers.  You are not.  You are garbage and in this school to make me look good and to help me keep getting those big bonuses.

Have a nice summer.   Come back well rested and ready to feel my wrath if you don't live up to my standards.


The Best AP in the City

Disrespect



 



I wonder why an AP has to talk dirt about retired a certain retired teacher.  What does the AP accomplish by bringing up this man and dragging his name through the dirt?  The man had a long career.  In his prime, he helped lots of students.  Why does this AP have a need to constantly degrade him and throw garbage on his memory?

I can only think of one reason-the AP's own feelings of inferiority.  He can only feel good about himself while he is putting others down.

Unbelievable Conversation

I couldn't believe we actually had this conversation in front of the entire department.

Mr. AP: If I order geometry sketch pad who will use it?

Ms. POd: I'll use it

Mr. AP: You are retiring. What do you need it for?

Ms. POd: Do you know something I don't know? I don't think I've handed my papers in yet and I don't plan on doing it. I'm going to be here next year.

Mr. AP: Why are you so upset? You always take things the wrong way.

I wish I could meet this guy outside of school and beat the living crap out of him. I know I could do it with one hand tied behind my back. He's not worth going to jail over so I don't plan on actually doing this. I do plan on finding our EEO person tomorrow and filing an age discrimination complaint. (More on our departmental meetings tomorrow. You'll know where to find it when it is up. I promise it will be good.)

Your Problem Is You Can't Hear A Pin Drop

Normally I would not post stuff like this here anymore but I already spent 20 minutes in the APO's office bitching about what I am about to write, I figured I could share it here.

Basically, Mr. AP told us yesterday that the kids in our classes should be passing. While he doesn't want them to pass for nothing, he expects us to reach the majority of them. If kids are not coming to class, we should do something about it. If kids are not doing homework, we should also do something. We should teach slow enough to reach them all.

I've been working my butt off to get my geometry kids to pass. I make flash cards for every topic. I go over the same topics again and again. I let them use notes on exams. I've given up on the proofs that they hate. They still don't get it. They still add up line segments and set them equal to 180. I don't know what to do with them anymore.

I made the error of trying to talk to Mr. AP about this problem today. After all, he is the chairperson, the master teacher, I thought he could help.

Mr. AP: Can you hear a pin drop in your classroom?

Me: No, those classes are quite difficult.

Mr. AP: Well, that is your problem. In fact, it is only you senior teachers that have this problem. If one kid is noisy, send him out and don't let him back in until his parent shows up. That will set the other kids straight.

Me: It won't work. Too many are noisy. Besides, a kid that can't divide 12 by 2 without a calculator cannot learn geometry, no matter how quiet the room is.

Mr. AP: It will. It is your fault the kids can't learn. Big deal about what you do. You are only teaching four or five kids at most.

At that point I walked out. There was no point in arguing with this madman. But, the steam was still pouring out of my ears and I decided to vent to the APO. She invited me to sit down and air my complaints. She listened sympathetically and promised to talk to him tomorrow.

Mr. AP has no answers to the problems we face so he is choosing the easy way out--BLAME THE TEACHER. The APO's conversation with him will do no good but it did help me to vent to her and knowing that she is on my side helps as well.

Mr. AP's comments mean nothing to me in the long run. There is nothing he can do to hurt me but I will not sit back and be his whipping post.

At yesterday's departmental conference he also made quite a few uncalled for comments and told us he expected us to do things that cannot possibly fit into our school day. I managed to keep my mouth shut for most of the meeting. Not one teacher opened up a mouth in protest to anything he said. If they choose to be beaten, so be it. NOT ME. NOT NOW. NOT EVER. And, if it really bothers him, I will stay on for another few years. I WILL NOT LET HIM WIN!

Fed Up

Departmental meetings took place today. Mr. AP was his wonderful, warm self. He went on and on about how we should not give kids 55's if they are failing. Instead we should give them their true averages. I hate this idea. It is bad enough to have a kid fail, but why should we rub salt in their wounds by giving such a low grade? The powers that be in my school believe that since a 55 is only 10 points below passing, anyone who gets a 55 can pass. Suit changed every 55 to a 65 in June to move them all ahead. With this theory, we should just change the 65 passing grade to a 55 passing grade. Then, we can pass everyone with 45's because they would only be 10 points below passing. After we try this for a while, we can change the passing to 45 and keep going until everyone who breathes passes. Oh wait, this is already being done--just look at the raw scores and the equated percentages on the New York State Regents exams.

