Teachersunite.net is a great new organization to help teachers get together, to know their rights and to just help one another. This group is doing what the UFT has failed to do. The thing that impressed me the most about this organization is its members who range in age from the very young to the retired. Some have had problems with their schools, others are just looking to strengthen their chapters and to help others.
I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about my rights but I picked up quite a bit of information from one of their handouts.
1. Assault--While I knew a report should be filed I had no idea that the principal is required to investigate and write a report, including statements by witnesses. I also had no idea that the chapter leader was supposed to be involved. Our old one couldn't be bothered when I had the intruder in the room.
1. Assault--While I knew a report should be filed I had no idea that the principal is required to investigate and write a report, including statements by witnesses. I also had no idea that the chapter leader was supposed to be involved. Our old one couldn't be bothered when I had the intruder in the room.
2. Conferences--cannot exceed 40 minutes. Our old principal would get mad when we got up to leave and our conferences were one period--45 minutes long. The agendas for faculty conferences are supposed to be in consultation with the UFT chapter committee.
3. Professional Activity Options--You are required to select a professional activity and to work on it--but, you need not spend every minute of your professional period working on it. (We are told to be on our tutoring and/or hall patrol assignments on time.) Involuntary assignments must be made on a rotational basis in inverse seniority order. Before the end of the current school year your principal must notify you in writing as to which professional activity you have been assigned for the upcoming year. (We have never been told this.)
4. Teacher Facilities--You are entitled to have adequate supplies in teacher washrooms, including toilet paper, paper towels and soap. (Not always available. Many teachers bring their own soap.)
(Pictures taken with Olympus on way to meeting.)
I loved the reflections of the old building in this new one.
4 comments:
It's not only nice to know your rights--it's essential!
For professional periods in secondary schools, if you're assigned a daily homeroom/advisory, that counts as your professional period. You should not be required to do common planning, lunch duty or anything else. (Most teachers at my school do common planning anyway, but we know we're doing it voluntarily and so does our principal.) I know not all chapters are strong, but my UFT leader at a previous school taught me everything I need to know about the contract.
My school does not have homerooms or advisory but I did read that as well. Our new CL will be able to teach us all we need to know about the contract and my aim is to be able to help him as much as possible.
It's against the law in New York City to open or close an umbrella in the presence of a horse.
Did you know that?
If not, who is to blame for not informing you?
Will TU teach you?
Just read the CBA!! You're a college grad.
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