New York TeacherDecember 18, 2025
With the UFT-backed class size law in its third year of a five-year phase-in, teachers are reaping the benefits, including more time for individualized instruction, greater calm and less tension in classrooms no longer overcrowded with students.
Cover Story
Room to breathe
A calmer pace. More individualized attention. Fewer distractions. Those are among the greatest benefits teachers say they’re seeing in their classrooms this year as the state class size law enters its third year of implementation.
“I’ve got 18 kids. I can do anything! We are unstoppable!” exclaimed Bethany Trench, the co-chapter leader at PS 199 on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. Trench was rhapsodizing about how many fewer students she has in her 1st-grade class this year compared to previous years, thanks to the class size legislation Gov. Kathy Hochul signed in 2022.
PS 199 was one of the 750 city schools that applied for and were approved for funding last school year. The school used its allotment to…
Latest News
Fight for ‘RESPECT ’ continues
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams blocked the “RESPECT check” bill from coming to a vote before the full City Council this year. But the UFT plans to redouble its efforts to get the bill across the finish line in the new year.
Schools feel chill of ICE raids
The Trump administration's mass deportation agenda has triggered anxiety and absenteeism in New York City public schools. Yet despite the bleakness of the situation, educators remain committed to protecting their students and advocating for them.
Feature Stories
Fueling student success
Families began lining up in the cold before dawn outside the Walton HS campus in the Bronx. With their shopping carts and reusable grocery bags in tow, families prepared to wait for hours outside the International School for Liberal Arts, hoping to get a bag of food before supplies ran out.
“The need is extremely great,” said Nubany Perez, the community school director at ISLA.
The 5:30 a.m. lineup on Nov. 17 was unusual, reflecting the fact that many families did not receive their SNAP benefits that month because of the disruption caused by the federal government shutdown. The promise of a Thanksgiving turkey also drew families to that day’s pantry, where parent and student volunteers distributed bags and boxes filled with a whole turkey or chicken and all the fixings to about 130 families.
But on a typical pantry day at ISLA, which is located in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx, families arrive around 7…
Star turn
Malala Yousafzai, one of Brooklyn Landmark Elementary School's "core value mentors," surprised students this fall by serving as the school's "celebrity substitute" on the YouTube show of the same name.
Noteworthy Graduate: Ariella Moshchinsky, Pediatric anesthesiologist
Member Spotlight
Kudos to Amy Craine, District 31 Pre-K Centers, Staten Island
Veronica Herrera, college and career counselor
Veronica Herrera supports students making their postsecondary plans at Hillcrest HS in Jamaica. "High school students are discovering who they are, and it’s wonderful to be a part of that conversation," she said.
Around the UFT
Teacher Union Day
About 1,700 UFT members and guests marked the union’s 65th anniversary at this year’s observance of Teacher Union Day on Nov. 2 by honoring union members past and present for their efforts to improve working conditions and strengthen members’ rights and benefits.
Defending immigrant students
New Retiree Luncheon
Some 265 recent UFT retirees were celebrated for their service, passion and commitment to changing students’ lives during this UFT Welfare Fund annual event.
UFT college and career fairs
Some 5,500 high school students across the city explored college and career options at the UFT's two college and career fairs this fall at Brooklyn College and the Borough of Manhattan Community College.
Parent conferences
More in Around the UFT
Your Rights and Benefits
Know Your Benefits
Professional learning pursuits
No matter where you are in your career, the UFT is committed to helping you learn and grow. Learn about the hundreds of high-quality courses and workshops the union offers throughout the year.
Know Your Rights
Using sick days
Your Well-being
Q&A on addiction
Addiction is a complex, often chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive engagement in a behavior or a substance craving and use despite negative life consequences. Learn some of the early warning signs.
You Should Know
Grants, Awards & Freebies
Grants, Awards & Freebies
See our list of current opportunities for educators to receive funds and recognition for their hard work and dedication.
For Your Information
NYSUT insurance premiums
For Your Information
FAQ on the functional chapters of DOE school related professionals
School related professionals play an essential role in supporting the varied needs of students. Meet the chapter leaders of the UFT's functional chapters and learn more about their role.
Q&A on the Issues
UFT political action through COPE
Secure Your Future
TDA, Roth contribution limits for ’26
Secure Your Future
TRS’ Roth option enrollment opens
Secure Your Future
Your retirement timeline
Opinions
President's Perspective
Fix Tier 6 in ’26
VPerspective
The fight for District 75 placement
UFT Vice President MaryJo Ginese writes that a half-century after the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which required an "appropriate education" for students with disabilities, the city DOE still has work to do.
Editorials
Our fight isn’t over
Thousands of paraprofessionals mobilized throughout 2025 to fight for the $10,000 annual "RESPECT check," only to have City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams block it. The UFT will redouble its efforts in the new year.
Editorials
‘Black’ eye for DOE
In a tremendous show of solidarity and the power of union organizing, hundreds of UFT members across District 21 in Brooklyn wore black in support of their colleagues at PS 99 in their struggle with their principal.
Editorial Cartoons
Teaching Resources
Learning Curve
Harnessing AI to support educators
As AI penetrates public education faster than policy can keep up, educators are being asked to navigate powerful new tools with little guidance. To help fill that void, the AFT has released a framework meant to ensure AI supports teaching and learning rather than undermines it.
Linking to Learning
Teaching financial literacy
Teacher to Teacher
Making every voice count
Talking roles are discussion jobs that rotate among students in a small discussion group. The roles give quieter students a clear entry point, encourage active listening and build accountability.
Building Your Career
Inside My Classroom
A multi-sensory space
New Teacher Articles
Some advice for handling challenging situations
As a new teacher, you are bound to encounter situations with students that are challenging to navigate. If you find yourself in one of the following situations, here is some guidance for making a plan of action.
New Teacher Diaries
How I calculated true 'success'
Retired Teachers News
A helping hand is just a phone call away
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
That’s the message to retirees from Chris Chin, the director of UFT Welfare Fund Retiree Social Services, which offers members regular check-ins by phone, help navigating hospital and rehabilitation stays, and information and referrals, among other services. The services are free and confidential.
“We don’t know if you need help unless you give us a call,” Chin said. “We can help you with whatever issue you’re going through, and we’re here to support you as a retiree.”
In 2024, Chin and his staff made or received more than 7,000 phone calls to and from UFT retirees across the country.
Many of those calls were part of the Nationwide Telephone Reassurance Program, said Chin. Chin and two other geriatric social workers call about 100 people each week for a friendly chat that is supportive in nature but not therapy. The member may be dealing with a recent loss, living alone, experiencing depression or feeling stress associated with being a caregiver for a spouse or elderly…
Mamdani gives us hope
TRS’ ‘proof of life’ form
TRS may ask retirees to complete a Retirement Allowance Verification Form annually. If you receive such a letter, don't ignore it.