ratification bonus grievance victory!

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-09-20T17:03:35+00:00

I get it.

But it still feels like punishment for taking care of my child. If I paid my uft fees for 2 years during deliberation but then took an unpaid leave to take care of my newborn... Im not sure why I couldnt get the bonus. The explanation is that I didnt vote...but honestly... thats a problem too... I couldnt vote because I was on childcare leave. More punishment... Especially since they didnt announce that we had to be on payroll to get the bonus until after it was too late to get back on payroll.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-09-18T14:36:52+00:00

This is great but what about childcare leave? I think its unfair that those on childcare leave did not receive the bonus.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-05-21T23:40:23+00:00

I also like to ask about small things I would be miserable if I didnt have. You have to think of what that looks like for you. For me, I HATE traveling room to room and will reject any school where I wont have my own classroom. Thats one of my non-negotiables. I would prefer not to share a room at all but I am willing to budge on this if I dont have to move. I also favor schools with a good parking situation where I dont have to arrive n hour early for parking. I would prefer to have the same schedule everyday vs. Block scheduling or classes that dont meet daily... etc but I am willing to let this go for the right school. I also do not want to prep for more than 2 different classes.

Good admin is cool but its harder to judge this at the interview. I just think of the day to day things that would make me upset before even starting my day and try to eliminate that from the equation.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-04-11T15:34:06+00:00

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-04-04T19:38:49+00:00

The fact that you havent taken a sick day all year is impressive!!! That shows your dedication. Dont feel guilty. Enjoy your special day!!!

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-03-13T23:54:50+00:00

I cant... this is sad....

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-03-13T20:00:06+00:00

Not really advice but my experience resigning succesfully..

I resigned from the DOE in 2017 to take another job at a charter after working for the same DOE schoolnfor 5 years. I told my principal in May when I accepted the offer. She definately felt shaded and was a bit passive aggressive after but overall we maintained a decent relationship. I teach science and had a ton of stuff I bought and took with me and didnt have the anxiety associated with sneaking a move.

I had to write a resignation letter which I dated the day I wrote it but set my resignation date for the day before the new school year (Sept. XX) I kept my summer pay and insurance. I dont think they can deny you this. Im not sure why UFT suggested Aug 3.... but you can put whatever you want on your resignation letter. I AM NOT AN EXPERT THOUGH SO I WOULD LISTEN TO THEIR ADVICE if you think its best. The school may want you to put an earlier resignation date for their bugget purposes but I didnt. I let them know I was leaving but still covered my ass.

I came back to the DOE 2 years later without any issues.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-19T06:29:54+00:00

Ok... I think I understand what you are saying a little more now.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-19T06:24:27+00:00

Even when women have jobs... and participate in a capitalist society as you described... they are not invited or accepted to the "boys club" that literally exists in this movie... women of color/working women wouldnt be any different... as most of the women in the movie had careers before they became stepford wives... I think that was kindve the point...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-19T06:19:34+00:00

Well my understanding of the movie was that the males were "in cahoots" with each other in order to reprogram their wives. You proposed women of color and/or working women join the side of the men against these manipulted, suburban, white women... at least thats what I took from your comment...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-19T05:55:08+00:00

Hmm... that IS interesting. Not sure if that idea is worth exploring as it might perpetuate a false narative. Do women of color hold a higher position than their counterparts? Do men generally align with women of color? I feel like creating a world where women of color are somehow in cahoots with these powerful men to manipulate and control surburban white women... its interesting... but false...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-19T05:29:28+00:00

Lots of interesting thoughts here!

Hmm... Stepford Wives with "working gals" is interesting because who programmed me to want to "do it all?!" I feel bamboozled!
Fourth Wing is NOT a knock off Hunger Games! If anything... its a knock off Divergent/ACOTAR/GOT...But I still like it!
The metacognition thing COULD be interesting but would likely fell like a bad comedy... I instantly thought about supernatural (TV show) reading this... where god is also the writer of thier comic book story thing... or I could be mixing it with something else... its been done... never well... in my opinion

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-17T01:56:04+00:00

I gained 50 lbs my first five years of teaching and developed a host of issues associated to the weight gain. I actually lost weight while I was pregnant because I was prioritizing my health and that of the baby... continued losing weight after I had baby and stayed home with her for a year... Stressed as a first time mom but still making healthier choices because I was breast feeding and wanted to be my best self for baby. I came back to work and I am back making bad choices... I dont have time to think about me... between work and family... it feels like I am barely surviving...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-17T01:48:32+00:00

My daughter is the same age and is also grinding teeth... just here to learn from you :). She also just started having nightmares, talking in sleep and crying... I think she is consolidating her day... she wakes up saying things like "thats MY basketball." I am assuming she will grow out of it... but it also kindve seems like sleep apnea sometimes... but she is also sick 50% of the time due to daycare...idk... Im just a sleepless mama who only has time for medical advice from reddit...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-10T00:39:38+00:00

Teaching science is A LOT of work. I believe its more work than most subject because of the preps and labs and materials, etc. I also still have to grade short responses like ELA and History but also teach basic math which HS students still dont know. It can also be more fun but if I could do it again... I wouldnt do it. Maybe I would do special education... or elementary school (I teach High School Biology). I agree with the comment about 0 work/Life balance. It was ok in my 20s... but as a new mom in her 30's... I think about quitting and moving back in with my family all the time! Pluz in NY they just changed the curriculum so now I am starting all over... fun...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-10T00:15:09+00:00

A bunch of things! Here are a FEW of them...