Now, because everyone has passed, everyone is taking geometry. The kids can't do the work, they just don't have the skills. Their taking geometry would be the equivalent of asking me to take a course in Nuclear Physics. To compensate for this, we are being told to "dummy down" the course. Those words are not being used, but we all know the meaning of what we have been told to do.

Years ago, when I was a newbie teacher and even years earlier, when I was a student, I learned that in geometry, nothing is ASSUMED because when you ASSUME you make an ASS out of U and ME. Mr. AP is telling us to get kids to draw conclusions by looking at pictures of lines and stating which ones are parallel and which ones are perpendicular from the way they look. Ridiculous! I can't draw a straight line to save my life and I spend half my teaching time telling them that if it's not given, its not true. Mr. AP is also telling us to have kids measure paper to find the midpoints (most of these kids can't use a ruler and finding the middle of an 8.5" by 11" paper is going to be impossible.) We also spend quite a bit of time teaching constructions with a compass and a straight edge. We argue that a ruler and a protractor are not good enough to get the measurements correct. Now, he is going backwards.

Mr. AP claims that you can't teach proofs until the kids understand the concepts. This is true. But how far back can we go in one semester? My son is a computer engineer. I look at his computer screen and have no clue what he is doing and even when he tries explaining his work to me, I am lost. I can never pick up in a short time what he has spent years learning. These kids are in the same situation. At this time, I can't understand his computer programming any better than they can understand geometry. I'm not incapable of learning, I just don't have the background and neither do these kids. Maybe I can learn the stuff at some time in the future as they might learn to master math then too.

It is time to teach kids on a level they can understand and master. It is time to stop fudging the courses to make everyone believe they can do it all.

Update On My (Almost) Brush With RR

It seems Mr AP was very busy Monday afternoon. My class was not the only one he paid a visit to. He visited quite a few of the other repeater classes.

Every teacher had the same reaction I did--wait until the memo comes out on Thursday. All our classes were "wild." Two days off followed by one day of school and then another two days off is not exactly conducive to learning. Attendance was awful. (At least my attendance was good.) He did not say one word to me, but asked another teacher to speak to him after her class. Maybe my class wasn't as bad as I thought it was or maybe it was good compared to what he had seen in the other rooms. Misery loves company and today we all laughed about the observations.

Ms. ATR passed Mr. AP in the hall and said "Hi, how are you doing?" He answered "terrible" and walked away. I'm sure he is very worried about how the kids in these repeater classes will do. A failure on their part is a reflection on him and from what he saw, there is little hope of having great statistics this year. Oh well, this is not my problem. I just go about my business, teaching as usual, and hoping for the best.

The class from hell was even on good behavior today but I don't have confidence that it will last. My motto--one day at a time.

Fighting Fire With Fire

A commenter on one of my last pieces reminded me of a tactic I used years ago when an AP did not like my lesson. This AP was teaching the same, low level prep and having the same problems with the class. I innocently asked if I could observe her. Of course she had to say yes. I walked into her room, equipped with a big yellow pad and pens. I sat in the back and wrote for 40 minutes straight, looking up once in a while to catch her looking extremely uncomfortable. When the period was over, I thanked her and left. She never asked to speak to me about the lesson. She never learned that I doodled the entire period. she never bothered me again.

I'm Not Worried But Thanks For The Concern

I am not going to the rubber room. I am not being setup to go to the rubber room. I am not worried. Yesterday's class was just an awful reminder of what happens to my colleagues every day.

I'm lucky. I won't have any lasting problems because of that class. The worst thing will be a few nasty words from Mr. AP. I've decided to agree with everything he says and walk away. He hates when I do that. He loves an argument. He also hates winning in this manner. I've even rehearsed a scenario:

Mr. AP: Ms. POd, you are too nice. That class was walking all over you.

Ms. POd: You are correct.

Mr. AP: You have to change seats.

Ms. POd: I've done that twice. I will do it again.

Mr. AP: You have to call their parents.

Ms. POd: I have called some. I am teaching six classes and have a C-6 assignment. I try to squeeze in a few phone calls between periods.

Mr. AP: Please go watch Ms. Teenie Bopper. She has great control.

Ms. POd: I will be happy to do that only if I can do it during my C-6 assignment.

Mr. AP: This is a different world we are living in. If you don't improve I will be forced to put a letter in your file and give you a U rating.

Ms. POd: I understand. Do what you feel is correct.

Rubber Room--I'm Ready

Not really, but after a few more days like today, I am sure I would need my bags packed and my ticket paid for. It really is a good thing that I can walk any minute I want, because I don't think I can survive two of my classes this term.

