One of the more frustrating aspects of teaching in the modern world is the daily battle of the cell phone.
No matter what the teacher does, it is a real problem going up against the constant pulling out of phones in class. Personally, I have tried to go hard (sanctions for having a cellphone out that I can see), go easy (use them in class to look up signficant information), or go discreet (quietly nudge kids to put them away).
Unless the teacher is willing to really enforce the rules and has backup from administration/deans, this is not an easy one to win.
I am not at all startled in any way shape or form that a teacher has finally lost it when it comes to the battle of the phones.
This story came to me from my friend Marc Epstein from the NY Post:
A Harlem high school teacher was charged with assault for manhandling 17-year-old student who wouldn’t get off her cell phone, cops said.
The teacher, 44-year-old Abdu-Allah Torrence, asked the student to stop using her phone, and then grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her backwards when she didn’t do as he asked, according to police.
The student was taken from the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change on W 135th St. to Harlem hospital at about 4 pm Tuesday, investigators said.
She was treated at the hospital and released.
Torrence was issued a desk appearance ticket for misdemeanor assault.
While I don't support what the teacher allegedly did (however, I would like to hear the teacher's side of the story), many of us have been put in situations with defiant kids on cell phones and other issues where we have to almost totally hold back as our authority has been greatly reduced, or even eliminated, in the 21st Century classroom. If there are toxic administrators thrown into this mix, the frustration level is making many teachers sick, or wanting to leave the system or both. Our job is now impossible in many schools.
Unlike many of the readers here, I don't believe it is realistic to go back to the Bloomberg citywide cellphone ban (parents and students would go ballistic) but I would like to see an enforceable disciplinary code. If opposition ever comes to power in the UFT, I would push for teachers having a real say over classroom and school discipline policies. I don't think the majority of parents would oppose that, nor would most of the students for that matter.
Have any of you ever asked the kids how they feel when some of their colleagues get away with virtually anything?
24 comments:
James,
Another urgent matter.
The December 2016 Evaluation Agreement document has not been posted on the Internet and remains a SECRET agreement.
There have been many rule changes that will affect teachers adversely and these charnges have been hidden from teachers, uft representatives and chapter leaders. There is an egregious disconnect between the upper echelon of the UFT and rank and file members.
Please seek out the full document of the December 2016 evaluation agreement and write about it on your blog.
Thanks!
The kids are constantly frustrated by the lack of order. One freshman from Nigeria recently told me he wants to be an engineer but the class won't let his Math teacher teach. I team taught with the teacher during first period and the 'kids' were beyond disrespectful. 17 and 18 year old freshman telling the teacher to suck their d-cks when he asked them politely to put away their phones. The room had no windows and they stunk of skunk, weed that is. Usually weed mellows kids out but I've noticed the kids are very aggressive now when high. I asked one of the kids what the hell crap were these guys smoking. I was told they are selling mint leaves soaked in PCP which is mixed in with marijuana. It creates a violent and aggressive pot head.
This article is the clear issue, studemts can do whatever they want, they run the place. Of course you cant hit a student, but we stand there like suckers as they abuse us, can say anything, cant throw them out, and then we have to pass everyone in June. We suffer as they party.
Here is the link to the city agreeement along with all the rest of them:
http://usny.nysed.gov/rttt/teachers-leaders/plans/home.html
This is our piece on the evaluation agreement in December:
http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/evaluations-uft-agrees-to-three-times.html
Lowlife kids have no respect, they wonder why they get in trouble with cops so often, they break rules in school, its fine, they do it outside, they get thrown down and cuffed. It wont change, the uft and doe have let it go so backwards, its now a free for all.
The DOE is turning everything to crap. No one is learning, no one can teach and everything is great. UFT goes along with everything, it is now a subsidiary of the DOE. It was much better under Bloomberg and I can't believe I'm writing that statement.
And mulgrew just said people are crazy when they say public ed is failing. What a joke. 19 year olds who cant read or write, and are in and out of jail. Victory. Success.
Mulgrew makes 'stupid' look like 'genius'.
The UFT is a GREAT SUCCESS!
Borat
Poor teacher - all he wanted to do was do his job - teach and inspire. What got in his way? A system so sideways that it would make a great idea for a Dystopian novel if it was written 50 or 60 years ago. But that is what a large portion of this country has become. This guy is going to lose his job because he was trying to do it and the student who basically showed zero respect for, education, tax payer money being spent on her, her teacher and peers gets off free with possibly some future "coin" if she decides to sue. Lovely world we live in. Oh by the way - there's just a real possibility that even the smallest amount of this teacher's mortgage or rent payment was dependent on how this student performed on her state exam thus bringing this teacher's frustration to a boiling point. Any one who has been in the same "boat" can surely understand. Again, lovely world we live in.