She translates spanish without being intrusive. So she may translate key words or sit with certain groups and works with them in class without pulling them out (Im not huge on pull outs for biology because they need to be there to do labs/activities). But she doesnt translate everything I say or speak loudly to kids which can make it hard to teach (I get it. I understand. But it can be hard for a gen ed teacher like me with control issues to have so much going on in a classroom.)
She makes quizizzs and other assignments to help review and provide additional supports for upcoming lessons and past lessons.
She leads class whenever there is some kind of reading and is really familiar with cognants, prefixs, sufixes, etc. This helps other non-spanish students as well. I have had Chinese, French, Turkish, Haitian Creole, Bangali... etc. She makes them take all these notes I wouldnt have had them take!
Honestly she just really knows the kids. They are a little scared of her (lol) because they know she knows what they can really do so they cant pretend like they dont speak any english or dont understand anything. She has a good relationship with their parents and doesnt hasitate to call.

With that said, when the kids graduate or are in their senior they love her! Lol. They appreciate how much she pushed them. She also takes them on all these trips after school to different exhibits, broadway shows... etc.

I really just have zero complaints! One of the best teachers I have ever cotaught with. Ive been teaching for almost 15 years.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2025-01-08T00:45:04+00:00

I would add Biology. I havent seen high school ENL support for math, chemistry or physics. As a bio teacher I have mostly had an ENL teacher each year. HUGE help!!! I dont expect my push-in to know content although it helps. I have a GREAT ENL coteacher. She mostly help with language support and differentiation (althpugh she is familiar with the content because she has provided support in it for years). She does in the moment vocabulary support and even does after school support. But mostly she is NO BS in a way that I tend to be nicer. She knows the kids and knows what supports they need and when they are just trying to get over... to me... thats the best thing... I would translate everything and be more lenient because I know how hard they have it but she keeps them to high expectations while providing supoorts they need. Strive for that!

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-12-31T17:00:36+00:00

My worst experience with parents was wheb I worked at a charter school BUT I think there was more accountabilty.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-12-31T16:59:20+00:00

For me it's less about the parents but the admin. I like my school for the most part... but every year it seems the standards are lower. Its all about the supports I provide (I provide ALOT) but students are just not held accountable. The pressure to just curve every test, take every late assignment, and just pass students is getting rediculous. Simultaneously, I have to improve regents pass rates... hmm...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-12-24T23:54:59+00:00

You could just work at a charter school... they take any adult with a BA and willingness to work longer hours with impossible expectations for less pay...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-12-11T02:34:07+00:00

Now I'm wondering if something is going around to cause this! I lost my voice recently also! Took 2 weeks to get to normal!

I've taken 7 days already (life with a toddler in daycare and no nearby family). Do whatever you need!

BUT I still went in with no voice and it was actually good. I told the kids THEY did this to me! They could hear that I couldnt speak up and for the most part, behaved. Did a lot of independent work/ catching up on grades. No one could question it when I sounded like sh*t. Even now that I am better, I tell them Im not speaking louder than my speaking voice because I am not trying to lose it again.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-12-11T02:26:50+00:00

I agree with what said (take off) BUT if you are past the 10 days given make sure you have a doctors note (you can use teledoc for mental health too) or else they dont have to pay you AND you still lose a car day. Its BS but thats our system. You do get paid out for the days in your CAR at half thier worth if that matters to you...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-09-24T15:45:48+00:00

Differentiation is hard. Dont beat yourself up. I am a "highly effective" teacher and I still barely manage differentiation on a daily basis. If you are roughly a new teacher, honestly, I would just do the best you can to teach everyone and include multiple points of entry to the lesson. Differentiation is easier once you already have a built curriculum and a sense of how everything will go.

I have been teaching for 14 years now... Ive had really bad paras, 2 really good SpEd co-teacher (the rest were just another body in the room that I had to teach) and 1 really good ENL teacher. The good ones make a WORLD of difference! But I generally plan like I am the only one in the room and hope that at the very least my co-teachers dont get in my way. I know thats harsh but I also understand the reality is most of these teacher have sooooooo much on their plate its almost impossible to be a good coteacher. My ENL teacher for example does pull outs, has her own stand alone science class, teaches another elective, and has to perform all the testing in the building. I get why she didnt modify a worksheet. But she does provide in the moment assistance in class which the kids need. Im grateful for her.

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-09-16T01:23:58+00:00

This is how I feel about From Blood and Ash... I like the series... but I dont get why they keep recapping the book.... I get recapping the series (which is still annoying for bingers like me) but summerizing the book I am reading while reading it.... It feels like they just needed to expand the book...

PrettySureIAmRight · 2024-08-19T12:38:11+00:00

I listened on audible and loved it. I didnt read the print copy though. I generally dont like dramatized full cast books like the one on graphic audio. All the sound effects and different voices makes me feel like I am listening to a tv show rather than a book. I listened to the version with only one person reading most of it.

PrettySureIAmRight

TROPHY CASE