I'm teaching MG 21 R classes. These are the kids that barely made it out of Math A or Integrated Algebra. A good percentage of them only passed by retaking the course in summer school and many failed but Principal Suit reversed their grades to passing. These are not special education classes but they are classes full of kids who cannot sit in their seats and work an entire period. They cannot start unless I am standing over them and they cannot keep their mouths shut for more than thirty seconds at a time.

Mr. AP paid us a visit today, period 9. The group was more rambunctious than usual. Ditsy was angry because I called his mother about his constant "game boy playing" during class. Trevor was just transferred into the class. I can only imagine why he was taken out of the one he was in. Abe was put in the class special by the AP guidance because she felt I could deal with his nonsense. Rita came back to school two weeks after the term started because the attendance teacher called her home. I could go on and on about the problems in this class, but you get the idea.

Usually kids get nervous when Mr. AP enters the room. They don't like him, don't want to deal with him and just do the right thing so he will leave them alone. Not today, not this group. Today it was business as usual. I chastised them for talking. I stopped teaching and told them I would not continue until they were quiet. Nothing worked. After ten minutes he left.

I'm sure he is going to have some good words to say. It is only a matter of whether he will make the comments to my face or type them in a wonderful memo to share with the department. If the kids have no fear of him and are not be respectful enough to do the right thing while he is in the room, what hope do I have?

Mr. AP is starting to harass us old teachers again. This morning Ms. Timid got a letter from him chastising her for being three minutes late to her period 1 class. Ms. Timid lives an hour from the school and is never late or absent. If she wasn't in her room that day, there probably was a very good reason. Instead of asking, he harasses. He waits three weeks after the event occurs to say something so she cannot even defend herself. She even second guesses herself and she thinks she might have been late that day. A few years ago, Ms Pet of Mr. AP came late every day. Mr. AP excused her, saying that period 1 is early and hard to get to. She only lived ten minutes from the school. Ms. Timid has five more years in the school, she is worried.

Things are getting worse and worse by the day. I really feel for the teachers not in the same position I am in.

Comments On The Memo

The majority of the struggling students are very nice and they really never had a good math teacher until now. If you consider yourself to be a good teacher, then you should be able to find a way to reach the struggling students.

The above line is from Mr. AP's latest memo. It is nice to know that he thinks I am such a fantastic teacher and can teach my students, in one semester, what other teachers have not been able to do in eleven years of school. I wish I was as good a teacher as he was giving me credit for being. It's also good to know that being nice is the key to learning. The moral of this must be if you are nice there is nothing you can't do, be it medical school, law school or even President of the United States.

What An Example He Sets

I love the grammar in this memo. I've picked a few key points from Mr. AP's last memo to share.

Our sophomores and juniors will take the PSAT on October 15, 2008. I have a book you can use. You can even spend a period to go over the PSAT if you are teaching sophomores or juniors.

If you are teaching ME41, ME43 and MG21D/R/J, it is our mission to slow down enough so that the majority of the students can master enough materials to get at least a grade of 65.

By now, you should know who is having trouble in your class. It might be a good idea to either pair them up with someone who is doing well so that the good student can help the failing student or put the students who are having trouble together so that you can help them during the time when everyone is working on the application problems. “Survival of the fittest” should not be the motto or model in any math class. If how good a government is judged by how it treats the poor, how good a math teacher should be judged by how effective s/he is in helping the needy. There are times when moving a student to a lower level class is not the solution, particularly it is because you do not want to work with a student who is having trouble. The majority of the struggling students are very nice and they really never had a good math teacher until now. If you consider yourself to be a good teacher, then you should be able to find a way to reach the struggling students.

I am not surprised that some students still can not solve linear equations or factor trinomials. I checked with them only to realize that their math teachers last year did not teach them the way I suggested. It is very important that each and every student should be able to solve a linear equation by transposing terms and that they should be able to find the product of two binomial without using FOIL and be able to factor trinomials. If you insist on doing it your way, I will ask you to come to my office and explain to me why some of your students still could not solve linear equations and/or not being able to factor a trinomial. You are right – I expect you to do your job right and I expect all your students to be able to learn from you.


More comments on his words to follow. The grammatical errors were just too funny not to print.

Addressing The Problem

Principal Suit to Young Ms. Math Teacher: Your lesson was fine. You hit all the good points. But, traditionally about 1/3 of these students fail. I would like you to think about how you will address this problem and get back to me. I don't need an answer today, but I would like one soon.

