Here is the information from the UFT Chapter Leader Update:
Know your rights about preparation periods
Among the many meaningful rights and professional protections that your contract provides is time carved out each day for teachers to do professional work. Whether you teach elementary, middle or high school, teachers are generally entitled to five periods per week (one per day) for unassigned professional work under Article 7, Sections A–C of the UFT-DOE contract (you must be logged in to view it). It is your choice how to use this time for professional duties that will best enhance your work. A teacher may decide to use preparation periods to write lesson plans; grade papers; analyze student data; research a lesson topic; meet with parents or colleagues; or do other professional responsibilities of their choice. Prep periods are self-directed; you determine what to do during your prep periods. This is a right we fought for and a right that workers without a union do not have. For information about prep period do’s and don’ts, read the Know Your Rights column on prep periods on the UFT website.
Are your self directed preps and duty free lunch respected by administration? At Middle College High School where I teach, this is not a problem.
I hope these basic rights are not being violated.
If your prep period is taken by an IEP conference or any other mandated activity you are entitled to coverage pay. Also some schools don't designate prep, lunch and C6 periods leaving them open to be flexible. This is also grievable.
ReplyDeleteAre pre-obs, post-obs, and random admin meetings with you allowed to be during a prep? What about the 6th "pd" period? Some schools have teachers working with small groups.
ReplyDeleteYou should do a piece on bulletin boards because nobody can give straight answer on what they're allowed to make you do.
Bulletin boards are up to the teacher to decide. No admin can write you up for how your board looks. That is a fact.
ReplyDeleteCan they tell you it has to have comments? Or how many pieces to put up? Or to put up differentiated work?
DeletePrincipals in small schools who try to justify their jobs bc they have nothing else to do are writing letters about prep periods.
ReplyDeleteI hide during my prep with the lights off
If they can’t find you they can’t harass you
Deblasio just said, dont listen to stats made up by union leaders...agreed.
ReplyDeleteREad the earlier post on the paperwork grievances that were resolved last school year. Clearly bulletin boards were one of those that went in the UFT's favor. Nobody will know if you don't put in the complaint for every single school that is abusing teachers.
ReplyDeleteWhere can we find this? Thanks!
DeleteI consider a nap to be an effective way to best enhance my classroom performance. 😁
ReplyDeleteAdmin in my school knows preps are for unassigned professional work. Roseanne McCosh
ReplyDeleteduty free lunch also honored in my school. Roseanne McCosh
ReplyDeleteSee October 29 paperwork resolutions posting for information on the bulletin boards and more on what the union has taken on and successfully resolved.
ReplyDeleteThe writing on the bulletin board issue is not clear. What can they require you to do? What is not allowed?
ReplyDeleteDiscretion of the teacher according to resolution. Covered in contract under Article 21A6. We should not be disciplined for format of bulletin boards.
ReplyDeleteWhat does format mean? I've never met anyone who could tell us that. It's hard to put yourself on the line like that and fight your admin if you have no idea what your rights are.
ReplyDelete