Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "How To Deal With Bullies":
The PTA is terrific at fund raising and at enhancing the school experience, but a change agent? Not a chance.
PTA has demonstrated that they will not aggressively take on challenging topics. If the math issue was left to the PTA, we'd still be waiting. I do not feel represented by the PTA. I cringe when I hear "parent input" at a BOE meeting because it usually means "let's go ask the PTA." Sure there are some ex-PTA leaders on the BOE, but you'll find a couple of members that were elected in large part because they ignored the PTA and actually affected change.
Grassroots coalitions drive change. Passionate people can get things done. This PTA nonsense of declaring they are the only show in town is ludicrous and counter productive. If you want something to change, get involved without worrying which hat participants wear.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Teacher to Student Bullying
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "How To Deal With Bullies":
The full article can be found at
http://searchwarp.com/swa333432-P2.htm
by Rev. Carla Goddard
Everyone is aware of peer on peer bullying and the Education system is emphatic about about not allowing the situation to arise and if it does how to protect the student who is being bullied. What about when teachers bully students. This receives virtually no attention. With the publicity surrounding peer to peer bullying, why is the idea of teacher to student bullying largely ignored in the education system today unless it involves sexual conduct? Is other types of bullying unplausible? Is there a definition for teacher bullying? Does it exist?
Bullying by a teacher is defined as a pattern of conduct, rooted in a power differential, that threatens, harms, humiliates, induces fear, or causes a student substantial emotional distress. What does that really mean? Abuse of power that tends to be chronic and often expressed in public, a form of humiliation that generates attention while degrading the student in front of others, students capabilities are debased and identity is ridiculed. In nearly every case of teacher bullying it is a singular target that this bullied repeatedly. Equally significant is that the teacher usually receives no retribution or other negative consequences.
Victims are chosen on the basis of either vulnerability or because of some devalued personal attribute the teacher perceives of the student. Once targeted, the victim is treated in a manner which will set the student apart from their peers. The teacher makes frequent references to how the student differs from other students whom the teacher perceives as more capable or valuable. As a consequence, the student because a scapegoat among peers.
Teachers who do bully feel their abusive conduct is justified and claim provation by the student. They disguise their behavior as an appropriate part of the instruction, as well as disguising abuse as an appropriate disciplinary response to unacceptable behavior by the student. However, the student is subjected to deliberate humiliation by the teacher that can never ever serve as a legitimate educational purpose.
The full article can be found at
http://searchwarp.com/swa333432-P2.htm
by Rev. Carla Goddard
Everyone is aware of peer on peer bullying and the Education system is emphatic about about not allowing the situation to arise and if it does how to protect the student who is being bullied. What about when teachers bully students. This receives virtually no attention. With the publicity surrounding peer to peer bullying, why is the idea of teacher to student bullying largely ignored in the education system today unless it involves sexual conduct? Is other types of bullying unplausible? Is there a definition for teacher bullying? Does it exist?
Bullying by a teacher is defined as a pattern of conduct, rooted in a power differential, that threatens, harms, humiliates, induces fear, or causes a student substantial emotional distress. What does that really mean? Abuse of power that tends to be chronic and often expressed in public, a form of humiliation that generates attention while degrading the student in front of others, students capabilities are debased and identity is ridiculed. In nearly every case of teacher bullying it is a singular target that this bullied repeatedly. Equally significant is that the teacher usually receives no retribution or other negative consequences.
Victims are chosen on the basis of either vulnerability or because of some devalued personal attribute the teacher perceives of the student. Once targeted, the victim is treated in a manner which will set the student apart from their peers. The teacher makes frequent references to how the student differs from other students whom the teacher perceives as more capable or valuable. As a consequence, the student because a scapegoat among peers.
Teachers who do bully feel their abusive conduct is justified and claim provation by the student. They disguise their behavior as an appropriate part of the instruction, as well as disguising abuse as an appropriate disciplinary response to unacceptable behavior by the student. However, the student is subjected to deliberate humiliation by the teacher that can never ever serve as a legitimate educational purpose.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
How To Deal With Bullies
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Parents: Speak Up to the Administration and Becom...":
I atteneded the bullying meeting last night and heard some very disturbing stories. A presentation followed on the district is working on changing the climate of school, etc. What boggles my mind is the best solution of all is sooo very avail, and guess what folks its free. It won't cost the schools a dime. You don not have to hire new staff and new laws will not have to be passed. The solution is called .."Having the bully get in deep trouble". There, it is that simple. If these kids (no matter how old they are) know that there are severe repercussions, they will stop. Its that simple. Why are we going around in circles trying to stop this disturbing trend, when all you need is a straight line? Please, someone tell me why the school is so afraid to reprimand a bully?
