New York TeacherMay 2, 2019
Volume LX, Number 9
Cover Stories
Learning in leaps and bounds
[[nid:111782; undefined; styleName:article_x_large_auto]]
Head down and eyes on the floor, the 3rd-grader wouldn’t say why he likes the Sensory Path at PS 9 on Staten Island. Even gentle prompting by a classmate didn’t draw a response.
But as he planted his feet firmly at the start of the pathway and was about to begin hopping and skipping and leapfrogging, his eyes gleamed with confidence. “I got this!” he said.
[[nid:111779; float: right; styleName:article_medium]]
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in attending and focusing because of the Sensory Path,” said speech therapist Gina-Marie Principe.
The transformation of a section of the first-floor hallway at the Concord school took place in December: Think giant, colorful stickers and prompts placed on t…
Murdered teacher known for patience and dedication to students
Staten Island pre-K teacher Jeanine Cammarata, who was found murdered in April, was patient and sensitive, and she always put her students first, said colleagues.
Unity urged as anti-union forces contact members
UFT President Michael Mulgrew warned the Delegate Assembly on April 17 that anti-union forces looking to take advantage of the 2018 Supreme Court decision in the Janus case have begun their efforts to weaken New York City public school teachers’ collective power.
Latest News
Tennessee looks to override local charter caps
Tennessee is on track to create a new state commission that could override local governments’ attempts to limit charter school expansion. Legislation to establish the commission passed both houses of the state Legislature, and Tennessee’s Republican governor, Bill Lee, is expected to sign it.
Test scores out in eval
The UFT achieved its long-sought goal of eliminating the requirement that student test scores be a factor in the Annual Professional Performance Review process in the state budget approved by the state Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo on March 31.
A show of purple to spotlight domestic violence
The former colleagues of murdered teacher Jeanine Cammarata want #JusticeforJeanine, as the trending hashtag spells out. But the UFT members at the schools where Cammarata worked also expressed hope her death would shed light on the evil of domestic violence.
Feature Stories
‘Teaching is her life’
[[nid:111795; styleName:article_x_large_auto]]
[[nid:111793; float: right; styleName:article_x_medium_auto]]When Karla Jones’ son Nathan started kindergarten at PS/IS 109 in Flatbush, Brooklyn, in September 2017, he spent most of his time crying. Jones remembers how his teacher, Zenzile DaBreo, sat her down and told her, “We’re going to come up with a plan, and if you work with me, he’ll be at the top of the class when he leaves.”
Sure enough, Nathan is now a thriving 2nd-grader — a testament, Jones believes, to DaBreo’s steady guidance.
“She is a dedicated, excellent teacher,” Jones says, “and she deserves every accolade you can think of.”
In November 2018, thanks to nominations from Jones and several other parents of DaBreo’s former students, DaBreo was honored with the Sanford Teacher Award as the “most inspirational teacher” in New York State.
“She is inspirational to work with,” says Stefanie Castagliola, a 1st-grade teac…
Teacher center opens at P396K @ PS 532
The UFT Teacher Center at P396K @ PS 532 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, which will serve four District 75 locations, officially opened on April 9.
Labor takes flight
The union spirit reigns in the shop classes at Aviation HS in Long Island City, where the class is run as a simulated unionized workplace. Teachers José Vaz and Antonio Pepenella instituted the practice five years ago to give the students a taste of the kinds of unionized jobs they’re likely to find in the aviation industry.
More in Feature Stories
Member Spotlight
Chapter Leader Shoutout
Kudos to Melissa Alvarez, John Bowne HS in Flushing, Queens
Melissa Alvarez, the chapter leader at John Bowne HS in Flushing, Queens, used the new dispute resolution process in the DOE-UFT contract to get a speedy response to a safety violation: no teacher assigned to the high school’s SAVE room.
Around the UFT
Tech4All information session and job fair
Tech4All, an all-day information session and technology job fair, drew 500 participants and 25 employers to the UFT's Bronx borough office on April 3.
District 12 Scholarship Committee breakfast
The turnout “exploded” — reaching 330 — at District 12’s April 13 Scholarship Committee breakfast at which 24 students were awarded new laptops.
Shakespeare makes an appearance
Some 250 educators turned out for the UFT’s sixth annual Middle School Conference at union headquarters on March 30. The theme was William Shakespeare.
School Leadership Team meeting at UFT Brooklyn borough office
The School Leadership Team at PS 1 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, held its April 8 meeting at the UFT’s Brooklyn borough office and turned it into a learning experience for parents and educators.
Jewish Heritage Committee Passover Seder
This year's Passover Seder organized by the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee also included a tribute to Denise Koster-Lombardo, a UFT staff member who died in February.
You Should Know
You Should Know
NYSUT Member Benefits-endorsed programs
Are you planning to retire soon from active employment? If so, you’ll need to maintain your UFT membership as a retiree to continue participating in NYSUT Member Benefits-endorsed programs and services.
Secure Your Future
TRS goes paperless
In the fall of 2018, the Teachers’ Retirement System announced an operational change that will save money and be good for the environment: TRS stopped mailing paper Quarterly Account Statements to retirement system members it can reach via email.
Opinions
President's Perspective
The charter school fight
At long last, the New York State Legislature that is more inclined to support pro-teacher, pro-public school policies. There was no lifting of the charter cap included in this year’s budget. But the charter school industry has regrouped. This fight is not over.
VPerspective
Anti-unionists threaten all of us
Today, like never before, our collective bargaining rights, benefits and protections are under fire. Our enemies will spread rumors and misinformation designed to undermine working people. They will pretend to be our friends when their goal is to hurt us. If we fall prey to their lies, we risk losing everything.
Editorials
Protection for patients
It’s easily among most people’s greatest fears: Having a medical emergency when you’re far from home, whether it’s an accident or a serious illness.
Editorials
Appreciating teachers
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 6–10, as good a time as any to take stock of how teachers are viewed by the public at large.
Editorial Cartoons
Teaching Resources
Linking to Learning
Online sites for language learning
As technology has developed, so have methods for using technology to learn a language. These programs aren’t meant as a replacement for in-class language instruction, but they can be effective supports to extend and continue learning both in and out of the classroom.
Teacher to Teacher
The power of thinking maps
In my 3rd-grade classroom, my students use thinking maps — which are not graphic organizers! — to represent their ideas. Each type of thinking map connects a basic cognitive skill with a visual representation.
Building Your Career
Building Your Career
Amazon Alexa plays an important role in my class routine
Each student in my 3rd-grade class takes a turn as ‘Alexa’s friend of the day.’
New Teacher Articles
Is your teaching certificate about to expire?
With summer just around the corner, it’s crucial to meet upcoming deadlines for certification if your current teaching certificate is near its expiration date.
Retired Teachers News
Medicare Part B / IRMAA
Most of our retired members on Medicare should have received their 2018 Medicare Reimbursement by May 1, 2019. The 2018 Medicare Part B Reimbursement will be electronically deposited into the same account as the pension payment.
Understanding senior voter tendencies
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) recently asked me to fill its held position on the Senior Council of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Since the Council’s purpose is to offer advice on strategic issues and policies important to retirees’ economic security and general livelihood, I gladly agreed.