Ms. Young Math Teacher just shook her head. She has no answer, at least no answer she is willing to give Mr. AP. She is young and needs her job.

Some of the old math teachers had a few answer for him, however.

1. Why not program kids for classes they are capable of passing? Maybe then the results will be better.

2. Why not try getting students into the correct class on the first day of school, instead of the first day of the second marking period? Maybe without all the disruption, they can actually learn something.

3. Why not order a book that actually covers the curriculum instead of that crappy new Geometry book put out by Amsco that has no problems and no explanations?

4. Why not try smaller classes?

5. Why program every second of our day so that we have no time to work individually with students or call a parent?

6. Why don't we just pass them all so the results will be better?

Too bad he won't ask any of us how to address the problem. He's afraid of the answers we'd give him.

Supposedly Principal Suit is leaving on Monday. No one can figure out why he is doing this stuff!

You Don't Have To Be Around A Long Time To Be Unwanted

Billy appears to be the teacher all schools are looking for. She is a teaching fellow, a 40 something change of career teacher. She is bright and enthusiastic and wants to teach and change the world.

Billy is also an ATR. She had the misfortune to be sent to my school. Mr. AP took one look at her and said "I have no job for you. Leave." [Mr. AP went out on his own and hired three brand new teenie bopper teachers.] Billy was stunned. She had so been looking forward to teaching and was excited to have been placed in Packemin HS as it is reputed to be a good school and it is close to home for her. Billy did not know what to do. Luckily, the ISS department found a spot for her.

Billy is working hard and enjoying every minute of her day. She knows she has a lot to learn and has asked for a mentor. Mr. AP said no! [He provided mentors for the teenie boppers.] A few of us have been trying to help her. She has approached Principal Suit for help in obtaining a mentor. As of Friday, she was still waiting.

The school system has no use for older ATRs. We've all known that for some time. I'm sure the new Teaching Fellows never expected this kind of treatment.

[In case anyone thinks Mr. AP just does not like Teaching Fellows, think again. The Teaching Fellow he hired last year knows very little math. In fact, she was a Spanish major in college. But, she is in her 20's, pretty and belongs to the right ethnic group.]

E-Mail From Mr. AP

Ladies and gentlemen:

Good morning. I would like to let you know that if you are free 4th period, you might get a new class fourth period on Monday, provided you will not have four classes in a row. I should be able to let you know later on today.

Thank you.

1. I guess you guys don't deserve upper case letters like us ladies do!

2. It is now Sunday, 9:38 PM. There is has been no follow up on the e-mail. No one knows which teacher is getting the new class or what subject it will be.

3. I know it can't be me. I already have a fourth period that cannot be touched.

In Suit's Own Words

September 12, 2008

Re: Updated grading policy [from Mr. AP]

For students who have a passing average in your class, the grading policy issued in August stands. For students in Integrated Algebra and Geometry classes who do not have a passing average, the following modifications to our grading policy should be followed and I quote the principal:

“Students who pass the Regents and who have met the state standard in class, and who have met attendance, class work and homework standards should not fail based on the arbitrary and unauthorized department standards. Rather they should pass and move on to a transitional class beyond Math A or Integrated I which prepares them for math B (or Integrated 2)”. [It doesn't matter if the student never passed a test and has a 40 average. As long as a 34% can be gotten on the regents, pass them along. We don't want any child left behind.]

“An alternative would be movement into the next sequence B or integrated 2 class which includes the A or integrated 1 topics not yet mastered, and compensatory support as new topics are taught. (Those students who pass the regents with a higher grade should be placed directly into the next course in the sequence).” [Too bad this is only followed as long as there is room in a class. Right now, kids are being placed anywhere there is an empty seat.]

We must effectively “deal with the high failure rates with proactive intervention and not by programming students into repeater classes which feature the same unsuccessful instructional strategies over and over again.” If we pass students who pass the Regents exam even though they have failing averages (the arbitrary and unauthorized department standards we have been using), we will greatly reduce the high failing rate in the Algebra class and in the Geometry course in June 2009, provided the Regents exam has a generous curve. [No kidding, passing more kids will reduce the failing rate. I bet this was taught in Administrator School.]

Some students who failed MA44 and ME22 in June 2008 were moved into Geometry. They were promoted because they passed the Regents exams. “They will not have extra time to pass Integrated 2 and 3, both of which are required for the Advanced Regents Diploma. Their success in these courses is critical.” Teacher of MG21R and MG21D must monitor your juniors carefully. You are to slow down and make sure the overwhelming majority of your students understand what is going on before moving on to the next topic. Bear in mind that only 30% of the contents will be on the Regents exam. [That's right, pass them if they know less than 30% of the material and help them get an advanced diploma. This is a good way to insure the value of the advanced regents diploma.]

