I am away in Georgia attending a family wedding but I had a chance to look at my Department of Education email. Not surprisingly, the applications and resumes I sent out listing my accomplishments in the school system (lots of advanced placement teaching experience, running a college office, sitting on every committee known to the universe, winning awards) aren't getting too many responses.
What I did receive was an email from DOE telling Absent Teacher Reserves we will receive our September assignments on Thursday; interviews for leftover vacancies start on September 15 and weekly rotation begins in the middle of October.
This is my first year as a teacher in excess. I have attempted to actually try the open market and now the excess staff selection system with an open mind. I should know better by now.
UPDATE: I arrived home from vacation last night to find out I have been sent to Aviation High School for September. The email doesn't even tell me the time to report. Am I supposed to figure it out on my own?
Happy rotating everyone!
Prepare yourself to be demeaned, ostracized, and ignored. You'll be asked to do cafeteria duty, hall duty, restroom duty, self contained special ed classes, physical education classes and be a generalized slave to the payroll secretary. Just try to contact someone at the union! They'll tell you "you have to do whatever is asked of you". Then you'll get absolutely no respect from the kids. They know you don't know their names and the staff and administration will introduce you as the "Sub".
ReplyDeleteHopefully your not in the Bronx - the worst possible shithole to work in. Why the f--k are we paying dues?
Mulgrew is corrupt and could not care less about the members. He is ineffective as head of the UFT and needs to be terminated.
ReplyDeleteI second that emotion. You are treated worse than an indentured servant, or the guy that sits in the chair at the state fair waiting to tumble into the water after getting hit by the right ball. A sitting duck for any and all to have at.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the humiliation of having kids absolutely ignore you, taunt you, tell you "you're just a sub, you can't keep a job", throw stuff on the floor or at you, knowing there's not much you can do about it. You will have NO dignity, you will be looked upon as some sort of disease by the regular teachers, particularly the young ones. You will have no colleagues, no one to share stuff with. Certainly no one you can trust to share anything with, lest they go running to their AP carrying tales about you. You will not know the resources at the school, much less be able to utilize them. Not even a bathroom key, with very very rare exceptions. So you have to share your personal needs with someone who can open the door for you, like a child. You will have nothing to do with your teaching subject, just hand out handouts and usually collect very few back. The first 2 minutes of the class, you will asked for the bathroom pass and you will not see that student the rest of the period. Meanwhile, a half dozen more will clamor for the hall pass that you no longer have.
As Anonymous 15:00 stated, you will be anybody's slave who needs something (usually boring and/or odious) done. They don't care about the "contract" and will ask you to do multiple periods of cafeteria duty/day, watch the bathroom (for this you needed a Masters degree??), stuff envelopes, do filing, etc. The UFT will NOT back you up, they could care less. They got your money, involuntarily, and that's all they care about. Your rights, your dignity? Dream on, dude.
it is all true and don't forget you will be observed teaching classes of kids whom you don't know by incompetent idiots like Justin Stark - I am dreading next week so much and I am so sad.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget James Quail- he'll insult you, harass you and try to force you to quit. If you call the UFT, they'll say don't worry about it. No big deal; but if you're not for common core Mulgrew will punch you in the face.
ReplyDeleteYou have to read up on your rights, keep anecdotal records every day and record meetings with ATR supervisors. Their sole purpose is to get you to quit. Legally they can't observe you, you don't have a class. The union hasn't stopped these observations, but has weakened our due process rights. To me the implication is clear- the union agrees with the city that we are inferior teachers.
ReplyDeleteLAWSUIT LAWSUIT LAWSUIT is what I say. F the union. ATRs are about 1-2% of the teachers. If we don't unite for ourselves were dead
ReplyDeleteThese posts are all true and depressing..how many more weeks until June 2015..We have to keep this blog full of factual information on the weekly lives of the ATRS. We are the new scapegoats for the corruption that lies within the DOE..do not talk to many teachers especially the young ones they will RAT you out..keep a log of events that you feel may be used against you and start counting down the weeks..DONT TRUST ANYONE..there is no UNITY and the union is to blame
ReplyDeleteWell James, you are in this boat for a reason. Make some good of it. No one will better be able to record for history the plight of an ATR in NYC. You have this venue, use it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe your voice can get things changed.
Our union has gotten weaker and weaker to the point that if I could quit, I would. My dues would be better spent on my family.
Mulgrew is a joke. He has to go.
Mulgrew is being groomed as the next AFT president. Randi and Mike have a stranglehold on the union. Our members actually voted for this contract. F--k them all, two years and I'm out. If you have a loved one, steer them clear of the teaching profession.
ReplyDeleteI know if you walked into my school, I would let everyone know who you are and take advantage of meeting with you. If the current UFT Rep has no idea who you are, then that school is in trouble. You are the equivalent of a union rock star!!
ReplyDeleteJames Eterno has entered the building---ALL RISE!!!
Since you mentioned rock stars, the last comment reminds me of a song from an obscure eighties rock band called Game Theory. Game Theory and Loud Family were fronted by an undiscovered genius Scott Miller who died last year. One of his songs was called Together Very Minor.
ReplyDeleteOne line in that song says, "He never walked out when the spirits were low; a nice guy as minor celebrities go. All-right all together, very minor."
I will take it two step further for me: Very, very, very minor.
Yes, you do need to find out on your own what time each school starts their day. I use the DOE school page and click on Schedules and go by that. I figure it it is incorrect it's not my fault.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice nf. I am new at this.
ReplyDeleteI a in the ATR for the first time too in September. Thanks for all the comments of the ATR's plight. I have been reading all the blogs for two years now. My school, Lehman HS has been downsizing and finally I am excessed. I have 8 years teaching so I have not received any interviews worth attending -- all bad schools in the Bronx. I am ok with being an ATR now as forewarned is forearmed. War begins Sept.2, 2014. I am a warrior expecting the worst. That gives me some repose as I am a formidable teacher and human being who has had to battle for success all my life. DOE bring it on! I'll leave when I am ready! PS: I was rated effective this past school year. Bad kids don't phase me. Being ignored doesn't bother me. I faced all these things at Lehman being one of the few, very few, black teachers. Like I said, I was rated "effective." I will survive.
ReplyDeleteAll the best 5:05 pm.
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