As an ATR I have been in schools that let the students bring in the cell phones and schools that collect the cell phones. It really makes a huge difference when the students do not have the phones. The cell phones are a major distraction.
It takes major work for the phones to be collected in the morning and given out in the afternoon but the results are worth the effort! It would be interesting to see which schools have the best academic achievement. I would think the schools that collect the cell phones.
I have nearly given up on teaching, kids don't care, are violent and disrespectful. I do a 5-10 minute lesson, put them in groups and walk around with my Ipad giving grades. On your cellphone, 0. They don't learn, but I keep my job, earning money. No one cares. No one! As a matter of fact my administration thinks I am an amazing teacher.
During this time of year, I do a mini lesson, give out worksheets, put on an "academic" film. No one learns, no one cares. For years a taught and loved it...not today. And it's not me that changed, when I teach a high honors class, they learn, I spend hours grading their work, and they fix their mistakes. But they are the exception.
We all are doing the same thing. They don't want these kids to get an education. That's why Cuomo gave free college - he knows no public hs grad will be able to get through the first semester, but it makes him look good. Good for the poor and middle class when he runs for president against Trump. Remember and don't forget it, Cuomo is the devil.
Whenever I approached a student I made sure to keep at least three feet between me and him or her. Whenever a student approached me I politely but firmly told the student to take three steps back. It immediately reduced stress-anxiety-anger and it kept both of us from even thinking about touching the other. If the student ever balled up his or her fists I looked him or her in the eye and said, calmly, "Don't even think about it."
There is no situation except self-defense that entitles a teacher to touch a student. To touch a student and lose one's job over a cell-phone, especially when the DOE policy allows students to have and use one with certain limitations, is career-suicide.
Quit or retire before this happens. Yes, I know that teachers have it tough and that finding another job when you have a family is a difficult proposition these days but if you touch a student without cause you'll be arrested and lose your job.
And over a cell-phone?
No. Just no.
We get that BUT what are we to do? To stand there in the worst conditions getting ignored and verbally assaulted while tryong to teach...There have been many times i just wanted to smack a phone out of a hand. This is why the frustration level is so high, why so many quit in the first 3 years...we just have to stand there and get whipped all day. And again, no rules, no discipline, no recourse...
Harris, you peak of DOE policy? Policy is students CANT have it unless given permission. Obviously, if teacher wanted it away, no permission was given. The student was insubordinate and should have been removed if she was a distraction to the educational process. But we all know that doesnt happen, because we are being scammed and abused by both the doe and uft. Back to the free ride for students. Remember, we cant fail everybody and we cant suspend everybody, so let these pieces of garbage do as they please. What happened to setting standards and goals so students can reach high to attain them? Its quite the opposite, everybody does nothing, everybody passes, teachers get screwed...and then blamed
To comment 6:57-
It is your choice to work in a cesspool and shovel shit all day, every day. The very fact that there are people with such low self respect to accept these working conditions is the very reason they exist to begin with.
I would rather bag groceries in Waldbaums.
What is your job? Why are you commenting on a teacher forum if not one? I agree, we have gotten screwed, and its way out of hand. But, we didnt sign up for this at 22 years old, we expected different. Why are rules and standards not set and expected, and if not followed, students sent elsewhere?
852, not sure if you are in DOE or not, have to realize, go to college, get masters, start job, see its shit and gets worse, then what? Quit? What about pension and tda built up? Go back to college and start again? Not so simple as to just quit, and as you said, bag groceries for 8 bucks an hour.
I am learning a great deal from the people who are commenting and nobody is getting way out of control. These are the types of discussions we should be having at UFT meetings but do not.
Problem is police are as frustrated as teachers. They letting a lot of stuff go to now as society is falling apart. Thx deblasio
Of course not, and we suffer, and hate going to work. I got a bachelors and masters to get tortured?
The next posting says that school media specialists are a shortage area. 30 credit masters, can be done at night. There are always ways to stay with the DOE but find a lower stress job. In the old days a teacher could move up to admin, though that is harder now with the "Principal's Academy".
Teaching is a very stressful job-especially with the city. The students are not really the problem, IMO, but the supervisors with no experience or compassion are the biggest problem. I always thought that teachers who made it to retirement were like diamonds-beautiful and priceless, but formed under a lot of stress.
Very good comment. I like the diamond analogy.
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