We here at SBSB have decided to break down and retort Ariel Sacks
blabbering blog that appeared yesterday in Gotham Schools. Next, and this will happen when he returns from Austria, Dr Hans von Schlaggel of the Institut für schweren psychiatrischen Erkrankungen will give us a psycho-analysis of Ariel Sacks, free of charge, or as they say in Vienna, "Es kostet Geld."
Ariel opens up her diatribe thusly:
"Strange happenings... There are ATR's in the teacher's lounge of my school." Oh no! Bats in the belfry! Strange people, people who might be as wonderful as you think you are. Too bad.
Ariel goes on....
"My principal interviewed 37 ATR's. That's right, 37. She said they were the most depressing interviews she has ever done, and that she "could not, in good conscience, hire any of them." Did you see these 37 ATR's? Or you just taking it on blind faith that your principal interviewed that many? Do you know what her good conscience involved? Were these teachers actually not qualified, or were they veteran teachers who when asked to do something ask "why?" unlike newbie teachers such as yourself when asked will sycophantically snap into line? Could it have been that your principal did not wish to pay the higher salaries? What positions was your principal attempting to fill? Did some of them just interview poorly? See Ariel, you need something called facts. You have none other than what your principal told
you.But yet you decide to make an assumption.
"Why were the interviews so bad? Are these teachers really the dregs of the profession? Or is it that they've become all too comfortable being ATR's with no teaching position and do not want to go back to the classroom?" See above Ariel for
other reasons.
"We received three from a high school that was shut down. These three teachers, all middle aged, have 10-15 years of experience and get paid much more than I do." Middle aged? If they have been teaching 10-15 years I doubt they are in their mid-fifties. As far as getting paid more than you do? Why need yo worry? Surely mummsy and dada take good care of you still.
"In the classroom, they behave like incompetent substitutes." Wow, nice. And you are a great teacher because.....???
"No order, no real planning, no real teaching." Have you seen the lesson plans? Are you authorized to review their lesson plans? No order? You get plopped into a new school after the school year starts, no matter how experienced and how good a teacher you are it takes time to build a rapport Ariel. It would happen to you Ariel if you were plopped in my school.
"One of the ATR's is covering for a special education teachers who is on maternity leave. If no teacher is absent, I can count on her to be in my room while I have my CTT class." Count on her to be there? Is she a puppy? Perhaps the reason you can count on her to be there is because she is
scheduled to be there, so therefore she shows up. Duh!
"She asks me about the curriculum, and is trying to work more with the students. It's nice to see the shift, but honestly, I feel like I'm training her, while she gets paid twice my salary." You feel as if you are training her? Isn't teaching about collaboration with your colleagues? Now you say she is from a high school. So would it not make sense for her not to know middle school curriculum and to seek out assistance from God's gift to teaching, you?
"Another ATR as been assigned to teach an 8th grade advisory," It would help in your writing if you were able to explain what
8th grade advisory means and what the position entails then those reading can make a better judgement.
"However, this ATR just hands out whatever materials we give him, and sits in the room and reads a book." See above. I can't makean opinion without having all the facts. Can you Ariel. I think you think you can.
"However, given the turnover rates in high poverty schools, you know which schools had to take the ATR's instead of the usual TFA'ers (who can be just as inept, but are usually far more committed and faster learners)." Oh this only happens in high poverty schools? And what do you base this statement on? As far as the TFA'ers go, most of them have no families, no life, and come from elsewhere and want to keep living in the city, ***wink, wink*** Ariel, ***nod nod*** so of course can be more committed. But that don't make them better.
"But who is responsible for these ATR's apparent low ability to teach?" You have only mentioned two, what about the third. Again what is their low ability? Can you come across any more condescending and patronizing? Again please share your high ability.
"Look at the environment they must be coming from. Is it their fault they were teaching under horrible conditions and probably received no support?" Prove it, prove this statement!!!
"I feel like I'm in the twilight zone. Should I just "suck it up" and teach this woman what I know" Of course! She is a colleague!
Ariel, you are such a yutz,.
