Leigh Anderson
New York Teacher Senior Editor/Reporter
Queens teacher keeps his students wired
Louis Pichardo brings his twin passions for teaching and electrical work to his job teaching electrical installation to career and technical education students at Queens Technical HS in Sunnyside. Pichardo, a third-year teacher, asks his students to be active participants and investigators.
Fireside chat with Norman and Velma Murphy Hill
UFT members had the rare opportunity to hear a first-hand account of the creation of the Paraprofessionals Chapter more than 50 years ago from Velma Murphy Hill, the chapter’s founder and first chair, and her husband Norman Hill.
Half of NYC kids passed state tests
About half of New York City’s 3rd- to 8th-grade students are proficient in math and reading, according to the scores on the spring 2023 state tests.
Important tips to help manage your classroom
New teachers may erroneously believe that effective classroom management comes from being stern and no-nonsense. But veteran educators know that there are better ways to establish a calm classroom. Here are some tips.
Finding ‘inspiration to fight on’
UFT members in all five boroughs and on Long Island participated in this year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks on two separate Sundays in October. “We’re here to honor the survivors in our building and to call attention to this disease, which impacts our profession at disproportionately high rates,” said one UFT chapter leader.
A celebration of determination
On Oct. 11 — the second Wednesday in October — UFT members across the city wore pink to work to celebrate survivors, pay tribute to loved ones and colleagues they have lost, and emphasize the importance of early detection and treatment.
The future is already here!
As part of its contract negotiations with the UFT, the DOE revised the 2023-24 school year calendar in late June to add four more days off for students and educators and issued calendars for the following two school years at the same time.
Newest teachers ‘excited’ to join UFT
More than 1,500 new teachers signed their union cards at the opening day of the Department of Education’s annual New Teacher Week on Aug. 28.
Bringing retired paras into the UFT fold
The UFT has initiated an outreach program to determine how the union can best support retired paraprofessionals. The Retired Teachers Chapter includes approximately 7,600 paraprofessionals.
Creating a welcoming classroom
Having a warm and inviting learning environment will help you connect with your students, especially those who are new to the school or even the country. Here are some suggestions for how to make your students feel welcome in your classroom from the start of the new school year.