Thursday, February 11, 2021

JUST SAY NO TO REMOTE DANIELSON

UFT President Michael Mulgrew is finalizing a deal for remote Danielson observations. It is a hopeful sign that 40% of Delegates and Chapter Leaders voted to put UFT Solidarity's Quinn Zannoni's resolution opposing remote Danielson on the next DA agenda. That's only 11% away from a majority.

Find out how your school's Delegate(s) and Chapter Leader voted at the DA. If they sided with the UFT leadership (Michael Mulgrew's Unity Caucus) in favor of remote Danielson, then you should put up candidates to replace them in Chapter elections this spring.

Chapter elections are fair as ballot boxes can be witnessed as can vote counts. 

For those who want a preview of remote Danielson, this is part of the remote Danielson guide. I not so boldly predict it will be weaponized against teachers by certain administrators.




39 comments:

Anonymous said...

You realize you're talking to yourself?

Anonymous said...

These are the five key takeaways to understand UFT collaboration with the DOE:

1) Unity is a one way street.
2) Teacher harassment using weaponized observations is a symptom of a repressive organization.
3) Systemic teacher inadequacy is a delusional conspiracy theory.
4) New racists pose as anti-racists.
5) Double standards are justified for the greater good of promoting corporate privatization.

Anonymous said...

The Danielson Group sells online courses:

https://danielsongroup.talentlms.com/catalog

You can register for a free copy of The Framework for Remote Teaching:

https://danielsongroup.talentlms.com/catalog

The [State of] Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has posted a copy:

www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/tpep/frameworks/danielson/The%20Framework%20for%20Remote%20Teaching%20doc.pdf

Anonymous said...

The question is not about Mulgrew opposing remote Danielson, the question is about why Mulgrew was supporting observations at all for this year. He did not even lift a finger to oppose Cuomo. He could have easily led a group of NYS teacher unions to fight against an observation system for this year. But as always, he took the easy way out and did nothing. And who the hell are these Unity hacks that are actually SUPPORTING remote Danielson? I'll tell ya', they are douchebag teachers who are trying to get a cushy UFT job so they don't have to be in the classroom anymore. Disgusting for sure.

TeachNY said...

How will they be observing in-person teachers? Regular Danielson?

Anonymous said...

In a special needs remote 6:1:1 classroom teachers are observed every single day by a whole group of parents during live instruction. Teacher's have lessons critiqued by some parents almost daily who may or may not understand the diversity needs of other children in their child's small group. So in essence, if parents are not complaining, are satisfied, and remote teacher's have extended flexibility suitable to each family's needs, and bring willing parent's in on decision making, that should be enough to rate a remote teacher.
Remote Observations by an administrator with zero experience teaching a Remote class is absurd. In fact, it is absurd in the hybrid model as well.

Anonymous said...

7;58, well said. My administration can't even figure out how to log into Zoom and Meets. I don't consider them qualified to evaluate my online teaching. -D75 teacher-

Anonymous said...

@7:37 Am

Which part do you not understand?

Not will to die yet said...

Another example of the UFT at its best.

Anonymous said...

So tiresome hearing teachers ask why Mulgrew does what he does. Because it’s in his best interest that’s why. Why is it in his best interest to push for evaluations now? The same reason why Randi’s pushing to open schools. Because the democrat party they are loyal to want it. Mulgrew is loyal to the Democrat Party, not dues payers. Cuomo, Biden, Harris, DeBlasio want schools open and want teachers evaluated so Mulgrew will oblige.

Anonymous said...

Another week has passed, nothing on spring break 2020. Not even an arbitration date.

Just an endangered CL said...

<>

Good idea - for the next toilet paper shortage.

I voted for the motion against the unproven, data/baseless, Remote Danielson.

Mary lied in her prepared statement. Unity should be ashamed, yet again.

Mary, Amy, Unity - your time is coming.

Get the word out to your colleagues. Tell them there is a choice in the next elections. Vote out any CL or Delegate that is with UNITY.

Anonymous said...

These teacher evaluations are driven in white supremacy. The notion that one person knows what is best for everyone else.

Anonymous said...

Assuming that in person observations return this year, which it appears they will - can someone break down the steps to request your administration perform an model observation prior to you being observed? And whether or not that model can be recorded and used to study "teacher practice"? I would love a front row seat of my administration teaching my illegal class so that I can return the favor with a duplicate lesson.

Anonymous said...

In all fairness, there must be remote Danielson demonstration lessons available for teachers to access. Actually, administrators should do the modeling so that all staff recognize what the rubrics and expectations are— that make an effective lesson.It should also include differentiation for the ELL’s and students with special needs based upon their IEP’s. I remember about 10 years ago when there was extensive school based training and professional development that was rolled out over several months and included Danielson classroom observations highlighted by evidence of the weighted Domain 2 and 3 indicators. They also called for students group work with reachers mainly as facilitators. Is that the case with remote? So in essence, it’s a waste of time—to ask any supervisor to rate/assess any instructor—until all stakeholders are properly trained and all on the same page.

