Around the UFT
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Miller Photography
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Miller Photography
UFT Vice President for Elementary Schools Karen Alford (standing, right) engages new teachers at one of the workshops.
Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and UFT President Michael Mulgrew both stopped by to greet the new teachers.
“We’re trying to take a systematic approach to support teachers,” Mulgrew told them. “The most important thing to remember is to not be afraid to ask for help. You’re not alone.”
At UFT headquarters on Aug. 26, almost 200 new teachers took part in literacy and math workshops designed to help them do everything from examining Common Core-aligned curriculum to exploring practical tips for differentiating instruction and collaborating with their colleagues.
“Teachers learn best from other teachers,” noted facilitator Michele Mavrovouniotis, a teacher development coach with the DOE, in one literacy session. “In the first few days of school, you’ll be able to tell which teachers you can visit in their classrooms; ask them if you can come in.”
In a math session next door, participants were discussing the recent evolution in math education that has shifted students from “answer finders” to “doers of math.”
“I’ve had a lot of students who are obsessed with getting the right answer,” one participant noted. “But finding the answer is only one part of the process. Finding the wrong answer can be an opportunity for students to learn.”
During a break between sessions, new teachers had the opportunity to network and get information at a fair for new hires. Representatives from the UFT Welfare Fund and the union’s certification department were on hand to answer questions.
“This is my first exposure to the DOE, the first professional development that I’m doing, and it’s been absolutely helpful,” said Christina Agostino, who will be teaching kindergarten at PS 132 in the Bronx. “It’s been good to meet other new teachers and see that everyone is in the same situation.”