Thanks to a reader, we were sent a copy of the Chancellor's Preparing for 2020-21 School Year video for principals. From the video, we learn the now-familiar protocols for what to do if someone tests positive for COVID-19 in a school. The classroom will be shut down for at least a day. While this is inadequate and has been dissected and criticized here, we finally learn from the video some of what the school day will constitute. Dr. Linda Chen is the Chief Academic Officer of the Department of Education. Prior to introducing Chen on the video, the Chancellor pointed out that before this guidance was released, it had been reviewed by the UFT and other advisory groups.
Dr. Chen talked in some "edubabble" about core instruction, social-emotional learning and such but eventually, she discussed some substance about the actual school day when she referred to programming students and teachers. She said they are working closely with CSA and UFT. She reviewed parameters and flexibilities:
●There will be a daily 30-minute instructional coordination period for teachers before the instructional day begins for students. The time will be used for teachers to plan together. Daily planning periods will help teachers ensure the continuity of learning. Combination of in-person, blended, and full remote. Teachers who are working together to support a group of students.
●Teaching for remote students will include synchronous and asynchronous instruction for all students. Synchronous instruction will be daily and tied to asynchronous learning activities. For students in blended learning, synchronous and asynchronous should complement each other to create a meaningful learning experience for students.
●To maximize instructional time, lunch will occur for students in class during one of the scheduled instructional periods like breakfast in the classroom. Teachers will still have a duty-free lunch period.
●6 hour and 50 minute day for teachers.
●Preps can be at the end of the day. Agreement that teacher preps could be 30 minutes that could be done remotely.
●Class schedules and schedules for synchronous instruction should be posted.
●Time built-in for 20 minutes of teacher office hours to communicate virtually with students and families.
Here is my question to our readers: Did anyone from the UFT discuss these rather significant contract modifications with you?
13 comments:
Why would they? Dues are locked in for the next 11 months. They didn't even help us in March when we could opt out.
Good question James. Are you a fool?
Mona Davis from NYC Parents Union was just on Inside City Hall - SPectrum channel. She was very articulate and she was passionate about the reality that schools should not reopen in Sept. I wonder if she could run against Mulgrew? She just did a better job representing teachers in 5 minutes than I have seen Mulgrew do in 10 years.
Also just saw the New Correction Officers Union Boss, CO's got rid of their Union Boss.
Forget demanding Chancellor step down.... Time to get a petition for Mulgrew to step down!
This is the first I’m hearing of it.
Doesn't anyone realize that it will be dangerous for kids to eat lunch in the classroom as they will need to take their masks off? IS that too hard to realize, and what about a student who has multiple classrooms who gets covid?
To use sports as an analogy we are the MLB. The MLB players wanted to be as inconvenienced as possible. They wanted to play home and away. Go back home at the end of the day. Forgetting about the 6 feet of distance in the dugouts and live a normal life without fans. Now the Marlins have an outbreak. The Phillies. The Cardinals. the MBA, MLS, and NHL didn't attempt this. The created a bubble which is essence is a giant lockdown. No one in or out without testing.
The DOE needs to scale back some of these plans. It's too much too soon, like starting on Phase 4 without knowing how phases 1-3 have gone. If something goes wrong it will be nearly impossible to figure out what part of this plan is the problem.
Look I can sit and complain like everyone else. I agree we shouldn't open and just improve upon remote learning. There is no way to do this safely. But, as of now we are doing this and we need a simplified plan.
Start with shorter days and let kids take their lunch and go home. This solves 2 problems...teacher gets duty free lunch and follow that with an end of day prep. PE should be full remote on "at home days." Can't share equipment anyway so why bother moving kids around the building to stay in a small space to exercise. That can be done at home where kids have access to water much easier. Consider other cluster type subjects for at home. Core classes can be the in person focus with reviews on "at home days" by remote teachers.
If things go well begin to phase in longer days, normal length days, in person PE, and so on. I don't know who the Mayor and Chancellor are trying to impress that we can get back to normal quickly but the coronavirus doesn't care.
What about faculty conferences and staff development?
We would need to meet and discuss what is working/what isn't with admin. When will this happen? 20 min to contact parents daily or weekly?
Lunch concerns-eating in the classroom-Where will the defibulator be located? Who will be trained how to use it? CPR?
Where are teachers supposed to eat and socially distance themselves?
Are we going for testing on our own time? Where are these "free" testing centers located?
Preps can happen at the end of day-Can we leave or is this going to be an invitation for principals to hold meetings during our preps which are supposed to be unscheduled and teacher directed?
This sounds like a prose school agreement without a staff vote on it.
We need new leadership.
Complete BS. 30 minutes for prep...
Kids eating in classrooms. What about kids with peanut and other food allergies? Choking? I'm not trained in the Heimlich maneuver- sure, I could try, but what if I crack a kid's rib? Maybe far-fetched, but the liability in this is huge. Time to find a doctor to write me a note and remove myself from the insanity.
An even more pertinent question is why this information has to be found in this blog- James isn't getting ~1500 a year - or from your Admin who did this webinar.
For you "all remote" people, here's your shot to get back in the graces of parents. Who wants their children working nonstop with no recess and no legit lunch break? Also no mention of the mask breaks allowed by CDC and NYSED when students are at their desks. Do they want their kids with a mask on for an entire 5.5 hour school day (assumption based on 30 min planning, 20 minute parent engagement and leave 30 minutes early to do your prep remotely) except a lone break for lunch during which they're still supposed to do schoolwork?
This is the second comment regarding emergency first aid. First, unless completely negligent in trying to help the Good Samaritan Law protects all those trying their best to help. Second. If you dont know first aid for CPR/AED/choking simply look up a video online. You wont be certified but you should know these skills anyway. We dont do mouth to mouth so that's not a concern but whenever first aid is given there is a risk of any pathogen transmission. I'll take the risk of helping someone and getting covid as opposed to watching a student choke to death.
Thanks James for all the info. Only reliable blog out there.
This announced plan for dealing with COVID cases in schools is reactionary in nature, not broad enough in its scope and, I believe, simply unsustainable when considering the recent track record of the City and of the Department. While I am disappointed, the 3,600 UFT members who support us must know now that this is another example of a pattern of leadership that simply does not make the grade . It is time for us to act.
Please sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/new-york-city-council-uft-solidarity-says-carranza-must-resign-as-nyc-doe-chancellor?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_23823380_en-US%3A2&recruiter=13137768&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition
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