Anonymous said...

One administrator in my school was never a classroom teacher. Another administrator was a pitiful teacher and performed various favors to get the position. With or without remote, or danielson's, I believe the majority of NYC school administrators are not qualified to evaluate any lesson.

That being said, do the best you can and if the evaluation is not to your liking, ask the administrator to model a lesson.

Anonymous said...

I refuse to use breakout rooms because I have no idea what’s going on in all the rooms so what would happen if something inappropriate happens. And, on the flip side, when I attempted to use it, no one was helping each other and the cameras were all turned off. It is a waste of limited time. I teach HS.

Anonymous said...

Seeing model lessons done on a video is not the same thing as seeing it done in person. The video can be edited and a lot of times those model lessons that are shown on video are pre-rehearsed so it goes well. Also they usually use ideal schools, with ideal students.

Anonymous said...

CDC URGES SCHOOLS TO REOPEN, SAYING IT IS CRITICAL: DJ

*Stating the obvious for many months. Time to end toxic shutdowns. Unintended consequences have colossal, long lasting negative impact.

Prehistoric pedagogue said...

1207 pm. Requesting a model lesson is one of the biggest urban myths in the DOE universe. Supervisors are under no obligation to grant this request and you are putting a target on your back by asking.
However, I remember an especially obnoxious young supervisor asking at the conclusion of an especially dopey PD if anyone would like a demonstration lesson to illustrate the principles we had just learned. Naturally, we all woke up and enthusiastically welcomed the idea.
Well, to our surprise she taught the fuck out of the worst class we had. Really, she was magnificent.
It took almost two weeks before we hated her more than ever

Anonymous said...

Cdc now says we can return without vaccine. You mean right after inauguration. All politics. We are no safer than 6 weeks ago. Uft silent. Randi now says we can return because Biden is a good leader.

Anonymous said...

So we will travel on busses and trains, be put at risk, then go into buildings with other staff members, while there are zero or close to zero students? Uft silent.

https://www.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/12/22280017/new-cdc-guidance-open-schools?fbclid=IwAR0CRd4UWbFkAsLDp5zxOEs_5jhbdCOB5sLvgbJox-uPfjSjclrFM27wiCQ

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew is the antithesis of a union leader. He should’ve asked and taken a vote concerning his pandemic plans for teachers going back into classrooms. But, he didn’t ask or take a vote - he agreed to everything outright. As far as observations are concerned, he should've refused outright. But, this time he takes a vote. Who the hell does he work for? Or is that even a legitimate question? The man obviously does not work for teachers. He works for deBlasio, Cuomo, Weingarten or whoever else rings his bell. I know I shouldn’t say this but, I really hope and pray that a massive amount of people drop out of the UFT in June. (And, yes I agree wholeheartedly teachers need a union and I’m a unionist.) There is no other way to get any attention or respect from the UFT.

Anonymous said...

"It was not lost on me": Stacey Plaskett points out that when Trump's attorneys showed videos of Democrats using the word "fight," many of them were Black women and people of color

"I thought we were past that. I think maybe we are not." https://cbsnews.com/live-updates/trump-impeachment-trial-day-4-2021-02-12/

Anonymous said...

Randi Weingarten
@rweingarten

For the first time through the whole pandemic there is now clear safety guidance for how to reopen school

TJL said...

I still remember Randi lying to my face at the Staten Island Hilton when she was selling the 2005 contract. I see leopards don't change their spots. The CDC had reopening guidance since last May.

Anonymous said...

Time to open school without vaccines. The 3 democrat presidents, Biden, Randi, Mulgrew all agree so it must be safe.

Shelley said...

There should be no evaluations this year, in schools or remote.

The evaluation system currently in use (pre-pandemic) is corrupt and should be tossed out.

Teachers, classroom teachers (with seniority and a full program) should do peer review and if a teacher needs support, support them.

That said, there is too much fear of observations and evaluations and the weaponized abuse of the evaluation system. Yes, about 30 teachers a year are removed from classrooms for incompetence, not hundreds (see the record here--->https://www.the74million.org/article/investigation-teacher-incompetence-often-harms-new-york-city-poorest-students/), but the fear, the dread, the psychological terror that teachers walk around with day in and day out is irrational and weakens solidarity. About 10 years ago I started hearing the same old sad song from paranoid teachers: "I'm going to get fired" "lose my license" "lose my position" and so on. But the numbers don't support these fears. James claims that Chaz had numbers that showed a steep increase in teachers being charged with incompetence, and the report cited only includes data from 2012-2016, but the in those figures teachers fired for incompetence is declining not increasing. And I believe the more recent figures show an increased decline. So, much as I hate to agree with MM on anything, Mulgrew's claim about the MOSL and the grid system MOTP&MOSL hold some water. Not our friend, not good, but protecting most from weaponized evaluations and crazy admins.

