When I discovered the UFT contract opened new career possibilities for teachers without stepping out of the classroom, I was excited and jumped at the chance. In my new role as a teacher leader, I am able to be more reflective about my practice and to grow as a teacher.
I am not interested in becoming an administrator. So I appreciate this new opportunity to lead change from within the classroom. It’s really exciting.
For two years now, I have been able to do what I love, which is to share. That’s what this role was created for.
As one of the four teacher leaders at PS 811, a District 75 Bronx school where we work with students with disabilities that include autism and moderate to severe mental and emotional disabilities, we have created an open-door environment to improve education practice among all of us. And, like general education teachers, we are focused on academic success for our students.
As part of my leadership responsibilities, I host visits that colleagues make to my classroom, where I model lessons and then follow up with debriefing sessions. Or I visit a classroom to which I have been invited to model a lesson or to work with a colleague on a classroom issue. As a team, the four teacher leaders lead weekly staff-wide, small-group meetings to analyze and discuss the work of specific students to understand what worked and what didn’t and why. The opportunity to see another teacher’s perspective of the same student is a great benefit.
Our focus is on collaboration. We have made it clear that our leadership role is teacher-based, not evaluative or punitive, and we have complete administrative support for what we do.
I am very happy and comfortable in the new career avenue the union has opened up for me, especially because I’m where I want to be — in the classroom.
Michelle Fargnoli is a teacher at PS 811 in the Bronx.
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