For those of you who are following my travelogue around the high schools of Queens, I have some news. I am being taken off the Absent Teacher Reserve Rotation train wreck by Middle College High School for the rest of the 2014-15 school year.
Middle College was one of the schools I wandered through this fall. Apparently, I did something right there as they called me in for an interview for a Leave Replacement Teacher position. I don't know how to say thank you enough to Principal Linda Siegmund and her faculty for rescuing me from ATR rotations to let me actually teach again. The new trimester starts today. Middle College is a very progressive school that I am looking forward to working in.
It is nice not to have to wonder from day-to-day and week-to-week what classes I will be given and what schools I will be sent to in the Michael Mulgrew, Carmen Farina traveling circus known as the ATR Rotation.
As excited as I am to have a fresh start somewhere, make no mistake about it I am still an ATR. This position is temporary so in September chances are I will be right back pounding the pavement looking for a job and quite possibly in rotation again. Decades of experience means next to nothing.
Is this any way to treat close to 2,000 professionals who are in rotation or in temporary assignments? We have spent the last 5-10-20-30 years or more dedicating our professional lives to the students of New York City. Our reward is to be bounced around like a tennis ball and denied a chance to vote for our own union representatives at the school level.
Good luck and keep up the battle for permanent placement.
ReplyDeleteYou see, the ATR system works! You can thank me at the next election.
ReplyDeleteLucky Middle College High School!
ReplyDeleteGood luck James. I'm very happy for you.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, James. David and I are so happy for you.
ReplyDeleteGood for you James! Just want to add this Thursday night at 9 pm on Al Jazeera America, there is a report called "Don't Teach For America." It looks to be a critical look at Teach For America.... The people the "education reform" movement would love to replace every ATR with.
ReplyDeleteHi James, It's Michael Mulgrew here.
ReplyDeleteNOW MAYBE YOU CAN SHUT UP ABOUT ALL THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF AN ATR!!
It's not about the job or the title of the job or the name. If you're into the vocation of teaching, does it matter that you do this or that? Silly, you may have gotten a "position" and become more "authorized" by it, but in the minds of most, you're nothing- just a teacher, trying to score self-esteem off the backs of kids. Instead of wasting our time about being how wonderful you mist be to be selected, aim higher: Nobel Prize? Whatever success you get indicates that your ambitions were aiming too low. Where you fail, at least that shows you aim high. Sell the cow. Get the beans. Nobody really cares
ReplyDeleteWhat?
DeleteCongratulations. Those kids at Middle College will soon know how lucky they are. If the teachers there are smart they will soak up your wisdom like a sponge.
ReplyDeleteAnd David Hedges no one is inflating there self esteem on the backs of kids, unlike you who do with your tongue up the principals ass.
Congrats James...might I suggest that you keep things Lite FM at your new school...don't stir up no shit there....do your job and get paid...keep it simple.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with just keeping it simple. IF there are things to speak up about...You know what to do.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck James...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they'll jump at appointing you and happily accept your $100,000 salary which prevents them from hiring two provisional Teaching Fellows.
As the song goes..."See you in September".
Congratualations. This has been a decent place for at least a few years. I had a friend who subbed there consistently a decade ago. And Chaz had some nice things to say after he rotated there a few years back.
ReplyDeleteHope the rest of the year goes smoothly for you.
Jonathan
Thanks Jonathan. Middle College is a progressive school. I would hope people would view this type of school as an alternative to the test prep factories we see around the country.
ReplyDeleteIs this the same Michael Mulgrew who is NOT subject to what he negotiates? Mr. Mulgrew is out of touch with the rank and file. Look at the contract and the saga of being short $60 million on the retro for the recent retirees. Maybe our union leader should go back to the classroom and be subject to the Common Core he loves. Mr. Mulgrew is the ONLY union leader in the world who does not believe in retro pay.
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