Now, as the article says, "many of [the teachers charged are or were] working in the city’s poorest neighborhoods at low-performing schools with large populations of homeless and chronically absent students."

This needs to be addressed.

And, "Many educators found unfit for their positions worked in schools whose struggles went beyond unfamiliar performance measures. Concentrated in high-poverty districts in the Bronx and central Brooklyn, nearly 1 in 3 of those brought up on incompetence charges taught in schools that subsequently closed or were tagged for turnaround by city and state officials."

And this.

And, "Men were overrepresented: they comprise 23 percent of all New York City teachers, according to the Research Alliance for New York City Schools, but made up 35 percent of teachers facing incompetence charges (27 of 77 whose gender was identified)."

And this.

And we have been talking about this on this blog because there are many hear who have rational fear and anger. I have a target on my back and I know it and so does everyone in my building.

I am in no way suggesting that there is not a massive problem that the union has not addressed, a problem that is a nightmare for some teachers. It sickens me. This situation and the abuse of these teachers and the ATR pool are our greatest challenge, our unions greatest disgrace.

But the fear that runs through buildings these days is irrational and weakens us.

Anonymous said...

Prehistoric Pedagogue,

When I started teaching 31 years ago, my principal did model a lesson for me. That was the only time that I remember that I have seen an administrator model a lesson. She offered to model a lesson for me whenever I needed to see a lesson done well. So the thought of an administrator modeling a lesson is not a myth. I am sure you know that the title of Principal, comes from when there was a Principal Teacher.

Everyone, including the majority of administrators themselves, know that they could not teach a "model" lesson. That, is the reason that many schools have made-up teaching positions: lead teachers, model teachers, peer collaborative teachers, coaches, specialists for this and that.

I am sure you have also heard of the Peter Principle. The supervisor you mention was most likely a very good classroom teacher and should have stayed there. I am not sure what you mean by young, in her 20's 30's? My question is Why were you and your experienced colleagues not aware that this supervisor could handle a class and actually teach. It is not difficult to determine which supervisors had teaching talent, there are so few, and which were pitiful in the classroom, which are the majority.

If you are going to ask your supervisor to model a lesson just to be a nudge, you better have a clue as to with whom you are working and have all four aces. If you are clueless as to the talents of your supervisor, you may be surprised. Don't be a jerk if your supervisor is/was a better teacher than you.

So, yes, if I ever get an evaluation that I do not think is just, I will ask my supervisor for a model lesson in my subject area. He was a pitiful classroom teacher, only had about 10 years in the classroom, never taught and does not understand the subject I teach. That is all four aces.

Anonymous said...

President Joe Biden said CDC was revamping guidance for schools. They change the science to suit their political preference.

Anonymous said...

Should've been saving and investing the whole time so when they force you back you could just quit like me.

Anonymous said...

11L10: Not so easy to save and invest when you had to pay student loans back the first two years, pay rent, then a mortgage, in addition to other bills and car loans. Most of us are prisoners in the doe.

Anonymous said...

Where did you go to college? Cuny is pretty cheap. Perhaps teaching isnt/wasn't right for you.

Anonymous said...

I want a parent evaluation system... I think we would get to the root of alot of problems in the educational system.

Anonymous said...

That's racist.

Anonymous said...

Explain how... you disagree that parents are mostly horrible at emphasizing education or even moderately caring about it. Really has nothing to do with race.

Anonymous said...

It’s all a game. Pass kids who can fog a mirror and your observations won’t suck.

This is the doe. It’s not the real world. The kids who want to learn will learn and be a success. Those who don’t care, won’t learn. Song remains the same.

If playing the game gets me a pension and no stress, game on!

Anonymous said...

So if my students don't come up with the right answer during an observation, should I tell my AP that they are perpetuating white supremacy?


Oregon Promotes Program Focused On ‘Dismantling Racism In Mathematics,’ Says Finding The Right Answer A Sign Of White Supremacy
https://www.dailywire.com/news/oregon-promotes-program-focused-on-dismantling-racism-in-mathematics-says-finding-the-right-answer-a-sign-of-white-supremacy

The newsletter encourages teachers to sign up for the training, which the New York Post previously reported includes a section with 14 things associated with “White Supremacy Culture,” including perfectionism, objectivity, and individualism.

Objectivity is described the workbook accompanying the training as “the belief that there is such a thing as being objective or ‘neutral.'” The program’s toolkit also encourages teachers not to focus on a single correct answer, but to “come up with at least two answers that might solve this problem” and to “Challenge standardized test questions by getting the ‘right’ answer, but justify other answers by unpacking the assumptions that are made in the problem.”

Part of the toolkit includes a list of ways “white supremacy culture” allegedly “infiltrates math classrooms.” Those include “the focus is on getting the ‘right’ answer,” students being “required to ‘show their work,’” and other alleged manifestations.

Anonymous said...

758 teachers who have figured out what you've figured out are the happiest teachers I know. Play them like a fiddle and get to that pension. My stress level has plummeted since I figured that out.