“We must accept this inability of some students to make the right choices for academic success as a given and par of the challenge under which we work. Their inability to learn or parents effectively (ineffectiveness) requires that our classrooms become laboratories for new initiatives and strategies. The large number of students who are behind in meeting diploma requirements in math may be a result of teachers in the department failing to implement the differentiated instructional techniques which have become a part of every other academic department at Lewis, as well as in other similar schools. On the most basic level, we have even opposed varying classroom seating arrangements, a simple initiative which has shown itself to be effective in promoting active engagement and learning.” [Make the right choice and you too can grow up to be a world renowned surgeon.]

We have our work cut off for us. As we discussed during the Department meeting on 8/29/08, we will engage in pair-and-share, incorporate more technology into the lessons (Smart board or Geometer Sketchpad), differentiate instruction both in terms of ability and learning styles and find the most effective way to get every student involved in each and every lesson. Please see me for clarifications. [And now, on top of all our other jobs, we are expected to become magicians. I think I'll see if I can pick up a magic wand with my $150 teacher choice check.]

I don't believe after reading this note that Principal Suit is really going to retire, no matter what he says and no matter how large a party he is being given.

It All Begins Again...

(Also, administrator speak)


It took me a while to understand the latest memo. Parts are still incomprehensible but here are the parts I do understand, with translations.

There is no need for you to stop by my office and ask me what we could do with students in MG21 or MG 21R who failed the class last year. [translation: I don't have a clue what to do with them either.] I expect you to differentiate instruction and to do the best you can to help them. [translation: I don't care if you do have a class of 34, just figure out a way to pass them. I need my performance bonus.] Please do not give a placement exam in MG21 because we already know that most of them don't know any algebra and they have not learned any geometry. [translation: These kids are so dumb that I really don't have much faith in them to be able to accomplish anything.]

On another note, Suit is upset because not enough of our students are going for advanced regents diplomas. He is taking the kids that just finished Math A and putting them into the second term of Math B and plans on giving them the regents in June. The weakest students must take the most challenging regents after only being taught 2/3 of the material. It should be interesting. I'm glad that he thinks no child is being left behind when the kids are being deprived of 1/3 the material. I would hate to be the teacher of these kids. It has got to be a very frustrating experience for them.

Misuse of ATR Position

Principal Suit and Mr. AP want to get rid of Mr. T. They have ganged up on him and verbally abused him so badly that he had to take leaves a few times to restore his mental health. Although things seemed to be going better for him last year, he got hit with his second U rating and he is very worried (with cause) about his future. He only needs a few more years and he will make it to 55/25.

This year Mr. T has been removed from his classroom and has been given the title ATR. He doesn't know if this was legal if there are positions in his school in his license area and new teachers have been hired. I always thought the position of ATR was a position given to a teacher whose school was reorganized and whose position was lost through no fault of their own. I never dreamt that the position of ATR could be used for punishment and a quick trip to the rubber room. Although Mr. T filed a grievance, the union does not seem to be doing much to help. Mr. T is fighting. He has a lawyer and is ready to go at them head to head.

All I can say is that if Mr. T is truly a U rated teacher, he should not be in the building under any circumstances. If he is a U rated teacher, there must be a more humane way to prove it. And, will the schools start trying to show all ATRs are unsatisfactory to get rid of them?

Heaven

Tina taught with me for over twenty years. She loved what she was doing and the kids loved her but Mr. AP didn't share this adoration and went out of his way to make her life miserable, giving her only low level classes, three preps and late session. He made it a point to berate her publicly. When her students did well on the regents he proclaimed it an easy exam.

Tina finally had enough of his baloney and retired. She moved to a beautiful house and could enjoy her morning tea looking at this view daily. (This picture was taken from her back yard.)

Mr. AP still continues to say negative things about her. He doesn't use her name, but we all know the reference.

Tina is teaching two classes at the community college this semester. She cannot believe that there is no one looking over her shoulder checking every breath that comes out of her mouth. No one is telling her how to teach. No one is holding her responsible for the absenteeism in her 8:00 AM class. The chairperson thanks her for doing the job. The secretaries help her with everything she needs help with. She's teaching again, doing the job she loves and she feels like she has died and gone to heaven.

It is too bad that the New York City schools won't treat teachers this way.