Target

The arrogant, crotchety, ignorant principal has an agenda. S/he wants to "U" rate a specific number of teachers every year. Everyone knows this is true because s/he told this to an AP and is on this AP's case because of the refusal to do so. Since the AP is honorable, Principal From Hell ( PFH) has picked a target his/herself.

Target teacher has been teaching for many, many years. S/he has always been well respected and liked by fellow teachers, students, and even administrators. In over 15 years, Target has never received any evaluation short of glowing. Target however, has one major flaw. S/he speaks his/her mind. S/he does not let people walk over him/her and when something is not right s/he says something. PFH does not like this. PFH is not that bright and does not take any of these conversations well.

Target teacher was recently observed by his/her AP. The lesson went well, the kids were engaged and the AP was very happy with what s/he saw. PFH was not happy when she read the observation and decided to pay Target a surprise visit. PFH visited Target's worse class, on the first day back from spring break, without any warning or pre-observation conference. Target was intermittently showing a film and stopping for discussion and question time. The majority of the kids were engaged and working. One student did say the work was boring and did not want to do it, but that happens in every class. The class ended and Target was reasonably satisfied with the lesson she taught. PFH was not happy. To quote Target, "S/he ripped me a new ass hole. Nothing I did was right. S/he did not understand the topic I was teaching although the kids knew exactly what I was doing and did not stop finding fault." Target was given a "U" for the lesson.

Target is strong, and a fighter and PFH is weak and stupid. Target will end up winning this war, but, how many teachers, in similar situations will not emerge victorious? How many are sitting in rubber rooms or are in schools, worried if there livelihoods will be taken away from them by principals like PFH? All the victims of these sick, stupid, ignorant despots, will be on the streets if Klein and Bloomberg have their way.

UNITY just won the election. The people have spoken. Now is the time for UNITY to stand up and protect teachers like Target and all the ones falsely charged and unfairly incarcerated in these reassignment cents.

Ms Timid and Mr. Bully

Mr. Bully visited Ms Timid's class last week. The class was a repeater class consisting of all juniors taking freshman math. Ms Timid was proud of them. They were all quiet and everyone was working except Jimbo. Jimbo had his head down and was evidently having a great dream as he was grinning from ear to ear.

Mr. Bully: Jimbo has his head down, Ms. Timid. Why haven't you done anything about it?

Ms Timid: I'm sorry Mr. Bully. I'm trying so hard. I've called Jimbo's mom. I've spoken to the guidance counselor. I offered him money to stay awake in class. I bought him a new bed, the kind where he could pick his own sleep number. I figured if he slept better at night he would not be tired in class. I even went to Jimbo's house last weekend to see if he wanted some extra help. Nothing I do works. I'll try to do better.

Mr. Bully: Trying is not good enough. You must get all these students to pass or you will get a U rating and end up in the rubber room. I will not lose my job or my bonus because of you. Stop by my office at 5:00 PM. I need to speak to you.

Ms Timid: But my day ends at 1:40 and I have a doctor's appointment. My appendix has been acting up all day and the doctor said he could take it out this afternoon. I did not want to take a day off for a little operation.

Mr. Bully: It will only take a minute, then you can go have your operation. Just make sure that you are in school tomorrow. And, don't be late. Oh, and enjoy your trip to the doctor.

Fall Guys

This new plan of Bloomberg's to hire people to get rid of unsatisfactory teachers is really getting to me. I know that it will not affect me personally, as I will be retired long before they could decide that I am one they should get rid of. Injustice is always something I have fought against. One of my students even said "I know why the administration doesn't like you, you stand up for us. You stand up for what is right."

I really think that the one thing bringing this down on teachers is the NCLB laws and the policies of the Bloomberg-Klein regime. At the risk of being politically incorrect, I will say what I have been saying for years:

SOME PEOPLE ARE DUMB. THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF LEARNING CERTAIN
THINGS. NOTHING WE WILL EVER DO WILL CHANGE THE INTELLIGENCE (OR LACK OF) THAT THEY ARE BORN WITH.

One of the women who works in my school has a daughter who is a freshman at the school. The poor girl has been failing math and the mom asked me to help her. I've been sitting with her a few days a week and she is starting to get it. She even passed her last test. But, no matter what a math test shows, it is obvious that this girl is limited in lots of ways. She is in ninth grade, but counts on her fingers. She has difficulty reading. Her vocabulary is limited. It took me quite a while to get her to do problems involving "at least" and "at most". She finally was able to do the problems but, only because of repetition. She really didn't understand the meaning of the words, she just memorized a process.

There are too many kids in the schools like this one. This one is lucky. She has a mom that works in the building and knows how to get her daughter help. Most kids are not this lucky. They are failing. Someone must be blamed for this failure. Someone must take the hit. It can't be the parents or the administrators and certainly the mayor would never say his programs are not a success. So, the only logical thing to do is to blame the teachers. Instead of spending money on reduced class sizes, the money is going to be spent to hire a hit squad to get rid of these teachers that cannot teach the kids that cannot learn.

U Ratings

November 7 and I got a new student today! This was her fourth change since August 31. First, she missed a week of school. She was on my roster then and removed to make room for someone who wanted in. (Since she wasn't attending anyways, it didn't matter.) Then she was placed in an over sized class. A month later she was moved again, to a newly created class. Today she came back to my class.

Little Maria is failing. She might be failing because she has been changed around so much or she might be failing because she doesn't do anything. I don't know. She seems like a sweet kid but appearances can be deceiving. Now she is on my roster. She doesn't know anything. The class she was in is at least two weeks behind mine (and I am going very slow.) She was never even given a text book. Now, according to my AP, she is on my roster. I will be called to task if she fails. I will be called down to explain why my failing rate is what it is.

Yesterday during staff development, my AP stated that he will U rate people who are not reaching enough kids. He is not going to risk losing his job because of incompetent teachers. I know that I am not oneof the teachers he was talking about U rating. I know that no one will hold me responsible for this kid. I'm lucky. I have a reputation that speaks for itself. How many other teachers are going to be put in this position without the reputation? How many other teachers are going to be put in this position and have to worry because, unlike me, they will not be retiring in the next few years? When is someone going to stand up and revolt against what is going on in the schools today?