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Addressing racial inequality

The historic uprising for Black lives in the summer of 2020 sparked educators at Brooklyn’s New Utrecht HS to launch an Equity Team to tackle racial inequality.

Battle to preserve premium-free health care

UFT President Michael Mulgrew warned at the Oct. 12 Delegate Assembly that the UFT and its fellow unions are entering a fierce battle to protect their premium-free health care.

Middle School Scavenger Hunt

UFT members, along with their families and friends, raced against the clock on the coldest day of the year to find the answers to these questions and others at the first-ever UFT Middle School Division’s Secrets of Grand Central Scavenger Hunt on Feb...

Still fighting the good fight

The UFT’s Retired Teachers Chapter hosted a celebratory luncheon on March 6 to recognize 68 educators who have been union members for 50, 60 or more years. 


Stitching together the pieces in retirement

Louise Naples, a retired school secretary, has become an avid quilter in retirement. Her quilts were recently on display at The Center, a communal gathering space at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, Queens.

Summer thrills

Running through a sprinkler on a hot day. The taste of corn fresh from the grill. Swimming in a river, lake, ocean or pool. These are but a few of the joys of summer. Make sure to be in the moment and savor the simple pleasures of these long, bright...

Members win right to organize freely

UFT members at PS 35 in Hollis, Queens, won a hard-fought arbitration decision against a principal engaging in union animus. The decision confirms members’ rights to conduct union activity without interference or retaliation.

Kindness, the cure that costs nothing

“Be kind, rewind” is a slogan that disappeared with VHS tapes, but it succinctly illustrates the basic elements of kindness: Even a small, seemingly trivial act can make life a little better for someone you don’t know.

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.

Raising our voices for special education

UFT Vice President for Special Education MaryJo Ginese writes that our special education teachers, paraprofessionals and related service providers do incredible work supporting children with IEPs, but the DOE too often has not fulfilled its part.


NYCE PPO enrollment

Members will receive detailed information about the new city health care plan directly from NYCE PPO. Learn more about enrollment in our new health care plan.

Article Sixteen — Grievance Procedure

It is the declared objective of the parties to encourage the prompt and informal resolution of employee complaints as they arise and to provide recourse to orderly procedures for the satisfactory adjustment of complaints. A resolution should occur at...

Albert Shanker

As his fledgling union teetered on the brink of a strike, Albert Shanker was the linchpin of a last-minute settlement that laid out the goals that would dominate his thinking for the rest of his life.

Asbestos

The precise risk of disease from low-level, short-term exposure to asbestos is unknown. There is no scientific evidence that casual exposure to asbestos — such as the amounts typically found in schools — will cause a problem.

CookShop

CookShop, the federally funded nutrition education program of the Food Bank For New York City, helps children, teens and adults develop the nutrition knowledge and cooking skills to make healthy food choices on a limited budget, and fosters...

ICT class ratios & variances

The number of students with disabilities in an Integrated Co-Teaching class may not exceed 40 percent of the total class register with a maximum of 12 students with disabilities.

Rights and benefits information for military service members and veterans

Educators who are serving or who have served in the U.S. military qualify for special leaves of absence and may be eligible for special benefits

Working relationships with colleagues are vital

Whether you co-teach on a regular basis or sit on the same grade or subject team as other educators, you have a host of colleagues who can be your allies and support network.

Become politically active

All teachers, even brand-new ones, have a stake in political matters. Consider the ways in which you might deepen your engagement with issues outside the classroom that matter to public school educators.

‘A shining light’

PS 20 in Flushing, Queens, paid tribute to beloved physical education teacher Scott Brower, 42, who died March 20 after being struck by a speeding motorcyclist on Long Island.

Bronx school just says no

A coalition of parents and teachers at PS 28 in the Mount Hope section of the Bronx, drawing on the expertise of UFT organizer Betty Zohar, formed in December to prod the police and local officials to clean up the school's entrance, where drug users...

Hard times put benefits at risk

Far right legislators see raising the debt ceiling as an opportunity to push an ideological agenda that could advance their cause.

The importance of being ‘seen’

Educators' extra efforts working collaboratively and leading their students at Francis Lewis HS in Queens paid off with an extra special Black History Month celebration featuring a number of high-profile speakers, including film director Malcolm Lee...

Soak up the sun safely

Days are longer and the sun’s rays don’t only help flowers bloom — they also have a way of making us feel happier and more energized. So embrace your inner sun worshipper and enjoy the benefits of the season.

Tech tools to bring the arts to class

While technology tools cannot and should not replace hands-on art making, these digital resources can be used to bring the arts, which may be otherwise lacking in your students’ school day, into your curriculum in meaningful ways.

UFT Teacher Centers are friends indeed

UFT Vice President Mary Vaccaro writes that Teacher Center specialists with extensive teaching and coaching expertise in New York City public schools offer support, professional development, collegial advice and access to resources and materials that...

Our contract

The Family Child Care Providers Chapter signed and ratified its third contract with the state’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) in 2022. See highlights of your contractual rights.

HERstory celebration

About 175 members and guests attended this year's HERstory brunch in celebration of women’s role in the UFT and the broader labor movement.

Time to lay it on the line with lawmakers

President Michael Mulgrew reminds members the UFT stays in the fight for the things that matter to educators, students, their families and our communities. As the budget process gets underway at the state and city level — the UFT is geared up to...

Teaching financial literacy

Financial literacy is a foundational life skill, yet too many young people reach adulthood without it. Here are several comprehensive, nonpartisan resources teachers can trust.

Mapping out a path to learning

The latest online mapping tools can do much more than get us from point A to B. With features such as data collection and media integration, online maps can be used in the classroom to take student activities in completely new directions. 


Harvest new beginnings

With the shift from summer to fall, now is the time to reap the benefits of a likely change in routine, to make decisions about what’s really important — and to develop whatever new habits you’ve been meaning to.

Why I am an avid reader

UFT Vice President for Academic High Schools Janella Hinds encourages high school educators to continue to expand their own knowledge base through reading a variety of texts. Being an avid reader, she writes, helps educators better guide their...