I atteneded the bullying meeting last night and heard some very disturbing stories. A presentation followed on the district is working on changing the climate of school, etc. What boggles my mind is the best solution of all is sooo very avail, and guess what folks its free. It won't cost the schools a dime. You don not have to hire new staff and new laws will not have to be passed. The solution is called .."Having the bully get in deep trouble". There, it is that simple. If these kids (no matter how old they are) know that there are severe repercussions, they will stop. Its that simple. Why are we going around in circles trying to stop this disturbing trend, when all you need is a straight line? Please, someone tell me why the school is so afraid to reprimand a bully?
No Power- School As Usual?
Is anyone else concerned that Mattlin MS and Central Admin have been without power for almost 2 full days. School has remained in session. Are there appropriate safety measures in place. Are fire alarms working? What about if there needed to be a PA announcement of an emergency? Teachers calling office or nurse? Parent trying to reach school. I didn't get emergency backup numbers...did anyone else? What is cause of failure? POB? LIPA? Is this not a PRIORITY one for whomever to fix?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tenure Changes in NYC
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Taxes to Go UP Another 5%?":
NEW YORK CITY IS MAKING IT HARDER FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS TO GET TENURE, requiring their students to show progress in consecutive years before instructors gain the coveted job protection.
Traditionally, in New York City as in other places, tenure is granted to teachers three years and a day after they begin working. Critics have complained that the protections that tenure accords ineffective teachers makes them hard to remove. Before a teacher reaches tenure, principals can more easily fire them—but they rarely do.
Five years ago, fewer than 1% of New York City teachers were denied tenure. But last year, 11% of teachers were denied tenure or continued on probation, amid a push by schools Chancellor Joel Klein for greater teacher accountability.
Monday's announcement, which was made by Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a New York education conference, goes a step further—by creating new rules for when principals can grant teachers tenure, rather than leaving it up to their subjective judgment or inaction.
Starting with the 6,300 teachers who are up for tenure this year, the city Department of Education will implement a four-point grading system similar to the one passed by the state Legislature earlier this year: highly effective, effective, developing, and ineffective. Under the new rules, principals can only grant tenure if a teacher shows progress with students for two years in a row.
Teachers who are rated "developing" will get a chance to earn tenure after a year of professional development and support, and "ineffective" teachers will not be granted tenure and the chancellor will recommend that they be dismissed.
The teacher's union president, Michael Mulgrew, shrugged off the plans.
"There's less in the mayor's proposals than meets the eye," said the head of the United Federation of Teachers in a statement. "Right now a principal can deny tenure to a teacher for any reason. Most teachers would welcome an objective tenure-granting process based on agreed-upon standards."
Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
NEW YORK CITY IS MAKING IT HARDER FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS TO GET TENURE, requiring their students to show progress in consecutive years before instructors gain the coveted job protection.
Traditionally, in New York City as in other places, tenure is granted to teachers three years and a day after they begin working. Critics have complained that the protections that tenure accords ineffective teachers makes them hard to remove. Before a teacher reaches tenure, principals can more easily fire them—but they rarely do.
Five years ago, fewer than 1% of New York City teachers were denied tenure. But last year, 11% of teachers were denied tenure or continued on probation, amid a push by schools Chancellor Joel Klein for greater teacher accountability.
Monday's announcement, which was made by Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a New York education conference, goes a step further—by creating new rules for when principals can grant teachers tenure, rather than leaving it up to their subjective judgment or inaction.
Starting with the 6,300 teachers who are up for tenure this year, the city Department of Education will implement a four-point grading system similar to the one passed by the state Legislature earlier this year: highly effective, effective, developing, and ineffective. Under the new rules, principals can only grant tenure if a teacher shows progress with students for two years in a row.
Teachers who are rated "developing" will get a chance to earn tenure after a year of professional development and support, and "ineffective" teachers will not be granted tenure and the chancellor will recommend that they be dismissed.
The teacher's union president, Michael Mulgrew, shrugged off the plans.
"There's less in the mayor's proposals than meets the eye," said the head of the United Federation of Teachers in a statement. "Right now a principal can deny tenure to a teacher for any reason. Most teachers would welcome an objective tenure-granting process based on agreed-upon standards."
Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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