feature stories
‘Frankenstein,’ and other interesting topics
Nov 12, 2009 2:09 PM
Election Day PD
Curator Elizabeth Denlinger shares the rare books, illustrations and other items (including a lock of Mary Shelley’s hair) of the “Shelley and His Circle” collection at the New York Public Library with high school teachers.
Professional development took many forms on Nov. 3, from a session in the rare books section of the New York Public Library on how to teach “Frankenstein,” to UFT safety and health training. And far away in the Rockaways, two English language arts teachers shared what they’d learned at a Teacher Center training with their colleagues.
At UFT headquarters in Manhattan, paraprofessionals spent the day learning about health issues. On another floor, chapter leaders listened intently as staffers from the union’s school safety department shared their knowledge about safety issues in the schools and how best to deal with them.
UFT President Michael Mulgrew spoke to both groups, telling the paraprofessionals that what they do is “critical to their students’ success,” and urging not to let the “garbage in the newspapers,” which often downplays the work of teachers and other educators, bother them.
Shelvy Young Abrams, chapter chair of the paraprofessionals, told members that Mulgrew “never missed a beat” in supporting paraprofessionals both before and since becoming union president in July.
UFT Director of School Safety Linda Vila-Passione discusses the details with Jeffrey Williams, chapter leader at PS/MS 37 in the Bronx, during safety training for chapter leaders on Nov. 3.
Topics discussed included the H1N1 (swine flu) virus and UFT/Department of Education protocols and procedures for dealing with it; blood-borne pathogens and the DOE’s new compliance tool; and students’ health-related questions and answers, with an Individualized Education Program overview.
Casilda Hidalgo, a paraprofessional at PS 197 in Manhattan, said the day helped to clear up confusion about how to proceed when a student is bleeding. “I learned what my duties are and also what my rights are,” she said.
Nearby, UFT Director of School Safety Linda Vila-Passione and her staff led chapter leaders through their day, discussing issues such as victim support and incident reporting, the discipline code and student removal, and the role of the building response team.
Donna Coppola, chapter leader at PS 14 in Staten Island, said the building response team discussion was a “critical piece of information.” Unless members of the team know exactly what to do, “the effort will fall flat,” she said.
Chapter Chair Shelvy Young Abrams addresses paraprofessionals at their training on health issues on Election Day at UFT headquarters.
Meanwhile, in Rockaway, Queens, ELA teachers Marjorie Faber and Edwin Henry brought their UFT Teacher Center training back to 60 of their colleagues at PS 105.
Rachel Hayden, Teacher Center specialist at the school, said they successfully “turnkeyed” the knowledge over to the rest of the staff. The topic, “Differentiated Instruction for the Struggling Writer,” involves a specific writing methodology that creates a common vision of what “good” writing looks like.
If there were professional development days in 1831, educators might have been talking about how to handle the situation if mad scientist Dr. Frankenstein ever showed up with his creature at their school.
But today’s educators enjoyed an unusual treat in the rare books room of the library, filled with “Frankenstein” collectors’ items (including the original novel), comic books and even a poignant letter from author Mary Shelley pleading with her publisher to add a few lines to the second edition. The main topic of the day was how to teach “Frankenstein” to students.
Teacher Marjorie Faber was one of the “teacher-trainers” who brought back a new style of teaching writing to struggling writers to her colleagues at PS 105 in Rockaway, Queens.
Sophie Oberfield, a teacher at Stuyvesant HS in Manhattan, helped design the seminar and said she liked it because “teachers are treated as scholars,” something she tries to instill in her own students, whom she calls “scholars.”
Taking students to a palace like the main library “makes students feel like public buildings belong to them,” she added. Oberfield said she felt “enriched” by the professional development day.
One reason, she said, was because “I love Frankenstein!” It wasn’t clear if she meant the doctor, the creature or the book.
The rare book room is available by appointment to teachers and their students.
For information and applications for the spring workshops at the NYPL, visit www.nypl.org/cullmanteachers.
